Former Southern Poverty Law Center official faces federal charges over payments made by the Southern Poverty Law Center to informants that provided information on extremist groups. The Justice Department filed the case.
Her attorney confirmed that Heidi Beirich was charged at federal court in Montgomery Alabama. Todd Blanche, Attorney General of Alabama said in a separate press conference that Beirich was accused “of being part of an effort to open bank account and fictitious company names” and to make payments to individuals that weren’t accurate.
Michael J. Proctor, Beirich’s attorney, said that a free society would not silence political opponents through the use of justice. Heidi Beirich is a woman who has devoted her life to combating hate groups, extremist movements, such as the KKK and neo Nazis. She has fought these ugly and hateful extremists, who have used violence and intimidation to create a more fair, safe, and just America. The threats against her life and the decades of successful dismantling of hate groups speak volumes. “She has been charged with this crime.”
Beirich was the former Chief Financial Officer at the Southern Poverty Law Center. Indictment claims Beirich was “in a romance” with an informant that infiltrated National Alliance, a neo Nazi organization. Beirich received more than $1,2 million in a period of time.
These charges are part of a Justice Department effort to bring the nonprofit accountable for alleged payments made through shell companies without donor knowledge, according to prosecutors.
The Southern Povery Law Center, however, said federal authorities knew about the use of informants by the organization. They also claimed that they mischaracterized this program. And that Trump’s administration was targeting them because of their politics. In the past, the group claimed that the federal government used the information collected by their informants.
The Montgomery-based nonprofit organization for civil rights was established in 1971. Initially, it focused on the enforcement civil rights laws throughout the South. Over time, however the organization has grown. Conservative critics have often attacked the group, claiming it is political biased.
The U.S. district judge Emily Marks refused to dismiss the case brought against the SPLC last week, ruling that the SPLC failed to present objective evidence that it was targeted by the Justice Department because of its First Amendment rights.
Abbe Lowell is an attorney for the SPLC. She said that the Beirich case was “as factually and legally flawed” as previous attacks. It reflected a “desperate government facing a weak case and scrambling to do something, anything, as we near trial.”
Lowell stated that the SPLC “didn’t lie to donors or mislead banks with which it had business, and their informant program saved lives and prevented violence.”

The Indiana Fever were tied at the top of the Eastern Conference Standings with a 20-12 record for the season. It is also the team that leads the league for points per game, with Kelsey Mitchell & Caitlin l Clark at the helm.
The WNBA playoffs are in sight, and Stephanie White’s Fever team should have a great season.
White, who was introduced to the Fever fans before their home game against the New York Liberty on Tuesday, said that the Indiana situation is still very uncertain.
After SOPHIE CUNINGHAM’S HIT, FEVER COACH STEPHANIE WHITES LAUNCHES A FIERY DEFENSE of HERSELF
Clark was not pleased with the loud boos that her coach, Indiana’s head coach, received at her press conference after Indiana’s win of 106-92.
Clark said, “I was angry that the fans had booed our player before the match.” To be honest, it made me sick. Clark added, “We’re going ride for her and always have her on our side.” Clark continued, “That won’t tear apart our locker room.”
White’s introduction in the building of her team came just a few days after a rant she gave about Indiana’s Sophie Cunningham, the foul that Chicago’s DiJonai Caurrington had committed on Cunningham over the weekend and the escalating tensions across the league.
White said Tuesday she did not see the replays in real-time of the foul which left Cunningham’s mouth bloodied and Carrington ejected before heading straight to the postgame presser.
“Was it egregious? “Absolutely,” White replied. You can tell when you watch it over and again on replay. “I didn’t see that in real-time.”
CAITLIN CLARK AND KELSEY MITCHELL POWER FEEL PAST LIBERTY LIFT INDIANA EASTERN CONFERENCE
When sports leagues make politics their primary focus, they end up with a long list of embarrassing WNBA incidents.
White took offence at anyone who suggested that she did not have the backs of her players and then addressed “the online community,” which she accuses of creating false narratives.
White stated that “the hate, fear mongering, divisiveness and the other stuff trying to hijack the league won’t win.” “It won’t win. We are one. We are united. “We will never be divided.”
White concluded her press conference before the game on Tuesday with a statement that critics could “go to Hell.”
Love will triumph, and grace will prevail. “Humility and kindness are going to win.” They have my support, and I’ll always be there for them. “Everybody else can go hell,” said an emotionally charged White.
White acknowledged that she was unable to view replays of Carrington’s flagrant 2-foul on Cunningham during the Fever’s match against the Sky, but that did not stop her from basically defending Carrington in her press conference after the game on August 8.
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“Yeah. I’m sure, you can see that it was an extremely hard foul. DiJonai didn’t intentionally come out and hit her in the neck as she did. “It did happen and it seemed to me that it was the correct call,” White stated.
You know that one thing about Nay, is she will play off her butt, man. She’s gonna compete. No one’s going to layup on their own. So, I’m not against the foul. “But I don’t believe that she deliberately went for her neck.”
White walked back some of her comments regarding Carrington’s penalty, while recognizing that she hadn’t actually seen the play, but still came to the conclusion. She also told the critics to go to hell.
It is not surprising that Fever supporters feel frustrated with their head coach.

David Ellison, the Paramount Skydance chief executive who has been in charge of the studio for less than one month now, has shown a wide range emotions while the goalline is nearing the $111 billion Warner Bros. Discovery has gotten closer.
The Tech Scion was initially confident that Hollywood’s largest merger in years would be completed by September. Ellison, among others, downplayed the efforts of California Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta was going to contest the purchase, but he and eleven other Democratic State Attorneys General gained momentum with their antitrust suit, now threatening to stop Paramount’s Warner Bros. acquisition or at least make it much more expensive.
Ellison’s executives have gone from being angry to accepting the situation. Ellison tried to relaunch his reputation last week by praising movies, and accusing politicians of opposing the deal.
Investors have been told by the mogul that the company will be willing to reach a settlement agreement with Bonta, in order to complete the merger as quickly as possible.
Ellison is also making contingency planning to move Paramount’s historical home base, Melrose Avenue, to Tennessee – or possibly Texas – as soon as this autumn.
According to sources familiar with the matter who are not authorized to comment publicly, Paramount’s board approved Ellison’s plans to relocate. Ellison presented the idea to his executive team at a Wednesday meeting, but stated that he preferred California.
Should Paramount win the merger fight, the proposal could include selling both the Warner Bros. Burbank campus and the 65-acre Paramount property in Hollywood. One of the sources who is knowledgeable said that such sales could generate revenue for merger costs.
Hollywood is already reeling after thousands of jobs were lost in the last few years.
Bonta lashed out at Paramount in a Tuesday statement, calling the latest tactic “another effort to blackmail state officials into accepting an illegal deal.”
Bonta stated that “Paramount is losing the plot because it keeps on losing in court.” Bonta said, “My office is committed to stopping the illegal consolidation of businesses and protecting California’s vibrant economy for those who play by rules.”
Paramount’s pivot was a result of a desperate effort to strengthen its legal position and raise funds for a deal Warner shareholder approved in April.
Paramount paid Warner shareholders $31 per share, plus so-called “ticking fee” charges of 25 cents each quarter from Sept. 30, until the deal closed.
This sweetener was meant to show that Paramount would be able to pass its regulatory review, as opposed a Netflix deal that had been subjected more scrutiny. Netflix dropped its offer.
Paramount had been counting on the quick approval of the U.S. Department of Justice in June. The President is friends with the Ellison Family and has also been keen to shake up CNN, a Warner property.
Alice Enders, a media analyst based in London said: “Ellison believed he was ahead of the game with Trump and the DOJ. But it turned out to be a disaster because the clearance had been so clearly rubber-stamped.” Now, these issues are resurfacing and this could be a very costly delay.
Ticking fees can add up to $7 million per day, or $650 millions per quarter. This is in addition to the $81 Billion that Paramount was already planning on paying Warner’s shareholders. Paramount has also agreed to take on the $30 billion in Warner Bros. debt that was left from a previous merger. This will happen by 2022.
Ellison has defended the proposed acquisition, claiming that it does not pose a threat to competition as Hollywood has already been transformed by Netflix.
Paramount already has clearances for 65 countries, including Britain, the European Commission and others.
Paramount asked for a trial date in November to expedite California’s approval. U.S. district judge Araceli Martinez Olguin instead scheduled a trial for March 2, dealing Paramount another blow.
The cost to purchase Warner Bros. could increase by $2.1 billion if only ticking fees are included. Paramount also said the delay of the deal until spring next year will cost $190 million more in financing for bridge loans.
Paramount revealed that it has $1.6 billion cash and $3.2 billion in a revolving credit available to use.
Paramount will have to pay Warner Bros. $7 billion in break-up fees if the deal does not close before June 4. Warner Bros.’ board of directors could cancel the Paramount agreement at that time.
Puck News was the first to report Ellison’s plan for Paramount to move its operations quickly, as early as October.
A person in the room at the time Ellison was discussing his plans, but not authorized to make a comment said: “This is not a menace — it’s a plan.”
This relocation campaign is similar to a strategy used by the software company Oracle Corp. which was co-founded Larry Ellison, Ellison’s father and a billionaire.
Oracle has been headquartered in Redwood City, California for the past 30 years. In late 2020 the company relocated its headquarters from California to Austin, Texas. This move was made in response to the high cost of living and taxes in California.
Two years later, Ellison the elder announced that Nashville was to be Oracle’s headquarters. Oracle viewed the state’s health care industry at that time as an area of growth. Oracle has since bet heavily in artificial intelligence.
Paramount, on the other hand, would find it difficult to close its doors because its television shows and films are made by producers, directors and writers. Both studios have dozens of soundstages, which are century-old castles. They would be difficult to duplicate. Many Paramount executives do not want to leave Los Angeles.
Some observers doubted Paramount’s ability to make the move. This came a week following David Ellison’s New York Times guest article, in which he described his passion for Hollywood movies and Hollywood since he was young.
Ellison says the merger of Warner Bros. and Paramount Pictures is the only way to save Hollywood. The combination would not hurt the industry, but rather strengthen it.
Then he promises to revive theatrical releases. Next, he talks about moving two historical companies 2,000 miles to avoid lawsuits. Gabriel Kahn is a journalism professor at USC Annenberg School for Communication.
Paramount has its corporate headquarters in New York, but since the Ellisons acquired the company last year the focus has shifted to the west. Ellison, along with other top executives in Paramount’s corporate headquarters are based in Los Angeles.
Experts say that a corporate change would not disrupt Bonta’s case.
They suggested that Paramount’s recent flurry activities — such as winning support from two major theater chains AMC and Regal with promises of an extensive movie pipeline after the merger — were part of a pressure and public relations campaign.
Abiel Garca, former prosecutor at Manhattan Beach’s Kesselman Brantly Stockinger and a partner in the firm said: “They have lost a great deal of power now that the court date is March.”
He said that Paramount seemed to be trying to get Gov. Gavin Newsom should join in the fight.
Newsom has expressed concern about the exodus of California companies. He has not taken a position in the messy merger dispute.
The governor has no authority to interfere in the case brought by Bonta, along with 11 other attorneys general.
Makan Delrahim, Paramount’s Chief Legal Officer, said at Politico Live in Sacramento on Tuesday that, if he were governor, he would not want Hollywood to leave the state. He also wouldn’t have wanted to see a company of such importance as Paramount move to another state. He was asked to comment on the positions of Newsom, and his possible successor Xavier Becerra.
Becerra told the audience at the press conference, “I’m hoping it will be settled before going to court.” It is much easier to settle in a meeting room than in court.
Delrahim described the delay in the trial to March as “devastating”, adding that Paramount had proposed terms of settlement on May 19, but instead the attorneys general chose to proceed with the suit.
It costs jobs. Delrahim stated that the uncertainty is costing Warner Bros. and many of its employees a great deal.
Garcia, along with others, expressed skepticism about Paramount’s aggressive approach.

Luke Bronin referred to his victory over U.S. Rep. John Larson in the Democratic Party’s endorsement as “a political earthquake” back in May. At the time, it seemed to me that this was a bit overstated. Perhaps a powerful thunderstorm.
Bronin said, “Now, this is an earthquake of political proportions in Connecticut”, after making history by defeating the veteran 28-year congressman during a primaries for the nomination of the 1st District, effectively securing a place in the U.S. House of Representatives.
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Nobody alive today can remember a member of the U.S. House of Representatives who lost a primary election in this state.
Let’s examine this shockwave, which was the largest of all Tuesday’s primary elections. Bronin’s earthquake was more complex than the recent surprise tremors in the United States that brought young liberal candidates to power, including some who ran under the Democratic Socialists of America banner.
It did.
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Bronin’s 47-year-old campaign had to have a young insurgent who could challenge a 78-year old Connecticut political rock with new ideas, and yet he also had to possess a steady, established insider, with millions of dollars, and his own power base. This is what’s needed to create an uprising in a state so resigned to the status quo that it only welcomes changes if they don’t require us to change anything.
He was.
They said that Bronin was not a new Democrat, but an established one backed by wealthy interests. His $3 million campaign fund, stocked with contributions from wealthy donors, eight years of being mayor in a city facing financial difficulties and working for the Obama Administration were cited as evidence that Bronin was not a strong candidate.
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Bronin, an insider himself, uses this to his benefit in raising money and making claims about his accomplishments. He also argued for a new approach to building a “movement” among Democrats. This movement would not come from Washington, D.C., but from all over the country, and be geared against Donald Trump.
He spoke to many voters about their personal lives during his campaign.
It’s not just about insurgency
The answer is yes. Many politicians attempt to inspire people and start a movement. This is how Zohran Mamdani was able to win the New York City mayorship and how Abdul El-Sayed, the Michigan Democratic Primary candidate for Senate won last week. Bronin still had to do it, despite being an insider who was going up against another insider.
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It was a marked difference to the usual challenge of an incumbent. For example, Josh Elliott, liberal state representative, tried insurrection against Governor. Ned Lamont is a moderate.
Bronin was helped by the current backlash towards incumbents, as well as other trends. This alone could not have won the election in Connecticut.
Elliott tried and succeeded in a certain way in mounting an insurgent, classic campaign against Lamont. This campaign resembled that of Lamont, who was then an outsider and ran against U.S. Senator Joe Lieberman during the 2006 primary.
Elliott would never have beaten a governor who was popular, just like Lamont failed to do when Lieberman entered the general elections as a ‘third party candidate. Elliott acknowledged this fact in a gracious manner on Tuesday morning, just hours before polls closed.
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The conversation was skewed to the right. Secondly, he needed to get on fire. Fight Agency was also Mamdani’s campaign consultant. He discussed how to achieve this with them. He told us a few things on Tuesday, in Hartford.
Elliott of Hamden recalled that his agency had told him, “people do not pay as much attention to races at the state level.”
Oh. Darn. This is especially true in Connecticut where John Larson has been in office for nearly half a century, both at the state and federal level.
Earthquake Rumbling
Bronin had, in contrast to Elliott, a number of these steady political habits that worked for him, as well as other rumbles which added up into an earthquake.
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Matt Lesser, a state senator from California called the “anti-incumbency spirit” and it took a few others out Tuesday night. It helped Bronin to determine whether he was a change agent.
Bronin benefited from Lamont’s primary because they were both endorsed Democrats and shared the first row of the ballot. Larson was relegated to Row D in alphabetical order, behind Fortune and Gilchrest.
In this race, age was a factor. All three Larson opponents made the issue of age a priority, unlike Josh Elliott, who used a liberal-vs. moderate-policies approach to take on Lamont. Larson had, to put it bluntly, failed to stay in touch over the years with the key people in his district. This opened him up to being accused of “out of touch”.
Larson received more union support than Bronin, but this didn’t translate into a large number of votes. The old Democratic Machine of elected officials and party members, who nurtured Larson over decades, has far less influence today.
Midsummer’s primary is always a time of low turnout. While Bronin won the West Hartford vote by nearly 2,000 votes over Larson according to unofficial election results, his hometown, East Hartford, gave him only 1,582 votes. This was only 200 votes ahead of Bronin. Tim Larson told me that there was no one at the race. Tim Larson is John’s older brother, and former East Hartford Mayor. I do believe that some people tend to take John’s life for granted.
Bronin’s youthfulness may have had an unintended advantage. George Jepsen (former state attorney general, Senate majority leader and Larson’s supporter), the former senatorial majority leader of Connecticut as well as the state’s former attorney general told me on Tuesday that some liberals might be voting him because they think he is to the left. Jepsen was once an insurgent young candidate in Stamford.
Larson may have been able to see all of these trends and ran a negative campaign against Bronin, despite the fact that Larson had a lot of money backing him. This didn’t go down well. Larson’s vitriol was so virulent that, in his 10 minutes of media remarks and supporter comments, Larson congratulated Gilchrest, Fortune, and Gilchrest, but did not mention Bronin. We’ll give Larson credit for his elegant decency in this case, but the story it told was a bit sour.
All in all, we can say that Bronin’s historic win was an earthquake. It relied on the two opposing claims of change and belonging to the existing order.

About 87% of votes have been reported. Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley is 0.5 points ahead of democratic socialist Assemblymember Francesca Hong, in Wisconsin’s crucial Democratic Primary for Governor.
In Milwaukee, mail-in votes could be the difference between winning and losing the election.
It was only the early morning reporting, just before 5:30 am, that allowed CNN to call the state and the presidency for Donald Trump in the presidential election of 2024. CNN was able to predict the outcome of the election and Donald Trump’s presidency on Wednesday morning ET.
If you are inclined to optimism, in the two most recent races for state Supreme Court elections, counties have finished reporting at around 1 am. ET.
Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, the Minnesota Democratic Senate Primary winner, could bring back Native American representation in 2027.
Markwayne Mullin, a Republican from Oklahoma is the newest of four Native American Senators. He left the Senate to become Homeland Security Secretary in March.
Since 1920, only one Native American senator has been in the Senate: Ben Nighthorse Campbell of Colorado. He left the Senate back in 2005.
Flanagan, who is Ojibwe by descent, belongs to the White Earth Band. She has been an advocate for Native American issues and talks often about her Ojibwe nickname, Gizhiiwewidamookwe. This means, “speaks with a clear and loud voice.”
Flanagan is likely to be the favorite heading into the race for Tina Smith, the retiring Democratic Senator. Minnesota hasn’t had a Republican Senator since 2002.
David Wright, a CNN contributor, contributed this article.
Rep. Angie Craig congratulated the Lieutenant Governor after losing her Minnesota Senate Democratic Primary to Peggy Flanagan. She also offered “my complete and total support for her going forward.”
Craig also encouraged her supporters to support Flanagan this November.
Craig expressed her gratitude for the result of tonight’s election, thanking her supporters, family and campaign staff.
CNN’s Decision Desk projected that Tafoya will be the GOP Senate nominee in Minnesota following a Minnesota primary which split both national and local Republicans.
The post was updated to include additional remarks from Craig’s address.
Francesca Hong’s party of supporters roared when their candidate took the lead in the race for David Crowley, which was too early to call.
Man! The room was filled with the upbeat ballad, “Man!
Crowley returned to the lead quickly, but it was a very small one.
It’s still a party, and the atmosphere remains celebratory. But whether this is a victory celebration is a question which may or may not get answered.
At 11:35 pm, the candidates were virtually tied. As of 11:35 p.m. ET, 84% had been counted.
CNN’s Decision Desk predicts that State House Speaker Lisa Demuth, who is currently the Republican nominee for Governor in Minnesota will be elected.
Demuth beat MyPillow’s founder Mike Lindell, and Kendall Qualls (an Army veteran and former healthcare executive) in an acrimonious primary battle that was animated with debates about how to deal with high-profile fraud cases across safety-net state programs. Each candidate promised to cut budgets and save money to reduce taxes.
Lindell received the endorsement of President Donald Trump just weeks after Qualls had won the State GOP’s support at an historically significant party convention. The divided field was unable to unite behind a single candidate. Voters were asked to decide who won, based on Demuth’s experience and legislative achievements.
Demuth, the State House Speaker and the only Black woman and female Republican elected to the position in New York state is the highest-ranking Republican.
Amy Klobuchar is her main opponent in the fall election. She ran virtually without opposition for the Democratic nomination and has a strong electoral record, having served four consecutive terms as a statewide official.
Lt. Gov. CNN’s Decision Desk predicts that Peggy Flanagan, the Democratic nominee for US Senate from Minnesota will be elected.
Flanagan beat centrist Rep. Angie Craig, in the latest proxy battle over the direction of the party after 2024. This race exposed the divides between the moderate and progressive factions.
A White Earth Nation citizen who would be the first Native American woman elected to the Senate, Flanagan won the Democratic-Farmer-Labor endorsement and held it against roughly $16 million in outside spending backing Craig.
Supported by progressive Senators. Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren and Craig, the congresswoman criticized Craig for his long-term financial support of AIPAC. However, the congresswoman said she would not accept the pro Israel group’s funds to fund her Senate campaign.
Flanagan has also attacked Craig for her vote in favor of the Laken Riley Act which mandates the detention and imprisonment of certain undocumented immigrants charged with crimes. Craig says that she now regrets having supported the act.
Craig, who did not attend the convention of endorsing candidates, won four consecutive House elections in a district that was a hotbed for political battles. He also highlighted high-profile cases of fraud in state safety net programs during Flanagan’s tenure as lieutenant-governor.
Flanagan is likely to be the favorite heading into the race for Tina Smith, the retiring Democratic Senator. Minnesota hasn’t had a Republican Senator since 2002.
Rep. Tom Tiffany has vowed “to turn the governorship red”, as the Wisconsin Congressman waits for his opponent to be announced in Wisconsin’s highly watched gubernatorial election.
Tiffany’s pitch was greeted with “you betchas” from Wisconsinites of all political stripes.
Whatever your political affiliation — Republican, Independent, Politically Homeless or Democrat — you have a place in the movement for common sense. Join us if you want to see your grandchildren and children grow up in a land full of opportunities,” Tiffany stated.
He added, “There is no limit to what we can achieve if we work together, stand united and have faith in the people who make up this wonderful state.”
Democratic Governor Tony Evers originally planned to remain out of the primaries to replace him.
The outgoing Governor, who is known for her mild manner, intervened in the last weeks of the campaign, fearing that Francesca Hong (a 37 year old Democratic Socialist state legislator) was about to win the nomination as gubernatorial candidate, which would have harmed the chances of his party at the general elections.
Evers, not wanting to put at risk eight years of Democratic government he presided over in this closely divided battleground, endorsed Hong’s primary opponent, Milwaukee County executive David Crowley with less than one month left. Evers toured the state for Crowley and appeared in an ad to boost his campaign.
In interviews before the election, Evers exuded confidence. When asked whether he supported Hong, he replied, “She is a Democrat. Of course, we will be helpful.” But that won’t happen.
CNN’s Decision Desk predicts that economist Amanda Janoo, a Vermont governor, will be the Democratic nominee in the primary. This would set up a match-up against popular Republican Governor Phil Scott. Phil Scott.
She is the co-founder of Wellbeing Economy Alliance of Vermont and has previously worked for the United Nations.
She faces a tough battle at the general elections. Scott won Vermont’s five consecutive governorship elections in spite of Vermont voting Democratic in recent presidential elections. The most recent victory was by more than 50 points in 2024.
Francesca Hong is a democratic socialist state legislator who has been in the running for Wisconsin governor.
In recent days, both Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez have said that they will stay out of this race. This is despite the fact that both men are announcing their endorsements for other intra-party battles taking place across the nation.
Both candidates have stated that they will be focusing on the federal election.
Ocasio Cortez, on ABC’s This Week Sunday said: “I’ve not endorsed that race. My focus is to win back the Congress and the House. We want to position ourselves so we have the best possible chance to win the Senate.”
CNN’s Decision Desk made predictions in several races that are still pending results. Here’s a brief recap:
Wisconsin
* Rebecca Cooke, a businesswoman from the 3rd Congressional District will be the winner of the Democratic Primary. She’ll face off against Republican Rep. Derrick Van Orden to win this battleground seat.
Michael Alfonso will be the Republican nominee in the 7th district. He is the son-in law of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy.
Tom Tiffany, US Representative for the state of Florida will be the winner in the GOP governor’s primary. Republicans are attempting to take back the governorship. The winner of Francesca Hong’s and David Crowley’s hotly-contested Democratic Primary will be his opponent.
Connecticut
Luke Bronin, a former Hartford mayor who served 14 terms as a representative in the 1st district will be the Democratic nominee.
* Incumbent Gov. Ned Lamont is going to win the Democratic primary for governor, beating out a progressive opponent in his quest for a third term.
In Minnesota
In a split primary between national and local Republicans, former NFL sideline journalist Michele Tafoya won the GOP Senate nod.
Amy Klobuchar, Senator from Minnesota, will easily win the Democratic nomination to be governor.
South Carolina
The runoff will be held in Palmetto State’s Republican special primary. Darline Graham, Rep. Ralph Norman and the deceased Sen. Lindsey Graham are the candidates who have advanced to the November ballot. The contest will be decided by loyalty to Donald Trump.
In Vermont
Incumbent Gov. Phil Scott, who is seeking a sixth term as governor, will win again the Republican nomination for gubernatorial primaries.
This report was contributed by CNN’s Dejania Olive, Maureen Chowdhury and Katie Doran. David Wright, Patrick Svitek Logan Schiciano Isa Mudannayake, Morgan Leason, Patrick Svitek.
It is encouraging to see that the Democratic Primary for Governor in Wisconsin was so close. This has been a concern for some members of their party, who were worried about the leftward shift in certain key races.
After a number of polls, it was believed that Hong’s position would be stronger.
Abdul El-Sayed was nominated by Democrats for Senate in Michigan a week ago. He is a progressive who has never held back. Some Democrats were worried about whether he would be able to hold the position in November, and they looked at the Wisconsin primary as well.
Crowley was ahead of Hong with three quarters of the votes in. This kept the hope alive of an upset, and made the election a more secure bet, at least according to some members of the party.
CNN’s Decision Desk predicts that former state senator Matt Little will be the winner of Minnesota’s Democratic House Primary in Minnesota’s second Congressional District.
Little, who ran as a progressive candidate, focused on the affordability of his program, regulation AI, and removal of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from Minnesota streets, which had been a focal point in recent immigration enforcement efforts.
On his campaign website, he outlines an “Anti-ICE Bill of Rights,” which includes the replacement of ICE by a federal immigration agency and banning federal agents wearing masks while on duty. It also calls for launching a congressional inquiry into the activities of ICE.
Little was a personal-injury lawyer who served as Minnesota Senate Senator from 2017 to 2021. He previously held the position of mayor in Lakeville.
This district includes the southern Twin Cities and a few rural counties in its vicinity. The incumbent Rep. Angie Craig is a moderate Democrat, who flipped her district in 2018. She will not seek another term because she’s running for the US Senate.
Mike Lindell, who has been endorsed by Donald Trump for governor of Minnesota, would be the third prominent Trump-endorsed candidate in this election cycle to lose an GOP primary.
Trump endorsed Feenstra, calling him “MAGA” all the way. But he later admitted that Lahn is “much Trumper.”
In Georgia, Trump has endorsed the Lt. Governor. Burt Jones won the gubernatorial primaries against Rick Jackson. Jackson was a billionaire executive in health care. Jones then went on to win the runoff. Trump also endorsed Jackson for the general election, saying at a rally that he was “really phenomenal” in fact.
Trump also had to contend with a backlash in South Carolina where, initially, he endorsed the Lt. Pamela Evette was first endorsed for governor. Then, she received a double endorsement, including her opponent in the runoff, State Attorney General Alan Wilson.
After a decade in which Trump’s backing was an important factor for Republican nomination contests, this year’s presidential election cycle has seen a decline.
Sara Rodriguez and Mandela Barnes won’t be winning tonight. They both dropped their Democratic gubernatorial campaign last month.
The votes that they have received — over 36,000 to date — may be the most important data point of the evening as Francesca Hong’s and David Crowley’s neck-and-neck race unfolds.
The majority of their votes were almost certainly voted by mail ballots that voters received before Rodriguez or Barnes left the race. Many Democratic observers in Wisconsin quietly predicted this scenario earlier this week. The votes of former candidates may have an important impact on the election.
Officials said that tens of thousands Wisconsin voters had cast their early ballots even before the election field was determined. This created a situation for which they could not offer any recourse.
CNN quoted a long-time Wisconsin Democratic adviser who said that the dilemma of early voting could have serious consequences for Crowley in his attempt to catch Hong’s pace. “It could even be an entirely new race without the early vote already cast.”
Rep. Russell Fry admitted tonight that he had failed in his Senate run. He congratulated Senator Darline Graham, and Rep. Ralph Norman for advancing into a second round of the South Carolina Republican Senate Primary.
The congressman from the Myrtle Beach area said on social media that “While we ran out runway tonight, we are extremely proud of all this campaign achieved and of every South Carolinian (who) believed in our mission to fight for families.”
Fry, a former South Carolina governor. Mark Sanford (another special candidate) did not endorse Graham or Norman immediately.
Mark Lynch, a businessman who currently sits in 5th place in the race, announced earlier this week that he will be supporting Norman for the runoff.
Lynch, who ran as an outsider in his election campaign, said: “He is the conservative we need to help drain the swamps of Washington DC.”
Dane County, where State Assemblymember Francesca Hong hails from, has voted more than Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley.
Hong, who represents the county in the State Assembly, has gained about seven points since the early evening, when the results of about 90% estimated votes were reported.
In Milwaukee County, Crowley is only ahead by about a percentage point, with 84% reporting. The city of Milwaukee mail votes are still a key component to be reported. They can play a crucial role in races across the state.
David Crowley, a moderate Democrat, and Francesca Hong – a democratic socialist – are separated by less than 0.5 percentage points.
About 12% of votes went to two candidates that refused to quit the race when the establishment of the party tried to unite around Crowley in order to defeat Hong.
Kelda Hong and Kelda Lee Roys, both state senators, have won 7.7% in votes around the entire state. Joel Brennan was the Secretary of Administration for Gov. Tony Evers has received 4.4%.
Roys is a mother and small-business owner who lost a primary in 2012 for the 2nd Congressional District of her state to Mark Pocan. She also lost a Democratic primary race for governor for Evers last year. She ran this time on the basis of her experience in state government and promised to take on President Obama and fight for quality health care and better public education.
CNN’s Decision Desk predicts that math teacher Jake Johnson is likely to win the Democratic Primary in Minnesota’s 1st Congressional District. The party wants to flip Gov. Tim Walz’s old seat.
Johnson emphasized his upbringing in the working class during his election campaign. He said that programs such as SNAP, which provide social safety nets for low-income families like his own parents and siblings, were “lifelines” to his parents.
He focused his campaign on affordability issues and the extension of tax credits to health insurance.
The House Campaign arm of Democrats is targeting Minnesota’s 1st district, located in southern Minnesota, between the borders of South Dakota and Wisconsin.
Johnson, however, will face a steep uphill climb to win back the seat that Republicans have held since Walz left the seat in 2019. Brad Finstad, the incumbent GOP Rep. who holds this seat, won his re-election by 17 points.