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Peltola widens narrow Alaska Senate lead over Sullivan as counting continues
Alaska's still too-close-to-call Senate race is expected to deliver another batch of ballot results Tuesday night after Monday's latest ballot drop expanded Democratic nominee Mary Peltola's lead over incumbent Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan to 2,517 first-choice votes.
Still current as of Tuesday midday ET, Peltola stands at 48.6% (106,321 votes) to Sullivan’s 47.5% (103,804) in the ranked-choice voting system that will kick in if neither candidate gets across the 50% threshold.
The controversial race, punctuated by the "Decoy Dan" scheme exposed by The New York Times, has Republican Gerald Heikes at 2.2% (4,865) and independent Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. at 1.7% (3,651 votes). Roughly 75–76% of the expected vote is in, with tens of thousands of early, absentee and questioned ballots still to be counted.
"After every vote is counted, it is clear that Mary Peltola will be elected Alaska’s next United States Senator," Peltola campaign manager Cheryl Bruce wrote in a statement Tuesday morning after that past tranche of votes.
"Mary won today’s votes by a margin of 68-30, reflecting major support in key areas from Anchorage and Chevak. This overwhelming margin further strengthens Mary’s path to victory, and Mary is looking forward to continuing her relentless fight to lower costs and put Alaska first in the United States Senate after all votes are counted."
The Monday drop added nearly 5,000 ballots and marked a shift from the razor-thin 637-vote Peltola edge that had held for days after Election Day.
The incumbent Sullivan and President Donald Trump have both suggested if Peltola does not get to 50% of the vote and ranked-choice voting (RCV) goes to rounds two or three that the Republican would absorb secondary voting strength in the system.
DOJ FACES ‘HEAVY LIFT’ IN ALASKA ELECTION APPEAL AS SEPARATE CRIMINAL PROBE CONTINUES
Under Alaska’s system, if no candidate reaches a majority of first-choice votes, the lowest finisher is eliminated and ballots transfer according to voters’ rankings until one candidate surpasses 50%. Right now, that would be the other Dan Sullivan, which might help Peltola break 50%.
Official RCV tabulation is scheduled for Nov. 18, after the overseas absentee deadline.
The slow pace matches the timeline Gov. Mike Dunleavy described in a Sunday interview. He called the state’s process "very confusing" and "a slow system," pointing to significant ballot dumps expected Friday, Nov. 13, and Wednesday, Nov. 18.
Dunleavy has also continued an investigation into the "Decoy Dan" candidacy of Daniel J. Sullivan Jr., which some Republicans allege was intended to siphon votes from the incumbent; the governor has said the Division of Elections and the Department of Justice are reviewing related questions.
TRUMP ADMIN PUTS ALLEGED 'DECOY DAN' CONSPIRATORS ON NOTICE IN ALASKA ELECTION SPOILER PROBE
"We're still in the process of bringing in votes and counting votes," Dunleavy said Sunday. "And we are in the midst of investigations as to determine if there was any wrongdoing, especially anything that might resemble perjury or, you know, a misrepresentation of individual's intent on how they wanted their candidacy to be placed on the ballot."
Other statewide races remain fluid on the same ballot count:
MURKOWSKI SNUBS TRUMP-BACKED ALASKA CANDIDATE, ENDORSES DEMOCRAT FOR GOVERNOR
Certification is set for Nov. 25.
Democrats have won control of the Senate for the final two years of President Donald Trump's final term, holding a 54-44 edge with both Alaska and the Mississippi Senate races still too close to call. Democrat Scott Colom leads incumbent Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Miss., by about 2,500 votes (49.08%-48.81 %).
If Democrats win both those seats, their party would hold a 56-44 edge in the upper chamber, having gone 9-0 in seats flipped in these midterms.
No. 2 Duke faces No. 5 Michigan State in State Farm Champions Classic showdown tonight
College Basketball has returned to action this season, and while most schools are playing inferior opponents, we do finally have a few ranked matchups. This is pretty much what happens every season. Most schools play lower-level clubs so they can get some easy wins out of the way, figure out their offense, and make adjustments before the Thanksgiving tournaments. Tonight, we have the State Farm Champions Classic, featuring two of the best in the country: Michigan State vs. Duke.
Michigan State comes into the game with a ranking of fifth in the nation, and at least part of that is due to its returning players. Jeremy Fears Jr. has been one of the better guards in college sports and is the catalyst for this team. He makes this team go, and in two games, he has led the team in scoring. It isn't much scoring at just 12 points per game, but either way, he still leads the team. Coen Carr is an athletic forward who thrives on defense and rebounding. Their tenacity will set the tone for Michigan State all season.
The Spartans are 2-0 for the season, but they haven't played anyone of substance. They beat Quinnipiac by 37 points in the season opener, and they beat Toledo by 30 points in the next game. Now they face a true test. The question will be how well some of the newer guys play. Jasiah Jervis led the team in scoring in their last game, and Ethan Taylor is a 7-footer who will cause headaches for everyone. Overall, the team has some depth, consistency, height, and high-motor guys. They should have a chance against anyone in the nation.
Duke is the second-ranked team in the nation, and they are pretty much the same story as every year. In the past two seasons, they had Cooper Flagg, Kon Knueppel, and Cameron Boozer come in and leave their program. Both seasons ended without a National Championship, but both seasons were successful. The Blue Devils don't have the top-ranked player in the nation this season, but they do have Joaquim Boumtje-Boumtje and Cameron Williams, who are 6'11" or taller.
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There is some serious height on this team in general. There are three guys more than seven feet tall, and two others who are 6'10" or taller. Not many teams can compete with that interior presence. And, even if they can, Duke has an advantage in being able to continuously rotate in tall players to keep a fresh one out there while the other team has to play with a fatigued player. Caleb Foster will still orchestrate the offense. I do like the combination of new talent and returning players for Duke.
This game will take place at the United Center tonight in Chicago. This is a significantly shorter trip for the Spartans than it is for the Blue Devils, so it may feel like more of a home game for Michigan State. The height will be a bit of a problem for Michigan State, especially foul trouble comes into play. The United Center is known for being a tough place to shoot, and I still feel like the total is too high, so I'll take a half unit on the under and a half unit on the Spartans +7.5.
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Vikings acquire Kirk Cousins from Raiders who turn to Fernando Mendoza as their starting QB
Kirk Cousins is the new starting quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings after the team agreed with the Las Vegas Raiders to acquire the player that previously played six seasons in the Twin Cities.
So, Kirk Cousins ... once and future Vikings quarterback.
This is a seismic move.
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The Vikings are sending a third-round pick to the Raiders in exchange for Cousins with the idea of making him their starter immediately. The club is expected to promote Cousins ahead of both Kyler Murray, who is currently nursing a hamstring injury, and Carson Wentz, who was wildly ineffective in a Monday night loss to the Buffalo Bills.
Cousins, who played for the Vikings from 2018 through 2023 – including two years under current coach Kevin O'Connell – is familiar with much of what the Vikings do on offense, so his arrival in Minneapolis should be as close to seamless as can be expected for any quarterback being traded to a new team in November.
This move at the NFL's trade deadline on Tuesday, also has enormous ramifications for the Raiders beyond the compensation they're getting for the deal.
It means that Fernando Mendoza, the No. 1 overall selection in the 2026 draft, is expected to become the Raiders starter as soon as this week against the Seattle Seahawks.
Mendoza getting his NFL regular-season debut against the defending Super Bowl champions is quite the way to start a career but the rookie has been sitting behind Cousins so far this season and the Raiders obviously felt he was ready to take the next step in his development.
So, the Vikings are getting what they believe to be quarterback upgrade in Cousins and the Raiders are getting draft pick compensation and the start of Mendoza's career clock.
But here's a warning to Vikings fans: the Kirk Cousins experience is a roller-coaster ride. There are a lot of ups and a lot of downs.
This season, Cousins has had four games in which he threw three touchdown passes in compiling 20 TDS and eight interceptions overall.
But there are also games in which Cousins reminds why the Vikings were comfortable letting him depart to the Atlanta Falcons in 2024. Last weekend against the San Francisco 49ers, Cousins threw three interceptions.
The Vikings see this as a necessary move because while they have a championship-caliber defense, their quarterback spot has been a mess, making winning with any consistency very difficult.
The Vikings can blame only themselves for their problems because they've been mismanaging their quarterback situation for some time.
The team's quarterback problems seemingly began in the 2025 offseason, when Sam Darnold was not re-signed after his breakthrough 2024 season. He signed with Seattle and became a Super Bowl champion the following February.
VIKINGS QUARTERBACK BATTLE MEETS EXPECTED END AS KYLER MURRAY BEATS OUT JJ MCCARTHY FOR STARTING JOB
The Vikings for all intents and purposes handed their starting job to J.J. McCarthy because he was the team's first-round pick in 2024, but he missed five games with a high-ankle sprain, later suffered a hand fracture, and finished with uneven production.
Minnesota came back this offseason with something of a quarterback competition between McCarthy and newly acquired Kyler Murray.
Murray, more experienced and with a history of producing, predictably won the quarterback job over McCarthy but what happened next was curious.
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The Vikings demoted McCarthy to being their No. 3 quarterback instead of making him the backup. That signaled the club, and particularly O'Connell, was effectively done with the former first-round pick.
GIANTS BENCH JAMEIS WINSTON, WILL START JJ MCCARTHY WEEKS AFTER TRADING FOR HIM: REPORT
McCarthy was eventually traded to the New York Giants who wanted him because they lost starter Jaxson Dart to injury and replacement Jameis Winston played inconsistently in his place. Now, McCarthy is the starter for a New York team in the playoff hunt.
And the Vikings have seen their expectations of Murray go largely unmet. Murray suffered a concussion in the regular-season opener, injured his hamstring last week, and presided over an offense that ranked near the bottom of the league.
None of that mattered as the 4 p.m. ET trade deadline loomed and the Vikings turned to Cousins, whose job is to upgrade a Vikings' offense that has been in search of a starter since he left in 2024.
Tom Brady admits to more motivation after Deflategate suspension, reveals what he did while away from Patriots
Entering the 2016 season, Tom Brady had won just one Super Bowl in the last decade-plus, and then came the biggest hit of his career.
Deflategate had finally settled, and the then-New England Patriots quarterback was hit with a four-game suspension for his involvement in the scandal.
Outside of his torn ACL in 2008, it was the only time Brady had ever been off the football field.
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Despite being in unfamiliar territory, Brady, though, took advantage of what his former teammates Julian Edelman and Rob Gronkowski joked was his "vacation."
"It was a great September," Brady admitted on "The Gronk & Jules Show."
Brady went back home to Pebble Beach to see his parents, took in a Michigan game, his alma mater, with his son, and went on an Italy trip with his then-wife.
"I really took advantage of September. I was like, s---, I haven't had a September off since before I started playing in elementary school."
But once the calendar flipped to October, and Brady returned from his ban, Brady had one thing on his mind.
"I was there to whoop some a--," he said.
When asked by Edelman if he had any extra motivation because of the punishment, he quickly said, "Hell yeah."
"We all came back, and we all had something to prove," he added. "We always have something to prove. Every time you take the field as a competitor, you got something to prove. Mostly, you gotta prove it to yourself. What am I capable of doing, what are my teammates counting on me to do, and how do I go achieve it? And then, how can I be the best I can be for them?"
Brady went 11-1 as the starter in that regular season, and that campaign was capped off with the unforgettable 28-3 comeback in the Super Bowl against the Atlanta Falcons.
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Brady would win two more Super Bowls after that - one with the Pats and his seventh with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Thomas Markle, Meghan Markle’s estranged father, summoned to court for emergency hearing
An emergency hearing is being held related to Thomas Markle, the estranged father of Meghan Markle, just days after he was arrested on suspicion of possessing child sexual abuse images.
Markle, 82, was released from federal custody on bond and placed under house arrest this week.
A "show cause" hearing is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. Tuesday in a Tampa, Florida courtroom.
This story is breaking. Please check back for updates.
Is AI deciding who's dangerous in Michigan prisons?
What if a computer-generated score could influence whether someone lives in a low-security prison dorm or a tightly controlled cell? Michigan is preparing to test new technology that could affect exactly that.
State officials say the system could improve predictions of future prison violence by approximately 30%. That's a big claim, especially when the safety of correctional officers and incarcerated people could depend on getting those assessments right.
But there's something important missing from early reports about Michigan prison AI. Despite headlines suggesting artificial intelligence will determine how dangerous someone might be, the nonprofit developing the software says AI plays no role in calculating security scores.
Instead, the technology follows predetermined rules, and corrections staff make the final decisions. So, how does the system work? And can Michigan really predict prison violence more accurately without putting too much trust in a computer-generated score?
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The Michigan Department of Corrections oversees approximately 32,000 incarcerated people statewide. Currently, corrections employees use a manual scoring process to determine the appropriate security level for each person. Those classifications influence where someone lives and how closely they're supervised. They can also affect access to educational programs and job training opportunities. For someone serving a lengthy sentence, a change in security level can make a significant difference in daily life.
Michigan has four general population security levels: I, II, IV and V. Level I generally allows greater freedom of movement, while Level V involves much tighter supervision. People at lower security levels may have access to more vocational training and higher education opportunities. However, Michigan says programs such as Violence Prevention Programming remain available at every general population security level. There is no general population Level III. Now, the state wants a better way to determine which security level fits each person's current behavior and needs.
The Michigan Department of Corrections plans to begin testing the new system on Dec. 1 at selected men's prisons. If the pilot performs well, officials could eventually expand the technology to additional facilities. One significant change involves how often corrections staff can reassess someone's security level. Instead of relying on information collected at scheduled intervals, the new system will allow ongoing reviews using updated prison records. That could help staff recognize changes in behavior sooner.
The software comes from Recidiviz, a nonprofit technology organization that supports criminal justice agencies in 19 states. Its team analyzed 10 years of Michigan prison classification data to help redesign the state's scoring process. Here's how it works. The software examines information already in prison records and calculates a score using factors selected by Michigan corrections experts. Recent disciplinary incidents may carry more weight than incidents from years ago. Meanwhile, someone who maintains good behavior over time may have an opportunity to qualify for a lower security level.
Completing certain rehabilitation programs can also help someone qualify for a less restrictive classification. Additionally, the software can flag a person's record when new information warrants another review. Michigan Department of Corrections Director Heidi E. Washington believes the changes could help improve safety. "Classifying prisoners at the security level that fits their current behaviors and needs keeps everyone safer," Washington said in the state's announcement. She also expressed optimism that the combination of historical information and research-based scoring could strengthen security throughout Michigan's prison system. The idea sounds promising. But how much confidence should officials place in those computer-generated scores?
This is where the story takes an unexpected turn. On Nov. 2, Recidiviz published an explanation titled Why We Don't Use AI to Classify People in Prisons. The nonprofit confirmed that Michigan's new classification system does not use artificial intelligence to calculate security scores. The system relies on a points-based formula that corrections employees can examine.
You may hear this type of formula called an algorithm. That's simply a set of instructions a computer follows to complete a task. Think of it like a digital scorecard. The computer reviews specific information and adds up the points according to established rules. Give it the same information, and it produces the same score. Recidiviz says Michigan corrections experts helped determine which factors belong in the scoring process. Staff can review the calculations and override a score when circumstances require it. For example, someone might have medical needs or personal safety concerns that call for a different housing assignment. Corrections employees can consider that information before making the final decision.
Now, Recidiviz does use AI in other parts of its technology platform. Some tools help corrections employees prepare case notes and organize information from meetings. However, the organization says AI does not determine someone's security level or release. And here's what I find interesting. We're hearing about AI being used in nearly every industry. Yet this particular system relies on a more traditional approach to computer software. That clarification is important because people deserve to understand how technology influences decisions affecting someone's daily life. Still, using a rules-based system doesn't guarantee perfect results. Even straightforward software can produce questionable scores when the information behind its calculations contains errors.
This is the number that really caught my attention. In its Oct. 28 announcement, the Michigan Department of Corrections said the redesigned system is expected to improve its ability to predict future violence by approximately 30%. That's a substantial improvement if the technology delivers it. However, the announcement doesn't explain how officials calculated that figure or provide the underlying performance results.
For example, will the system identify more people who might become violent? Could it also incorrectly classify someone as dangerous? And how will officials know whether it's performing better than the current process? Those questions deserve answers because someone's security classification can affect their daily life throughout their sentence. There's another issue worth considering. The software depends on prison records. If a disciplinary report contains inaccurate information, that mistake could influence someone's score. Even when the information is correct, a risk assessment cannot predict with certainty what someone will do in the future.
Even if Michigan's new software delivers more accurate security scores, officials still face a challenge that technology cannot solve on its own. What happens when someone needs higher-security housing but there's no appropriate bed available? Byron Osborn, president of the union representing Michigan corrections officers, raised that concern in recent reporting.
According to Osborn, the department faces a shortage of higher-security beds. He argues that the bigger problem involves a lack of appropriate housing for people already classified as higher risk. Consider what happens if the software identifies someone who needs tighter supervision. Corrections staff agree with the assessment, but the prison lacks space in the appropriate security unit.
Now what? The computer may have helped identify a potential safety concern. However, officials still need somewhere appropriate to house that person. Michigan has announced plans to add 870 high-security beds as part of its Safe Prisons Initiative. Some facility conversions are already underway, while larger construction projects will take longer to complete.
More than 400 of those beds will come from two new high-security units at Oaks Correctional Facility and St. Louis Correctional Facility. The state expects those construction projects to take approximately two and a half years. Osborn has warned that corrections officers and incarcerated people need solutions sooner.
Meanwhile, the state has experienced serious violence inside its prisons, including several recent incidents in which incarcerated people were suspected of killing their cellmates. Better classification could help officials recognize potentially dangerous situations sooner. But the department still needs sufficient staffing and appropriate housing to respond. And that raises another question. How much safer can a prison become if officials identify a problem but lack the resources to address it?
I can see why Michigan wants to try something new. Nobody wants to see more violence inside prisons, and if technology can help prevent it, I'm all for giving it a chance. But I was surprised to learn that despite all the talk about AI, this new system actually uses a fairly straightforward scoring process. Corrections staff still make the final decisions, which I think is important when you're dealing with people's safety.
Now, that 30% improvement Michigan is talking about sounds impressive. But I'd really like to know how they arrived at that number. And what happens when the computer gets someone's risk level wrong? Maybe a person has turned their life around, but an old disciplinary record still works against them. That's the kind of situation I'd want someone to take a closer look at before making a decision.
There's also the bigger issue of whether Michigan has enough high-security beds and corrections officers to act on these assessments. You can have the best scoring system in the world, but what good does it do if there's nowhere appropriate to house someone who needs closer supervision? I'll be interested to see what happens when the pilot begins Dec. 1. If it leads to safer prisons and gives people a fairer way to demonstrate they've changed, that would be something worth talking about. But Michigan needs to show us the results.
Would you trust a computer-generated score to help determine how dangerous someone might be, or should decisions affecting someone's safety remain entirely in human hands? Let us know by writing to us at CyberGuy.com.
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Ex-Massachusetts police officer convicted of murdering pregnant woman in staged suicide
A former Massachusetts police detective has been found guilty of murdering a young pregnant woman prosecutors say he had been grooming since she was a teenager.
Matthew Farwell, a former Stoughton Police Department detective, was convicted of killing Sandra Birchmore inside her Canton apartment in February 2021. Investigators say he staged the scene to make her death appear to be a suicide.
The U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts confirmed Farwell was found guilty on Tuesday of murdering Birchmore and causing the death of her unborn child. Jurors began deliberating Friday after hearing more than three weeks of testimony in the federal murder trial.
On Monday the jurors sent a note to the judge saying that they were deadlocked, but the judge sent them home for the day and instructed them to return Tuesday to continue deliberating.
FORMER MASSACHUSETTS POLICE OFFICER FACES MURDER TRIAL OVER PREGNANT WOMAN'S STAGED SUICIDE
Farwell had been charged with killing a witness or victim and causing the death of an unborn child.
Prosecutors said Farwell killed Birchmore after she became pregnant and threatened to expose their years-long relationship, which they say started when he began grooming her when she was just 15 years old and he was 27.
FORMER MASSACHUSETTS POLICE OFFICER FACES MURDER TRIAL OVER PREGNANT WOMAN'S STAGED SUICIDE
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Birchmore was found dead with a strap around her neck inside her apartment. Her death was initially ruled a suicide, but the medical examiner later changed the official manner of death to undetermined.
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Federal investigators eventually reopened the case, uncovering approximately 40,000 text messages between Birchmore and Farwell and evidence prosecutors said pointed to a yearslong sexual relationship.
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During closing arguments, prosecutors portrayed Farwell as a former police officer who feared Birchmore would expose his alleged misconduct.
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Meanwhile, Farwell's defense argued Birchmore died by suicide and pointed to her history of mental health struggles and previous suicidal statements. Farwell’s attorneys acknowledged the extramarital relationship but maintained he did not kill her.
A defense medical expert also disputed the prosecution’s conclusion that Birchmore had been strangled.
Farwell faces mandatory life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.
Jim Jordan becomes new House GOP leader after closed-door vote, defeating Steve Scalise
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, will be President Donald Trump's top defender in Congress next year after winning a closed-door election for minority leader on Tuesday, sources told Fox News Digital.
Jordan defeated Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., currently the House of Representatives' No. 2 leader, in what's believed to be a narrow race. Jordan received 106 votes to Scalise’s 73, sources in the room told Fox News Digital.
Fox News Digital heard loud, sustained applause from outside in the hallway when Jordan’s win became official.
Republicans huddled for a candidate forum on Tuesday morning where all GOP lawmakers running for leadership positions were peppered with questions by their colleagues.
JORDAN EMERGES AS POTENTIAL NEXT GOP LEADER IF DEMS SEIZE HOUSE
Sources inside the room for their Tuesday morning leadership forum said Scalise and Jordan both pitched themselves as the best person to unify the conference, but also signaled they would give a wide berth for lawmakers to "vote their districts," as one person put it.
The question-and-answer session for House Republicans before electing their leader was largely cordial, Fox News Digital was told. Several people inquired about how both prospective leaders would unify the conference after their midterm losses and how they would handle leaks to journalists, Fox News Digital was told.
Jordan himself told Fox News Digital he believed the forum went well but declined to go further, stating he does not divulge details of closed-door meetings.
The voting body consisted of incumbent House Republicans and GOP members-elect who are projected to win their races from last week's midterms. Votes were cast via secret ballot, meaning none of those in the room had to reveal who they chose.
AMERICA SAW THE BLUE WAVE COMING — BUT DRASTICALLY UNDERESTIMATED THE EXTENT OF THE DEM TSUNAMI
And the results on Tuesday show the House GOP was hungry for change. Jordan's victory comes fresh off the back of a historic loss for Republicans across both state and federal races.
The magnitude of the losses forced Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., to announce he was stepping aside and not seeking another leadership position for the next two years.
"I personally like Steve, but he's been in leadership since before I was in Congress. And Jim Jordan, while he's a leader in Congress, he hasn't been part of the leadership team. He basically rose through the ranks because he was super effective," Rep. Warren Davidson, R-Ohio, told Fox News Digital.
Rep. Scott Fitzgerald, R-Wis., another Jordan ally, told Fox News Digital the Ohio Republican "understands what we're up against," adding, "His ability to communicate is really kind of unrivaled by anybody else in the House right now."
Jordan has long been among the House GOP's brightest stars, rapidly gaining influence over the last decade as one of Trump's most vocal supporters in Washington.
He will now be the go-to defender as Democrats ready a barrage of investigations targeting Trump's Cabinet, family and business interests.
Celtics visit 76ers in Jaylen Brown's first game against his former team since the offseason trade
I fell just a bit short last night. I had the Mavs to cover against the Pacers, but unfortunately, it was a closer game than I expected. I was correct that Cooper Flagg would go off, considering the hard foul from the first time the two teams met. The Mavs were up by three to five points for most of the final two minutes. PJ Washington got a big rebound with the team up by three, and he missed the first free throw. Not a big deal; he had a second. He missed that, too. The Pacers couldn't get a good three-point shot to try to tie the game and send it to overtime, and didn't foul before the final whistle. Let's hope that I can avenge yesterday's loss tonight as the Celtics play the 76ers.
The Boston Celtics are 8-2 for the season and actually look better than I expected. We knew the Celtics would at least be good - there is too much talent on the roster for them to be a complete disaster. However, they've come out of the gate looking much more competent than I expected. Paul George looks like he has turned back the clock a bit, and his defense has been a welcome addition to the team. Derrick White and Payton Pritchard provide a strong backcourt for the team.
If there is any spot on the team where the Celtics are weak, it is likely the center position. Sure, Mitchell Robinson and Neemias Queta are solid players, but neither will really strike fear into the opposition. Their roster construction has worked out, and Jayson Tatum has played well. If you want to poke a hole in the Celtics' early success, it really isn't that hard. Here is who they've beaten this season: Knicks, Bulls, Nets, Bulls, Magic, Bucks, Hornets, and Bucks. The Knicks had some early struggles, and the Magic have been injured. Everyone else is going to struggle to make the play-in tournament. Their two losses, both by nine or more points, came against the Pistons and Rockets.
JOEL EMBIID REJECTS IDEA 76ERS STARS MUST 'TAKE A BACK SEAT' AS NBA REGULAR SEASON LOOMS
The Philadelphia 76ers are basically going all-in this season. They have LeBron James for two seasons, and they really need to show progress this year. They added Jaylen Brown in the offseason, so clearly this is a huge game, as it will be the first time they face his former squad. Normally, teams that have a really strong lineup take some time to come together, but for now, the 76ers look great. They are 9-2 for the season and have gone 4-1 in home games.
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The biggest surprise about this team is that Tyrese Maxey has been balling out even with Brown and James added into the mix. One thing that doesn't surprise me at all is that James is leading the team in assists. It makes the most sense for him to orchestrate the offense and pick his spots to score. Maxey has been efficient when the other stars are off the court, and there isn't much of a drop-off in production. It is worth doing the same exercise for the 76ers as we did for the Celtics. They've beaten the Knicks, Cavs, Bucks, Pacers, Knicks, Hornets, Bulls, Pistons, and Bulls. Their losses were to the Pistons and Cavs.
Early in the season, Tatum and Brown were discussing their relationship a lot. Brown seems to have a significantly larger chip on his shoulder, and I expect him to be very aggressive in this game. His overs will be heavily wagered on, but I don't have a ton of confidence in them. I think this is one where the team will come into focus first. Both teams are reportedly fully healthy. I really am shocked the Celtics are favorites on the road. Give me the 76ers moneyline. Philly is better, at home, and even with the Celtics wanting playoff revenge, they just aren't a better team. Both sides will be motivated, but give me the 76ers.
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Trump closing in on new press secretary as administration officials push for pick who could break the mold
EXCLUSIVE: President Donald Trump is closing in on a new press secretary, and administration insiders are advocating for a person who will break the mold
"His name has been brought up to the president by many people," a source close to the president told Fox News Digital Tuesday, referring to conservative commentator Ben Ferguson.
"[Trump's] instincts are to pick a man," the source said. "Which many people have told him that's a good idea."
LEAVITT OPENS UP ON HELPING TRUMP FIND NEW PRESS SECRETARY AFTER ZACHARIA DEBACLE: 'WAS NOT FOR HER'
The source said Trump intends to choose someone to fill the vacant position soon and that he values the role of press secretary in the administration.
A second person familiar with the matter confirmed Trump is planning to pick a man as his next press secretary and said Ferguson is a frontrunner.
The last seven press secretaries, spanning Trump's second term, former President Joe Biden's single term and Trump's first term have all been women. Sean Spicer was the last man to serve in the role. He was Trump's first press secretary from January 2017 to June of that same year. He was replaced by Sarah Huckabee Sanders, who is now governor of Arkansas.
Ferguson is a conservative commentator who hosts the nationally syndicated radio show, "The Ben Ferguson Show." He's also a political commentator on CNN.
But Trump is still weighing his options.
"POTUS is not sold on the idea," the source said of Ferguson. "I think it's safe to say [Ferguson is] pursuing the job, and the president is aware."
Scott Jennings, the conservative CNN contributor who frequently appears on "Newsnight with Abby Phillip" and worked in former President George W. Bush's administration, is also in the running for the job.
"The president keeps going back and forth on Scott Jennings," the source said. "I don't think it will happen."
A few other names have been floated but not emerged as clear picks for the job. This includes White House Communications Director Steven Cheung, Breitbart chief Matthew Boyle and Ari Fleischer, who was White House press secretary during President George W. Bush's first term.
Many woman have also made the short list, but the two sources who spoke with Fox News Digital insist the next person to hold the job will likely be a man.
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Ferguson has support from within the Trump administration, Fox News Digital has learned.
"Ben is one of loudest supporters of President Trump in the 21st century," a senior White House official told Fox News Digital. "While many supporters don’t have the courage to take to the fake news, Ben consistently walks into the lion’s den and faces the media bias head on."
The official said Ferguson runs circles around some people who are currently paid to defend Trump.
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"His resumé and experience are exactly what the administration will need when they face a Congress hell-bent on dismantling our efforts to Make America Great Again," the official continued.
Another Trump administration official echoed that sentiment, claiming, "Ben has always been a skilled and talented commentator."
"He and Scott are screamed at by the radical left everyday as they defend the president to a hostile audience," the official said, adding that the hostility the pair face on cable news is not unlike what they would face standing behind the podium in the White House press briefing room.
"The president needs a tireless, talented communicator at the podium who’ll relay his success for the nation and how he’ll be a bulwark against Democrats’ attempts to dismantle our Republic," the official said.
The White House has been without a press secretary since Oct. 13, when Katie Zacharia left the job at Trump's urging after only a week.
Zacharia's brief tenure was marked by controversy over her claims to be an attorney and a disastrous press conference that lasted only 14 minutes and was widely condemned as a train wreck.
She was selected to replace Karoline Leavitt at the podium after the former press secretary served as a Trump world powerhouse through the 2024 campaign and into his first year-and-a-half back in office.
Leavitt resigned from the post in August after returning from maternity leave, citing a desire to spend more time with her growing family.