{"id":16668,"date":"2025-10-12T05:31:22","date_gmt":"2025-10-12T05:31:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cndailynews.store\/?p=16668"},"modified":"2025-10-12T05:31:22","modified_gmt":"2025-10-12T05:31:22","slug":"swalwell-mocked-for-gym-stunt-as-democrats-flex-ahead-of-2026-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cndailynews.store\/?p=16668","title":{"rendered":"Swalwell Mocked for Gym Stunt As Democrats Flex Ahead of 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a class=\"image-link\" href=\"https:\/\/madadaily.store\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/526976998_1266756658798962_8985563626821432345_n.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"attachment-hitmag-featured size-hitmag-featured wp-post-image\" src=\"https:\/\/madadaily.store\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/526976998_1266756658798962_8985563626821432345_n-735x400.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"735\" height=\"400\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"entry-content\">\n<p>A wave of bodybuilding-themed videos hit social media over the weekend as Democrats tried to rebrand themselves as strong and energetic ahead of the 2026 midterms.<\/p>\n<div class=\"code-block code-block-1\">\n<div id=\"e1c09a52-67a1-44a3-a58e-fc2bf67380c6\" class=\"_ap_apex_ad\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The most ridiculed of the bunch? California Congressman Eric Swalwell, who shared a video of himself bench pressing a modest amount of weight while accusing Republicans of covering for President Donald Trump.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI should be working right now,\u201d Swalwell says in the clip. \u201cI should be at the Capitol. I should be in a suit.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cInstead, Republicans sent us home because they would rather stand up for Donald Trump than release the Epstein files and stand up for victims.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"code-block code-block-2\">Advertisement<\/div>\n<p>The video quickly drew scorn.<\/p>\n<div class=\"twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered\"><iframe id=\"twitter-widget-0\" class=\"\" title=\"X Post\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/embed\/Tweet.html?dnt=false&amp;embedId=twitter-widget-0&amp;features=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%3D%3D&amp;frame=false&amp;hideCard=false&amp;hideThread=false&amp;id=1950961780651630822&amp;lang=en&amp;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fconservativebrief.com%2Fswalwell-stunt-93637%2F&amp;sessionId=e4ae446f1f5ca569ad6d0fb5dd614c8792715140&amp;theme=light&amp;widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&amp;width=550px\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" data-tweet-id=\"1950961780651630822\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div class=\"code-block code-block-7\">\n<p>Advertisement<\/p>\n<div id=\"as5808\" data-title=\"You Might Also Like\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u201cI just want Eric Swalwell to bench more than 135# and Democrats to stop lying. Congress is always out of session in August no matter who is in charge. And yes release the Epstein files but Democrats stop pretending like you suddenly care because you never cared about Epstein while you were in charge the last 4 years!!!\u201d Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene said.<\/p>\n<div class=\"twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered\"><iframe id=\"twitter-widget-1\" class=\"\" title=\"X Post\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/embed\/Tweet.html?dnt=false&amp;embedId=twitter-widget-1&amp;features=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%3D%3D&amp;frame=false&amp;hideCard=false&amp;hideThread=false&amp;id=1950211468231856223&amp;lang=en&amp;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fconservativebrief.com%2Fswalwell-stunt-93637%2F&amp;sessionId=e4ae446f1f5ca569ad6d0fb5dd614c8792715140&amp;theme=light&amp;widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&amp;width=550px\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" data-tweet-id=\"1950211468231856223\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div class=\"code-block code-block-10\">Advertisement<\/div>\n<p>\u201cIf I was a grown man who could only bench 135, you\u2019d never see it on video unless someone secretly recorded it, and even then I would never admit it was me,\u201d conservative commentator Matt Walsh said.<\/p>\n<div class=\"twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered\"><iframe id=\"twitter-widget-2\" class=\"\" title=\"X Post\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/embed\/Tweet.html?dnt=false&amp;embedId=twitter-widget-2&amp;features=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%3D%3D&amp;frame=false&amp;hideCard=false&amp;hideThread=false&amp;id=1949641273247510805&amp;lang=en&amp;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fconservativebrief.com%2Fswalwell-stunt-93637%2F&amp;sessionId=e4ae446f1f5ca569ad6d0fb5dd614c8792715140&amp;theme=light&amp;widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&amp;width=550px\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" data-tweet-id=\"1949641273247510805\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Swalwell, 44, wasn\u2019t the only Democrat flexing for the cameras. Senate candidate Colin Allred posted a clip curling a dumbbell while attacking Trump over the Epstein case. Cait Conley, a U.S. Army veteran running against Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY), showed off her overhead press while addressing cost-of-living issues in her New York district.<\/p>\n<p>Michigan Senate hopeful Abdul El-Sayed went viral for defending his lifting credentials after one viewer suggested he exaggerated the weight in his video.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat\u2019s 315, habibi,\u201d El-Sayed replied \u2014 a post that has been viewed over 5 million times.<\/p>\n<p>Democratic strategist Pat Dennis warned candidates not to overdo the performative stunts.<\/p>\n<div class=\"code-block code-block-12\">\n<div data-delay=\"4000\" data-block=\"12\">\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u201cI would caution Democrats against pulling out a checklist \u2013 \u2018For young men, we\u2019ll do some bench pressing; for young women, we\u2019ll talk about the Barbie movie,\u2019\u201d he told CNN. \u201cPeople don\u2019t like checklists and they don\u2019t like being pandered to. They remember you for who you are. You need to be authentic, in a way that is believable.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>While El-Sayed may gain ground in Michigan\u2019s competitive primary to replace retiring Sen. Gary Peters, critics say Swalwell has little to gain outside of party loyalty points \u2014 and plenty to lose in terms of credibility.<\/p>\n<p>Swalwell has struggled to shake the lingering damage from his ties to suspected Chinese spy Fang Fang, who infiltrated Bay Area political circles. Though he was cleared of wrongdoing in 2023 after cooperating with the FBI, the incident remains a punchline for GOP lawmakers and conservative media.<\/p>\n<p>He\u2019s been heckled at town halls, blasted by colleagues during House hearings, and repeatedly mocked online \u2014 making his gym stunt the latest in a string of misfires.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe has no base. No message. Just a bench press,\u201d one Republican aide quipped.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A wave of bodybuilding-themed videos hit social media over the weekend as Democrats tried to rebrand themselves as strong and energetic ahead of the 2026 midterms. The most ridiculed of &hellip; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":16666,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-16668","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cndailynews.store\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16668","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cndailynews.store\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cndailynews.store\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cndailynews.store\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cndailynews.store\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=16668"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/cndailynews.store\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16668\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":16669,"href":"https:\/\/cndailynews.store\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16668\/revisions\/16669"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cndailynews.store\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/16666"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cndailynews.store\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=16668"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cndailynews.store\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=16668"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cndailynews.store\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=16668"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}