The Democrats have a huge political opening.

With President Trump under fire from all directions — including some in his own party — it’s a rare chance for the opposition to put some points on the board.

And who are the most prominent Dems right now?

One is Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

The other is Zohran Mamdani.

AOC is uber-liberal, and the New York mayoral candidate is a self-proclaimed democratic socialist.

Many party office-holders, not to mention media and political analysts, say the Democrats’ biggest problem is having lurched too far to the left. A fixation on pronouns, transgender sports and Palestinian rights. 

Does that sound like where most of America is in the fall of 2025?

There are plenty of clickbait headlines out there about AOC weighing a presidential race. But what Axios’ Alex Thompson, who had the scoop, actually reported is that she’s considering a White House run or a Senate race, against Chuck Schumer. So not much has changed.

AOC, now in her fourth term, just barely meets the constitutional requirement that a president be at least 35.

But there’s no question that she’s a dynamic campaigner, prodigious fundraiser and social media phenomenon, with an aura of authenticity.

Even Trump told Fox News, ‘She’s got a little spunk, she’s got a little something.’ But, he said, ‘her philosophy is bad for the country. I don’t think that philosophy can come close to winning.’

It’s true that what plays in her Queens-Bronx district doesn’t necessarily play in Peoria. I think she would beat Schumer, an establishment figure who seems to read all his statements, but even in the state there are plenty of conservative regions between the Bronx and Buffalo. 

On the House floor, the congresswoman condemned Charlie Kirk’s murder, but said:

‘We should be clear about who Charlie Kirk was: a man who believed that the Civil Rights Act that granted Black Americans the right to vote was a mistake, who, after the violent attack on Paul Pelosi, claimed that ‘some amazing patriot’ should bail out his brutal assailant, and accused Jews of controlling ‘not just the colleges — it’s the nonprofits, it’s the movies, it’s Hollywood, it’s all of it.’

She added: ‘His rhetoric and beliefs were ignorant, uneducated and sought to disenfranchise millions of Americans.’ 

So she wouldn’t even vote for a symbolic resolution honoring Kirk, the 31-year-old victim of a targeted assassination. That sort of rhetoric excites her base but isn’t exactly a step toward unity.

Mamdani, who is very likely to become mayor, has a history of socialist rhetoric that he’s trying to soften without retracting it. The inexperienced assemblyman clung to ‘Globalize the Intifada’ — meaning, wipe out Israel — but now says he can see how it’s misinterpreted and won’t encourage its use. He insists that as mayor he would have Bibi Netanyau arrested if he came to the U.N.  

And this isn’t ancient history. In 2022, he wrote on his website: ‘We need to dramatically curtail the power and presence of the N.Y.P.D.,’ cut the force by 1,300 officers through attrition, and cut police overtime and freeze hiring.

Why? ‘A racist police system’ aimed at controlling ‘Black & brown New Yorkers.’

Andrew Cuomo, who has been visiting mosques and churches, has turned much more aggressive, calling Mamdani ‘a man with no beliefs’ and ‘a hypocritical chameleon desperate for attention and adulation.’ But, of course, Cuomo was forced to resign as governor. No one remembers that he pledged to drop out of the race unless he was leading Mamdani by September. 

The democratic socialist has a double-digit lead, which is why Gov. Kathy Hochul endorsed him — she saw the train leaving the station. That prompted a swipe by President Trump, who regularly denounces Mamdani — which might not be helpful in New York City — said he’d have to look closely at federal money going to the Apple.

Trump already intervened in the mayor’s race by dropping an indictment against Mayor Eric Adams, though he failed to lure him out of the race with offers of an administration job.

AOC initially declined the back the long-shot Mamdani, the New York Times reports, but when he got hot she endorsed him as having the best chance to beat Cuomo.

The Republicans would like nothing better than to run against Instagram star AOC and Mayor Mamdani as the face of a hyper-liberal party.

And then there’s Kamala Harris, who’s out peddling her bridge-burning book ‘107 Days,’ starting with a Rachel Maddow sit down. I don’t think she could have beaten Trump in 1,000 days. Harris was a terrible candidate — cautious, risk-averse, hiding from the press for a month, unable to separate from Joe Biden.

I assume she has the self-awareness to realize another run for the White House would damage her further. The book takes shots at Biden (‘reckless’ to run again), Pete Buttigieg (couldn’t pick a gay guy), Josh Shapiro (wanted too much power), and Tim Walz (blew the veep debate). Some have clapped back, often through surrogates (Biden folks calling her a lousy VP).  

To bring things full circle, Harris just endorsed Mamdani. But Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries have not, undoubtedly for fear of being tied to whatever he does.

There are, of course, whole swaths of the country that want nothing to do with socialism or the far left.

Kamala Harris’ book focuses attention on the past just when the Democrats are desperate to turn the page.

Only ‘friends and weapons,’ not international laws, can protect against war and authoritarian ambitions, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned on Wednesday during an address to the United Nations General Assembly.

The Ukrainian leader, who has been pleading with the international community to do more to counter Russian President Vladimir Putin amid his more than three-and-a-half-year-long war, once again cautioned that Ukraine may have been the first European nation to bear Moscow’s affront to international order, but it will not be the last.

‘Putin will keep driving the war forward wider and deeper. And we told you before, Ukraine is only the first. And now Russian drones are already flying across Europe,’ Zelenskyy said. ‘Russian operations are already spreading across countries, and Putin wants to continue this war by expanding it.

‘No one can feel safe right now,’ he added. 

A general tone of dissatisfaction with the effectiveness of the rules-based system has repeatedly rung out during the UNGA as world leaders condemned a growing disregard of international law and human rights amid rising security threats and geopolitical conflicts. 

Zelenskyy again argued it is cheaper to stop Putin now than attempt to catch up in an arms race, build underground bunkers across cities and under kindergartens and to try and ‘protect every port and every ship from terrorists with sea drones.’

‘Stopping Russia now is cheaper than wondering who will be the first to create a simple drone carrying a nuclear warhead,’ he said.

But it wasn’t only the international community’s failure to stop Putin that Zelenskyy addressed. 

He pointed to the Israeli hostages who are still held in Gaza and the horrific conditions Palestinians live in.

‘There is simply no other way left [that] nations can speak about the pain from stages like this,’ Zelenskyy said. ‘But even during bloodshed, there isn’t a single international institution that can truly stop it. That’s how weak these institutions have become. 

‘What can Sudan or Somalia or Palestine or any other people living through war really expect from the UN or the global system? Just statements,’ he said. 

‘In the end, peace depends on all of us, on the United Nations,’ Zelenskyy said. ‘So don’t stay silent while Russia keeps dragging this war on. Please speak out and condemn it. 

‘Please join us in defending life and international law and order,’ he added. ‘People are waiting for action.’

Dr. Ben Carson, a former neurosurgeon who served as secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development during President Donald Trump’s first term, was sworn in on Wednesday to serve as national advisor for nutrition, health and housing at the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

‘As National Advisor for Nutrition, Health, and Housing, Dr. Carson will advise both President Trump and Secretary Rollins on policies related to nutrition, rural healthcare quality, and housing accessibility,’ a USDA news release states. 

‘He will serve as the Department’s chief voice on these matters, join Secretary Rollins for her work on the President’s Make America Healthy Again Commission, and partner closely with leadership in USDA’s Rural Development Mission Area.’

‘Today, too many Americans are suffering from the effects of poor nutrition. Through common-sense policymaking, we have an opportunity to give our most vulnerable families the tools they need to flourish,’ Carson noted, according to the release. ‘I am honored to work with Secretary Rollins on these important initiatives to help fulfill President Trump’s vision for a healthier, stronger America.’

Earlier this year, Trump signed an executive order to create a Religious Liberty Commission and tapped Carson to serve as vice chair.

While speaking at the American Cornerstone Institute’s Founders’ Dinner on Saturday, Trump announced that Carson will be awarded the presidential medal of freedom, noting there will be a ceremony at the White House to honor him. 

Then President George W. Bush awarded Carson the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2008.

Carson, who founded the American Cornerstone Institute, ‘is ensuring there is an organization fighting for the principles that have guided him through life, and that make this country great: Faith, Liberty, Community, and Life,’ according to ACI’s website.

Industry insiders are touting progress made by the Trump administration and local law enforcement to crack down on illicit Chinese vapes, which they say will both protect the youth and bring clarity to the domestic vape retail industry. 

The World Vape show announced earlier this month was forced to postpone a Miami, Florida event ‘due to customers experiencing difficulty importing products into the marketplace’ in an industry where the vast majority of imported vapes come from China. 

‘Illicit Chinese vapes are a clear warning sign of a broader and violent  criminal network. These same organizations trafficking fentanyl – and the violence that comes with it – are turning to counterfeit vapes as a low-risk source of cash flow,’ Hugo Barrera, director of South Florida High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, told Fox News Digital.

‘That’s why South Florida HIDTA is actively training law enforcement on how to combat this emerging threat, while also working with prevention partners to educate the public. We’re seeing progress – even trade shows where these illegal deals once took place are shutting down – but there’s still much more to do.’

Over the past 8 months, the administration has vowed to combat the problem of illicit Chinese vapes and choke off the supply chain at the borders and ports after critics in the industry hammered the Biden administration for not doing enough to combat the issue.

Those promises appear to be taking shape at the federal and local level including news of a federal raid earlier this month in Illinois where CBS News reported federal agents seized flavored vaping products. 

‘The Chinese are getting richer while our children get sicker,’ HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. posted on X at the time. ‘We’re putting an end to that.’

‘We are targeting illegal Chinese vapes and we will stop them from poisoning our children. Just last week, I stood with @AGPamBondi after law enforcement seized 50 truckloads of illegal vapes from a Chicago-area warehouse — 90% of them from China.’

In May, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced in a press release it seized almost two million units of ‘unauthorized e-cigarette products’ in Chicago that represented an estimated retail value of just over $33 million. 

‘Responsible community retailers are working hard to provide adult smokers with less harmful alternatives to cigarettes,’ Scott Shalley, president and CEO of Florida Retail Federation and Georgia Retailers, told Fox News Digital.

‘Unfortunately, years of inconsistent (or non-existent) regulatory enforcement has allowed unscrupulous retailers to knowingly sell illicit and illegal Chinese products that continue to flood the market and place consumers – and particularly, our youth – at risk. We applaud the recent uptick in enforcement as we work to weed out the bad actors, protect our youth and provide much needed clarity to the retail industry.’

Earlier this month, HHS announced a massive seizure of imported vaping products amounting to 4.7 million units of unauthorized e-cigarette products with an estimated retail value of $86.5 million.

‘Almost all the illegal shipments uncovered by the operation originated in China,’ the government said in a press release. ‘FDA and CBP personnel determined that many of these shipments contained vague and misleading product descriptions with incorrect values, in an apparent attempt to evade duties and the review of products for import safety concerns.’

State and local jurisdictions appear to have increased vigilance in pushing back on China flooding the market with illicit vapes as well.

In Louisiana, Operation ‘Vape Out’ has resulted in 34,000 illegal vapes being seized and at least 10 arrests while Operation ‘Smoke Signals’ in Florida has yielded at least 27 arrests across 20 vape stores. 

Edgar Domenech, former deputy director and COO of the DOJ’s Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms & Explosives and a strategic advisor for the Tobacco Law Enforcement Network, told Fox News Digital ‘this is more than unauthorized tobacco smuggling.’

‘Federal state and local law enforcement leadership is starting to recognize that these are sophisticated criminal networks trading Chinese vapes alongside hard drugs and guns while they launder profits and evade taxes to cover it all up,’ Domenech said. ‘We need an all-of-government approach to break this monster’s back once and for all.’

Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, was among a select group of Democrats who then-Vice President Kamala Harris sought to bolster via a top secret ‘Stars Project,’ the 2024 White House hopeful’s new memoir reveals.

Harris dove deep into her brief presidential campaign in a new book released on Tuesday called ‘107 Days,’ with the title referencing the time between the beginning and end of her 2024 bid.

In one section, Harris discussed planning the Democratic National Convention (DNC) and said it was ‘in the party’s interest to highlight our stars, while we make it as entertaining as possible.’

‘When I became VP, I had a secret project – I called it the Stars Project – that only my senior team knew about. We’d brainstorm about the younger talents in the party and then, on Friday afternoons, I’d invite one or another to visit my office in the West Wing or the residence,’ Harris wrote.

Several were nervous, she recounted, but Harris recalled telling them, ‘No, I think you’re very talented. What are you working on, and how can I help you?’

‘Many of those on my list spoke at the convention: Lauren Underwood, Robert Garcia, Angela Alsobrooks, Lateefah Simon, Maxwell Frost, Joe Neguse, Lina Hidalgo, Jasmine Crockett,’ Harris listed.

Crockett, who has received backlash from conservatives for comparing ICE to ‘slave patrols’ and supporting defunding police, appeared to reference the passage in content she cross-posted on her personal Instagram account.

The post was from a Texas politics-based account called ‘howdypolitics’ that shared, ‘Kamala Harris had a secret project only known to senior staff called the ‘Stars Project,’ to privately mentor rising stars in the party. She made sure that many of them received speaking slots during the convention. That is what Jasmine Crockett was talking about in her speech at the DNC.’

Crockett did reference a meeting with Harris in her speech at the DNC in summer 2024.

‘When I first got to Congress, I wasn’t sure I made the right decision. The chaos caucus couldn’t elect a speaker and the Oversight Committee was unhinged. I was going through all of this when I visited the vice president’s residence for the first time. As I approached Vice President Harris for our official photo, she turned to me and asked, ‘What’s wrong?’’ Crockett recalled.

‘Mind you, we’d never met. But she saw right through me. She saw the distress. I immediately began crying, and the most powerful woman in the world wiped my tears and listened.’

She said Harris told her, ‘You are exactly where God wants you. Your district chose you because they believe in you. And so do I.’

‘The next month I went viral for the first of many times to come for hitting Republicans with a dose of their own medicine. That brief but impactful interaction gave me my legislative legs and I’ve been running ever since,’ Crockett said.

Crockett recently ignited backlash from conservatives after slamming White lawmakers for honoring Charlie Kirk after his assassination.

‘And to be clear, you can wave all the flags you want to, but I am telling you right now that the most unpatriotic people that we have in this country are MAGA and this president. We are the real patriots. And it is time for us to take our flag back and show people what America is about,’ she said.

Fox News Digital reached out to Crockett for further comment on Harris’ book excerpt and her speech at the DNC.