The California political machine is officially in panic mode.

With the June 2026 primary fast approaching, a shocking new reality is setting in for the Golden State’s Democrat establishment: the very voting system they championed could shut them out of the Governor’s mansion completely.

Unlike most states that hold partisan primaries, California dumps all candidates from all parties into one single primary election.

The only rule?

• The top two vote-getters advance to the general election
• Party affiliation doesn’t matter

That means:

If Democrats split their vote among multiple candidates, and Republicans consolidate behind just one or two, it is entirely possible for two Republicans to advance to the November runoff, shutting Democrats out completely.

Democrats vastly outnumber Republicans statewide.

But polls now suggest that may not be enough this time.

While the Democrat field remains hopelessly fractured, conservative candidates are surging to the front of the pack, according to a brand-new Emerson College poll released this month.

The latest numbers show exactly why Democrats are sounding the alarm:

• Steve Hilton (R): 17%
• Chad Bianco (R): 14%
• Eric Swalwell (D): 14%
• Katie Porter (D): 10%
• Tom Steyer (D): 9%

New York Post reported:

California Democrats are panicking as a crowded and uninspiring field of gubernatorial candidates is raising the real possibility two Republicans could advance out of the June primary.

The prospect of candidates waiting too long to drop out and creating “zombie campaigns” that lead to a Republican governor for the first time since Arnold Schwarzenegger left office in 2011 has created a  “sh—show,” one Democratic state legislator told The Post.

“I’ve never seen a big race like this before,” the legislator said. “And I am worried that we’re going to have two really whacko Republicans.”

As hundreds gathered this weekend for the California Democratic Party convention in San Francisco, another state legislator took aim at the rudderless leadership of the Democratic Party under chair Rusty Hicks, who has said he has no intention of leaning on candidates to bow out. Only the top two candidates — regardless of party affiliation — will emerge out of what’s called a jungle primary to run in the general election in November.

“You would think the party chair would be actively doing something to prevent a catastrophe,”  a second state legislator told The Post.

The post PANIC ON THE LEFT: Two Republicans Surge to the Top in California Governor’s Race — Democrats Fear Jungle Primary Vote-Splitting Could Hand GOP a Stunning Victory appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

In an exclusive interview with The Gateway Pundit, Trump’s head of the United States Agency for Global Media (USAGM), Kari Lake, discussed her overhaul of the government’s global news agency and the criticism she faces from leftwing media that seeks to protect its global media complex. 

The Gateway Pundit has reported extensively on Lake’s leadership of the USAGM, where, amid attacks from the press and judges stonewalling her, she has exposed the massive corruption and waste of taxpayer funds, rooted out taxpayer-funded globalist mouthpieces, purged the agency of unscrupulous employees, and is still fighting to reduce the agency’s workforce by 85% in accordance with Trump’s orders to shrink bureaucracy. “You don’t need as many people to do the job with the advancement of technology,” Lake noted.

“I’m really proud of the work that we’re doing. We’re covering the statutorily required languages, we’re broadcasting into Iran right now, and of course, there’s so much happening in Iran, and I’m really proud of the work that we’re putting out. Before I got here, and for many years, this agency was putting out, sometimes, anti-American news, and that’s not what the American taxpayer is expecting. When they’re footing the bill for this news to go out across the globe, we want to make sure that we’re not putting something that’s anti-American out.”

Lake shared more on her success to date in ending the globalist propaganda amid “malicious lawsuits” against her for shrinking the agency down to the statutory minimum. Lake maintains that, despite attempts by far-left judges to stop her, “we will be shrinking down the size of this agency, and eventually we will be making sure that people are moved off the payroll.”  She further revealed that she ultimately wants to “zero out” the agency and have the Department of State take over broadcasting the United States’s message and foreign policy to the world.

“My ultimate goal is to take this agency, and this was part of the President’s budget, reduce the agency down to zero, and move the assets over to the State Department,” she told The Gateway Pundit.

As a result of her agenda, Lake is currently facing relentless and coordinated smears from the leftwing media over her efforts to “rightsize” the agency, which she described as “the most corrupt agency in Washington, DC.”

The Gateway Pundit reported on one of these attacks in a story by the Atlantic, which accused Lake of causing “profound damage to America’s foreign broadcasters, and to America’s ability to communicate with the world.” The piece by leftist hacks Anne Applebaum and Yvonne Wingett Sanchez selectively quoted Lake and misrepresented her statements to push a narrative about mismanagement and massive waste of taxpayer funds at the agency.

MORE:

EXCLUSIVE: Far-Left Atlantic CAUGHT Writing Bogus Hit Piece on USAGM Head Kari Lake, Selectively Editing Lake’s Answers to Their Questions – Lake Responds!

The Atlantic further accused Lake of blocking Persian news services' access to transmission services that would allow the people of Iran to receive news during protests against the Iranian Regime.

Other reports, including the Washington Post's "Kari Lake is Making Trump’s Job Harder in Iran" and Bloomberg's "Iranian Internet Goes Dark as US Agencies Clash Over VPN Funding," go more in-depth on this allegation, claiming that the Open Technology Fund (OTF), a nonprofit virtual private network service funded by USAGM, is being throttled by Lake amid pressure from RINO Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC).

The dispute arose over Lake's plan to fund OTF services by advancing $10 million to OTF from their 2026 budget, rather than having the Department of State transfer $10 million to USAGM for disbursement to the VPN service. Lake says this would be the slowest method to give Iranians access to the internet and information, as the US considers kinetic warfare in Iran.

Lake previously said in a letter to Senator Lindsey Graham that the traditional method of routing money from the State Department through USAGM “would take months.” But Graham and Senator James Lankford (R-OK) have pushed back on Lake's plan, arguing that it's “not viable,” according to the February 14 Bloomberg story. Lake further said in a statement to Bloomberg, “We are working hand-in-glove with the State Department to deliver on President Trump’s priorities."

“Support is on the way to ensure a steady flow of information — as fast as possible — through VPNs and a variety of other mechanisms,” she added. “We will continue working tirelessly to deliver in this historic moment despite the Iranian regime’s suppression.”

The February 13 story from the Washington Post describes Lake as "an unwitting ally" of Iran and "the hapless acting head of U.S. Agency for Global Media," who "has worked tirelessly to cripple the U.S.-backed 'freedom radios' — including Voice of America and Radio Farda — that broadcast into Iran to counter regime propaganda." It goes on to suggest that Kari Lake is being uncooperative with the State Department's attempt to fund OTF, that she is sabotaging the President's agenda with regard to Iran, and that Trump should fire her.

It would appear that Lindsey Graham, who is mentioned in both stories as the leader of opposition to Lake's plan, planted these stories.

Lake explained the dispute, telling The Gateway Pundit that "We jumped in and said, we can get you money right away, and we were willing to try to get them that money within three days," but "some lawmakers wanted some circuitous route where it went from the State Department to USAGM and then back over to OTF, which was going to take longer," she said. "We were working the whole time with the State Department," she added.

Though she did not speculate on the reason behind the pushback on her plan to send the money "from point A to point B," she did appear to drop a hint, stating, "The deep state loves this agency, and they hate the fact that I'm in here working to modernize it." Lake also highlighted the lack of transparency from OTF, noting that the USAGM previously handled VPN access in-house through the Office of Internet Freedom before funneling money through OTF for the same service. "The problem with these grantees is a lot of times there's no transparency. It's opaque. We don't know where the money's going," she said, likening OTF to the globalist USAID slush fund and noting that OTF even once sued the agency for attempting to conduct oversight of a $19 million grant.

Where is all of this money going, and why are some in our government fighting so hard to keep the shady operation intact?

Lake further discussed her attempts to root out the waste, fraud, and abuse within the agency, as she faces smears from the media for actually saving the agency hundreds of millions of dollars, she says, as well as her efforts to stop the agency and its grantees from pushing globalist propaganda and meddling in other countries' political landscapes.

Watch the full interview below:

The post EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Kari Lake is Breaking Through Regime Censorship, Delivering President Trump’s Message with USAGM (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

Punch, the viral baby monkey, has a new family – and millions are elated by that.

Many journalists around the world have written articles trying to understand why so many people were touched by the saga of baby monkey Punch.

The sweet baby monkey, who found comfort in an orangutan toy after his mother abandoned him and he was constantly rejected by other macaques, trended strongly on social media.

FRIENDSHIP FOUND: A baby macaque named Punch, who was abandoned by his parents, has melted hearts around the world after video captures him hugging an older monkey following a tough time fitting in with the rest of the group. pic.twitter.com/kTtY9keLul

— Fox News (@FoxNews) February 22, 2026

The story of Punch-kun, known as Punch, the baby monkey, who was rejected by his mother.

Punch, is a seven-month-old baby macaque monkey who inhabits the Ichikawa Zoo in Japan.
Born in July 2025, Punch had to swallow a harsh reality when his birth mother refused and abandoned… pic.twitter.com/DNS2LV5B7F

— M-Û-R-Č-H (@TheEXECUTlONER_) February 19, 2026

This is not Ai , his name is punch and he’s in Japan. His mama rejected him so he gets picked on and they gave him a stuffed monkey for comfort

I wish I could have punch! pic.twitter.com/gFxQQ47qz7

— LIZZIE (@farmingandJesus) February 20, 2026

Videos of Punch clutching his plush toy have millions of views on platforms like TikTok and Instagram, and the hashtag #KeepGoingPunch has been used by thousands to express their solidarity with Punch.

The Ichikawa City Zoo has reported an increase in visitors, and the IKEA comfort toy sold out.

But yesterday, a wave of joy spread around the world as videos showed that Punch was finally welcomed into a family of monkeys inside his zoo.

Baby Punch, an orphan monkey that was abandoned by his mother, has finally been accepted by the other monkeys.

Punch was initially rejected the other monkeys, so he hung tightly to his plushie and was alone.

However, the little guy has started playing with the other young… pic.twitter.com/IaiE2LHpsJ

— Sunthar (@Sunthar_16) February 18, 2026

Daily Mail reported:

“Punch, a six-month-old macaque at Ichikawa City Zoo in Japan, became an internet sensation after videos showed the lonely little primate finding comfort and companionship in his stuffed toy.

[…] The baby’s bumpy ride is finally over, as social media videos on Friday showed the adult troop member wrapping him in a tight embrace.”

The baby monkey ‘melted hearts worldwide’ when videos of him clinging to zookeepers and to his stuffed orangutan toy were shared.

“Because infant monkeys instinctively cling to their mothers from birth and he was rejected from his mother, staff offered Punch blankets and soft toys to ease his anxiety.  He quickly chose the plush orangutan and has barely let go since.

Viral videos showed Punch hugging the toy as he sleeps, wrapping his arms around it and burying his face into the fabric.”

Little Punch has made his first true friend—that sweet macaque is no longer alone.

Abandoned by his mother, and rejected by his fellow monkeys, Punch became a loner, always carrying a stuffed animal with him.

Now he’s made friends with another monkey, who’s started caring for… https://t.co/zuqNQnVrim pic.twitter.com/95NfJ6m24C

— lone wolf (@MApodogan) February 17, 2026

Read more:

St. Louis Calls Off Search for Band of Monkeys Allegedly Accompanied by a Goat After AI Images Flood Social Media

The post Baby Monkey Rejected by Mother Takes the Internet by Storm, and Causes People Around the World To Rejoice as ‘Punch’ is Adopted by a Family of Monkeys in Japan Zoo appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.