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Abdul El-Sayed's resurfaced kiddie show campaign clip ripped to shreds in brutal internet takedown
The internet is ripping apart far-left Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed after a bizarre "Blue’s Clues" themed campaign video resurfaced, pleading for votes while dancing and singing along to a jingle from the children’s show.
The clip begins with El-Sayed mimicking the "Mail Time" segment in Blue’s Clues. The candidate for U.S. Senate mirrors the host’s exaggerated dance movements, including a little butt wag, and recites the song. He even dons the signature green-stripe collard shirt.
"Here's the mail, it never fails, it makes me want to wag my tail. When it comes I want to wail, ‘Mail!’" El-Sayed recites at the onset of the campaign video.
The Michigan socialist then pulls out a ballot from the mailbox, which reads "Abdul for Senate," and goes on to explain the details and regulations for turning in a ballot.
"It looks like my ballot," El-Sayed says in the video. "And with it, I can participate in democracy."
He then continues to tell the viewers the dates by which the ballot must be turned in and postmarked to be counted. He did so, however in the same tone as how the "Blue's Clues" host speaks to his child audience.
"Vote ski-doo, we can too!" El-Sayed said while shrinking and disappearing into the "Abdul for Senate" picture frame behind him.
This copied yet another bit from the television series, "Blue’s Skidoo, we can too!", where the host would became part of the cartoon background.
"Um, wut?" Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, posted to X about the video.
The clip went viral on social media Wednesday, with supporters from the left arguing the video is playful campaigning. Meanwhiole, conservatives tore into El-Sayed for being cringe and infantilizing the election process by appearing to intentionally direct to campaign video to children.
El-Sayed's campaign did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment on the video.
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"This is genuinely disgusting and patronizing," one user said. "Treating adult citizens and massive economic issues like a gentle episode of Blue’s Clues is a complete joke. Stop weaponizing our childhood nostalgia for a cynical election campaign. We aren't children, and we want real."
"Could be the worst thing I’ve ever seen in my life," said another.
Yet another user wrote: "Perhaps the most cringeworthy political advert I’ve ever seen. You could hold a gun to my head and I’d still not film this video. What sort of voter finds it appealing to be spoken to like a toddler watching Blue’s Clues?"
"Perfectly appropriate if one believes his voters have the intellect of 4 year olds. It’s so much easier to trick them into socialism at that age.
"No one should be allowed to vote for this," another user said. "Like, no one. Sorry. This cannot be encouraged."
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The video was part of the early days of El-Sayed’s campaign.
Now, after narrowly beating moderate Rep. Haley Stevens , D-Mich., in the cutthroat primary election on Aug. 5, the clip has reemerged and gone viral. El-Sayed will go face-to-face with Republican Mike Rogers in the battle for Michigan’s Senate seat in November.
The controversial progressive has campaigned with socialist streamer Hasan Piker, known for saying "America deserved 9/11," praising Mao Zedong and Communist China, arguing that capitalists should be murdered in the streets and spewing a litany of antisemitic bile.
Scope of CCP-backed Chinese exchange program inside American schools uncovered in sweeping report
FIRST ON FOX: Dozens of American colleges, high schools, middle schools and elementary schools have taken part in a program launched by Chinese President Xi Jinping and run by an agency dedicated to promoting "Marxism-Leninism," a new report published by the parents' rights group Defending Education found.
At least 83 universities and 26 K-12 schools across 30 states have participated in Beijing’s Young Envoys Scholarship, an exchange program which the Chinese Communist Party says is designed to improve relations with the United States, according to the report. Critics, however, maintain that Chinese exchange programs serve a political function, allowing the CCP to curate manicured experiences to unduly sway American perceptions of China.
The program’s reach underscores how Beijing uses educational exchanges to build influence with American students even as U.S. officials, the president among them, are increasingly scrutinizing CCP efforts to shape public opinion and gain footholds in institutions. The new Defending Education report raises questions about what students are shown in China, who shapes those experiences and whether schools and families fully understand the political implications of participation.
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"The Chinese Communist Party engages in cognitive warfare to distort American perceptions of the CCP‘s endless human rights abuses and global aggression," Michael Lucci, the CEO of the national security nonprofit State Armor, told Fox News Digital. "They are reaching deep into our education system to influence American students as one of their influence operations to try to change the way Americans think."
Xi established the program in 2023 with the aim of inviting 50,000 young Americans to the country over five years.
The China Education Association for International Exchange, which runs the program, uses "Marxism-Leninism, Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory … and Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era as its guiding ideology and action guide," according to a translation of its Chinese-language website.
"These aren't just cultural trips. They're an integral part of China's broader soft power strategy aimed at infiltrating America's classrooms," Reagan Dugan, the director of Defending Education’s higher education initiative, told Fox News Digital. "Disclosure requirements need to catch up. American students and families deserve to know if their school is partnering with a CCP operation."
The Chinese government maintains that their exchange programs are not intended to serve a political purpose, however.
"China is committed to promoting mutual understanding and friendship between the Chinese and American peoples and advancing exchanges and cooperation between the two countries in areas including trade, education and culture," a spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in D.C. told Fox News Digital. "China opposes politicizing normal people-to-people, educational and economic exchanges. Such unfounded accusations serve no constructive purpose and do not contribute to the healthy development of China-U.S. relations."
"We hope the U.S. side will view China and bilateral relations in an objective and rational manner, provide an open, fair and non-discriminatory environment for exchanges and cooperation, and work together to promote the sound and stable development of China-U.S. relations," they added."
Fox News Digital reached out to the China Education Association for International Exchange for comment on the study, but did not receive a reply.
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One 2025 newsletter published by the Chinese exchange program documents how 27 students from a high school in Chicago took a trip to the Chinese region of Xinjiang, where independent human rights organizations and the United States government say China is carrying out a genocide against Uyghur Muslims.
Despite the human rights abuses occurring in the province, visiting American students were provided with a rosy view of Xinjiang, taking dance classes, practicing calligraphy, doing Tai Chi and lounging at Heshuo Golden Beach.
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If reactions from students and teachers who attend Young Envoys Scholarship trips are anything to go by, the Chinese government program has been successful in winning hearts and minds.
"I am a China fan," one high school student said after participating in a Young Envoys Scholarship program.
"President Xi Jinping’s message is very heartwarming," another student stated. A teacher said that she "strongly agreed with President Xi Jinping’s message that ‘the future is in the hands of the youth.'"
China makes use of these quotes, as well as others from similar trips, in articles produced by its state-run media organizations, which the United States government and some academics have described as "propaganda."
Chinese exchange programs are already on the radar of congressional China hawks.
"It is a tool used by the CCP to expand its influence over the American public," House Select Committee on the CCP Chairman John Moolenaar wrote in August 2025, addressing a school district in Maryland participating in an exchange program. "American youths should not be used as propaganda tools of the Chinese government to legitimize its authoritarian control or assert its undue influence on the American population."
Dem Senate nominee admits 'I take responsibility' after police report alleges he broke down door, punched man
Maine Democratic Senate nominee Troy Jackson acknowledged to Fox News Digital that he got into a fight with another man nearly four decades ago, and Senate Republicans reacted to a newly surfaced police report detailing the violent confrontation.
"Nearly 40 years ago, when I was 19 years old, I got into a fight with another man. I took responsibility for it then, and I take responsibility for it now," Jackson told Fox News Digital.
"But let me be clear: I have never been violent with my partner Lana, or any other woman," Jackson added. "This happened nearly four decades ago, and I assure Mainers this incident in no way reflects the man I am today or the life I’ve led in the years since."
The National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) is calling on Democrats to condemn Jackson over the report as he campaigns to unseat Republican Sen. Susan Collins in a race that could help determine control of the Senate.
"Disgusting and inexcusable," the NRSC wrote in a post on X. "Troy Jackson is violent, unhinged, and has no place in the Senate."
The NRSC also tagged a handful of Senate Democrats in posts specifically mentioning the 1988 incident, including Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I.; Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.; Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y.; Chris Murphy, D-Conn.; Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz.; and Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass.
The NRSC also tagged Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt.; former North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper; and former Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio.
The Bangor Daily News first obtained and reported on the 1988 Fort Kent Police Department report, which the outlet said describes Jackson breaking down a door and punching a man at a Fort Kent home.
According to the newspaper's account of the police report and a handwritten witness statement, Jackson went to the home shortly before 2 a.m. March 12, 1988. After an occupant told him to leave, Jackson allegedly "kicked the door in."
Jackson then allegedly grabbed the man by the throat and swung at him, striking his glasses and cutting his face, according to the BDN's account of the records. The witness said Jackson warned the man to "stay away from Lana Pelletier or else."
The police report also notes Pelletier, Jackson's longtime partner, told an officer that Jackson had pushed her after the confrontation and that she planned to seek "cease harassment papers," according to the BDN.
Pelletier disputed that account in a statement to Fox News Digital.
"I do not remember making the statements attributed to me, and they are not accurate. This is the first time I have seen this report from 40 years ago," Pelletier said. "Troy and I have built a life and family together, and I know the person he has been through the decades since, both as a caring partner and father."
The BDN reported that it found no record Pelletier ever sought such an order.
A surviving court summary shows Jackson entered into an agreement to pay the man $50 to resolve the case, according to the BDN. The newspaper reported that the underlying court file has since been destroyed under the state's records-retention schedule.
The BDN also reported that its background check found Jackson does not have a criminal record and that the 1988 case was the only criminal case it located involving him.
Fox News Digital has made multiple attempts to independently obtain the underlying records and contacted the Fort Kent Police Department and District Court seeking the original police report. Fox News Digital additionally submitted a request through Maine's state criminal background check system, finding no viewable corresponding results.
The controversy comes shortly after Jackson secured the Democratic nomination to challenge Collins following the collapse of Graham Platner's ill-fated campaign.
Fox News Digital also reached out to Sen. Collins' office for comment.
Innocent wrestling with sister of wife's best friend reveals cheating with a twist, McDonald's wedding & signs
We've survived another week, and we're here for another edition of True Romance. I was planning to kick things off by taking another look at the training camp lack of focus being displayed by quarterbacks around the league.
I get there's a love story there, but I'm not going to get into that again. A headline popped up and slapped me across the face this morning that I couldn’t ignore. It's about Nicole Kidman.
She's, believe it or not, embracing love after her divorce from Keith Urban. My first thought is what a hero. But there's more to it than just that.
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Kidman could actually be a reader of True Romance with what she had to say about her breakup. She told British Vogue, reports Page Six, "I've always wanted to live a well-examined life."
Okay, well not that part. I would never say anything so insightful. But as she goes on, she does hit on what it is I pretend we're doing every week.
"So what does that entail?" she continued. "Trying things, making mistakes, failing, getting back up, moving on, embracing love, staying open, keeping the heart open and the possibilities."
We usually save the emotional moments for somewhere towards the end or stuff them down and bury them entirely. Not this week. And we have Nicole Kidman to thank for that.
Go follow True Romance on Twitter and Facebook. Send your emails here: sean.joseph@outkick.com (anonymously if you prefer).
This twisted tale of romance gone afoul is a first for the column. Not the twisted romance or the going afoul. We've had those before.
I've also had writers and editors send stories my way before. I've had emails and, more recently, song suggestions from readers, but this is the first story sent in by a reader.
OutKick reader Guy sent in the story of how a Kentucky woman came home early from work on the Fourth of July and learned of her husband's affair thanks to a Slip 'N Slide wrestling match.
The woman's husband and her best friend's sister were the two involved in the bizarre scene. Spoiler alert, the best friend's sister is not who the husband was cheating on his wife with.
Britney shared her story on social media, reports MSN. She was working overtime on the Fourth of July when one of her best friends' sisters called and told her to come home and celebrate the holiday.
She did and when she arrived home, the celebration was already underway and her husband was holding her best friend in the air by the legs. She didn’t think anything of it and had no idea that things were only going to get weirder.
Britney was approached by another one of her best friend's sisters. She wanted to know if she could tackle her husband. The sister was wearing a baggy shirt and biker shorts at the time, so she agreed.
The best friend's sister tackled Britney's husband, then changed into a thong bikini and started wrestling with him on a Slip 'N Slide that was set up.
"They proceed to wrestle on the Slip ‘N Slide for, like, a good 30 minutes. Like, they’re going at it," Britney claimed. They were all over each other and everyone was watching.
The sister's fiancé wasn't happy about what he was witnessing and neither was Britney's best friend, which Britney was touched by. She assumed her best friend was upset on her behalf, because of her husband's behavior.
Then a joke about it being slippery by the husband went too far. She had decided that the marriage, which was already in trouble at that point, was over.
Britney later learned about the affair her husband was having. It wasn't with her best friend's engaged sister who he was wrestling with at the party.
The affair was with her best friend. That's why she was upset by the Slip 'N Slide entertainment. She wasn’t taking up for Britney at all. She was watching her man wrestle with her sister and didn’t like it.
There's no need to worry about Britney. She didn’t just end her marriage, she ended her friendship as well and she's gone on to find love again.
Isn't that a wholesome story about loving, losing, and having it all turning out in your favor again. Your marriage may end on a Slip 'N slide, but there's still love out there if you know where to look.
Follow True Romance on Twitter and Facebook.
I don't want any of the overrated fries at McDonald's. I don’t want much from the fast food establishment at all. But I'll take romance and an ice cream machine that works.
They have at least one of those at a location in Ohio where two coworkers tied the knot over the weekend. George and Jamie Callicoat were married in the dining room area of a McDonald's in Akron.
The location didn't completely close during the ceremony; that would be insane. Cleveland.com reports the dining room was closed to the public for two hours, from 5 to 7 pm. The drive-thru was open for business.
"This is so much more than a wedding at a McDonald’s," Tammy Snider, the general manager of the McDonald’s, Tammy Snider, said.
"It's a story about two people in love and a restaurant team that wanted to make sure they felt celebrated."
Well said. What more do you need?
You can blow an insane amount of money on a wedding and have two people enter into a marriage with a fraction of the love that was packed into that McDonald's on Saturday.
I'll take a McDonald's dining room wedding over a spectacle at Madison Square Garden any day. I'm going out on a limb here, but I'm guessing this one didn't have a disgusting prenup attached to it.
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Not every marriage is going to make it. That's reality. Some of the ones that end before the "death do us part" have early signs that they aren’t going to make it, even at the wedding.
These are some that were noticed by the good people of Reddit at the wedding that they, in some cases, appear to have kept to themselves. I'm not judging, I would do the same thing.
Sit back and watch it unfold. That's how you feel alive.
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That's all I have this week. I'm heading out for a week-long vacation after I punch the clock later this evening, but there will be another True Romance next Thursday afternoon.
In the meantime, keep the song of the week suggestions coming. You can reach me, anonymously if you prefer, at sean.joseph@outkick.com.
Hasan Piker is becoming the 'face of the progressive movement,' former Democratic operative warns
Controversial Twitch streamer Hasan Piker has found himself at the center of a debate about the direction of the Democratic Party and generations of voters to come. However, recently on his stream, which he does for hours every day, the far-left commentator has claimed the media is making him out to have more influence than he actually does.
Evan Barker, author of "Nothing Left: Confessions Of A Democratic Operative," disagrees with Piker's analysis of his own popularity — he has more than 3 million followers on Twitch and millions more across other social media accounts — pointing to the increasing number of candidates who have invited him to campaign with them.
"Why would these candidates have this desire to bring him into their state, to campaign alongside him if he wasn't influential, to hold press junkets with him, to invite him to barbecues? Like, why would they be doing that if he didn't have influence? Like, clearly, he does," Barker told Fox News Digital.
Barker is no stranger to Democratic politics. She raised tens of millions of dollars for Democratic candidates, campaigned for Hillary Clinton and worked for candidates backed by Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y.
Barker eventually broke with the party in 2024, a journey she details in her new book. She told Fox News Digital that Democrats are "testing their limits with the popularity" in areas of the country that aren't deep blue, especially when campaigning with Piker.
"It's one thing to appear on somebody's podcast, it's another to have them come campaign for you," she said.
Piker's hours-long stream primarily focuses on politics. He has backed several candidates in the 2026 cycle, including Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed and Wisconsin gubernatorial candidate Francesca Hong.
While El-Sayed won his primary race, Hong lost to Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, who has since said he was not planning on campaigning with Piker.
Piker's long history of incendiary and far-left rhetoric has made him an easy target for Republicans. From his retracted comments about saying the U.S. "deserved" 9/11, to his praise of Chinese dictator Mao Zedong, and the hours of talking he does every day, there's no shortage of comments for which Piker and his allies could be held to account.
When asked what she would tell candidates who are thinking about campaigning with the Twitch streamer, Barker told Fox News Digital that she would advise against it.
"I would say that the juice isn't worth the squeeze," she said. "Yeah, you're trying to appeal to younger voters, you're trying to drive out your base, but how do you win a general election aligning with him?"
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While Barker has expressed skepticism about Piker, she said she often hears those on the left defend their relationship with the streamer by comparing him to another media personality: Joe Rogan.
During the 2024 campaign cycle, then-Vice President Kamala Harris was criticized for not appearing on Rogan's widely followed podcast while running for president, particularly after both now-Vice President JD Vance and now-President Donald Trump sat for interviews with him. Some have made the case that Piker could serve as an alternative to Rogan, but Barker disagrees.
"Hasan Piker is not at all like Joe Rogan, actually. So, the charm of Joe Rogan, what makes his show so powerful, is that he talks about politics sometimes. Politics is sometimes peppered into his conversations, but by and large, the majority of the time, he's not talking about politics," she said. "Whereas Hasan Piker, that's pretty much all he talks about."
She also noted that some of Piker's rhetoric that appeals to younger voters might not resonate with larger populations in parts of the country that are not deep blue.
"At the end of the day, I would remind these progressive candidates, it's not just about pleasing your staff, it's not just about pleasing, you know, the young people that are in this movement. If you want to win places like Wisconsin, if you want to win places like Michigan, you have to be patriotic," she said. "The Rust Belt is filled with hardworking patriotic Americans who don't feel the way that Hasan Piker does."
As Democrats weigh the consequences of backlash for campaigning with Piker against the access to younger voters that he brings, Barker says the streamer is quickly becoming well known offline as well. She argued that Piker is "probably the biggest podcaster, live streamer" that the Democrats have at their disposal.
"He's quickly becoming a household name. He's quickly becoming the face of the progressive movement," she said.
Barker acknowledged that some progressives may not be "comfortable" with Piker as a de facto leader, calling his rise a "monster that they've created themselves." She also compared the current moment to previous shifts within the progressive movement, arguing that figures and ideas once embraced by the left are later dismissed as excesses of an earlier era.
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Barker pointed specifically to recent discussions of "Woke 1" after Ocasio-Cortez's invocation of the term last week, arguing that Democrats have yet to reckon with the consequences of that period around 2020, which was marked by a surge in racial identity politics and progressive groupthink.
"People's lives were ruined because of 'woke 1.' It wasn't just some mass delusion or mass hysteria that we all went through... It pushed people away from Democratic politics," she said.
Barker argued that Democrats' continued willingness to align with figures like Piker shows the party has yet to move beyond that period.
"I think that there needs to be a true reckoning in the progressive movement and in the Democratic Party for people to really be able to heal and move on from this," she said.
Fox News Digital reached out to Piker for comment.
Surrogate gives birth in Texas to baby with heart defect after parents requested abortion
A surrogate mother gave birth to a baby against its biological parents' wishes after fleeing to Texas with help from state Attorney General Ken Paxton.
Surrogate mother McKenna West fled to Texas after her baby was diagnosed with hypoplastic left heart syndrome around the time West was 20 weeks pregnant. The diagnosis allegedly prompted the baby's birth parents to ask West to have an abortion, Paxton's office wrote in a news release Tuesday.
After West went to Texas, Paxton intervened, formally notifying UT Southwestern Medical Center and Children’s Medical Center of Dallas of their legal obligations to provide the baby with "medically necessary, life-saving care upon birth," his office wrote.
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"The court has made the right decision in immediately acting to protect baby Gabriel’s life and ensure he receives the care he deserves," Paxton said in the statement.
"My office utilized every tool at our disposal to protect life, and we will not back down in continuing to support baby Gabriel’s well-being. Every child in our state deserves to be cared for and protected, and that’s exactly what I’ll fight for."
"While the surrogate mother of baby Gabriel has traveled to Texas for protection and care for Gabriel, the intended parents have refused to agree that they will consent to the life-saving surgery for Gabriel after he is born. Attorney General Paxton has now secured a legal victory that will ensure baby Gabriel’s life is protected and that care is provided," Paxton's office added.
West's baby, named Gabriel, was born Wednesday, according to Fox News' Kerri Urbahn. Gabriel was brought to a neonatal intensive care unit, where doctors could soon perform lifesaving surgery.
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The hospital where the surgery would likely be performed has a 100% success rate on the procedure, Urbahn reported.
"Baby Gabriel deserves a chance at life, and I will not allow anyone to unlawfully deny him medically necessary care," Paxton said. "My office will use every tool available to protect innocent lives and ensure that every child receives the care required under Texas law."
Fox News Digital contacted Paxton's office, UT Southwestern Medical Center and Children’s Medical Center of Dallas for additional comment.
Socialist insurgency heads to Trump’s backyard, targets pro-Israel Democrat
The high-stakes battle for the ideological future of the Democratic Party moves to Florida next week, before heading to New England early next month, as the 2026 primary season wraps up.
After impactful left-wing victories this month by Michigan's Abdul El-Sayed and Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan in crucial Democratic Senate primaries, and a searing setback for the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), with the downing of DSA member Francesca Hong in Wisconsin's Democratic gubernatorial primary, the next faceoff in the party's civil war comes Tuesday in Florida.
That's where DSA endorsed Oliver Larkin is challenging more moderate Democratic Rep. Jared Moskowitz in a key congressional swing district that's among roughly two dozen House seats that will determine if Republicans hold onto their razor-thin majority in the midterm elections.
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Two weeks later, the party's divisions return to a statewide stage, as longtime progressive leader Sen. Ed Markey of Massachusetts is facing a serious primary challenge from more moderate Democratic Rep. Seth Moulton.
A left-versus-center battle is brewing a week later in neighboring New Hampshire, in the party's Senate primary for a crucial battleground seat Democrats must hold in the midterm elections in order to win back the chamber's majority from the GOP.
Progressives scored their biggest victory to date a week ago, when El-Sayed narrowly edged moderate Rep. Haley Stevens to capture the party's Senate nomination in the Great Lakes battleground, in the race to succeed retiring Democratic Sen. Gary Peters.
DEMOCRATIC GROUP LAUNCHES $15 MILLION WAR ON DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISTS: 'MORTAL DANGER'
On Tuesday, Flanagan downed moderate Democratic Rep. Angie Craig by roughly 20 points, to grab the party's nomination in blue-leaning but competitive Minnesota, in the race to succeed another retiring Democrat, Sen. Tina Smith.
Both El-Sayed and Flanagan were backed by top far-left leaders, including progressive champion Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont.
But in Wisconsin's Democratic gubernatorial showdown, Hong was upset by a razor-thin margin by Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, who was backed by retiring Democratic Gov. Tony Evers.
Evers and Crowley, pointing to Hong's past controversial comments on defunding the police and criticizing Thanksgiving, argued that a Hong primary victory would have boosted GOP nominee Rep. Tom Tiffany's chances of flipping the Wisconsin governor's mansion.
With the primary calendar winding down, here's a closer look at the final nomination faceoffs that are dividing Democrats and giving Republicans plenty of ammunition to use in the midterms.
Florida
The 33-year-old Larkin, a veteran of Sanders' 2016 Democratic presidential campaign, is also the only DSA-endorsed House candidate running in a crucial congressional swing district.
Larkin says he supports abolishing the U.S. Senate, arguing in a Fox News interview that it's an "undemocratic institution."
He agreed with socialist New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should have been arrested during his recent trip to the U.S., and refers to Israel's ruling coalition as a "religious supremacist regime."
Moskowitz is a strong and vocal supporter of Israel, who has advocated for robust U.S. military and security assistance.
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The two-term federal lawmaker and former state representative and Florida FEMA director is running for re-election in the state's newly redrawn 25th Congressional District, a Broward County-anchored seat in the southeastern corner of the red-leaning state.
Moskowitz, who enjoys establishment backing from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, is also supported by AIPAC, a major-Israel aligned political group. Larkin enjoys plenty of support from top far-left leaders, including controversial political streamer Hasan Piker. Moskowitz is the polling and fundraising lead over Larkin heading into the primary.
Massachusetts
Markey is backed by a slew of progressive politicians and groups, including Sanders and Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, as well as fellow Bay Stater Rep. Ayanna Pressley, a member of the far-left Squad.
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Moulton is supported by a smaller group of more moderate Democratic lawmakers and groups.
While the primary is partially viewed as a progressive versus moderate showdown, the Democratic Party's generational showdown is very much at play in this contest.
The 80-year-old Markey has served in Congress for half a century, first in the House and since 2013 in the Senate. The 47-year-old Moulton has repeatedly emphasized it's time for a new generation of leaders.
The push by Democrats for generational change was fueled two years ago by then-81-year-old President Joe Biden's exit from the presidential race amid questions over his physical and mental stamina following a disastrous debate performance against President Donald Trump.
A similar generational fight is being waged in the Democratic primary in Massachusetts' 8th Congressional District. That's where 71-year-old Rep. Stephen Lynch, who has served in the House for a quarter-century, is being primary challenged by 39-year-old Patrick Roath.
New Hampshire
The action moves north a week later to neighboring New Hampshire, where longtime Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, the first woman in the nation's history elected governor and to the Senate, is retiring.
Four-term Rep. Chris Pappas is the front-runner for the Democratic nomination, and enjoys plenty of establishment backing, including from Shaheen and the Granite State's other Democrat in the chamber, Sen. Maggie Hassan.
Pappas is the clear polling and fundraising leader in a race that also includes medical scientist Karishma Manzur, who is backed by a handful of progressive groups.
A backer of Israel, Pappas has been blasted over the support he's receiving from AIPAC by Manzur, who argues Israeli has committed "genocide" against Palestinians in its war with Hamas in Gaza.
Fox News' Matthew Donnell contributed to this report.
Luxury $9 million yacht caught on camera sinking off coast, days after delivery to owner
A luxury $9.1 million yacht sank into the waters of the Mediterranean Sea Tuesday, just days after it had been delivered to its new owner.
The Angiola II was off the coast of Porto Cervo on the popular Italian island of Sardinia with 14 guests on board when it experienced engine failure that sparked a fire, the New York Post reported.
The blaze damaged seals on the vessel, which began to take on water, causing it to tip onto its side.
The guests managed to escape to safety and were rescued by nearby vessels, The Telegraph reported.
Video footage showed the boat on its side.
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The unidentified owner — an Italian businessman — was the last one off the ship, the newspaper reported.
The yacht reportedly sank at a depth of around 23 feet between an island called L’Isola dei Cappuccini and Capo Ferro on Sardinia’s exclusive Costa Smeralda, or Emerald Coast, the news report states.
The boat will be kept under surveillance until a recovery company recovers it from the sea floor.
The yacht can reportedly accommodate 10 guests and is fitted with five cabins and five crew members.
It has four engines and can reach speeds of 28 knots.
Baseball fans fume at MLB's 'Field of Dreams' game decision, reporter Tricia Whitaker has a boat day & LLWS!
'Nightcaps' is a daily column that catches you up on the biggest sports, news and culture stories you may have missed while pretending to do work at your desk. It runs Monday–Friday on OutKick.com.
Over the hump and safely into a big Thursday filled with actual NFL football (kind of) and an MLB Field of Dreams game only the 1%ers can watch.
What a blessing. What a day! Are things starting to ramp up, or what? And who knows! Maybe by the end of this class, the WNBA will have figured out what a woman is.
I wouldn't hold your breath, but there's always a chance.
Welcome to a Thursday Nightcaps — the one where Pat Sajak, of all people, points out the lunacy in tonight's annual Field of Dreams game.
Pat Sajak! We usually only check in with Maggie Sajak in this class. I believe Pat's a first-timer. Welcome aboard!
What else? I've got a couple wild moments yesterday in the world of little league baseball, Apple TV's Tricia Whitaker enjoyed a Canadian cottage getaway and Lordy, did you guys have some steak takes on the heels of yesterday's class.
Well done. We'll dive in.
Take out a second mortgage, grab you a Netflix subscription and settle in for a Thursday 'Cap!
I think Major League Baseball does a lot of things right. Frankly, they're probably the best sport when it comes to doing things that make sense.
Look at the mess that is the WNBA right now and compare it to MLB. It's laughable.
The pitch clock was brilliant. I've come around on the ghost runner. ABS has very clearly worked. The Home Run Derby and the All-Star game are the two best exhibition events in sports (not a high bar, to be fair).
The Field of Dreams game has been a home run since its debut way back in 2021. It's perfect. Everything about it is perfect.
ZERO BS. JUST DAKICH. TAKE THE DON'T @ ME PODCAST ON THE ROAD. DOWNLOAD NOW!
This year — tonight — is the first year it won't be on Fox. Instead, it was scooped up by Netflix during last year's TV negotiations.
Yes, that means if you really want to watch some Phillies-Twins action tonight from Iowa, you're gonna have to pay up.
And when folks realize this... look out.
In fact, one already has:
Does it seem a bit ironic that MLB’s Field of Dreams game — which harkens back to a simpler, more bucolic time — is being streamed on Netflix?
You know what, Pat Sajak? You are 1000% right. What a rip-off! More importantly, what a vocabulary on 79-year-old Pat Sajak! Bucolic? I'm not sure I've ever seen that word in my life. Does Pat still have the fastball, or what?
Bucolic, by the way, is an adjective that means relating to the pleasant, peaceful aspects of the countryside, country life, or shepherds, according to the stupid AI bot that runs Google now.
Pat wasn't alone in his bewilderment, by the way:
I could go on and on. Nobody is happy. Is anyone ever happy?
For those still on the fence, a Netflix subscription costs $8.99 a month (with ads). If you really hate ads, you have to pony up a whopping $20 a month. And if you really hate ads AND regular 1080p HD, you have to pay $27 for the 4K version.
Thank God I'm a T-Mobile customer. Free MLB TV and Netflix included! What a deal.
(Not a promotion, but I wouldn't mind if it was.)
OK, let's keep this class moving ... from the big diamond to the little diamond! What a night we had in the Little League World Series regionals last night.
We had:
What a sport:
Thoughts? First impressions?
The coach who gave a sermon on the mound (come on, that's a good one!) is taking a little heat today because folks say he should've been out there giving a scouting report instead. Boots on the ground say the next three batters reached safely, and Arizona went on to lose.
Not great! For what it's worth, my little league coach used to tell me, "Zach, if you strike out, there are a billion people in China who will wake up tomorrow and won't care."
Decent advise for a 12-year-old, I reckon. But we also never got anywhere close to Williamsport, so perhaps we could've used some more motivation.
As for the coach who got tossed ... that's nothing. I grew up with a coach who used to get thrown out every week for arguing anything and everything under the sun. During one All-Star game in particular, he snuck back into the complex Bobby Valentine style and hung out behind the outfield fence.
That's called commitment. Loved Coach Tony.
OK, let's rapid-fire this Thursday class into a big Thursday night of preseason football. First up? Yesterday, I gave you my Mount Rushmore of Steaks to celebrate National Filet Mignon Day.
From Larry K in Iowa:
Anything that moos is my favorite meat. I grew up a meat and potatoes kid. Still am 7 decades later. Ribeyes and Kansas City strips are my favorites. My smoker will be fired up this weekend.
Thanks, Larry! Bring a couple over to the Field of Dreams game!
From Tom J. in Omaha:
I have two:
Ribeye on the bone — the bone must be there with no questions asked – it’s not the same eating a boneless ribeye.
Porterhouse — which you cannot go wrong, and it is of course two steaks in one on a big bone — so technically, number 2 and 3 would equal a porterhouse.
Thanks, Tom! Agree wholeheartedly on the bone-in Ribeye. Huge difference.
And, From Ryan N:
Agree with your steak rankings. Up until end of last year I never even considered ordering anything but a ribeye, but I’ve been on a filet tear so far this year. For me it’s more about portion control than anything else. I can’t be knocking down 14+ oz ribeyes all the time anymore.
It's football season, Ryan. Portion control, shmortion control! Let's get the ribeyes back in the rotation and worry about the waistline in January.
OK, that's it for today. Good work, everyone. Six NFL preseason games tonight and the Field of Dreams game for those who have a rich uncle who recently kicked the bucket.
Here's Apple TV's MLB girl, Tricia Whitaker, to get everyone ready.
See you tomorrow.
Best little league memories? Email me at Zach.Dean@OutKick.com.
Hasan Piker event cancellation sparks intervention from top House progressive
A top House Democrat is speaking out against a university's decision to cancel an appearance by controversial far-left activist Hasan Piker on its campus.
Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., the former Congressional Progressive Caucus chair, publicly called on students at the University of Washington to "work with the university to ensure" that Piker was able to speak.
Jayapal also said in a statement posted to X on Thursday that she was personally working with the university on the issue.
"As a Member of the Judiciary Committee, I have been absolutely clear that free speech is a constitutional right that we must all stand up and protect. I have been communicating my concerns about the cancellation of the Hasan Piker event directly to the University, and they have informed me that they are doing an internal review to ensure this never happens again," Jayapal wrote.
Piker posted on X earlier this week that the event was canceled due to his criticism of Israel.
"i wish the dems were smarter & didn’t let the [right-wing] groups be the only people who speak out against this clear violation of [the First Amendment] but unfortunately my position as a prominent critic of israel stops them from using this moment to show gop as arch cancel culture warriors," Piker wrote.
The University of Washington said in a statement that Piker's event was canceled because it "was determined that the process for organizing this event did not meet the necessary level of rigor for University-hosted events."
The decision also prompted backlash from the right.
"Let the radical Mao loving communist Hasan Piker speak, so long as he can resist the urge to call for the death of his political opponents. Universities do this to TPUSA often and blame some admin error etc.," Turning Point USA's Andrew Kolvet posted on X. "It’s wrong. Let him speak. Let conservatives speak. Peacefully."
Piker, a streamer, has long made headlines for controversial and far-left statements.
In 2019, he said "America deserved 9/11" over its foreign policy decisions, though he later walked it back on "The Young Turks," stating, "Every part of what I advocate for is against violence" and insisting his statement was misconstrued.
Piker said at a Yale University event in April 2026 that "the fall of the USSR was one of the greatest catastrophes of the 20th century."
He also drew backlash from the Anti-Defamation League for calling terror group Hamas a "lesser evil" compared to Israel.
The far-left activist and his past statements have been back in the national conversation in recent weeks as he campaigns with socialist-aligned candidates across the country. That includes Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed and failed Wisconsin gubernatorial candidate Francesca Hong.
Fox News Digital reached out to Piker for comment on Jayapal's and Kolvet's defense of his speaking engagement.