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Troops, taxes, war dominate Colorado’s 5th CD debate between Jeff Crank, Jessica Killin
Republican U.S. Rep. Jeff Crank and Democratic challenger Jessica Killin on Thursday night clashed over the war in Iran, the federal budget and healthcare when they took the stage in Colorado Springs for a sold-out debate in the race to represent Colorado’s 5th Congressional District. The debate, which came just over five weeks before general […]
Kiss video at center of Lyons Township FOIA fight could impact Cook County Board, Congress races
Surveillance video showing a kiss between Lyons Township Clerk Elyse Hoffenberg and Bridgeview Mayor Steve Landek has become a political flashpoint in both a Cook County board race and the race for Illinois’ 4th Congressional District.
How a Former Spy Satellite Could Help Solve the Universe’s Greatest Mysteries
NASA plans to launch the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope on August 30 to investigate questions about the composition of the universe and its ultimate end.
National issues continue to dominate race for N.Y. governor
Both candidates had opportunities to make their points this week.
The Literacy Crisis Reaches Dog-Bear Science
“New analysis of more than 300 bear encounters suggests our canine companions often increase odds of conflict and rarely serve as early warning systems many recreationists assume,” reads a subhead in Mountain Journal. The thing is, that study reaches no such conclusion. But you have to read beyond the abstract to understand that. Mountain Journal is not alone. Let’s look at a brief list of takeaways published elsewhere just to establish that none of them seem to know how to read science. Wes Siler’s Newsletter is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe Here’s CBC: “A new peer-reviewed study, The Canine Conundrum: Is a Dog a Help or Hindrance in Bear Country?, dug into conflicts similar to what the video depicts, by analyzing 326 reported human-bear conflicts from 1901 to 2023 involving dogs.” “The study found 54 per cent of conflicts were started by dogs. In the encounters researchers included in the study, five people and 56 dogs were killed, and 170 people were injured.” “Lana Ciarniello, an independent researcher who co-authored the study, said researchers found when a person goes hiking with at least one other person, the odds of a negative bear encounter decrease by 50 per cent.” “However, when a dog is involved, the chances of a negative bear encounter increase because ‘a dog really adds a chaotic factor into the mix of recreation,’ said Ciarniello.” Again, the study finds no data supporting that conclusion. “Hiking with your pet dog may make you feel safer in bear country—but a hiker’s recent encounter and a new study prove that the numbers don’t add up,” writes Backpacker, which is now part of Outside. The numbers don’t add up to support this take. There’s plenty more examples, but all are equally dumb, so I’ll stop there. How did so many people get this so wrong? Three reasons: 1) the study is published behind a paywall, with only the abstract freely available. 2) the methodology sets out to create work relevant to a hyper-specific audience, not the public. And 3) the dataset studied is almost absurdly limited and doesn’t bear (get it?!) comparison to wider information. Let’s work through all three. The Problem is Money I understand the irony, since I’m writing about this on a subscription-model newsletter, but information wants to be free. The study is published by The Wildlife Society and costs $16 to access. Reprinting it is specifically prohibited by the terms of use, so I can only share snippets and my conclusions with you here. Having worked as a journalist for 24 years, I can report with some authority that journalists are both lazy and cheap. I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that much of the material you’re seeing written about this study is drawn from the freely-available abstract (above) only, and not a deep dive into its methodology or data. And that’s a problem, because abstracts are where researchers are able to break from their numbers and editorialize their opinions about conclusions. So what’s getting reported isn’t based on numbers, it’s based on an opinion designed for a specific audience, not the general public. Hell yeah ladies, kick that bear’s ass. The Methodology is Designed to Support a Predetermined Conclusion One of the biggest issues with the science that everyone likes to cite about bear spray’s efficacy is that no one understands that study was designed for a specific audience, looking for a specific answer. And since that audience is not the public, and our safety was not the question being asked, its conclusion is rendered irrelevant to our needs. Yes, I’m talking about Efficacy of Bear Deterrent Spray in Alaska, which was created by Tom Smith and Stephen Herrero, two of the same scientists who put together this dog-bear conflict analysis. In the spray study, the purpose was to present relevant agencies with the information they needed to issue their field workers with bear spray. As such, incidents where people were unable to access the spray or similarly failed to get it deployed in time were excluded from the results, and only incidents they deemed successful were included. Could a ranger roll down their vehicle’s window and scare a bear away from a dumpster by spraying it? Turns out the answer was yes, and that was good enough for the purposes of that study. The sample size of actual bear attacks—the thing you and I would want bear spray to provide a solution to, was too small to draw conclusions from, and didn’t indicate success in that role. Is a Dog a Help or Hindrance in Bear Country? has similar limitations. “Insights provided here are intended to help wildlife managers create effective guidelines regarding the presence of domestic dogs in bear habitat,” is explained clearly by the study’s text. To conduct the study, Smith and Herrero went looking for publicly available reports of dog-bear conflicts: “All incidents included in our analysis involved at least one bear, one dog, and one person who was at immediate risk of injury (e.g., not in a protective structure such as a cabin or vehicle), injured, or killed,” explains the report’s methodology. Why is that a problem? “We recognize that data used in this study are biased in that people generally only report adverse interactions with bears, not benign ones. Consequently, we assume that for the most part, people and their dogs pass through bear country without incident.” As was the problem with the bear spray study, people are drawing conclusions here from a study that was never intended to be relevant to the general public. The Smith-Herrero database famously excludes Alaska’s Defense of Life and Property records, which are elsewhere considered the largest and most authoritative source on human-bear conflict. The Dataset is Absurdly Limited A 2009 study conducted by the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife estimates that each year there are at least 43,000 documented complaints of human-bear conflict across North America. Is a Dog a Help or Hindrance in Bear Country? Examined those reports for years ranging from 1901 to 2023, and only managed to find 326 such incidents that met the criteria explained above. Let’s do some quick math, poorly. 43,000 incidents x 122 years = 5,246,000 total incidents of documented human-bear conflict. Smith and Herrero were only able to find 326 incidents that met their criteria for dog+human+bear+risk or occurrence of injury. That means there’s a 0.006 percent chance that the study’s conclusion—that dogs make bear encounters more dangerous—even gets a chance of occurring. And remember, that’s only in documented conflicts. There’s no way to know how many people across North America run into a bear in any given year without any conflict, but it’s probably safe to assume that the total number is well in excess of 43,000. And, dig deeper into the study and you can find further restrictions that skew its conclusions even more. “While the people involved in these incidents did not report the level of training their dogs had received, it is our assumption that most were untrained companion dogs as opposed to well-trained bear dogs, such as Karelians and livestock guardian breeds that have proven to be significant aids in bear country,” the study’s methodology explains. And that’s a problem, because an ongoing study here in Montana is finding that the simple presence of a Kangal like our youngest dog Teddy can reduce visits to private property from grizzly bears by 87.8 percent. In addition to being a badass, Teddy is also a companion animal. And in my admittedly limited sample size of the three dogs currently present in our living room, she’s no more effective than her mutt brothers. Plenty of people own a dog capable of deterring bears, even if they didn’t set out to own a bear dog. The real purpose of this study appears to be a recommendation that leashes are mandated and recreationists pursue training in their deterrent of choice. But that doesn’t make for sensational headlines. Are There Any Real Takeaways Here? Let’s throw some numbers around, just to try and get our hands around what the larger picture might look like for bears and dogs here. The American Veterinary Medical Association estimates that 42.6 percent of American households own a dog. The Canadian Animal Health Institute says roughly 35 percent of households in Canuckistan own a dog. In an attempt to create the worst possible result for dogs, let’s run with that 35 percent number. And given that outdoorsy and rural people are more likely to both own a dog, and have bear encounters, let’s just make a giant assumption and apply that number to those 43,000 conflicts documented annually. If 35 percent of 43,000 human-bear encounters involve a dog, then we can assume that at least 15,050 dog-bear conflicts are occurring annually in North America. 15,050 x 122 = 1,836,100. Smith and Herrero were only able to find 326 incidents that met their human, dog, chance or occurrence of injury criteria across 122 years. And only 170 documented human injuries. So, with all the obvious caveats about these numbers in no way describing reality beyond narrow study parameters, what they actually found is that your risk of injury if your dog tangles with a bear is only 0.009 percent. I’ll take those odds next time I’m hiking my dogs in bear country. Top photo: “Superintendent Horace Albright, eating pancakes with bears, at Lake Lodge, Yellowstone National Park.” NPS. A journalist with more than two decades of experience working around the world, Wes Siler is here to cut through the outrage and disinformation to bring you the factual, insightful, actionable reporting you need to understand what’s going on. Upgrading to a paid subscription supports this reporting, and buys personal access to Wes, who will help you save money on gear, plan outdoor adventures, and prepare for real life, and who promises he’s less salty in real life than he sometimes comes across as on the Internet. Wes Siler’s Newsletter is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe
HOMETOWN ENTERTAINMENT: Live music, theater and Sunday outdoor event fill weekend calendar
Paddle race and live theatre among this weekend's entertainment offerings
Florida Governor Moves From Solid to Likely Republican
Florida has been a mirage for Democrats during the era of President Donald Trump. Some in the party hoped the Senate race could come online thanks to Alex Vindman’s massive fundraising hauls, but his loss to democratic socialist Angie Nixon effectively took that race off the table.
Trump keeps winning Republican primaries. His losses may be more revealing.
The president is 24-for-24 in Senate primaries and 214-for-218 in House races, according to a Fox News tracker
As data center criticism grows, focus turns to NC Senate race
The construction of massive data centers around the country has become a significant issue in the midterm elections with a growing number of political candidates taking a stand against them.
San Ramon swim coach Ntatsos dives into city politics
Longtime San Ramon swim coach Paschalis Ntatsos is testing the waters of city politics this year, with the political newcomer's first-ever campaign for public office now underway as a three-way race for mayor ramps up ahead of the November election.
12 races scramble Senate battlefield as Democrats eye comeback
Six toss-up senate races could flip the majority before Election Day 2026 as Republicans defend seats in Texas, Iowa, Ohio, Maine, and Alaska.
Party politics loom large in non-partisan Tallahassee Commission race
Tallahassee candidates PJ Perez and Tom Derzypolski are clashing over their past party affiliations ahead of the runoff.
Opinion | How Shenzhen can win the ‘AI for science’ race
Rather than copy the research-focused models of Beijing and Shanghai, the tech hub must leverage its industrial depths to become a premier lab for experimentation and deployment.
Entertainment unions intensify campaign for corporate tax handouts as film subsidy race to the bottom accelerates
As public funds bankroll corporate relocation, entertainment unions enforce the competitive framework and suppress a unified struggle against job destruction.
Eating more ultra-processed foods may raise prostate cancer risk by 30%
Ultra-processed foods make up a huge share of the American diet, and new research suggests they may carry another serious health risk for men. In a nationally representative study of more than 17,000 U.S. men, those who ate more ultra-processed foods, including soft drinks, packaged snacks, cereals, and processed meats, had roughly 24% to 31% higher risks of prostate cancer after accounting for factors such as age, smoking, race and ethnicity, and poverty status.
Justice Clarence Thomas rejects idea that race determines political beliefs
Fox News host Will Cain discusses Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas’ comments on the idea that race should dictate political ideology during a podcast with Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, on ‘The Will Cain Show.’
Justice Clarence Thomas rejects idea that race determines political beliefs
Fox News host Will Cain discusses Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas’ comments on the idea that race should dictate political ideology during a podcast with Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, on ‘The Will Cain Show.’
Talarico wants to unearth Paxton's depositions to keep focus on his past in Senate race
Talarico is trying to keep attention on Paxton’s past by pushing to make depositions public. The case involved Unity Resources and was settled.
Researchers identify traces of two ‘ghost’ ancestors in modern human DNA
Scientists uncovered DNA from two mysterious human ancestors hidden in modern genomes, revealing new clues about our evolutionary past.
Analysis | Alaska’s weird (and important) Senate race
There will be two Dan Sullivans on the ballot, which greatly benefits Democrats.
ASC operator Regent Surgical embraces outpatient EP ablation services after CMS policy change
This new partnership provides an early look at how the field of electrophysiology is evolving in 2026 and beyond.
‘Maine has been through a lot’: Democrats sharpen pitch to women after turmoil in must-win Senate race
A month after he became the Democratic nominee for Senate in Maine, Troy Jackson is ramping up his appeals to women and voters who care about abortion rights, looking to sharpen a contrast with Republican Sen. Susan Collins that has long been at the center of the race.
New Texas poll shows tight Senate race, GOP pulling ahead for governor
Talarico leads Paxton 42-39 in the new UT/Texas Politics Project poll. Abbott leads Hinojosa in the governor's race, and data center opposition holds.
Republican with same name as incumbent Dan Sullivan advances from Alaska U.S. Senate primary
A candidate with the same name as Alaska’s incumbent U.S. senator has advanced to the general election in what will be one of the most closely watched races in the country this fall.
In Texas Senate race, Talarico seeks depositions that could damage Paxton
Democrat James Talarico has leaned into Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s past legal scandals to try to win over moderate Republicans.
SEE IT: LA Dem candidates torched by disgusted residents after ‘disgraceful’ debate: ‘Both bad’
Los Angeles Democratic mayoral candidates Karen Bass and Nithya Raman face voter fury after a debate one resident called "disgraceful" for the city.
'Our grief is not raw material' for Husted Senate ad, family says in call for removal
A central Ohio family who died in a fiery car crash is front and center in an Ohio Senate race ad − and their relatives want it taken down.
SEEING DOUBLE: Second Dan Sullivan advances, setting up bizarre Alaska Senate ballot
Dan Sullivan Jr. advances to Alaska's general election, complicating the race for Sen. Dan Sullivan as ranked-choice voting amplifies name confusion.
Maine’s U.S. Senate race to include 6 write in candidates
If neither Republican Sen. Susan Collins nor former Democratic Maine Senate President Troy Jackson get over 50% on election night, the tallies will go to a ranked choice count.
Burns UMC receives GCORR grant to advance community mental health initiative
Burns United Methodist Church in Des Moines, IA, received a General Commission on Religion and Race Action Fund grant for its new initiative, Sacred ...
190-year-old DNA reveals a hidden pangolin species
DNA from a nearly 190-year-old museum specimen has helped scientists confirm a distinct Himalayan pangolin species hiding in plain sight in Nepal and northern India. The discovery could give conservationists a powerful new way to trace illegally traded pangolin scales back to the species and regions being targeted by poachers.
No, Americans haven't embraced socialism. Suffering people have given up on politics as usual.
Aside from civics and C-SPAN nerds (like me), I’m not convinced that wide swaths of the working Americans care about political ideologies.
How Dolly Parton became the one thing most Americans could agree on
The cultural icon was one of the rare celebrities adored by Americans of all ages, races and political persuasions.
Porsche Unveils 911 Challenge as New Entry-Level Race Car
Race car largely based around road-going Porsche 911 GT3 to debut in single-make Challenge, Trophy series next year...
Progressive politics notches another deep-red win in Oklahoma race, bolstered by anti-AIPAC messaging
Activist N'kiyla Jasmine Thomas will face off against Republican Rep. Kevin Hern in November.
Taylor Swift calls Dolly Parton ‘true grace and true grit, all in one dazzling person’ after country legend’s death
Taylor Swift called Dolly Parton ‘true grace and true grit, all in one dazzling person’ in tribute following the country legend’s death.
Holy Waldschmidt! Dbacks 5, Cubs 4
Mark Grace perhaps said it best in the postgame show when he said, “Im not sure we have seen a more unlikely Dbacks win the season” The almost Dback Clay Holmes shut this Dbacks offense down for 7 innings. The Dbacks had a deal in place for Holmes per multiple reports but the deal fell […]
In Headache for Republicans, Second Dan Sullivan Advances in Alaska Senate Race
A long-shot candidate with the same name as the incumbent Republican senator will be on the ballot in November. That could be a problem for the G.O.P.
Trace Gallagher: LA has perfected political math
The CSD thinks if LA Mayor Karen Bass plans to flood her campaign with taxpayer cash, can’t she at least add a little water to the Palisades reservoir?
Trump-backed Mike Mazzei wins the GOP nomination in the Oklahoma governor’s race
NBC News projects that Mazzei, a former state senator, narrowly defeated Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond in the Republican primary runoff.
Trump-endorsed candidate clears key hurdle in red state gubernatorial race
Mike Mazzei secured Trump's endorsement and defeated Genter Drummond in Oklahoma's GOP governor runoff, promising to eliminate the state's income tax.
In Guam, scientists trace a snake invasion from a few stowaways to 30,000 per square mile
Instead of being undone by inbreeding, the species prospered.
Republicans seize on transgender issues in Texas U.S. Senate race
As he runs for U.S. Senate in Texas, state Attorney General Ken Paxton is seizing on a familiar strategy from the Republican playbook.
James Talarico continues to edge out Ken Paxton in Texas’ U.S. Senate race, new poll finds
The latest University of Texas/Texas Politics Project poll shows Democratic state Rep. Talarico leading Republican Attorney General Paxton by three percentage points, with 14% of respondents undecided. Republicans maintain a modest lead over Democratic candidates in most other leading statewide contests.
GOP's Singer 'very prepared' to oust Dem Moskowitz in toss-up Florida race that could determine House majority
Scott Singer says Florida's redrawn 25th Congressional District gives Republicans a path to flip Jared Moskowitz's seat in a narrowly divided House.
Red Bulls to Host Anime Night at Sports Illustrated Stadium, presented by New Jersey Lottery, Featuring Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG Giveaways
Yu-Gi-Oh!-themed matchday to feature gate giveaways for the first 10,000 fans, interactive card game demos
How Trump's trade war with Canada could rattle states with key Senate races
President Donald Trump’s trade war with Canada is escalating as the midterm elections approach, threatening Republican efforts to address voters' economic concerns in a year when control of the U.S. Senate hinges on states along the border between the United States and its northern neighbor.
NVIDIA DLSS 4.5 Ray Reconstruction Review
NVIDIA DLSS 4.5 Ray Reconstruction boosts image quality with a new AI-powered model that uses 20% more parameters and 35% more compute, all without sacrificing performance. Our testing shows that ray-traced visuals are enhanced, offering crisper, richer textures, especially in path tracing.
Clinton’s eyebrow-raising socialism take sparks brutal mockery: ‘Definition of insanity’
Hillary Clinton called the Democratic Party's embrace of socialism a "healthy" experiment to reach young voters, sparking fierce backlash on X.
Santana: Hotel Workers Caught Up In Political Rip Tides At Dana Point Harbor
The race for a supervisors’ seat in South Orange County is having a real impact on a lucrative deal to redevelop hotels and boat slips.
Two new Nintendo Switch 2 bundles deliver sun-soaked sports, high-speed thrills and extra value - News
Power up your play with two exciting Nintendo Switch 2 bundles, arriving in the coming months and bringing even more fun to players! Gather friends and family together, whether in the same room¹ or miles away², for some high-energy races across a sp…
South Carolina Senate race between Darline Graham and Ralph Norman heads to runoff today
Clutch to be published by Focus Entertainment after parting ways with Amazon
The new open-world racer will also be playable at Gamescom this week.
The playbook for college sports revenue is expanding from logos and fees to entertainment districts
As college sports costs soar, universities are getting creative — from jersey patches and ticket fees to entertainment districts and corporate deals — in the race for new revenue.
US-Canada trade war escalates, small businesses brace for higher prices
Tariffs on plywood are expected to increase construction costs, potentially affecting hardware stores even when contractors purchase lumber elsewhere.
Third time the charm? Democrat Christina Bohannan tries again in pivotal House race in Iowa
Bohannan is focusing on rural areas she previously lost, hoping to capitalize on Trump's declining popularity and economic issues.
Trump to headline RNC fundraiser in Houston aimed at boosting Ken Paxton’s Senate campaign
An analysis by AdImpact suggests that Paxton, Democratic state Rep. James Talarico, and groups supporting both campaigns could spend roughly $440 million on the Texas Senate race, making it the second-most expensive U.S. Senate contest in history.
Aug. 24 "Colorado Chamber Office Hours": Treasurer candidates discuss business issues
Jeff Bridges and Kevin Grantham, candidates to be the next Colorado Treasurer, discuss business issues in the race with host Ed Sealover.
NASA Sets Coverage for Roman Space Telescope Launch from Florida
Coverage plans are ready for NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope prelaunch and launch activities. Roman is NASA’s next-generation observatory designed to
Focus Entertainment Team Up with Maverick Games to Publish ‘CLUTCH’
Revealed earlier this year, CLUTCH is a new open-world narrative driven racer from the team at Maverick Games, and they've partnered with Focus Entertainment as Publisher.
NASA’s Roman Telescope Enclosed in SpaceX Falcon Heavy Rocket Fairing
Teams have finished preparing NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope for launch. On Aug. 21, the team encapsulated the observatory inside the SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket’s fairing at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
Clarence Thomas rejects idea that race determines politics
Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas recently joined Texas Sen. Ted Cruz to discuss race and politics in a rare interview. (Credit: Verdict with Ted Cruz via Youtube)
Ex-Forza Horizon Devs Finally Find a Publisher for Clutch, PS5's Promising Open World Racer
A clutch move you might say
Trump wants cheaper beef. Republicans in key races warn his plan goes too far
Senate Republicans, including Tom Cotton and Tim Sheehy, push back on Trump's plan to import 300,000 metric tons of foreign ground beef to lower prices.
Maryland Zoo's remaining male cheetah euthanized following health complications
WBFF Fox45 provides local news, weather forecasts, traffic updates, notices of events and items of interest in the community, sports and entertainment programming for Baltimore and nearby towns and communities in Maryland, including Annapolis, Crofton, Glen Burnie, Linthicum, Pasadena, Severn, Cockeysville, Dundalk, Essex, Parkville, Owings Mills, Towson, White Marsh, Woodlawn, Hampstead, Sykesville, Taneytown, Westminster, Elkton, Perryville, Pt. Deposit, Rising Sun, Aberdeen, Abingdon, Bel Air, Edgewood, Fallston, Havre De Grace, Columbia, Elkridge, Ellicott City, Fulton, and Ocean City.
Data centers are ‘redefining’ midterm races across Pennsylvania
Candidates in at least 20 competitive legislative races are staking out data center positions, and Gov. Josh Shapiro has pivoted to a tougher stance.
Scientists reveal how proof of alien life could change everything tomorrow - Futura-Sciences
The approach depends on location. Within our solar system, probes sample rock, ice, and water on the ground. Farther out, astronomers have only starlight to go on. Close to home: the hunt for physical evidence NASA’s Perseverance rover has spent years scouring Mars for fossil biosignatures, chemical or geological traces...
Third time the charm? Democrat Christina Bohannan tries again in pivotal US House race in Iowa
Democrat Christina Bohannan is making a third attempt to win a congressional seat in Iowa's 1st District.
The dementia vaccine some of us are taking without realising
Cases are doubling every 20 years, but the race is on – using new and old science – to create a vaccine
Pork, politics and the governor race collide at 2026 Iowa State Fair
The mostly wholesome State Fair scenes belied the intensity of the race as campaigning ratchets up and negative ads fly in the Iowa governor's race.
Democrats don't agree on how to talk about trans athletes. Just look at Ohio.
Dr. Amy Acton's Trump-like statement in the governor’s race raises questions about how far candidates in battleground states can go before jeopardizing LGBTQ+ support.
Chesapeake Regional may avoid criminal trial, but former OB-GYN Perwaiz's patients are still suing
By Yiqing Wang/WHRO Federal prosecutors said this week they have reached a tentative deferred prosecution agreement with Chesapeake Regional Medical Center for charges related to disgraced former OB-GYN Javaid Perwaiz. The deal would require the hospital to admit certain facts, accept an independent monitor, repay health care programs and create a $12.8 million fund for Perwaiz’s former […]
Lone Star Politics: Aug. 23, 2026
How the shortage of a critical mineral could impact your pocketbook. Plus, a closer look at two big races Texans will be voting on in November.
Dan Sullivan endorses Dan Sullivan to beat Dan Sullivan in perplexing Alaska Senate race
A third Dan Sullivan — a former Anchorage mayor — has weighed in on the competitive Senate race, endorsing Sen. Dan S. Sullivan over former teacher Dan J. Sullivan.
Vikings Receive Bold Take on Backup Quarterback Race
Carson Wentz’s commanding preseason performance challenges the depth chart, threatening to push a struggling J.J. McCarthy into the third-string role as the veteran proves more game-ready for Minnesota.
2026 Dollar Tree 301 - Final Leaderboard - August 23, 2026
View 2026 Dollar Tree 301 race, qualifier and practice leaderboards, live streams, bonus cameras, videos and odds information.
Poll: Hammer has slim lead in Secretary of State's race
Poll numbers from the latest Talk Business & Politics-Hendrix College Poll show Republican State Sen. Kim Hammer, R-Benton, with a three-point lead over Democratic candidate Kelly Grappe for Secretary of...
Poll: Hammer has slim lead in Secretary of State's race
Poll numbers from the latest Talk Business & Politics-Hendrix College Poll show Republican State Sen. Kim Hammer, R-Benton, with a three-point lead over Democratic candidate Kelly Grappe for Secretary of...
Tricky Business clear-cut winner of $200K Albany
R.A. Hill Stable’s homebred Tricky Business led every step of the way to coast to victory in Sunday’s $200,000 Albany, a nine-furlong route for New York-bred sophomores, at Saratoga Race Course.
Data centers spark bipartisan political battle in midterm races
NetChoice director of policy Patrick Hedger discusses the growing bipartisan pushback against data center expansions in key midterm races on 'Fox Report.'
Data centers spark bipartisan political battle in midterm races
NetChoice director of policy Patrick Hedger discusses the growing bipartisan pushback against data center expansions in key midterm races on 'Fox Report.'
49ers hold tryouts for 3 pass rushers
The 49ers might need bodies for the preseason finale if they know they're going to hold certain players, like Kion White or Gracen Halton, out.
Big Country Politics: Taylor County Democratic Party Chair eyes 2026 ‘blue wave’
ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) – With several high-profile races drawing attention ahead of the 2026 election, Taylor County Democratic Party Chair Sammy Garcia said local issues could play an importan…
Haaland leads Hull in first public poll
By Pat Davis, nm.news — With less than 90 days until New Mexico chooses a new governor, the first public polling of the 2026 gubernatorial race shows that former Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland is enjoying a commanding 17-percentage-point lead over former Rio Rancho Mayor Greg Hull in early August. This story was originally […]
This week in politics: What tipped the scales in close East Bay race?
KTVU political analyst Nolan Higdon joined us on "Mornings on 2" to break down Aisha Wahab’s special election victory in the East Bay and the rising bipartisan debate over license plate surveillance cameras.
Yankees’ Ryan Weathers says elbow is fine after forearm scare
The first report on Ryan Weathers was enough to make every Yankees fan brace for the worst. He left Saturday’s […]
Trump will kick off the IndyCar race before cars zoom through Washington's streets
“Their beautiful cars are going to make freedom roar. This will be a freedom that’s roaring like never before,” Trump said at the White House earlier this month as he promoted the event.
Alaska Republicans scramble to educate voters on suspected Dem plant as 'ballot fatigue' threatens race
Dan Sullivan faces voter confusion from a candidate look-alike sharing his name as Alaska's ranked choice voting system adds complexity to the Senate race.
The Hatred That Broke American Politics
Race is the wound America sees. Anti-Semitism is the one it doesn’t.
What Talarico, Paxton are saying about each other in the Texas Senate race now that it's a toss up
The highly regarded Cook Political Report has moved the contest from Lean Republican to Toss-Up.
Encompass Health (EHC) Stock Gets Fair Value Bump After Analysts Lift Targets
Encompass Health is back in focus as analysts edge their price targets higher, with fair value estimates moving from about US$145.25 to roughly US$148.17. Much of this shift traces to recent Q2 results, updated 2026 guidance, and a wave of research that now clusters price targets in the US$144 to US$150 range. As you read on, you will see what is driving these revisions and how to track the next moves in the Encompass Health story. Stay updated as the Fair Value for Encompass Health shifts by...
Angry Ohio Voters Could Turn Their State Purple Again
A governor’s race, a Senate contest and enough congressional contests to swing control of the House are all in play in Ohio, where voters of all stripes express a deep sense of powerlessness.
WHO RUNS MARYLAND POLITICS NOW?
ByThe Maryland Wire The Machine Didn’t Die — It Broke Apart Mike Miller is gone. Steny Hoyer is retiring. The two men who helped define Maryland political power for generations are disappearing from the map. Nobody has inherited all of what they controlled. Instead, Maryland power has fractured among Wes Moore, legislative leaders, county organizations, federal figures and a new generation fighting to connect the pieces. By The Maryland Wire For decades, there were two names in Maryland politics that required almost no explanation. Mike Miller. Steny Hoyer. You didn’t necessarily have to agree with them. You didn’t even have to like them. But everyone understood something: Not social-media power. Not cable-news power. Not the temporary power that comes from one big election. They possessed political infrastructure. Relationships. Institutional memory. Donors. Staff. Allies. County leaders. Lobbyists. Legislators. Operatives. And the ability to connect people who needed something with people capable of delivering it. Today one is gone. The other is preparing to leave Congress after more than four decades. And Maryland faces a question it hasn’t had to answer in generations: The answer may be: Nobody. At least not the way Miller once did. Maryland’s old machine wasn’t inherited by one person. It fragmented. And now several ambitious political networks are competing to assemble the pieces. Miller presided over the Maryland Senate for 33 years, becoming one of the longest-serving legislative leaders in American history. He stepped down as Senate president in 2019 and died in January 2021. (Behavioral and Social Sciences) But Miller’s real power wasn’t the title printed on his door. It was the accumulation of relationships behind it. Miller came from Maryland’s old Democratic organization and developed into an extraordinarily adaptable political operator, retaining authority even as the Senate around him became younger and more liberal. (The Washington Post) He understood something fundamental: politics is information. Who wants what? Who owes whom? Which senator needs help? Which county executive wants something in the budget? Which committee chairman can move a bill? Which lobbyist represents which client? Which candidate should receive support today because that candidate could be a senator ten years from now? Miller knew the answers because he’d spent decades collecting them. Miller’s influence wasn’t confined to elected officials. Former Miller aides became prominent Annapolis lobbyists. Maryland Matters noted figures such as Joseph Bryce and Timothy Perry among the high-profile lobbyists who had once served as top Miller aides. (Maryland Matters) That was one of Miller’s greatest political achievements. He didn’t merely accumulate power around himself. He produced alumni. Staffers became lobbyists. Legislators became committee chairs. Allies became power brokers. And decades of relationships reinforced one another. By the end, Mike Miller wasn’t simply a person. He was an ecosystem. Hoyer’s network was different. Miller’s power was rooted in Annapolis. Hoyer connected Maryland to Washington. He served in the Maryland Senate before winning election to Congress in 1981 and ultimately became one of the longest-serving members of the U.S. House and a longtime No. 2 in House Democratic leadership. In January 2026, Hoyer announced that he would retire rather than seek another term. (The Washington Post) His influence stretched through: Prince George’s County, Southern Maryland, Congress, federal agencies, donors, campaign organizations, and generations of Democratic candidates. And Hoyer had something machine builders value enormously: a succession network. That became obvious almost immediately. When Hoyer announced his retirement, Maryland’s 5th Congressional District exploded with candidates. Twenty-four Democrats entered the race. But when the votes were counted, the winner was Adrian Boafo, Hoyer’s former campaign manager. Boafo wasn’t running without establishment help. He was endorsed by Hoyer. He was endorsed by Governor Wes Moore. And he ultimately won the Democratic nomination. (AP News) In his victory speech, Boafo described the result as voters deciding it was time to “pass the torch to a new generation of leaders.” (AP News) That phrase captures the transition perfectly. Hoyer’s seat isn’t simply being vacated. Parts of his network are being transferred. But they aren’t being transferred to another Steny Hoyer. They’re being absorbed into a newer political constellation. And standing prominently inside that constellation is Wes Moore. If someone forces you to name the single person sitting nearest the center of Maryland Democratic politics today, the answer is Governor Wes Moore. The 2026 Democratic gubernatorial primary underscored the scale of his position. Moore won renomination overwhelmingly, receiving roughly 88% of the Democratic primary vote. (WBAL-TV) But raw votes tell only part of the story. Look at the party infrastructure. The Maryland Democratic Party says Steuart Pittman ran for state party chairman in 2025 “at the suggestion of Governor Wes Moore.” Pittman took office that July. (The Maryland Democratic Party) That’s important. Governors traditionally influence their state parties. But party leadership plus fundraising, endorsements, executive appointments and national relationships creates the beginning of something bigger: a political network that could survive the governor’s term. Moore also played a role in the Hoyer succession by backing Boafo. That’s how political organizations reproduce themselves. You support tomorrow’s politician today. And that’s the distinction that matters. Moore has enormous statewide visibility. Miller had decades of accumulated legislative control. Moore can endorse candidates. Miller could influence the environment in which legislators lived every day. Committee assignments. Leadership positions. Legislative priorities. Relationships that had been accumulating since before many current lawmakers entered politics. Moore may have a larger national profile than Miller ever possessed. But he doesn’t possess Miller’s half-century of Annapolis memory. Nobody does. Which is why the modern Maryland political structure looks less like a pyramid and more like several power centers connected by overlapping relationships. One of those centers belongs to Senate President Bill Ferguson. Ferguson controls an institution no governor can simply command. The Senate. Maryland’s official 2026 legislative records identify Ferguson as Senate President. (Maryland General Assembly) That means influence over: committee structure, Senate leadership, legislative priorities, confirmations, and negotiations with the House and governor. But Ferguson is not Mike Miller 2.0. Miller’s extraordinary longevity allowed him to become almost inseparable from the institution. Ferguson possesses the office. Miller possessed the office plus decades of political mythology and accumulated relationships. Those aren’t the same thing. The House now has its own new center of gravity. Official 2026 legislative records identify Joseline Peña-Melnyk as Speaker of the House of Delegates, alongside Ferguson as Senate President. (Maryland General Assembly) That makes the current Maryland governing triangle: Executive power. Senate power. House power. None fully controls the others. And that fact alone demonstrates how different modern Maryland is from the Miller era. The governor proposes. The legislature disposes. Committee leaders negotiate. County interests intervene. And political coalitions shift issue by issue. That’s not one machine. That’s a networked power structure. Then there’s U.S. Senator Angela Alsobrooks. Her significance isn’t that she is the new Hoyer. She isn’t. Hoyer spent decades constructing his network. Alsobrooks brings something different: Prince George’s County roots, a statewide electoral organization, a United States Senate platform, and relationships with national Democratic leaders. That makes her a critical bridge between Maryland and Washington at precisely the moment Hoyer leaves. Hoyer’s retirement therefore doesn’t necessarily weaken Prince George’s influence. It changes who carries it. Prince George’s itself is undergoing a dramatic generational transition. Official 2026 results show Aisha Braveboy winning the Democratic County Executive primary with 87,944 votes and 73.31% of the vote. (Maryland State Board of Elections) That’s political infrastructure. Prince George’s is one of Maryland’s central Democratic vote engines. A county executive with that level of primary support gains: appointments, budget influence, organizational relationships, donor access, and a platform for cultivating the next generation of political leadership. Braveboy therefore isn’t merely another person on the Maryland power map. She controls a place from which a political organization can be built. Boafo is particularly interesting because he sits almost perfectly at the intersection between the old and new worlds. He worked for Hoyer. Hoyer endorsed him. Moore endorsed him. Then Boafo beat an enormous Democratic field for Hoyer’s seat. (AP News) That doesn’t make him powerful on Hoyer’s scale. He’s just beginning. But it illustrates how power actually transfers: not through a ceremonial handoff, but through endorsements, donors, staff, relationships, and voter confidence. Boafo may become Hoyer’s congressional successor. He will not automatically inherit Hoyer’s 40-plus years of political capital. That part has to be rebuilt. This is the part that often gets overlooked. When a machine breaks apart, power doesn’t only move upward. Some people’s relationships become less valuable. Former Miller aides still know Annapolis. Former Miller allies still possess institutional memory. Veteran lobbyists don’t forget how legislation works. But something fundamental disappeared when Miller did: the common center. The person capable of connecting all of them instantly was gone. That changes the value of a political network. Imagine knowing everybody in Annapolis. Useful. Now imagine the person who introduced many of those people, appointed committee chairs, influenced Senate priorities and understood decades of relationships is simultaneously Senate President. Much more useful. Remove that person and the individual relationships remain. But the system becomes decentralized. First: Bill Ferguson. The Senate’s institutional relationships now run through his leadership rather than Miller’s. Second: the House leadership. With the Miller-Busch generation gone, today’s House leaders are building their own committee chairs, alliances and relationships. Third: Wes Moore. Moore became governor after Miller was gone. That distinction matters. Earlier governors had to operate with Miller sitting across State Circle. Moore entered office during a generational reset. Instead of negotiating with the old machine, he has the opportunity to help build the next network. Fourth: Angela Alsobrooks and the emerging Prince George’s generation. Hoyer is leaving. Miller is gone. The county’s political leadership now belongs to another generation. Fifth: politicians who were outside the old Miller organization. When someone dominates an institution for 33 years, inevitably some politicians develop within that organization and others outside it. Miller’s departure created room for people who may never have risen as quickly under the old structure. That’s the biggest point. If Mike Miller’s power had simply transferred to Bill Ferguson, Maryland would still have a machine. If Hoyer’s influence simply transferred to Boafo, Maryland would still have a machine. If every county leader simply took orders from Moore, Maryland would have a machine. None of those things happened. Instead: Moore controls the statewide executive platform. Ferguson controls the Senate. Peña-Melnyk controls the House. Alsobrooks has statewide and federal reach. Braveboy has Prince George’s executive power. Pittman leads the state Democratic Party after Moore encouraged him to seek the role. (The Maryland Democratic Party) Boafo represents the beginning of the post-Hoyer congressional generation. And Baltimore, Montgomery County, organized labor, donors and other county organizations maintain their own centers of influence. That’s not one machine. If you want to understand where Maryland power is moving, don’t simply watch office titles. Watch endorsements. Who does Moore support? Who does Alsobrooks support? Who gets Ferguson’s allies? Who gets House leadership? Who gets Hoyer’s blessing? Who gets labor? Who gets major donors? And most importantly: That is where the new Maryland network becomes visible. The Boafo race was a textbook example. Hoyer’s successor didn’t emerge randomly from 24 candidates. He had ties to the outgoing incumbent and support from the governor. The old network and the emerging one overlapped. And voters chose him. (AP News) Moore may ultimately become the most important person in determining whether Maryland develops another durable statewide political organization. But the test isn’t whether Moore himself remains popular. The test is what happens to the people he supports. Which delegates become senators? Which senators become committee chairs? Which county officials become executives? Which staffers become candidates? Which appointees become statewide leaders? Who gets his donor network? Who gets his political advisers? Who eventually gets his endorsement when Maryland faces a post-Moore gubernatorial succession fight? That’s how we’ll know whether Moore was merely a successful governor— or the founder of another generation of Maryland power. There’s another category worth watching: politicians who came from Miller’s Maryland but remain active in the new one. Dereck Davis is one. Anthony Brown is another. Veteran legislators and former officials throughout the state still possess old relationships that newer politicians don’t. These people can function as bridges. That’s important because political systems rarely reset completely. The new machine usually grows partly from pieces of the old one. Donors don’t disappear. Lobbyists don’t disappear. Operatives don’t disappear. Institutional memory doesn’t disappear. They find new centers of gravity. If you want one name: His overwhelming 2026 Democratic renomination, executive authority, national profile and influence within the Maryland Democratic Party make that difficult to dispute. (WBAL-TV) But saying Moore “runs Maryland” the way Miller once ran the Senate would oversimplify the reality. Maryland power today looks more like this: WES MOORE Statewide organization.Appointments.Fundraising.Executive government.National Democratic relationships. BILL FERGUSON The Senate.Committees.Confirmations.Legislative leverage. JOSELINE PEÑA-MELNYK The House.Committee leadership.Budget and legislative leverage. ANGELA ALSOBROOKS Statewide electoral organization.Federal platform.Prince George’s relationships.National Democratic connections. AISHA BRAVEBOY Prince George’s executive organization.County government.A major Democratic vote base. THE POST-HOYER GENERATION Boafo and the emerging political class that will have to rebuild Hoyer’s Washington-Maryland network rather than simply inherit it. It did something more interesting. Mike Miller’s influence was too personal, too old and too deeply rooted in his own relationships to be inherited whole. Hoyer’s network is too extensive and too intertwined with decades of congressional politics to fit neatly inside one successor. So the pieces are moving. Toward Moore. Toward Ferguson. Toward Peña-Melnyk. Toward Alsobrooks. Toward Braveboy. Toward younger candidates and new county organizations. And toward veteran political survivors who understand both eras. That’s the next chapter of Maryland politics. The person who eventually connects: Annapolis, Prince George’s, Montgomery County, Baltimore, labor, business, donors, the Maryland Democratic Party, and the congressional delegation will possess something Maryland hasn’t truly seen since Miller’s heyday. Not merely another elected official. And maybe that’s why searching for “the next Mike Miller” is the wrong exercise. There may never be another one. The more important question is: Miller spent half a century becoming that person. Hoyer spent decades becoming another version of it. Maryland’s current political leaders are still competing for the privilege. And until somebody actually connects all those pieces, the most accurate answer to the question “Who runs Maryland?” may be the most fascinating one of all: No one does. Not anymore. But there are plenty of people trying. Sources University of Maryland and Maryland Matters — Miller’s 33-year Senate presidency and political legacy. (Behavioral and Social Sciences) Washington Post historical reporting — Miller’s rise from Maryland machine politics and ability to retain power as the Senate evolved. (The Washington Post) Maryland Matters — former top Miller aides who moved into Annapolis lobbying and the changing Senate power structure. (Maryland Matters) Washington Post and Reuters — Hoyer’s January 2026 retirement announcement after more than four decades in Congress and his long Democratic leadership career. (The Washington Post) Associated Press — Adrian Boafo’s 2026 victory in the Democratic primary to succeed Hoyer, including Hoyer and Moore’s support and Boafo’s “pass the torch” remarks. (AP News) Maryland Democratic Party — Steuart Pittman’s official biography stating that he sought the state chairmanship at Moore’s suggestion. (The Maryland Democratic Party) Maryland General Assembly — official 2026 records identifying Bill Ferguson as Senate President and Joseline Peña-Melnyk as Speaker. (Maryland General Assembly) Maryland State Board of Elections — official 2026 Prince George’s County results showing Aisha Braveboy’s dominant County Executive primary victory. (Maryland State Board of Elections) 2026 election reporting — Moore’s overwhelming Democratic gubernatorial primary victory. (WBAL-TV)
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