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Trump-endorsed candidate will face top GOP target in Nevada House district
Nevada state Sen. Carrie Buck won the Republican nomination for Nevada's 1st Congressional District on Tuesday, defeating businessman Michael Boris and other candidates in a closely watched primary contest to challenge Democratic Rep. Dina Titus in November.
Buck's victory comes after receiving endorsements from President Donald Trump and Gov. Joe Lombardo, as well as backing from national Republican groups focused on protecting and expanding the party's House majority.
Buck, an educator and former school principal who represents a Henderson-area district in the Nevada Senate, entered the race in 2025, arguing her experience in education and state government prepared her to take on Titus.
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The Republican primary field also included appliance repair contractor Michael Boris, former pastor and educator Jim Blockey, Rick Saga and Marie Encar Arnold.
Buck's campaign held a significant fundraising advantage throughout much of the race and was viewed by many Nevada political observers as the frontrunner entering Election Day.
Boris had argued that Republicans needed an outsider candidate to defeat Titus, criticizing Buck as an establishment-backed contender.
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The general election now shifts to a district that has long favored Democrats, though it has become more competitive following recent redistricting. The Cook Political Report has rated the race as "Likely Democrat," reflecting Titus' incumbency and the district's Democratic lean despite growing Republican optimism.
Nevada's 1st District, which includes much of eastern Las Vegas, Henderson and surrounding communities, carries a Cook Partisan Voting Index of D+2 and has been represented by Titus since 2013. Republicans have not won the seat since former Rep. John Ensign left office in 1999.
Titus, who faced primary opposition of her own, is expected to begin the general election campaign with a substantial fundraising advantage. Republicans believe Buck gives the party its strongest chance to compete in a district that has become more competitive in recent years.
Attention now turns to the general election against Titus, a veteran Democrat who has represented the district since 2013 and remains one of Nevada's most established political figures.
Gaming-world veteran who ripped ‘woke’ culture scores Trump-backed battleground primary win
Trump-endorsed candidate Marty O'Donnell advanced in a crowded GOP primary race to face off against Democratic incumbent Rep. Susie Lee in Nevada’s 3rd congressional district.
O’Donnell is best known as the composer for the popular "Halo" and "Destiny" video game franchises and has run his campaign on putting "families first," as well as promoting small businesses and community safety.
The district is among Nevada’s most fiercely contested battlegrounds, with its suburban electorate often deciding close races. President Donald Trump carried the district in 2016 and again in 2024, while former President Joe Biden flipped it in 2020.
O’Donnell entered the primary with major GOP backing after securing endorsements from Trump and Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo.
"Susie Lee wants Open Borders, Men playing in Women’s Sports, Transgender for Everyone, Defund the Police, and wants to take away your Second Amendment, meaning, your guns. Sadly, she voted against the Biggest Tax Cut in History (including NO TAX ON TIPS!), and fought ferociously to knock out Rural Healthcare, a big factor in Nevada’s 3rd Congressional District," wrote Trump in his endorsement on Truth Social in April.
"In contrast, Marty O’Donnell is a World-Class Composer and Entrepreneur who knows the America First Policies required to Create GREAT Jobs, Cut Taxes and Regulations, Promote NO TAX ON TIPS, Advance MADE IN THE U.S.A., and Champion our Nation’s Golden Age. As your next Congressman, Marty will fight tirelessly to Unleash American Energy DOMINANCE, Keep our Border SECURE, Stop Migrant Crime, Ensure LAW AND ORDER, Strengthen our Brave Military/Veterans, and Protect our always under siege Second Amendment," said Trump.
The video game composer has compared the battles against "woke" ideology in both video games and politics during his run for Congress.
"I believe the enthusiasm for the re-release of the original ‘Halo’ is in large part due to the wokification of the gaming industry," he wrote in 2025 of "woke" ideology in gaming. "After years of gamers fighting the infiltration of DEI in the industry, we are finally winning."
"I saw firsthand the beginning of DEI in the industry," he continued, describing how the industry has faced backlash over games that alienated players with identity politics. "How did gamers react to having things forced on them by non-gamers developing these characters in the studio? They revolted."
The "Halo" games, centered on humanity’s war against alien invaders, have sold tens of millions of copies, becoming one of the most recognizable and enduring video game franchises since 2001.
The large suburban electorate voted for Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election even as Lee narrowly won the congressional race — a seat she has held since 2019.
Lee, a former second-grade teacher, has strongly opposed Trump’s call to eliminate the Department of Education, advocating instead for increased federal funding for public schools, special education and after-school programs.
The self-proclaimed moderate Lee also campaigned on the cost of living and healthcare, pushing to lower costs for families.
O’Donnell supports strict border control, a finished border wall and targeting human and drug trafficking.
Lee has occasionally supported tougher border-security measures but is against Trump's efforts to restrict birthright citizenship and has criticized some aspects of his immigration policies.
Top GOP target Dina Titus fends off House primary challengers
U.S. Rep. Dina Titus won the Democratic primary in Nevada's 1st Congressional District on Tuesday, defeating challengers Gabriel Cornejo, Joy Hoover and Luis Paniagua to secure her party's nomination for an eighth term in Congress.
Titus, who has represented the Las Vegas-area district since 2013, entered the race as the clear frontrunner, backed by labor unions and Democratic organizations while also holding significant advantages in fundraising.
The veteran lawmaker faced a challenge from candidates who argued Democrats should embrace a new generation of leadership, a criticism Titus largely dismissed during the campaign. Titus pointed to her experience in Congress and her record on issues important to Southern Nevada voters, including tourism, transportation and veterans affairs, helping her win the Democratic primary.
MINIVAN MOM PUTS DEM INCUMBENT ON NOTICE IN TOP GOP TARGET DISTRICT: 'SHE HAS DONE NOTHING FOR US'
First elected to Congress in 2008 from Nevada's 3rd Congressional District, Titus returned to the House in 2012 after redistricting reshaped Nevada's congressional map. Before serving in Congress, she spent two decades in the Nevada Senate and worked as a political science professor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
Her primary opponents struggled to gain significant traction in a race largely overshadowed by higher-profile statewide contests. Hoover, a businesswoman and nonprofit founder, Cornejo and Paniagua all sought to present themselves as alternatives to the longtime incumbent but ultimately failed to beat Titus.
The focus now turns to the general election, where Titus is expected to face the Republican nominee in a district that has become more competitive in recent years following redistricting. Still, the Cook Political Report rates Nevada's 1st Congressional District as "Likely Democrat," reflecting both the district's Democratic lean and Titus' incumbency advantage.
Nevada's 1st District includes much of eastern Las Vegas, Henderson, Paradise and surrounding communities in Clark County. According to the Cook Partisan Voting Index, the district carries a D+2 rating. Republicans have not held the seat since former Rep. John Ensign left Congress in 1999.
Nevada’s top cop wins Dem primary, takes on Gov Lombardo
Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford defeated Washoe County Commissioner Alexis Hill in Tuesday's Democratic primary, advancing to a showdown with Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo in one of the nation's most competitive governor's races.
Ford entered the race as the Democratic frontrunner in a field that included Hill, Sunshine Arterburn, Miqehl Bayfield, Emile Bouari and James Cooper. Before becoming Nevada's first Black attorney general, he served in the Nevada Legislature, where he led the chamber as majority leader.
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Housing affordability emerged as a key issue in Ford's campaign, with Ford pledging to lower costs and expand access to housing, according to his campaign website.
Ford's primary victory comes as the two-term attorney general faces growing criticism over his extensive travel record.
State records reviewed by Fox News Digital in March found Ford accumulated more than $410,000 in travel costs since taking office in 2019, while local outlets have reported he spent more than 100 days outside Nevada during his tenure.
A spokesperson for the attorney general's office defended the travel, saying the trips were tied to Ford's official duties and campaign activities, including coordinating with law enforcement agencies across the country, and were permitted under Nevada law.
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Ford is also under investigation by the Nevada Commission on Ethics over whether he solicited improper gifts or used his office to improperly benefit himself, according to documents recovered by local outlets.
Nevada's gubernatorial race is expected to be one of the most closely watched contests of the midterm elections as Democrats attempt to reclaim control of the governor's office in the Silver State.
Lombardo, who defeated Democratic Gov. Steve Sisolak in 2022, is seeking a second term and will face the Democratic nominee in November.
Fox News Digital's Leo Briceno contributed to this report.
Dem rep who went on expletive-laden anti-Trump rant wins primary
Incumbent Rep. Susie Lee, D-Nev., won Nevada’s 3rd Congressional District Democratic primary Tuesday.
Lee’s district, comprising the southern end of the Las Vegas metro area and extending through sparsely populated communities like the late Sen. Harry Reid’s hometown of Searchlight, is one of the West’s most competitive swing districts, with a Cook Political Report rating of D+1.
Lee, whom Georgetown University’s Lugar Center deems one of the 10 most bipartisan members of Congress, faced James Lally, Terrill Robinson and Brandon West in the primary.
While the Lugar Center credited her bipartisanship, Republicans have criticized her opposition to the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which, according to reports, included hundreds of millions of dollars in support for entities in rural Nevada.
Lee has received support from AIPAC and corporate interests such as Boeing, according to The Center Square.
MINIVAN MOM PUTS DEM INCUMBENT ON NOTICE IN TOP GOP TARGET DISTRICT: 'SHE HAS DONE NOTHING FOR US'
Lally, a cardiologist, told the outlet that Lee’s reputation as a bipartisan lawmaker is a misnomer, saying that she cannot "appease an authoritarian cult" — in an apparent reference to Republican voters and Trump supporters.
Trump’s "No Tax On Tips" has been a rallying cry for Republicans in the district — which hosts some of the largest numbers of tipped workers of any precinct given its proximity to the Strip.
Robinson, meanwhile, is a Marine Corps veteran and former staffer for neighboring Rep. Dina Titus, D-Nev.
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"Terrill is running for Congress because he believes Washington has stopped working for ordinary Americans. He is deeply concerned about the growing influence of corporate money, political self-interest, and the erosion of transparency across government institutions," his campaign said in a statement on his website.
West recounted his time working several jobs earlier in life — from Carl's Jr., the Transportation Safety Administration and Service Employees International Union (SEIU), where he became a steward.
"I’ve always been someone who learns by being in it, not watching from the outside. My background has taken me through different environments and perspectives, and that’s shaped how I understand people," West said.
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"I learned early how to adapt, how to listen, and how to recognize that everyone is coming from a different place. Las Vegas is where I’ve built my life and where I feel grounded."
West's top-listed priority, if elected, is ending all U.S. aid to Israel. He has also said he wants to see ICE "decommissioned."
Meanwhile, Lee got in hot water recently for a now-deleted expletive-laden X rant against Trump — when the president suggested he would attend oral arguments in the birthright citizenship Supreme Court case.
"So f---ing f---ed up. I’ll pray they f--- him to his face," Lee wrote shortly before 11 p.m. Mountain Time on March 31. "Sorry, I say f--- a lot these days."
Lee later pushed back on allegations she was a "mentally-deranged psycho" among other retorts from critics, saying in a statement that "clearly my language touched a nerve — my nerve was touched by the attacks on our Constitution and its separation of powers. I took an oath to protect and defend it."
Fox News Digital’s Adam Pack contributed to this report.
Joe Lombardo cruises past six GOP challengers to secure Nevada Republican gubernatorial nomination
Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo secured the Republican nomination for a second term Tuesday, defeating six GOP challengers and advancing to the general election as Democrats vie for the chance to reclaim the governor's mansion in November.
The first-term governor entered the primary as the overwhelming favorite. Lombardo, a former Clark County sheriff, was elected governor in 2022 when he defeated Democratic Gov. Steve Sisolak, becoming the only Republican challenger to unseat an incumbent Democratic governor that year.
He now heads into the general election against the Democratic nominee, who will emerge from a primary field that includes state Attorney General Aaron Ford and Washoe County Commissioner Alexis Hill.
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Lombardo defeated a field of mostly lesser-known Republican challengers that included Donald Beaudry Jr., Irina Hansen, Kameron Hawkins, Matthew Winterhawk, Jose Zelaya and Barak Zilberberg.
Beaudry Jr., a financial engineer, is a hedge fund manager and founder of an artificial intelligence company. He campaigned on his private-sector experience.
Hansen, a realtor and small-business owner who previously ran for mayor of Las Vegas, positioned herself as an outsider candidate challenging the political establishment. Winterhawk, a businessman and nonprofit founder, entered the race as a political newcomer and also promoted himself as an alternative to Nevada's political establishment.
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Hawkins, a Navy veteran, publisher and conservative activist, previously sought the Republican nomination for lieutenant governor of Nevada in 2022.
Zelaya, a real estate investor who also sought a bid in the GOP race in 2022, maintained a relatively low public profile throughout the campaign and released limited information about his candidacy.
The race for the governor's mansion in Nevada is among the most closely watched gubernatorial contests of the 2026 midterm election cycle. The winner in the key swing state could gain national prominence ahead of the 2028 presidential election and help shape their party's political strategy in Nevada.
It also comes as Democrats try to flip back the mansion after losing it in 2022.
With no U.S. Senate race on Nevada's ballot this cycle, the governor's race has served as the state's marquee contest and the primary driver of campaign advertising spending.
Beyond the gubernatorial race, Nevada voters also weighed in on primaries for U.S. House seats and a variety of state offices, while voters in Henderson, Nevada's second-largest city, cast ballots in the city's mayoral election.
Jordan Staal's two-goal night lifts Hurricanes past Golden Knights, evening Stanley Cup Final series
The Carolina Hurricanes have evened up the Stanley Cup Final once more thanks to Jordan Staal’s two-goal night in Las Vegas to beat the Golden Knights in Game 4, 5-3.
The series now sits at 2-2 with Game 5 slated for a return back to Carolina’s Lenovo Center on Thursday to see who will have the edge in this pivotal clash on ice.
This game didn’t need overtime like the previous two, but it did need someone to break the 3-3 tie that went into the third period between these opponents.
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With 13:39 left in Game 4, Shea Theodore made a disastrous turnover in the Golden Knights’ own zone, and Hurricanes star Seth Jarvis picked it off right in front of the net.
Luckily for Vegas, Carter Harter stopped Jarvis’ backhand, but the threat wasn’t averted just yet. Jarvis battled to get the puck back out in front, and it ended up trickling to the stick of Nikolaj Ehlers, who tried flipping it to Staal.
Staal lost his edge on his skate, but that didn’t stop him from swatting a back-handed shot of his own toward the net. It just trickled past Hart, and Staal celebrated while still down on the ice. He became the first player in 44 years to score a goal in each of the first four games of the Stanley Cup Final.
With the way these games have been going, though, a one-goal lead was not safe. This time, however, the Hurricanes had the defense and timely saves by Brandon Bussi, who head coach Rod Brind’Amour went with over Frederik Anderson, and the decision paid off.
The Golden Knights took 20 shots on goal, with Bussi saving 7 in his first time on ice for Carolina in this series. And Ehlers sealed victory when he cleverly banked the puck out of his own zone with an empty net on the other end that walked into the net for the 5-3 win.
The Hurricanes came out roaring in the first period in this one as well, scoring three goals to the Golden Knights’ one by captain Mark Stone. Logan Stankoven notched his 11th of these playoffs just 1:06 into the game. Jackson Blake quickly followed on a goal assisted by Taylor Hall and Ehlers.
Then, Staal’s first goal of the game came 12:48 into the period on a power play. Shayne Gostisbehere ripped a shot on goal, and after Hart made the save, Staal was first to find the puck and a clear shot right in front of the goal.
With a 3-1 lead after the first 20 minutes, the Hurricanes had to feel good. But again, no lead is safe, and Vegas reminded them of that in the second period.
William Karlsson got Vegas closer with his third goal of the playoffs, while Brett Howden, adding to his case for the Conn Smythe Trophy, scored his 14th to tie it all up at three.
In the end, Staal’s heroics for the Hurricanes is why he has a "C" on his sweater.
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South Carolina GOP race to replace Nancy Mace heads to runoff
Jenny Honeycutt, a business owner, and Mark Smith, a state legislator, advanced in a crowded GOP primary to replace outgoing Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., on Tuesday evening.
Because no candidate garnered more than 50% of the vote needed to win outright, the primary now heads to a runoff that’s slated to take place on June 23.
The vacancy arose when Mace, a firebrand conservative, announced her decision to run for governor of the Palmetto State.
During her time in Congress, Mace has attracted attention for being one of the eight Republicans who voted with Democrats to remove former U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in 2023, for championing legislation on cybersecurity and forcing a vote on releasing the Epstein Files earlier this year.
Mace, who has taken on a national profile, said she would look to continue her work at the state level.
"South Carolina needs a governor who will drag the truth into sunlight and flip the tables," Mace said during her announcement speech.
S.C. 01, a safely Republican district, has been held by the GOP for much of the past forty years. Aside from Rep. Joe Cunningham, D-S.C., who held the seat from 2019 to 2021, Republicans have controlled the district since 1981.
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Mace last won reelection in 2024 in a 58.2% to 41.6% victory over Democratic challenger Michel Moore, a businessman.
Honeycutt, who runs a law firm that helps clients navigate regulations, has positioned herself as a pro-family political outsider, highlighting issues like law and order, the country’s fiscal picture and family finances as key priorities on her website.
According to FEC records, Honeycutt raised just north of $345,600 as of the end of May.
Mark Smith, also a small business owner, led a funeral home service before running for the South Carolina House of Representatives. He has served in state legislator since 2020, and, according to his biography, helped cut taxes and support local law enforcement in that role.
Smith garnered $750,700 in campaign donations, according to FEC records.
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A third contender in the race, Jay Byars, raised $220,600. He began a political career in 2011 when he was elected to the Dorchester County Council and has remained in the job for four terms. On the private side, Byars began several companies, including a storage service and Good Faith Caregivers, a home care business.
Notably, Mace has not endorsed in the race to replace her.
Collins secures GOP nod in Maine Senate battle that could decide GOP majority
As she runs for a sixth six-year term in the U.S. Senate in left-leaning Maine, Republican Sen. Susan Collins is now officially her party's nominee in a crucial race that's one of a handful across the country that will determine whether Republicans keep control of their slim Senate majority.
Collins can toss the "presumptive nominee" title after formally landing her party's nomination on Tuesday by running unopposed in Maine's Senate GOP primary.
As she fights for re-election, the 73-year-old Collins is once again a top target for Democrats as they aim to win back the Senate majority in this year's midterms.
"I have been the No. 1 target of Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, not only in this campaign, but the last two campaigns as well. I'm always his No. 1 target," Collins said in a recent Fox News Digital interview.
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Facing Collins will be military veteran and oyster farmer Graham Platner, the all-but-certain Democratic nominee after two-term Gov. Janet Mills, who was backed by Schumer and the Democratic Party establishment, dropped out of the race earlier this spring after significantly trailing Platner in fundraising and polling.
While Collins has focused on her Senate agenda, and on Friday she received bipartisan praise after reaching a milestone by casting her 10,000th consecutive Senate vote, Platner has been playing defense amid multiple controversies, ranging from inflammatory online comments made on Reddit, a well-publicized and now covered-up tattoo on his chest that resembled a Nazi symbol, to new allegations last week from ex-girlfriends of a history of rape fantasies, heavy drinking and violent episodes.
Platner, who has acknowledged his battle with post-traumatic stress disorder from his four tours of duty in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, has said he's "been open about what was a very dark period of my life where I struggled with undiagnosed PTSD, too often self-medicated with alcohol, and was a far from perfect boyfriend."
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"I take responsibility for all of that, and wish I had been better. Any characterization beyond that is false, and I believe, politically motivated," Platner added. "I’m not proud of who I was then, but I am proud of the work I’ve done since, and the movement we are building in Maine."
The candidate apologized for his controversial Reddit posts after they made headlines last fall soon after he launched his Senate campaign. Platner has said he got the skull and crossbones tattoo in 2007 while drinking with fellow Marines stationed in Croatia. He said that he covered up the tattoo with a new design after learning last year that it resembled a Nazi symbol. But new allegations raise questions about Platner's timeline regarding knowledge of the tattoo.
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Platner, who is supported by progressive champions Sens. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, and Rep. Ro Khanna of California, is pushing an economically populist agenda as he takes aim at corporate influences and advocates for the working class.
Asked if Platner is too far to the left for voters in her northern New England state, Collins recently told Fox News Digital, "I believe that will be the conclusion of Maine voters. But, obviously, I don't take anything for granted."
Collins said that when it comes to her Democratic challenger's growing political baggage, "Obviously, I'm going to be contrasting my record of achievement and accomplishments with Graham Platner's approach."
An outside political group aligned with the senator has already been blasting Platner, running ads spotlighting his multiple controversies.
Platner, who is running as an outsider, emphasizes that Collins is part of a "broken Washington" and "a generation of politicians who have failed us."
He has described Collins' moderate Republican image as a "charade," highlights her support for some of President Donald Trump's agenda and accuses her of being part of a political system that benefits the wealthy.
"She and Republican politicians like her have prioritized the interests of billionaires and corporations over people," he has charged.
Republicans — as the party currently in power in Washington, D.C. — were already up against traditional political headwinds that typically lead to a loss of congressional seats. Add to that the challenging climate fueled by persistent inflation, rising gas prices tied to what polls show is an unpopular war with Iran and Trump's underwater approval ratings.
Asked how she can overcome the blame pointed at Republicans over the high cost of living, Collins recently told Fox News Digital she's championed the low-income heating assistance program, which "helps low-income families and seniors stay warm during the cold winter months. I just recently made sure the final tranche of money was released because there is a lot of need in the state of Maine, and the cost of living is high here."
Collins also emphasized her opposition to cuts "in food stamp benefits and in other programs that are designed for low-income families because I know how important they are."
The latest public opinion polls point to a competitive contest between Collins and Platner.
But Collins has a history of defeating the Democrats' efforts to oust her from the Senate.
Six years ago, she trailed Democratic challenger Sara Gideon, the then-Maine House speaker, but the senator ended up winning re-election by nearly nine points.
Pointing to the expected wave of attack ads targeting her, Collins said, "Fortunately, the people of Maine are smart, and they know lies and distortions when they see it."
Kentucky football mourns Nic Smith after defensive lineman found dead on campus
Nic Smith, a defensive lineman for Kentucky, has died, the program announced. He was 20.
Smith spent last season as a redshirt freshman with the Wildcats. "Today our hearts are broken. Our thoughts and prayers are with Nic’s family, friends, teammates and everyone who knew and loved him," Kentucky coach Will Stein wrote Monday on X.
According to a university spokesperson, campus police were called to an on-campus residence hall after receiving a report of a possible body. Later that day, the university announced Smith’s death.
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The school official added that the University of Kentucky Police Department was working with the Lexington-Fayette County Coroner, and an initial investigation did not indicate that foul play was involved.
"This is a tremendous loss for our program and university community. We will continue to support one another and honor his memory," Stein's statement continued.
Smith was a sophomore in the community leadership and development program in the Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment.
His nicknames were "Happy" and "Big Happ," according to his biography page on the Kentucky athletic department's website.
He played football and basketball at Walnut Grove High School in Loganville, Georgia.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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