Trump Alleges CA Primary Election Theft Amid Delayed Mail Ballot Count
President Donald Trump on Thursday accused “Dumocrats” of stealing California’s elections amid delayed vote counts and said that the U.S. Department of Justice is investigating the situation.
Trump made his comments while the state counted the votes from Tuesday’s jungle primaries for California governor and Los Angeles mayor.
State officials warned that tallying the mail-in ballots for the elections may take weeks, the Washington Times reported.
“The Dumocrats are at it again! They are trying to STEAL THE GOVERNOR OF CALIFORNIA PRIMARY, AND THE MAYOR OF LOS ANGELES, PRIMARY, AWAY FROM TWO GREAT REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES. Here we go with the very late and massive numbers of MAIL IN BALLOTS,” Trump posted on Truth Social early Thursday.
“There’s BIG cheating by the Dumocrats in California. Votes are all tied up. May not be in for weeks. Under investigation by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles. Why the vote counting DELAY???” Trump posted shortly after his first one.
“Look what’s happening in California, the Dumocrats, right before our very eyes, are stealing the Vote. I hope the Republicans are watching so that they can finally pass THE SAVE AMERICA ACT!” Trump posted Thursday afternoon.
Trump then posted about the Save America Act, noting that it requires all voters to show photo ID; all voters must show proof of U.S. citizenship; restrictions on mail-in ballots; no men in women’s sports; and no transgender surgeries for children.
Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom is defending the insanely slow pace of counting ballots from California’s primary elections on Tuesday as critics claim the process reeks of corruption.
Newsom’s office posted an “explainer” video featuring CNN correspondent Elex Michaelson defending the state’s slow count as baked into California law.
In making that point, Michaelson’s video appeared critical of Govs. Ron DeSantis of Florida and Greg Abbott of Texas—two states that have been recipients of California residents and companies.
He said those leaders are “focused more on counting ballots quickly” than on giving residents “more time to decide” who they wanted to vote for at the last minute.
The outgoing California governor’s video and statement were blasted online, with many social media users claiming California Dems have created a system that makes it much easier to cheat to their advantage.
“Americans should expect, at a minimum, to have elections that are free and fair, and results that are delivered promptly. But California is taking its laid-back reputation too far, failing to deliver its election results in a timely manner and creating the perception that they are neither free nor fair,” writes Jarrett Stepman for The Daily Signal on Thursday.
“Slothful election results have plagued California for years since it made wholesale changes to its election system in 2016. It has mass mail-in ballots that can be counted post-election and allows for an extremely slow pace of counting,” he continued.
“Proponents of the system say this makes their elections more ‘secure’ and accessible,” Stepman added.
While elections in California certainly are “accessible,” as the above video from a California resident demonstrated, claiming they are secure is more than a stretch, per Stepman:
As of now, the Los Angeles mayoral runoff would seem to be down to incumbent Democrat Karen Bass and the surging upstart Republican Spencer Pratt, with leftist candidate Nithya Raman taking the third spot. That would cut Raman out of the general election.
Raman cried on election night and certainly seemed convinced that she’d lost.
But since election day, new batches of mail-in votes have continued to trickle in for Raman. Even more curiously, electoral prediction markets have swung strongly in her favor.
“Why would it be a surprise that many are calling foul?” Stepman asked, noting it’s been “days” since the primary election and only Raman is surging.
Kenny Rogers Spent Four Days Losing Faith in a Song. Dolly Parton Changed It in Forty Minutes.
Kenny Rogers had been singing the same song for four days.
Finally, he told producer Barry Gibb he didn’t even like it anymore.
Gibb’s answer was immediate: they needed Dolly Parton.
Then Rogers’s manager mentioned he had just seen her downstairs.
The person who could change the recording was already nearby.
Parton joined him, and the song acquired something Rogers hadn’t found singing alone. He later recalled that within forty minutes, it had taken on a completely different personality.
That song was “Islands in the Stream.”
Listen to how their voices meet. Rogers brings that warm, weathered calm; Parton adds brightness and lift. When they reach the chorus together, the recording opens up.
Their chemistry made the duet sound inevitable.
Its creation had been anything but.
Released in 1983, it reached No. 1 on both the American pop and country charts. The collaboration also began a close friendship that lasted for decades.
Rogers remembered Parton lighting up the song. What had become exhausting work turned into the beginning of a musical partnership.
Before her arrival, he had spent four days trying to make the recording work.
Afterward, millions would find it difficult to imagine either voice singing it alone.
The Anthem That Ruled the '70s: Linda Ronstadt's Journey to Pop-Rock Royalty
The Linda Ronstadt Hit That Redefined Women in Rock
Released in late 1974, Linda Ronstadt’s “You’re No Good” became the breakthrough that transformed her into one of America’s biggest rock stars. Originally written by Clint Ballard Jr. and previously recorded by Dee Dee Warwick and Betty Everett, the song found its definitive voice when producer Peter Asher helped Ronstadt reinvent it with a bold rock arrangement. Powered by a brooding bassline, sweeping strings, and Andrew Gold’s unforgettable guitar solo, the single climbed to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in February 1975, becoming Ronstadt’s first chart-topping hit and launching her landmark album Heart Like a Wheel.
Ronstadt’s commanding vocal balanced heartbreak, defiance, and liberation with remarkable intensity. Her emotionally charged performance helped break new ground for female artists in rock, proving they could lead with both vulnerability and strength while commanding mainstream radio.
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Strength in Separation: The 1974 Masterpiece That Redefined the Breakup Song
Released in 1974, this ballad wasn't a tearful breakdown, but rather the quietest, most resilient goodbye ever recorded.
Released in 1974, Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You” arrived at a defining moment when the singer was ready to forge her own musical destiny.
It wasn’t simply another country single; it felt like a turning point where profound gratitude, inner conflict, and a fierce desire for independence all collided into something sharper and incredibly tender.
From the very first acoustic guitar strum—stark, slow, and unadorned—the song sets a tone that feels both mournful and resolute, as if the singer is holding back a heavy sigh.
That quiet tension became the heartbeat of the track, pulling listeners into a space where love isn't about possession, but rather the graceful act of letting go.
At its core, “I Will Always Love You” is about the quiet courage it takes to walk away.
Unlike typical tear-soaked country ballads of the era, the track is a promise, an acknowledgment that even though paths must diverge, the deep appreciation for the other person will never fade.
Written by Parton as a professional and personal farewell to her longtime mentor and duet partner, Porter Wagoner, the track carries a fragility that reflects the heavy toll of choosing between loyalty and her own artistic evolution.
That evolution is unmistakable here, with stripped-down production that steps back to let raw emotional honesty take center stage.
Parton’s vocal performance plays a crucial role. Her voice doesn’t explode with rage or theatrical agony; instead, it trembles gently while maintaining a remarkable composure, letting the heartbreak bleed through line by line.
“If I should stay
I would only be in your way
So I'll go, but I know
I'll think of you each step of the way”
As the chorus arrives, it doesn’t offer a dramatic climax so much as it deepens the sense of acceptance. The phrase “I will always love you” becomes less of a romantic cliché and more of a heavy, heartfelt blessing.
Musically, the restraint of the instrumentation creates an expansive, lonely atmosphere, leaving Parton’s delicate soprano suspended in the memories of what was.
That masterful storytelling cemented Parton not just as a stellar vocalist, but as one of the greatest songwriters of her generation. When the single reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, it confirmed that absolute vulnerability resonated deeply with a wide audience.
Yet beyond its chart success, the song carried a mood that felt deeply personal.
It spoke to listeners who understood the agonizing difficulty of leaving something beautiful behind in order to move forward.
Decades later, even as the world rightfully marvels at Whitney Houston’s powerhouse R&B rendition, Parton’s acoustic original retains its pure, devastating core. It reminds us of those quiet, sleepless nights when we realize that the ultimate act of love is sometimes simply setting someone free.
As the final notes fade, the song doesn’t leave behind regret, but rather a quiet peace.
“I Will Always Love You” lingers not because it offers a tidy resolution, but because it captures a fleeting moment of profound maturity.
In the end, Dolly didn’t just write a hit—she built a monument to the most beautiful kind of heartbreak, and its quiet echo continues to resonate through time.
