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Riley Gaines unleashes on red state Dem candidate after footage reveals 'ignorant' stance on school sports
FIRST ON FOX: Riley Gaines blasted an “ignorant at best or a sellout at worst” Democrat House candidate for claiming to be “in the middle” on issues, then expressing support for students in Montana to play sports based on gender identity.
Monica Tranel, who is running for the seat currently held by Rep. Ryan Zinke, R-Mont., has made several claims of taking a more moderate position on issues, writing in a May 8 post on X that “being in the middle is in my DNA.” On Tranel’s campaign website, the Democrat also said that she is running for Congress “to represent the missing middle.”
Despite claiming to “come to the center” on issues, new footage obtained by Fox News Digital shows Tranel expressing support for students in Montana competing in sports based on their gender identity rather than their sex at birth and enshrining individuals identifying as female as real women under the law.
Riley Gaines, a swimmer who was forced to compete in the 2022 NCAA championship against a biological male, told Fox News Digital that Tranel’s “position blatantly underscores a disconnection with the people of Montana who value fairness in women’s sports”
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Democratic candidate Monica Tranel campaigns for Montana’s newly created western district U.S. House seat on Sept. 17, 2022, in Bozeman. Tranel is running against Republican Ryan Zinke. (William Campbell/Getty Images)
“Allowing males to compete in women’s categories undermines the integrity of women’s athletics and negates the level playing field that Title IX was designed to protect,” Gaines, an OutKick.com contributor and the host of “Gaines for Girls” podcast, said. “This isn’t just a sports issue; it’s about ensuring that the voices and hard-fought rights of women are not sidelined in the guise of progress.”
While Tranel claims to come to the middle, a national Gallup poll found that nearly 70% of Americans believe individuals should compete in sports based on their biological sex rather than gender identity.
“Claiming to represent the ‘missing middle’ while advocating for policies that ignore the majority’s views on the common sense understanding of men’s and women’s sports participation makes Tranel ignorant at best or a sellout at worst,” Gaines added. “True centrism respects and reflects the consensus of the community, not just the niche interests of unelected bureaucrats and officials.”
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A spokesperson for the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) agreed that the comment is “completely out-of-step” with Montana values.
“Allowing trans athletes to play in women’s sports is completely out-of-step with what Montanans believe, proving once again Monica is wrong for Montana,” NRCC spokeswoman Delanie Bomar told Fox News Digital.
“This isn’t just a sports issue; it’s about ensuring that the voices and hard-fought rights of women are not sidelined in the guise of progress,” Riley Gaines said. (Michael Clevenger)
The video of Tranel was recorded just weeks before the Montana Supreme Court overturned a state law banning biological males from competing in women’s sports. Tranel appeared in the clip to be unaware of the ban that was in place at the time, but she proceeded to say that she believes “trans kids” should participate in sports.
When asked about whether she believes biological males should participate in women’s sports, Tranel did not specify her stance on the issue, telling Fox that she supports “Montanan’s privacy and freedom.”
“I will always support Montanan’s privacy and freedom, and as a mother with daughters in the Montana school system, nothing is more important to me than their safety and growth. I trust Montana parents to make the best decisions for their kids,” Tranel said in a statement.
A spokesperson for Rep. Ryan Zinke said Monica Tranel is a “far left activist who is trying to convince voters she’s a moderate.” (Tom Williams)
“Ryan Zinke would rather engage in deceptive political games, than meet with Montanans, which is why he supports policies that would limit families ability to control their own lives,’ she said, taking a hit at her potential GOP opponent. “So let me state clearly, I am the only candidate in this race that supports Montanan’s freedom and privacy to live their lives as they see fit.”
A spokesperson for Zinke, the Republican seeking re-election in the red state, said “Tranel is a far left activist who is trying to convince voters she’s a moderate.”
“Her record and her own words prove she’s an extremist. Monica was the lawyer for a child rapist’s appeal and tried to get him out of jail, she supports mutilating and transitioning children, and she fully supports men in girls’ locker rooms and sports,” Colton Snedecor, Spokesperon for Zinke, told Fox News Digital in a statement. “Montana voters deserve to know her true colors.”
Tranel ran against Zinke for a seat to represent Montana’s 1st Congressional District in the 2022 midterms, but lost to the former Navy SEAL.
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A man is dead after a brutal stabbing inside a San Francisco hospital and now federal immigration officials are pointing squarely at California’s sanctuary policies and the Biden administration’s border decisions as contributing factors.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is urging Governor Gavin Newsom and state officials not to release the suspect, a Venezuelan national in the country illegally who had previously been encountered and released by Border Patrol.
Wilfredo Jose Tortolero-Arriechi is accused of fatally stabbing 51-year-old Alberto Rangel inside Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital on December 4. Rangel succumbed to his injuries two days later, on December 6.
According to the Department of Homeland Security, ICE has already lodged a detainer request to keep Tortolero-Arriechi in custody — a request that now hangs in the balance in a state that has repeatedly clashed with federal immigration enforcement.
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Alberto Rangel, 51, died after being stabbed inside Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital in San Francisco on Dec. 4, 2025. (Department of Homeland Security)
“If it weren’t for the Biden administration’s reckless open-border policies, Alberto Rangel would still be alive,” Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis said in a statement, directly tying the killing to federal immigration policy. She also called on Newsom to ensure the suspect is not released, blasting sanctuary policies that she says “put American lives at risk.”
The suspect had reportedly displayed alarming behavior in the weeks leading up to the attack, allegedly threatening hospital staff and his own doctor before the deadly stabbing unfolded.
EXCLUSIVE: ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT RELEASED UNDER BIDEN ‘CATCH AND RELEASE’ ALLEGEDLY KILLS DRIVER IN POLICE CHASE
Wilfredo Jose Tortolero-Arriechi, a Venezuelan national in the U.S. illegally, is charged in the fatal stabbing of Alberto Rangel at a San Francisco hospital. (Department of Homeland Security)
Federal officials say Tortolero-Arriechi was first encountered by U.S. Border Patrol in 2023 and then released into the country. The case is adding new fuel to the fight over California’s sanctuary policies.
Earlier this year, ICE revealed that more than 33,000 criminal illegal immigrants are currently in custody across California with active detainers, including individuals accused or convicted of serious crimes such as homicide, sexual assault and drug trafficking.
Despite that, officials say thousands have been released.
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Since January 2026 alone, California jurisdictions have declined to honor ICE detainers in more than 4,500 cases, according to the agency. Those releases included individuals tied to dozens of homicides, hundreds of assaults and a wide range of other violent and drug-related offenses, ICE said.
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The latest push from federal officials builds on earlier warnings. In February, Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons sent a letter to California Attorney General Rob Bonta urging him to “put the safety of Americans first” by honoring detainers for more than 33,000 criminal illegal immigrants in state custody.
Lyons warned that “no community serious about keeping its residents safe will tolerate a clear aberration of the law,” pressing California officials to cooperate with ICE and take “the worst of the worst off the streets.”
Meanwhile, Alberto Rangel’s death is now being used by federal officials to underscore what they argue are the real-world consequences of those policies.
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California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom is being criticized by angel mother Agnes Gibboney (far right), whose son, Ronald da Silva, was killed by an illegal immigrant gang member in 2002. (Carlin Stiehl/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images; White House)
Newsom’s office pushed back on that characterization, saying the state’s approach prioritizes accountability and public safety.
“If someone commits a serious crime, they should be held accountable in our justice system,” a spokesperson for Newsom’s office told Fox News Digital. “Allowing someone to evade responsibility simply by being deported undermines the rule of law and completely disrespects the victims harmed by that crime. Our focus must always be to ensure those who commit violent acts face their consequences here.”
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A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson told Fox News Digital on Jan. 20, 2026, that a criminal illegal alien allegedly weaponized his vehicle to ram law enforcement officers in Compton, Calif., in an attempt to evade arrest. (KTTV)
The governor’s office also pointed to California’s record of cooperating with federal immigration authorities in certain cases, noting that, since 2019, the state has coordinated the transfer of more than 12,000 individuals, including those convicted of serious and violent crimes, into ICE custody.
Officials added that state law allows coordination with ICE for individuals convicted of serious felonies or those facing credible charges, and said California does not interfere with federal immigration enforcement.
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They also argued that federal authorities do not always take custody of individuals when detainers are issued, claiming ICE fails to pick up roughly one in eight people released from state prisons who have immigration holds.
Tortolero-Arriechi remains in custody at the San Francisco County Jail, where he faces homicide and weapons charges, as pressure mounts on California leaders over whether they will comply with federal requests to keep him there.
In a statement issued after his death in December 2025, SEIU Local 521 Chief Elected Officer Riko Mendez said, “Our hearts are with the family, friends, and coworkers of Alberto Rangel,” remembering him as a dedicated social worker.
On a night when the Atlanta Hawks’ season ended with a 51-point beating from the New York Knicks, the Denver Nuggets may have managed to outdo them on the “embarrassing closeout losses” scale.
The Minnesota Timberwolves played Thursday’s Game 6 without Anthony Edwards, Donte DiVincenzo and Ayo Dosunmu, and they still bullied their way to a 110-98 victory.
And the Nuggets’ 2025-26 season is now over.
After entering it with title aspirations, Denver could easily be seen as one of the NBA’s most disappointing teams. They were seventh in the league in regular-season net rating and 21st in defensive rating. They got embarrassed by a lower seed in the first round.
Yes, injuries had their say. Nikola Jokić, Aaron Gordon, Cameron Johnson, Christian Braun and Peyton Watson all missed significant time. Gordon and Watson didn’t play in Thursday’s Game 6.
But even with that context in mind, Denver came up well shy of its potential. And that could mean a dramatic summer.
Given the Nuggets’ early exits from each of the last three postseasons, few would bat an eye over anything short of a Jokić trade. But it may be difficult to truly overhaul the roster through trades.
The last two front offices have already spent pretty much every available trade asset. So, what should be the priorities in this between-a-rock-and-a-hard-place offseason? The answer is below.
With the calendar flipping to May and first month of the MLB season in the books, it’s a good time to check in on some notable former Seattle Mariners to see how they’re doing with new teams.
How Seattle Mariners’ ABS usage stacks up with rest of MLB
As it turns out, a number of players who were with the Mariners last season and on new teams this year are currently injured, including some names that didn’t make the cut for the list below like Caleb Ferguson and Tyler Locklear.
Below is a look at how several notable former Mariners have fared through the first month of the 2026 campaign.
Jorge Polanco
Polanco, who signed a two-year, $40 million deal with the New York Mets during the offseason, got off to a slow start with his new team and is currently on the 10-day injured list with a right wrist contusion. He was also playing through left Achilles bursitis before landing on the IL.
In 14 games, the switch-hitting Polanco is slashing .179/.246/.286 with a .532 OPS, one homer, three doubles, five walks and 11 strikeouts.
Eugenio Suárez
Suárez, a fan favorite in Seattle who signed a one-year, $15 million deal to return to the Cincinnati Reds during the offseason, was placed on the 10-day injured list Sunday with a left oblique strain. Before landing on the IL, he was also off to a bit of a slow start.
In 25 games, Suárez is slashing .231/.300/.363 with a .663 OPS, three homers, three doubles, nine walks and 30 strikeouts.
Harry Ford
Ford, who was traded to the Washington Nationals in an offseason deal that brought left-hander Jose A. Ferrer to Seattle, was assigned to Triple-A at the start of the season and has struggled at the plate early on.
In 20 games with Triple-A Rochester, he’s slashing .182/.289/.221 with a .510 OPS, three doubles, 10 walks and 26 strikeouts. Ford produced an .868 OPS and hit 16 homers in 97 games with Triple-A Tacoma last year.
Leody Taveras
Taveras, who struggled to find his footing in 28 games with the Mariners last season, isn’t necessarily a notable former Mariner, but he stands out due to the rebound season he’s starting to put together with the Baltimore Orioles following two rough years at the plate.
After signing a one-year deal with Baltimore in the offseason, Taveras is slashing .288/.397/.455 with an .852 OPS, two homers, three doubles, one triple, 12 walks and 16 strikeouts. He’s also tied for third on the team with 17 RBIs.
Tayler Saucedo
Saucedo, a product of Maple Valley’s Tahoma High School, was designated for assignment during the offseason before signing a minor league deal with the Los Angeles Angels. He is currently pitching for Triple-A Salt Lake.
Saucedo has a 4.85 ERA and has struck out 13 batters over 13 innings in 11 appearances. He’s allowed seven runs on 12 hits and 10 walks.
Dylan Moore
Moore, who was the longest-tenured Mariners player when he was released amid a career-worst slump in August 2025, signed a minor league deal with the Philadelphia Phillies over the offseason and was awarded a major-league deal after opting out of his initial contract in March.
Moore is still in search of his first hit with the Phillies. He’s 0 for 11 at the plate with three walks and five strikeouts in 13 games.
Trent Thornton
Thornton, who missed the final two months of last season with a torn left Achilles, elected free agency after being non-tendered by the M’s over the offseason. He signed a minor league deal with the Chicago Cubs and was recently activated to Triple-A Iowa for his first game action since the Achilles injury.
In two outings (one start), Thornton has struck out four batters and allowed one run on three hits and one walk over 3 2/3 innings.
More on the Seattle Mariners
• How can Kade Anderson help Seattle Mariners this year? Passan’s take
• Two things we know, two questions we have a month into Mariners’ season
• Where things stand with Seattle Mariners’ Brendan Donovan, Bryce Miller
• Seattle Mariners’ Matt Brash details side issue, doesn’t think it’s serious
• White Sox call up Jarred Kelenic before playing Seattle Mariners next week
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