Brett Cooper Is Spreading Conservatism, One Celebrity Drama at a Time
She was meant to be sitting in an air-conditioned studio, chatting live with the Fox host Will Cain. But she had blown a tire on the sizzling Texas freeway and missed her window. She offered to record a greeting on her phone instead, somewhat sheepishly explaining her absence.
Unceremonious as her debut last month seemed, it suited Ms. Cooper. She is a 23-year-old influencer. Filming herself comes as naturally as breathing.
On Instagram, where she has 1.3 million followers, Ms. Cooper's life is a picture of young, domestic bliss. Married and pregnant, she tends to her farm in an oversize plaid shirt and a high, high ponytail. (This spring, she had 10 cows, 10 chickens, five pigs and three ducks.)
On YouTube, where nearly 1.6 million people subscribe to 'The Brett Cooper Show,' she publishes twice-weekly monologues about celebrity and trending news with a conservative bent. She uses headlines about stars like Katy Perry or Simone Biles to argue against feminism and abortion rights, or the 'trans craze with young people.'
Ms. Cooper, whom Fox News signed in late June, represents a new evolution of Republican commentators: an entertainer playing by the internet's rules, rather than the established customs of right-wing media. Her speech is quick and jocular, like a red-state mash-up of BuzzFeed and 'Gilmore Girls.'
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Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Texas and California joust for political advantage, with Trump power and US House majority in play
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — The nation's two most populous states — California and Texas — grappled for political advantage in advance of 2026 elections that could reorder the balance of power in Washington and threaten President Donald Trump's agenda at the midpoint of his second term. In Texas, Democrats on Monday prevented their state's House of Representatives from moving forward, at least for now, with a redrawn congressional map sought by Trump to shore up Republicans' 2026 midterm prospects as his political standing falters. In California, Democrats encouraged by Gov. Gavin Newsom are considering new political maps that could slash five Republican-held House seats in the liberal-leaning state while bolstering Democratic incumbents in other battleground districts. The move is intended to undercut any GOP gains in Texas, potentially swinging House control and giving Democrats a counterweight to Trump on Capitol Hill. A draft plan aims to boost the Democratic margin in California to 48 of 52 congressional seats, according to a source familiar with the plan who was not authorized to discuss it publicly. That's up from the 43 seats the party now holds. It would need approval from lawmakers and voters, who may be skeptical to give it after handing redistricting power to an independent commission years ago. The rivalry puts a spotlight on two states that for years have dueled over jobs, innovation, prestige — even sports — with the backdrop of clashing political visions — one progressive, one conservative. A standoff in Texas after Democrats leave the state After dozens of Democrats left Texas, the Republican-dominated House was unable to establish the quorum of lawmakers required to do business. Republican Gov. Greg Abbott has made threats about removing members who are absent from their seats. Democrats counter that Abbott is using 'smoke and mirrors' to assert legal authority he does not have. The House quickly issued civil arrest warrants for absent Democrats and Abbott ordered state troopers to help find and arrest them, but lawmakers physically outside Texas are beyond the jurisdiction of state authorities. 'If you continue to go down this road, there will be consequences," House Speaker Rep. Dustin Burrows said from the chamber floor, later telling reporters that includes fines. Democrats' revolt and Abbott's threats intensified a fight over congressional maps that began in Texas but now includes Democratic governors who have pitched redrawing their district maps in retaliation — even if their options are limited. The dispute also reflects Trump's aggressive view of presidential power and his grip on the Republican Party nationally, while testing the longstanding balance of powers between the federal government and individual states. The impasse centers on Trump's effort to get five more GOP-leaning congressional seats in Texas, at Democrats' expense, before the midterms. That would bolster his party's chances of preserving its fragile U.S. House majority, something Republicans were unable to do in the 2018 midterms during Trump's first presidency. Republicans currently hold 25 of Texas' 38 seats. That's nearly a 2-to-1 advantage and already a wider partisan gap than the 2024 presidential results: Trump won 56.1% of Texas ballots, while Democrat Kamala Harris received 42.5%. The California pushback: A move to undercut GOP House members According to the tentative California proposal, districts now held by Republican Reps. Ken Calvert, Darrell Issa, Kevin Kiley, David Valadao and Doug LaMalfa would see right-leaning voters shaved and Democratic voters boosted in a shift that would make it likely a left-leaning candidate would prevail in each race. In battleground districts held by Democratic Reps. Dave Min, Mike Levin and Derek Tran, the party's edge would be boosted to strengthen their hold on the seats, the source said. Democratic members of California's congressional delegation were briefed on the new map on Monday, according to a person familiar with the meeting who requested anonymity to discuss private conversations. The proposal is being circulated at the same time that Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom has said he wants to advance partisan redistricting. He says he won't move ahead if Texas pauses its efforts. Newsom said he'd call a special election for the first week of November. Voters would weigh a new congressional map drawn by the Democratic-controlled Legislature. 'California will not sit by idly and watch this democracy waste away,' Newsom said Monday. More than 1,800 miles (2,900 kilometers) from Austin, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul appeared with Texas Democrats and argued their cause is national. 'We're not going to tolerate our democracy being stolen in a modern-day stagecoach heist by a bunch of law-breaking cowboys,' Hochul said Monday. 'If Republicans are willing to rewrite rules to give themselves an advantage, then they're leaving us with no choice: We must do the same. You have to fight fire with fire.' Status of the vote In Texas, legislators who left the state declined to say how long they'll hold out. 'We recognized when we got on the plane that we're in this for the long haul,' said Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer while in Illinois. Texas House Democratic Caucus leader Gene Wu said members 'will do whatever it takes' but added, 'What that looks like, we don't know.' Legislative walkouts often only delay passage of a bill, like in 2021, when many Democrats left Texas for 38 days to protest proposed voting restrictions. Once they returned, Republicans passed that measure. Lawmakers cannot pass bills in the 150-member House without two-thirds of members present. Democrats hold 62 seats in the majority-Republican chamber, and at least 51 left the state, according to a Democratic aide. The Texas Supreme Court held in 2021 that House leaders could 'physically compel the attendance' of missing members, but no Democrats were forcibly brought back to the state after warrants were served. Republicans answered by adopting $500 daily fines for lawmakers who don't show. Abbott, meanwhile, continues to make unsubstantiated claims that some lawmakers have committed felonies by soliciting money to pay for potential fines for leaving Texas during the session. ___ Barrow reported from Atlanta. Blood reported from Los Angeles. Associated Press writers Joey Cappelletti in Washington, John Hanna in Topeka, Kansas, and Andrew DeMillo in Little Rock, Arkansas, also contributed to this report.
Buzz Feed
an hour ago
- Buzz Feed
32 Vibe-y Products You'll End Up Loving Long-Term
A funny and relatable needlepoint throw pillow because everything you do is for the plot, and everyone should know that. A darling two-piece linen set comprised of a one-shoulder crop top and paper bag-waist shorts that might just give you "total Greece vibes." Honestly, you'll probably like it so much that you'll get it in another color. I just don't see a world where you're not absolutely obsessed with this outfit. A darling lil' llama-shaped stress ball for those days when your boss asks you to convert a doc into a PDF even though you've shown Sharon how to do it a million and one times. Just squish and squeeze the llama to feel a little convert the doc. A nostalgia-inducing composition book MacBook cover — this hard shell protector will probably make you feel like it's time to write a five-paragraph essay in Mrs. Lowell's class every single time you open your laptop to write a five-paragraph email at your big-kid job. A cute lil' guided breathing tool because you can't seem to relax when it's time for bed (that thing you did in third grade just keeps replaying in your mind). Breathe along to the fade-in/fade-out color prompts that simulate the popular 4/7/8, 5/5, and 4/4/4/4 breathing techniques. Let all your stress melt away. This "breathing partner" is also great for kids! A mini metal sword bookmark that'll keep your majesty (that's you) from losing your place in the romance novel you're reading right now. It's got fun tassels that'll stick out of your book. So go ahead and knight this book for its dedicated service to your majesty's (once again, that's you) entertainment. A wind-up cat-on-a-vac toy sure to entertain you for longer than you'll wanna admit. You'll also get a mini illustrated book containing cleaning and organizing tips — let cat-on-a-vac inspire you to tidy up a little! Or an actual (OK, well not "actual") kitty cat-a-pult if you believe these furry creatures were brought to earth to be superheroes, but are just missing the ever-essential power of flight. Equipped with capes tied around their necks, this trio of cats is ready for their first mission! A ceramic Stranger Things-inspired mug because you're still not over a certain Dungeon Master's death, and being able to toast to his bravery and sick guitar skills every morning with a hot cup of coffee might make the mourning process a little easier. A silicone suction phone case mount so you can slap your phone to a wall, press record, and get your Influencer™ on! This can be especially useful if you don't have the desk or floor space (or, honestly, if you just don't have the energy) to set up an inevitably wonky tripod. Can't wait to see your next GRWM TikTok! Rage Page: A Journal for the Bad Days — feel like you've got enough anger inside your body that you could use it to fuel a small city? This guided journal is filled with prompts, rage meters and mood trackers, and it also doubles as a coloring book! So get all your negative feels out, and then — on the opposite page — finish journaling by focusing on the positives. Because apparently there's always a silver lining, or whatever. A pack of six mini storage crates if you have shelving space that can be optimized (and cute-ified). These colorful and collapsible crates are perfect for keeping your tchotchkes and baubles organized. Or, I guess you could use them for more "practical" things like stationery, craft supplies, beauty products, and blah blah blah. But what about filling them with useless trinkets?! A pack of four Crocs-shaped car air fresheners because the actual Crocs on your actual feet make your Subaru smell quite funky. These colorful and charming fresheners come with 12 scent pads (four lavender, four fern, and four unscented) and can be clipped to your car's air vent! A foldable sleeper chair so you can go from sleepily sitting up while attempting to read a accepting that you actually just wanna fold this baby out and take a nap. A box of limited edition wildflower Band-Aids — these flexible fabric bandages will help you slay in one way after you've almost slain yourself in another. Each box contains bandages of three different sizes so you can perfectly adorn your wounds. A stylish and roomy weekender bag that's almost identical to the Beis version, but for waaaay less (like, "less than half the price" less). This cutie patootie has a ventilated shoe compartment on the bottom as well as a PVC-lined "wet pocket" so you can separate your damp bikini or sweaty post-workout 'fit from your clean and dry clothes. And to make matters BETTER, it's also got a built-in USB port so you can charge your phone while on the go! A pack of eight spicy margarita instant cocktail tea bags, because as cute as it is to go out and spend upwards of $20 on just one at home in your coziest loungewear is also a really ~intoxicating~ idea. All you have to do is let it steep for three minutes in a combination of water and spirits (I'd obvi go with tequila here), and your fave summery drink is good to go! A dimmable sad duck night-light who is just oh so relatable. He just needs to lie down real quick forever. This night-light has a 30-minute timer so you don't have to get up and turn it off before falling asleep. A whimsically cutesy and insulated corduroy lunch bag if you're not necessarily a Mean Girl, but all of your coworkers tend to show up the next day wearing what you wore yesterday. And if you're committed to wearing pink on Wednesdays, there's this darling lunch bag covered in strawberries. Oh, you little trendsetter! A set of eight adorable mason jar shot glasses that'll give your next pre-game session a fun, yeehaw kind of vibe. They even come with little lids so you can take your lemon drop shot with you to the next party location! A lil' Stanley tape measurer keychain because you maaaay have been measuring furniture by stretching your arms out wide and making an incredibly (in)accurate mental note of their size. Honey, there's simply an easier way. It's this convenient guy. A pair of perfectly pastel wireless over-the-ear headphones with super soft ear cushions and a padded headband for optimal comfort, as well as a built-in mic to take calls. There's a decent chance you'll forget all about the AirPods Max you've been trying (and failing) to save up for when you have these affordable alternatives blasting your fave tunes in your ears! A drop test-certified Casetify iPhone case if you just splurged on the iPhone 16 Pro and don't want it to end up like your last several iPhones (read: scratched and cracked) that now live in the great scrapyard in the sky. Plus, there are so many prints, it'll be nearly impossible NOT to find one that fits your style. And if your style changes every other week, I'd recommend getting several just in ~iPhone case~. A silicone red crab utensil rest that can sit on the edge of your pots and pans while you cook. It'll do the heavy lifting of holding a spoon when it's not in use. A waterproof shower phone holder, because you've got TikToks to watch, and needing to wash your hair shouldn't get in the way of that. This dual-layered anti-fog phone holder offers 360 degrees of protection because your phone is your life and should be treated as such. A set of pastel glitter highlighters to add a little sparkle to your notes and to-do lists! These fun metallic highlighters might just make getting through your To Be Read pile a little more fun. A *checks notes* garlic bread-scented candle you might not wanna light when you're hungry. Made with beeswax, goats' milk, herbs, and farm-grown garlic, this candle is the perfect (inedible) treat! A mini pool table for cats that actually acts as a scratching post. If your kitty is a bit of a pool shark, you might not wanna tempt them with such a fun toy. It also comes with two feather teaser pool sticks and six colorful felt balls. A Lego flower bouquet building kit if you're too much of a liability when it comes to living plants. These gorgeous and immortal flowers are not only fun to put together, but they're a fun decoration all year long. A "Gracula" garlic crusher — just because the Count has a garlic aversion doesn't mean he can't help you mince a little for your homemade pasta sauce. And it'll only take a few seconds! A super handy mini answer wheel for when there's no one around to help you decide whether or not to take a nap break. Just spin this wheel and if it lands on "sounds great," well, you have your answer. A retro Victrola Bluetooth record player that is waaaay more modern than it seems. It can play vinyl records (obvi), CDs (hey, elder millennials), cassettes (good day, Gen X'ers), AM/FM radio, and music from your smartphone via Bluetooth.
CNN
an hour ago
- CNN
Analysis: Why Trump's Texas battle over the House could end up affecting every American
Democrats might finally have learned something about Donald Trump — if they hope to beat him, they must get down in the gutter alongside him. Party leaders in powerhouse blue states on Monday vowed to emulate the president's methods to create new Democratic-friendly seats in the House of Representatives in response to his bid to carve out five new GOP districts in Texas. Their promises came as they celebrated Democratic Texas state lawmakers who suddenly became the fresh faces of the anti-Trump resistance after facing arrest warrants for fleeing the state in an exodus that ground a special legislative session called by the president's allies to a halt. This all might look like yet another twist in a generationslong struggle by both parties to gerrymander districts to get a leg up in elections. And some voters' eyes might glaze over at what seems like an internal Texas tussle. But the fight has profound national implications. In the short term, the House of Representatives — which Democrats hope to win back in midterm elections next year to rein in Trump's presidency — could be at stake. Democrats currently need a net gain of three seats to take the majority. If the Texas plan passes without a response by another state, they will need eight. That could dash their goal of imposing a clamp on Trump's runaway presidency. In the medium term, the Texas redistricting fight must be seen against the backdrop of a fraught political age. There are growing signs American democracy is fraying. Republicans will argue, correctly, that Democrats have mounted their own egregious redistricting schemes in states such as Illinois and Maryland. But the instigator of the effort to make the Texas congressional delegation even redder was a president who already has a dark record of trying to subvert the verdict of voters. Longer term, the national political fight that has erupted over Texas looks almost certain to further erode the checks and balances of democracy, however it ends. If both parties now simply go all-out in a national gerrymandering frenzy, they will produce a House of Representatives where it will be even more difficult for incumbents to lose their seats and that will make meaningful political change even harder. If nothing else, the furor demonstrates the imperative of winning power and forging transformational change before the opportunity is lost. Republicans over the last decade have built an unassailable conservative Supreme Court majority that enabled GOP redistricting efforts based on race, including in Texas. And they've elected and supported a president with an expansive and constitutionally questionable thirst for imposing his own personal power that has shattered most political norms. Most presidents would not be as blatant in Trump in trying to change the electoral battlefield. Over the same period, Democrats failed to bolster ranks of liberals on the Supreme Court — for instance, by not persuading late Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg to retire when a liberal replacement could be confirmed while the party controlled the presidency and the Senate. In 2024, Democrats initially backed an aging and unpopular President Joe Biden, despite warnings that his candidacy could open the door again to Trump and his anti-democratic project. This loss of power has been disastrous to progressive aspirations and to protecting the liberal victories of the last 50 years, including the nationwide constitutional right to abortion. Some top Democrats see the Texas redistricting showdown as a moment for their party to show more ruthlessness. 'We are at war,' New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said Monday, alongside several exiled Texas lawmakers, warning that Democrats should forget independent redistricting panels intended to draw fairer maps that represent a complex electorate. 'The playing field has changed dramatically, and shame on us if we ignore that fact and cling tight to the vestiges of the past,' Hochul said. 'That era is over. Donald Trump eliminated that forever,' she said. California Gov. Gavin Newsom unveiled a plan for a mid-decade redistricting in his state to match the one underway in deep-red Texas. His proposal would come before voters in November — the latest skirmish in a long-running ideological feud between the two states. But it will only be triggered if Texas moves ahead with its own plan. Newsom said he still favored a national independent districting body, but warned that Democrats needed to respond to the GOP's hardline tactics. 'Things have changed. Facts have changed. So we must change,' Newsom said. 'We have got to think anew. We have got to act anew. And we are reacting to the change — they have triggered this response, and we are not going to roll over.' Potential 2028 Democratic primary candidates, including Newsom and Gov. JB Pritzker of Illinois — who has also rushed to back the Democratic Texas lawmakers — have compelling personal interests in joining the fight. In two years, candidates will be asked on a debate stage what they did in the battle over Texas. But they're also seeking to revive a national party pummeled by Trump, which lacks leadership and has left its supporters listless. Grassroots progressives have been pining for someone, anyone, to show some stomach for the fight — even though Democrats lack any power in Washington to meaningfully hurt the president. The Texas uproar also coincides with multiple examples of Trump's widening authoritarianism, following his cowing of Congress, crushing of constraints within the federal government, and co-option of the Justice Department and some intelligence services into instruments of his whims. On that score, a source told CNN on Monday that Attorney General Pam Bondi has ordered prosecutors to launch a grand jury investigation into Obama administration officials over the Russia investigation. Given all this, if the Democrats don't fight back now, when will they ever fight? As CNN's Eric Bradner reported Monday, the proposed new GOP maps could force two prominent Democratic lawmakers, Reps. Greg Casar and Lloyd Doggett, into a primary against one another. They'd also merge two other seats and make two south Texas seats held by Democrats more Republican-leaning. While the Democrats made a statement by leaving Texas, their chances of ultimately prevailing seem thin, given the financial pressure of $500 daily fines for non-attendance and their interrupted livelihoods when they are away. And Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, a key Trump ally, could call further special sessions later in the year. This is why some Democrats believe that if they can threaten Republican seats in their own states, they might convince House Speaker Mike Johnson to call off his allies in Austin. 'Perhaps the Republican members of Congress here in New York could say to their Republican colleagues in Texas — 'Hey, slow down on this because this could affect us,'' Carl Heastie, the speaker of the New York State Assembly, said. This seems a long shot, however, not least because there are considerable impediments in New York to a swift redrawing of maps. Hochul admitted that that even if everything goes smoothly, redistricting that would bypass New York's current nonpartisan commission could only be in place for the 2028 election — a lifetime away in Trump-era politics. And attempts by Democratic states to rebalance electoral maps might convince more GOP bastions to do the same. So, if an outside Texas strategy is unlikely to force the Texas Republicans to back down, why are Democrats pursuing it? This may be one of those times in politics when a party can win something by losing. Democrats might not only engage their demoralized partisans by taking the fight to Trump on Texas; they can use the battle to organize and focus their message as they grapple for traction after a grim political year. Defending democracy might be a desirable project in the abstract. But in the past, especially when Biden was warning that Trump imperiled America's 'soul,' the idea felt distant from voters infuriated by high grocery prices and the cost of housing. And impassioned warnings from Democratic leadership about how Trump would threaten democracy didn't stop his reelection. Hochul and other Democrats seemed on Monday to be reaching for a way to connect the democracy question to more immediate voter concerns through the prism of the Texas power grab. She argued that stopping such schemes was critical to charting a path back to power so Democrats could reverse Trump's policies on tariffs and deportations. That will require a toughening of the Democratic approach, one that underscores the distance traveled since former first lady Michelle Obama warned that when Republicans like Trump go low, 'we go high.' 'With all respect to the good governance groups, politics is a political process,' Hochul said, dismissing 'purity tests' that would make electoral maps fair to everyone involved through nonpartisan commissions. 'If Republicans win the legislature, they can have at it. But until then, we are in charge, and we are sick and tired of being pushed around.'
