Project 2025 author Paul Dans will challenge Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham in South Carolina
Dans told The Associated Press the Trump administration's federal workforce reductions and cuts to federal programs are what he had hoped for in drafting Project 2025. But he said there's 'more work to do,' particularly in the Senate.
'What we've done with Project 2025 is really change the game in terms of closing the door on the progressive era,' Dans said in an AP interview. 'If you look at where the chokepoint is, it's the United States Senate. That's the headwaters of the swamp.'
Dans, who is set to formally announce his campaign at an event Wednesday in Charleston, said Graham has spent most of his career in Washington and 'it's time to show him the door.'
Challenging the long-serving Graham, who has routinely batted back contenders over the years, is something of a political long shot in what is fast becoming a crowded field ahead of the November 2026 midterm election that will determine control of Congress.
Trump early on gave his endorsement of Graham, a political confidant and regular golfing partner of the president, despite their on-again-off-again relationship. Graham, in announcing he would seek a fifth term in the Senate, also secured the state's leading Republicans, Sen. Tim Scott and Gov. Henry McMaster, to chair his 2026 run. He has amassed millions of dollars in his campaign account.
Other candidates, including Republican former South Carolina Lt. Gov. André Bauer, a wealthy developer, and Democratic challenger Dr. Annie Andrews, have announced their campaigns for the Senate seat in an early start to the election season, more than a year away.
Graham, in an appearance Sunday on NBC's 'Meet the Press,' did not discuss his reelection campaign but fielded questions on topics including his push to release 'as much as you can' from the case files on Jeffrey Epstein, something many of Trump's supporters want the government to do.
Dans, an attorney who worked in the first Trump administration as White House liaison to the office of personnel management, said he expects to have support from Project 2025 allies, as well as the ranks of Trump's supporters in the state who have publicly tired of Graham.
After Trump left the White House, Dans, now a father of four, went to work at the Heritage Foundation, often commuting on weekdays to Washington as he organized Project 2025. The nearly 1,000-page policy blueprint, with chapters written by leading conservative thinkers, calls for dismantling the federal government and downsizing the federal workforce, among other right-wing proposals for the next White House.
'To be clear, I believe that there is a 'deep state' out there, and I'm the single one who stepped forward at the end of the first term of Trump and really started to drain the swamp,' Dans said, noting he compiled much of the book from his kitchen table in Charleston.
Among the goals, he said, was to 'deconstruct the administrative state,' which he said is what the Trump administration has been doing, pointing in particular to former Trump adviser Elon Musk's work at the Department of Government Efficiency shuttering federal offices.
Dans and Heritage parted ways in July 2024 amid blowback over Project 2025. It catapulted into political culture that summer during the presidential campaign season, as Democrats and their allies showcased the hard-right policy proposals — from mass firings to budget cuts — as a dire warning of what could come in a second Trump term.
Trump distanced himself from Project 2025, and his campaign insisted it had nothing to do with his own 'Agenda 47.'
Dans is launching his campaign with a prayer breakfast followed by a kick-off event at a historic venue in Charleston.
___
Kinnard reported from Chapin, South Carolina, and can be reached at http://x.com/MegKinnardAP.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Boston Globe
a few seconds ago
- Boston Globe
‘No parent should have to go through this.' Mother of slain UMass student backs Trump's federal takeover of D.C. police.
'My son was murdered,' his mother said. 'I can never see him again. I can never talk to him again. I just stare at his ashes, at his picture ... No parent should have to go through this, or any family. And that's the goal— I don't want another kid to be shot or killed.' Tarpinian-Jachym's intensely personal goal coincides with Advertisement 'I think he understands how bad it is,' she said of Trump, adding that she does not believe he is using her son's death for political purposes. 'This is our nation's capital, and I have to agree with [Trump], it should be the safest place in the country, the cleanest place in the country, and safe for everybody in America or anybody from all over the world to come visit.' Advertisement Tarpinian-Jachym stressed that her goal is improved public safety and said that she and her husband, a retired postal worker, are both registered as independents. She said she was drawn to Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s brief pursuit of the Democratic presidential nomination and has not been a MAGA supporter. A retired occupational therapist who practiced for many years in Springfield and Holyoke, Tarpinian-Jachym noted that Trump has indicated the federal takeover will be short-term. The deployment of National Guard troops should be given a chance to help local police, she said. Eric Tarpinian-Jachym grew up in Granby, about 15 miles north of Springfield, where he graduated from Pope Francis Preparatory School. He was seeking a degree in finance with a minor in political science at UMass Amherst. While her son wound up interning for a Republican, Ron Estes of Kansas, he was politically independent, she said. 'He was not this staunch Trumpster, like people are trying to make him out. He's an independent voter in Massachusetts, like all of us are,' she said. 'He was an independent, and he went to [Washington] to go and learn from both sides of the aisle.' Compounding the family's grief is the long, painful road Eric traveled in recent years. From 2020 until last year, he faced a number of health challenges — his mother declined to be specific — that required multiple surgeries, long and difficult rehabilitation, and accommodations at college when health problems derailed his class schedule. 'It was four years of hell' that included long stays at Boston's Children Hospital, his mother recalled. Advertisement But by January, his health had improved and Eric was 'The poor kid was having a good run for six months without being in a hospital, without complaining about pain,' she said. 'And on day 30 — he was there 30 days to the day — he got shot on that street and died the next day. That's why I am so angry." Around 10:30 p.m. on June 30, multiple people got out of a car at the intersection of 7th and M Street and began firing at a group of people, police said. Tarpinian-Jachym, a 16-year-old boy, and a woman were shot. Police believe the 16-year-old may have been the target and that Tarpinian-Jachym was an innocent bystander. A black Acura police believe was used in the shooting was later recovered, officials said. No arrests have been made and police have Tamara Tarpinian-Jachym said police have not returned any of her son's effects, including his phone that she keeps texting. 'Hopefully the case will be solved,' she said. Her son loved fishing, she recalled, especially with his father. In late May, they went to Block Island together and had an excellent day catching and releasing stripers. Advertisement Her husband worked part-time at the dining hall at Amherst College and would meet Eric for coffee at 4 p.m. in town nearly every day, she said. Those fishing trips, the meetings over coffee, and so much more are now gone, she said. 'Homicide is the worst thing a parent can experience, and my heart goes out to all parents of homicide victims,' she said. 'I wish it was me. My husband wishes it was him. So he could have lived his life." John R. Ellement can be reached at
Yahoo
29 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Palantir Nears Record High As Trump's $175 Billion Missile Defense Plan Opens Door To Massive SHIELD Contracts
Defense contractor Palantir Technologies' (NASDAQ:PLTR) stock trended on Wednesday as it traded close to its 52-week high of $190. President Donald Trump's $175 billion Golden Dome missile defense plan could create new contract opportunities for companies like Palantir by opening bids under the Scalable Homeland Innovative Enterprise Layered Defense (SHIELD) initiative. Palantir's software could support missile tracking, cybersecurity, and data integration across the system's satellite and ground-based defense layers, aligning with the Pentagon's push to strengthen national security by 2028. Also Read: Palantir stock gained over 147% year-to-date, driven by its performance in the AI sector and increased government contracts. Also this week, Palantir expanded its long-term partnership with SOMPO Holdings through a new multi-year deal via Palantir Technologies Japan KK, deepening the use of its Foundry platform across multiple SOMPO subsidiaries. The integration now spans elder care, insurance claims, and underwriting, with AI-driven tools streamlining fraud detection, claims processing, and risk evaluation. By embedding Foundry deeper into core operations, SOMPO expects to boost efficiency, accuracy, and annual financial results by about $10 million. Analysts expect Palantir's growth to accelerate after its strong second-quarter results and guidance that topped expectations. Piper Sandler's Brent Bracelin cited record revenue gains in government and commercial segments, including a $10 billion Army deal and 93% year-over-year U.S. commercial growth. Bank of America's Mariana Perez Mora noted that Palantir remains best in class for operationalizing AI in enterprises and aligns with the Trump administration's 'Winning the Race' AI plan. Both analysts view Palantir as uniquely positioned to capture share in two $1 trillion-plus markets. Price Action: PLTR shares are trading 1.11% higher at $189.02 as of the last check on Wednesday. Read Next:Image: Shutterstock UNLOCKED: 5 NEW TRADES EVERY WEEK. Click now to get top trade ideas daily, plus unlimited access to cutting-edge tools and strategies to gain an edge in the markets. Get the latest stock analysis from Benzinga? PALANTIR TECHNOLOGIES (PLTR): Free Stock Analysis Report This article Palantir Nears Record High As Trump's $175 Billion Missile Defense Plan Opens Door To Massive SHIELD Contracts originally appeared on © 2025 Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
USA Today
30 minutes ago
- USA Today
Jimmy Kimmel says he obtained citizenship in Italy amid Trump presidency
Jimmy Kimmel said he obtained Italian citizenship in a move seemingly motivated by the United States' current political climate under President Donald Trump. The late-night host revealed the news during an appearance on comedian Sarah Silverman's podcast, "The Sarah Silverman Podcast," on Aug. 7. "A lot of people I know are thinking about where they can get citizenship," Silverman said. Kimmel replied, "I did get Italian citizenship." The "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" host has long been an adversary of the president's policies. Trump, for his part, has openly criticized Kimmel's career over the years. USA TODAY has reached out to Kimmel's reps for comment. Kimmel says 'what's going on' is 'unbelievable' Kimmel didn't specifically cite Trump's presidency for his new Italian citizenship, but he and Silverman did allude to the current state of American politics. "What's going on is as bad as you thought it was going to be," Kimmel said, to which Silverman replied, "Way worse." "It's so much worse. It's just unbelievable," Kimmel said. "Like I feel like it's probably even worse than he would like it to be." Silverman added, "Every once in a while I'll Google Trump regrets or MAGA regrets." The comedians went on to elaborate on the political climate, with Kimmel mentioning Joe Rogan and other Trump supporters who have questioned the administration's policies. Kimmel is latest comedian to consider overseas move If Kimmel opts to move abroad, he wouldn't be the first comedian to do so amid Trump's presidency. Rosie O'Donnell, who notably has a long-standing feud with the president, moved to Ireland in January as Trump entered office. She said in a TikTok video in March that she is relieved not to be "singled out by the President of the United States." "I feel healthier (and) I'm sleeping better without the stress and anxiety over what was happening politically in the country," O'Donnell said. Similarly, Ellen DeGeneres and wife Portia de Rossi also headed across the pond in 2024 and haven't been back to the United States since. "We got here the day before the election and woke up to lots of texts from our friends with crying emojis, and I was like, '(Trump) got in,'" DeGeneres said during an event in South West England on July 20. "And we're like, 'We're staying here.'" Melina Khan is a national trending reporter for USA TODAY. She can be reached at
