Democrat Annie Andrews is running for the U.S. Senate seat in South Carolina after the death of Republican Senator Lindsey Graham. Lindsey Graham's sister, Senator Darline Graham, was appointed as a temporary replacement and announced she will run for a full term with President Donald Trump's support.
Key Facts
Lindsey Graham, a longtime Republican senator, died on July 11, 2024.
Governor Henry McMaster appointed Darline Graham, Lindsey Graham's sister, as a temporary senator.
Darline Graham announced she will seek a full six-year Senate term, backed by President Donald Trump.
This created an open seat, leading to a Republican special primary on August 11, with a possible runoff on August 25.
Annie Andrews, a Democrat, believes the Republican scramble helps her build support among independents and moderate voters.
South Carolina has not elected a Democratic senator since 1998 and generally favors Republicans.
Polls and political experts say the state remains strongly Republican, making it likely that the GOP will keep the seat.
The outcome of the Republican primary may have a major impact on Andrews’ chances in the general election.
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Student loan defaults in the United States have reached their highest levels as loan payments resumed after a pause during the COVID-19 pandemic. About 9.5 million borrowers, or 20%, are now more than nine months behind on their federal student loan payments.
Key Facts
Student loan defaults have increased sharply across the U.S.
Payments were paused during the COVID-19 pandemic to help borrowers.
The pause on payments has ended, causing many to fall behind.
Approximately 9.5 million borrowers are currently in default.
Being in default means not paying the loan for over nine months.
One in five federal student loan borrowers are affected.
This is the highest default rate recorded in recent history.
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A man was arrested for setting off a fire device outside an immigration court in New York City. The building includes federal offices like the FBI and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Key Facts
The incident happened outside an immigration court building in New York City.
The man set off an incendiary device, which is a device that can start fires.
The building contains several federal offices, including the FBI and ICE.
Police arrested the man soon after the device was set off.
No information was given about injuries or damage.
The event involved federal law enforcement agencies.
The investigation is ongoing.
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Senator Darline Graham, sister of the late Senator Lindsey Graham, announced she will run for a full Senate term in South Carolina. She was appointed to serve the remainder of her brother's term and has received an endorsement from President Donald Trump.
Key Facts
Darline Graham is currently serving the rest of her brother Lindsey Graham’s Senate term after being appointed by South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster.
She confirmed in a Fox News interview that she will run for a full six-year Senate term in the upcoming election.
President Donald Trump has endorsed her candidacy, saying she would best honor Lindsey Graham’s legacy.
Lindsey Graham passed away unexpectedly on July 11, 2026, at age 71.
The special Republican primary to choose a candidate for the full term will be held on August 11, 2026.
Other candidates in the Republican primary include Representatives Ralph Norman and Russell Fry, and businessman Mark Lynch.
Darline Graham has nearly 30 years of experience working in state roles, including with people with disabilities.
Filing for the primary candidates opens July 21 and closes July 28, 2026.
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The article discusses the ongoing debate in the United States about how power and wealth should be shared. It compares the ideas of socialism, which supports central control and wealth redistribution, with federalism, which favors sharing power among states and individuals. It also highlights recent economic and migration trends showing people and businesses moving from higher-tax states to lower-tax states.
Key Facts
George Bernard Shaw supported income redistribution and central planning in the early 20th century.
G.K. Chesterton argued for property rights and decentralizing political power to prevent tyranny.
The debate about central control versus decentralized power continues in the U.S. today.
Democratic socialists have won some political races in cities, but federalist states have had more consistent economic success.
ALEC’s report shows red states with lower taxes and fewer regulations attract more people and businesses.
States like Utah rank high in economic performance; states like New York and New Jersey rank low.
JPMorgan Chase has reduced its workforce in New York City while expanding in Texas.
U-Haul reports Texas as the top state for population growth, while California experiences significant out-migration.
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Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear said he has had no contact from Senator Mitch McConnell or his staff about McConnell’s health. McConnell has been absent from the Senate for some time, and his health has raised questions because he has not appeared publicly or given updates.
Key Facts
Governor Andy Beshear has not received any information from Senator McConnell or his office about McConnell’s health.
McConnell, 84 years old, has been a U.S. Senator from Kentucky since 1985.
McConnell served as Senate Republican leader for nearly 20 years but stepped down earlier this year.
McConnell showed signs of health problems in 2023, including moments where he appeared to freeze during speeches.
McConnell has not appeared publicly recently and has not made statements about his health.
His office has given only limited updates about his condition.
McConnell has not indicated he will resign and still remains in Washington.
The senator’s extended absence has led to calls for more transparency about his ability to serve.
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Five people drowned in the Scioto River near Powell, Ohio after trying to help someone struggling in the water. A child who ran for help was found safe and is now with family services.
Key Facts
The incident happened on Sunday in the Scioto River, a river near Columbus, Ohio.
One person went swimming and started to struggle, leading others to jump in to help.
Five people died: two women were found Sunday and three men were found Monday.
A child under 10 ran to get help and was found by a passing motorist.
The child and another young child were placed under the care of family services.
Rescue teams searched the river both Sunday and Monday.
The sheriff’s office gave updates at a news conference on Monday.
This incident happened shortly after a separate fatal flash flood in Utah.
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Firefighters rescued a small dog that had been missing for weeks after it was seen swimming in San Francisco Bay near East Palo Alto. The dog was safely recovered and returned to its family by the local animal protection agency.
Key Facts
The dog went missing over the Fourth of July weekend.
A 911 call on July 16 reported seeing the dog entering the bay near Dumbarton Bridge.
Firefighters from Menlo Park used trucks, a boat, an airboat, binoculars, and a drone to track and rescue the dog.
Both fire and police officers helped in the rescue operation.
After rescue, the dog was dried off and cared for by firefighters.
The dog was handed over to the local Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA).
The SPCA found the dog’s family and reunited them successfully.
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The U.S. Space Force is increasing its spending on rocket launches from $5.6 billion to $17 billion for one of its launch contracts. Combined with another contract, the total maximum spending may exceed $30 billion to support more military satellite launches.
Key Facts
The Space Force is expanding the National Security Space Launch (NSSL) Phase 3 contract for Lane 1 missions to $17 billion.
Lane 1 missions involve medium-lift and experimental payload launches with less military oversight.
Lane 2 missions are higher priority, requiring rockets with special military certification; only SpaceX and United Launch Alliance rockets are currently certified.
The total combined maximum for Lane 1 and Lane 2 contracts now exceeds $30 billion.
More launch companies have been added for Lane 1, including Rocket Lab, Stoke Space, Relativity Space, and Impulse Space.
SpaceX has won most task orders for these launches so far, with Blue Origin also winning some.
Rising demand for launches is driven by programs like the Space Data Network and Airborne Moving Target Indicator satellite constellations, as well as the proposed missile defense system called Golden Dome.
The number of planned launches has increased significantly in the last year, leading to higher contract values.
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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is still investigating lettuce from Taylor Farms as the cause of a parasite outbreak. A test mistakenly showed the parasite cyclospora on the lettuce, but officials later said this was a false positive.
Key Facts
The FDA is focusing on lettuce from Taylor Farms in a multistate outbreak of a parasite.
The parasite involved is cyclospora, which can cause diarrhea.
A lab test initially showed the lettuce tested positive for cyclospora.
The FDA posted the positive test result on its website on Saturday.
On Sunday, the FDA clarified the positive result was a false positive, meaning the test was incorrect.
Despite the faulty test, the FDA continues to consider Taylor Farms lettuce the likely source.
The outbreak affects multiple states across the U.S.
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Louise Haigh is a British politician who had a fast rise to becoming the youngest female cabinet minister but resigned due to a past fraud offence. She has returned to government with a senior role under Andy Burnham, playing an important part in his team and helping him win back a seat in Parliament.
Key Facts
Louise Haigh became the youngest-ever female cabinet minister at age 36.
She resigned as transport secretary four months into the job after admitting to a fraud offence from her twenties.
Andy Burnham appointed her to run the Cabinet Office as first secretary of state, a senior government position.
She helped manage talks with civil servants before Burnham took office.
After leaving the cabinet, she helped lead a Labour rebellion against welfare cuts.
Haigh revived the Tribune group, supporting the Labour party’s soft left wing.
She played a key role in Burnham’s successful return to Parliament for Makerfield.
Haigh has worked for various Labour MPs and was elected as MP for Sheffield Heeley in 2015.
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Senator Darline Graham Nordone announced she will run for a full six-year term to take over the U.S. Senate seat left by her brother, the late Senator Lindsey Graham from South Carolina. She shared this news during an interview on Fox News.
Key Facts
Darline Graham Nordone is a Republican senator from South Carolina.
She plans to run for a full six-year term in the U.S. Senate.
The seat was previously held by her brother, Senator Lindsey Graham, who has passed away.
She announced her candidacy on Fox News during Sean Hannity’s show.
The position is for the U.S. Senate, representing South Carolina.
Governor Henry McMaster is also involved in South Carolina politics (details from article are incomplete).
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Officials said the suspect in Monday’s explosion outside a federal building in New York City held anti-ICE materials. The suspect was described as an "anti-government extremist."
Key Facts
The explosion happened on Monday morning in Manhattan, New York City.
The suspect was near a federal building when the incident occurred.
Law enforcement described the suspect as an "anti-government extremist."
The suspect carried literature opposing ICE, which is the U.S. agency that enforces immigration laws.
Officials shared these details during a news conference.
CBS News reporter Anna Schecter provided background information after the announcement.
The investigation is active, and more information may be released later.
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The FDA continues to link a Cyclospora outbreak to Taylor Farms shredded iceberg lettuce from central Mexico, despite retracting an earlier positive test result. At least 1,644 people have fallen ill, and the FDA and CDC advise avoiding the recalled lettuce products while investigations continue.
Key Facts
The FDA initially reported a positive Cyclospora test on Taylor Farms lettuce but later said it was a false positive.
Taylor Farms voluntarily recalled shredded iceberg lettuce from central Mexico tied to the outbreak.
At least 1,644 people have become sick, with the actual number possibly higher.
Cyclospora is a parasite that causes stomach illness and diarrhea.
The FDA uses multiple methods, including tracking illness patterns and food shipments, to find outbreak sources.
Taco Bell removed the affected lettuce from its restaurants following the recall.
The FDA said the false positive does not change the evidence supporting the recall.
The investigation is still ongoing, and the FDA is looking into other possible sources and related illness clusters.
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California's governor's office disputed a news report about a no-bid diaper contract awarded to Baby2Baby, calling parts of it false. After 66 days of requesting records, the state posted documents showing the contract was legally exempt from the usual competitive bidding required for state contracts.
Key Facts
California gave Baby2Baby a diaper contract without a normal competitive bidding process.
The state's contract database labeled the deal "NON-COMPETITIVELY BID."
State law typically demands public advertising, scoring, and protests in competitive bids, but exemptions are allowed and this contract used one.
Governor Newsom said the deal went through a competitive bidding process, but officials later clarified he was not using the formal legal definition.
Records released after 66 days showed no scoring sheets or clear evaluation criteria for the selection.
The governor’s office disputed claims that they delayed releasing the documents to hide information and said they needed more time to process the requests legally.
The number of applicants reported varies between 11, 14, and 15, and some supposed applicants did not meet with the agency.
The news outlet updated its story where additional facts were confirmed but maintained parts where the records did not support the governor’s office claims.
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Senate Majority Leader John Thune said he will not support any candidate right now in the race to replace the late Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina. Usually, Thune and other Republican leaders help choose who the party backs for Senate seats.
Key Facts
Senator Lindsey Graham passed away, leaving an open Senate seat in South Carolina.
John Thune is the Senate Majority Leader and a Republican from South Dakota.
Thune told reporters he is not endorsing any candidate for the South Carolina Senate primary at this time.
Republican leaders often decide which candidates to support in important Senate races.
Lindsey Graham’s sister, Darline Graham, has been sworn in as a temporary replacement.
The South Carolina Senate seat is open for a full term election.
The decision on endorsements could affect the GOP primary outcome.
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House Republicans raised $17.6 million in June, giving them $92.7 million in cash for their campaign efforts, more than House Democrats. Although Democrats raised more in the full second quarter, Republicans have a cash lead going into the midterm elections, partly because of a recent Supreme Court ruling that allows more coordination in spending.
Key Facts
House Republicans' campaign group (NRCC) raised $17.6 million in June.
The NRCC has $92.7 million in cash on hand for campaigning.
Democrats’ campaign group (DCCC) has $79 million in cash available.
In the full second quarter, Democrats raised $37.4 million, more than Republicans' $35.4 million.
Twenty-five Republican incumbents were outraised by Democratic challengers in this period.
A recent Supreme Court ruling lets national party committees spend without limits in coordination with candidates, boosting Republican fundraising power.
Both parties say they are preparing strong campaigns for the November midterm elections.
The fundraising advantage for Republicans has not yet led to better individual candidate fundraising results.
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The Trump administration announced plans to revoke U.S. citizenship from 10 people accused of crimes or lying during the citizenship process. The individuals faced charges such as child sexual abuse, fraud, and identity theft, and the government is working to increase such denaturalization cases.
Key Facts
The government aims to strip citizenship from people who allegedly committed crimes or immigration fraud to become citizens.
Revoking citizenship requires stricter rules than canceling visas, so such cases are usually rare.
The 10 people include six from Mexico, and one each from Cuba, Pakistan, Peru, and Poland.
Some accused committed child sexual abuse before or while applying for citizenship.
Others allegedly used fake documents, false statements, or concealed crimes related to healthcare fraud and drug offenses.
One accused admitted to a Medicare fraud scheme involving nearly $900,000.
The Department of Justice and Homeland Security announced the cases on a Monday, with more expected.
Officials say people who cheat to get citizenship will face legal consequences under President Donald Trump’s administration.
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Luke Gulbranson, known from the TV show Summer House, is running as a Democrat for Minnesota’s 8th Congressional District to challenge Republican Pete Stauber. His campaign focuses on economic issues, healthcare, and support for working-class families in the region.
Key Facts
Luke Gulbranson is a former reality TV star from Bravo’s Summer House.
He announced his run for Congress in April 2024 in Minnesota’s 8th District.
The 8th District includes northeastern Minnesota, a region historically working-class and linked to mining and unions.
Gulbranson’s campaign highlights protecting Medicare, Social Security, and supporting union jobs.
He grew up in a family that relied on public assistance like welfare and Medicaid.
Gulbranson aims to represent working-class voters frustrated with Washington politics.
His donors include some well-known individuals, though overall contributions are smaller than the Republicans’.
Before politics, he worked in business, coached youth hockey, and pursued ventures like maple syrup and a beer brand.
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Nearly 100 U.S. service members were injured in Iranian airstrikes on military bases in the Middle East this month. Most of the injured troops have returned to duty, and most injuries were mild concussions.
Key Facts
About 100 U.S. service members were injured since July 7, 2026.
96% of the injured service members have returned to work.
Most injuries were minor concussions.
The Pentagon confirmed these details through Chief Spokesman Sean Parnell.
The incidents occurred during airstrikes by Iran on U.S. bases in the Middle East.
The Pentagon considers the troops eager to resume their duties.
The situation is part of an ongoing conflict involving Iran and U.S. forces.
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