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WATCH: Would-be second-term President Biden left searching for family on stage after Obama Center opening
Former President Joe Biden was caught in an awkward moment when he drifted back toward the stage as the dedication ceremony for President Barack Obama’s presidential library wrapped up Thursday.
Video shows Biden pulling down his sunglasses and peering into the crowd as his wife, Jill Biden, and Obama exited the stage, leaving him behind.
At one moment, Biden shouted, "where’s my granddaughter?’"
A person familiar with the situation told Fox News Digital that Biden was searching for his granddaughter, who was sitting in the audience.
OBAMA LEADING BIDEN OFF STAGE BY THE HAND 'REALLY PISSED ME OFF,' HUNTER BIDEN SEETHES
The moment came at the conclusion of a star-studded event celebrating the opening of the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago, which brought together Obama, Biden, Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, former Vice President Kamala Harris and a host of entertainers and political figures.
The incident also follows renewed scrutiny of Biden's health and his initial decision to seek a second term in 2024.
During an appearance at New York's 92nd Street Y this week, Hillary Clinton called Biden's reelection bid a "terrible mistake," arguing that Democrats may have been better positioned had there been a competitive primary process before the 2024 election.
"Very sadly, I believe whoever emerged from that contest, whether it was the vice president or a governor or a senator or anybody else, would have beaten Donald Trump," Clinton said. "So I think it was a terrible miscalculation on the part of President Biden."
Biden faced major pressure from Democratic Party leadership to drop out of the presidential race following his disastrous debate performance against Trump. Despite opinion pieces and public calls for him to exit the race, Biden remained in the contest for more than three weeks after the debate.
Meanwhile, former first lady Jill Biden recently wrote that she feared her husband may have been suffering a stroke following his widely criticized debate performance against then-candidate Donald Trump in June 2024, and suggested he should not have continued his re-election campaign.
The former president is also locked in a legal battle with the Justice Department over the release of audio recordings from his interviews with former Special Counsel Robert Hur, whose investigation into Biden's handling of classified documents fueled additional questions about his age and memory. In those audio recordings, Hur described then sitting president Biden as a "well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory," a characterization that became a flashpoint in the debate over Biden’s mental fitness for the job.
The 83-year-old former president is currently battling Stage 4 prostate cancer that has metastasized to his bones.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer faces potential leadership challenge from newly-elected Andy Burnham
Andy Burnham has officially won his special election and regained a seat in Parliament, setting him up to challenge the deeply unpopular Keir Starmer as the leader of the Labour party and as prime minister.
Burnham, currently the mayor of Greater Manchester in northwest England, won a seat in Makerfield and came away with 55% of the vote in a field of more than a dozen candidates, according to The Associated Press. The runner-up was Rob Kenyon of Reform UK, a right-wing populist party, who received more than 9,000 fewer votes than Burnham.
Burnham last served as a member of Parliament in 2017 but strongly implied in his victory speech that he is returning with the intention to lead the United Kingdom.
"Everyone knows that politics isn’t working. Everyone can feel that the country isn’t where it should be. Tonight could, just could, be the turning point," he said, according to the AP. "This result will bring about a country that works fairly for everywhere and for everybody."
TRUMP ALLY NIGEL FARAGE DEALS MAJOR BLOW TO STARMER IN LOCAL UK ELECTIONS AS RESIGNATION CALLS MOUNT
This special election, called by-elections in Britain, was unusually significant because the area's Labour MP, Josh Simons, intentionally resigned to allow Burnham to win the seat and pursue leadership.
The potentially outsized impact of this election was juxtaposed with the strange scene that unfolded when all the candidates gathered on Friday morning to hear the results. Burnham stood in between an independent candidate dressed in a fox costume and another candidate known as "Count Binface".
As his name suggests, "Count Binface," whose real name is Jonathan David Harvey, was wearing a trash can on his head and regularly runs in U.K. elections to advocate for increased voter turnout.
Starmer congratulated Burnham in a social media post on X, saying voters "chose Labour’s campaign of hope and optimism over division and hate."
When asked about Burnham's intentions to oust him as leader, Starmer said he will fight to remain prime minister, a position he has held for nearly two years.
"I’ve said repeatedly I’m not going to walk away from that," Starmer told reporters.
Starmer led the Labour party to a landslide victory in July 2024 and ever since, his popularity has been eroding thanks to a persistently high cost of living, an anemic economy and a scandal over his willingness to accept gifts from wealthy donors.
Last September, Starmer was slammed for appointing Peter Mandelson as the British ambassador to the United States, when it was known as early as 2019 that Mandelson had a friendship with convicted child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Following an enormous public backlash, Mandelson was quickly dismissed from his post.
With Starmer as leader, Labour is increasingly losing liberal-minded voters to the Green Party, while also facing stronger challenges by Reform UK, a Nigel Farage-led party that advocates against mass migration and in favor of tighter border controls. Farage, an ally of U.S. President Donald Trump, said he was disappointed by Burnham's victory.
Burnham is expected to head to London to be sworn in as soon as Monday. Under the British parliamentary system, the governing party can hold leadership elections in the middle of the term. The winner of such a contest can become prime minister without there having to be a national election.
Under Labour rules, a lawmaker can challenge the leader if they win the backing of a fifth of their party's members in the House of Commons. Burnham has enough lawmakers on board to trigger a leadership contest, according to a report from The New Statesman.
According to the AP, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said Burnham and Starmer will "have a conversation about what comes next" in the next few days.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Jimmy Kimmel reveals he asked major Trump critic to guest host while he's on vacation as a 'special treat'
Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel said during his show on Thursday that he asked Rosie O'Donnell if she would guest host his show during his two-month vacation, among others, framing the choice as a "special treat" for President Donald Trump.
"I hope you’re paying attention this summer. I will be taking the next two months off, this time voluntarily," he said, referring to his brief hiatus from the air in September of 2025.
"We have assembled a potent group of hosts to fill in for me beginning with Tiffany Haddish, Colman Domingo, Ike Barinholtz, Anthony Anderson, Jelly Roll and as a special treat for our commander in chief, I asked one of his all-time favorites — Rosie O’Donnell, to be here to keep the hits coming," Kimmel said.
TRUMP TAKES SWIPE AT JIMMY KIMMEL'S TALENT WHILE HONORING KENNEDY CENTER RECIPIENTS IN OVAL OFFICE
Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment.
O'Donnell attacked Trump in a rare public appearance at the Tony Awards this month, calling him a conman, narcissist and a psychopath in an interview with Variety.
TRUMP THREATENS TO STRIP ROSIE O'DONNELL'S U.S. CITIZENSHIP AS HE SAYS SHE'S A 'THREAT TO HUMANITY'
"If you grew up in New York, you knew he was an a--hole and a liar from day one. And I am 64 years old and have lived my whole life here. So, I remember when his planes were repossessed off the runways at LaGuardia. I remember when he was broke. I remember when he would call up places and pretend to be his own publicist," O'Donnell said.
"He is a conman. He is a narcissist. And he is a psychopath, if you ask me," she said.
O'Donnell moved to Ireland after the president won the 2024 election.
O'Donnell, who once vowed to never get plastic surgery, recently opened up about battling guilt and shame after undergoing cosmetic surgery earlier this year.
ROSIE O'DONNELL QUIETLY RETURNS TO US AFTER ABANDONING COUNTRY OVER TRUMP'S VICTORY
"I used to feel very strongly about facelifts," she wrote on Substack. "Not casually — morally. I had assigned myself as head of all women who would never — ever. I thought it was a betrayal. Of feminism. Of aging. Of our team of women worldwide. And then I lost 50 pounds..."
O'Donnell sat down with former CNN host Jim Acosta for an interview on his podcast, "The Jim Acosta Show," on Thursday.
She told Acosta that she believed former Vice President Kamala Harris won the election and that evidence would come out eventually.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTURE
"Part of the reason that I left is I never in a million years thought we would put a convicted felon who tried to start an insurrection back in office. How did that happen? I don't think it happened. I think Kamala won. I do," she said. "And I think that we're going to find all this out. It's going to come out and it, I'm not the first person to say this. There are all these researchers who were saying it. I read it online again today."
ATP fines tennis player Corentin Moutet $40,000 for profane interview following HSBC Championships win
Tennis fans may have found the sport's next "bad boy," but an R-rated on-court interview may have that outlaw's wallet feeling a little lighter.
Following a win at the HSBC Championships on Monday, French tennis player Corentin Moutet was interviewed at center court and unleashed a flurry of F-bombs into the reporter's microphone.
WARNING: VIDEO CONTAINS EXPLICIT LANGUAGE
It was obviously meant as a joke, but several fans and officials didn't treat it as a laughing matter, including the ATP.
SUNS GUARD'S CELEBRATION WITH TEAMMATE COSTS HIM $25K AFTER DROPPING F-BOMB DURING LIVE TV INTERVIEW
In an official statement sent to OutKick Friday morning, the ATP communications office revealed that Moutet is being fined $40,000 for his profane outburst on Monday.
"Following the use of profane language by Corentin Moutet during his post-match interview after his first-round match at the HSBC Championships at The Queen’s Club in London this week, the player has received a fine of $40,000 for unsportsmanlike conduct," ATP officials said.
"Moutet has confirmed that he will appeal the fine in accordance with ATP rules. The appeal will be reviewed by the ATP Tour Compliance Committee. No further comment will be made while the appeal process is ongoing."
AMERICAN TENNIS STAR SPARKS ROW WITH FRENCH PLAYER AFTER ACCUSING HIM OF GETTING FLIRTY WITH HER
It looks like Moutet will be fighting tooth and nail to avoid any sort of punitive action, and who could blame him?
ZERO BS. JUST DAKICH. TAKE THE DON'T @ ME PODCAST ON THE ROAD. DOWNLOAD NOW!
Moutet would have to reach the quarterfinals of the tournament to come out in the black, and unfortunately, his run at the Queen's Club in London came to an end on Thursday in a straight-sets loss to Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.
For his efforts, Moutet will head home with roughly $23,000 after his first-round win, but the fine alone will negate any of that.
Talk about an expensive mistake!
I'm not sure if Moutet will tone down his bad-boy image, but I can guarantee you he will swallow those F-bombs the next time there is a microphone in his face.
His checking account will thank him.
Trump administration opens four Title IX investigations into Michigan and North Carolina school districts
The United States Department of Education announced this week that it has opened four new investigations into Title IX violations - three in Michigan and one in North Carolina.
Two districts, Ann Arbor Public Schools and Monroe Public Schools, are being investigated for allegedly allowing biological males to compete against girls. Ann Arbor and the Chippewa Valley School District are also being investigated for allegedly allowing student-athletes use the opposite biological gender's locker room, the Department of Education said Thursday.
Announced Wednesday, the Buncombe County Schools district in North Carolina said a "concerned parent" reported to the Department of Education that female students in the district "are being forced to share their female-only restrooms with biological men."
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
"The convoluted practice of allowing students to participate on sex-segregated athletic teams and make use of locker rooms based on ‘gender identity’ is not only known to be unsafe for students, but is a direct violation of federal law," Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Kimberly Richey said in Thursday's release.
"The Trump Administration has consistently upheld Title IX, as it was written and intended by Congress, enforcing the law to protect students across America from discrimination on the basis of sex rather than to perpetuate a radical ideology that risks the safety and wellbeing of students. We will continue to fight for what is right, fully investigate these alarming allegations, and enforce the law to the fullest extent."
"Since Day One, the Trump Administration has steadfastly enforced Title IX according to its intended purpose – to protect young women and girls from discrimination on the basis of sex. Even so, we still receive countless complaints from distressed parents who cannot trust school officials with the education and wellbeing of their children," Richie said Wednesday. So long as adults flout the law and twist it in the pursuit of radical political ideologies, the Trump Administration will launch investigations, hold schools accountable, and ensure the safety of female students across America."
The Ann Arbor school district is alleged to have allowed a biological male to compete on the girls' volleyball team and use the girls' locker room. The school district "allegedly maintains policies allowing males to compete on women’s sports teams," according to the Department of Education.
The Monroe school district, the release said, "allegedly discriminated against female students by requiring the girls’ volleyball team to compete against a team with a biological male and forced female athletes to share locker rooms with the male athlete. Parents report that Monroe Public Schools failed to respond appropriately to their concerns about legal violations and the risk of their children being put in inappropriate, unsafe situations."
The Chippewa Valley School District is accused of allowing a to female use the male locker room.
The North Carolina school district said it "follows the law regarding students' rights ensuring that all students have access to safe restrooms, locker rooms, and other school facilities."
"Our schools work with all students and families to ensure that every student has access to facilities that meet their needs in a safe and private manner. The school system will fully cooperate with the U.S. Department of Education on its inquiry," Buncombe County Schools said in a statement, via WYFF.
In a statement to Fox News Digital, Monroe Public Schools said it "is dedicated to fostering a secure and nurturing educational setting for every student and operates in full compliance with all state and federal regulations. A prior, thorough review of this matter by an independent investigator determined that Title IX violation claims against the district were unsubstantiated. We welcome the opportunity to coordinate with federal officials and are working in full cooperation with the Office for Civil Rights."
The other two districts did not immediately respond to emails from Fox News Digital.
The Supreme Court is expected to rule this month on two key hearings regarding transgender athletes in girls' and women's sports.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Trump-Meloni spat grows over claim Italian PM 'begged' for photo: 'astonished'
A simmering rift between President Donald Trump and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni burst into the open Friday after the G7 summit, exposing growing tensions between two leaders whose close political alliance had long positioned Meloni among Trump's closest allies on the world stage.
"Donald Trump's statements are completely made up. I am frankly astonished. I don't know why the president of the United States behaves like this towards his allies: it is not the first time, moreover," Meloni said Friday, according to Reuters.
Trump told an Italian news outlet that Meloni "begged" him to take a photo with her during the G7 earlier this week, which sparked strong rebuke from the prime minister and Italian diplomats. Before the recent strain over Iran, Meloni was widely viewed as one of Trump's strongest allies on the world stage, even attending his 2025 presidential inauguration as the only European leader present.
"She wanted a picture with me so badly. I wouldn't have taken it, but I felt sorry for her," Trump said to La7 TV channel. "She's probably happy I talked to her. I didn't have to talk to her."
WHO IS GIORGIA MELONI? TRUMP HOSTS ITALIAN PM AT MAR-A-LAGO
Meloni fired back: "I can only say it is disappointing that he does not show the same determination with the enemies of the West and of the United States, whose leaders he instead treats with far greater indulgence."
"There is one thing he should remember: neither I nor Italy ever beg," she added.
Representatives from the prime minister’s office told Fox News Digital they have no comment at the moment. Fox News Digital also reached out to the White House.
RUBIO MEETS MELONI AS TRUMP–POPE CLASH ESCALATES US STRAINS WITH KEY EUROPEAN ALLY
There have been looming tensions between the two leaders after Meloni recently distanced herself from the U.S. amid mounting domestic and political pressure over the widening Middle East conflict.
Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani abruptly canceled his U.S. visit Friday following Trump's remarks over the photo.
"The serious and offensive words of President Trump towards Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni offend all of Italy. For this reason, I have decided to cancel my visit to the United States scheduled for the next 21 and 22 June," Tajani wrote on X.
TRUMP TROOP CUTS IN EUROPE COULD BE BLOCKED BY CONGRESS — HERE’S HOW HE MIGHT GET AROUND IT
Tajani was set to attend the Italy–U.S. Business, Investment, Science and Innovation Forum in Miami, Florida. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is scheduled to deliver remarks at the conference on Monday. Rubio recently traveled to Italy last month to smooth over previous tensions with Meloni and Pope Leo XIV.
Fox News Digital reached out to the State Department for comment.
As Trump urged world leaders to take a more active role in the Iran conflict, Meloni notably stayed on the sidelines, underscoring an emerging rift between the longtime allies.
Meloni has previously said she would not support any effort to reduce the U.S. military presence in Italy, drawing a contrast with Trump’s broader push to reposition American forces in Europe.
Italy remains a key U.S. security hub in Europe, hosting nearly 13,000 active-duty American troops across six bases as of the end of 2025.
Fox News Digital’s Courtney Walsh and Reuters contributed to this report.
American League Central showdown: How to bet series opener between White Sox and Tigers
A 1-1 day on the diamond yesterday isn't exactly what I wanted, but I'll take it, as it is always better than losing both plays. The one win on the Twins was pretty sweat-free and no issues. The loss on the Red Sox was a little more frustrating. Trey Yesavage, to his credit, threw a great game, but the Red Sox tied it up and then blew it late. Oh well, let's go to the AL Central for this one.
The American League Central Division leader plays in this game, only it isn't who any of us expected. As I've said about other teams, this isn't the time to start printing playoff tickets. However, it is very cool that the Chicago White Sox are leading their division when they were expected to be a bottom-feeder this season. They are 39-34 for the year, and giving South Side fans a reason to cheer for the first time in a bunch of years. It would be shocking to see them finish this out, but it also would be equally surprising to see if the White Sox make a splash in the next month via trade.
They will almost certainly need some pitching if they want to close this out. If they want to make a full push for a trophy, they will need a couple of arms, a bat and maybe something else. Today, they are using journeyman Erick Fedde as their starter. He has been okay for the team, but nothing special. He is 2-5 for the year with a 4.50 ERA and a 1.41 WHIP. One major reason for concern today is that Fedde has been awful on the road with a 6.18 ERA in five starts. He did have a solid win against the Tigers in late May, going four innings and allowing four hits and two earned runs.
The Detroit Tigers are making the news today because of their starting pitcher. We are all well aware of the fact that Tarik Skubal is likely to make a boatload of money this offseason, but we are equally aware that he may be traded before the deadline. He said yesterday that if the Tigers don't improve, it is probably more than just him who will be traded. For a team that has made the postseason two years in a row, they look very bad at the moment. They are 14 games under .500, and are 27 games under since August 23 of last year.
TIGERS INCREASINGLY LIKELY TO TRADE TARIK SKUBAL BEFORE DEADLINE AS PLAYOFF HOPES FADE, REPORTS SAY
We know that Skubal is on the wish list of any team, but if I am acquiring him, I do want to see that he will be healthy for the remainder of the year. This will be just his second start back since landing on the injured list. He went 4.2 innings against the Guardians, allowed five hits and gave up three runs (two earned). He hasn't faced the White Sox this season, but has seen them quite a bit over the seasons. They are batting just .209 against him, but Randal Grichuk has actually succeeded, going 4-for-11 against him.
Any time Skubal takes the mound, the books are going to skew the moneyline in his favor. It makes sense; he gives the Tigers a very good chance to win every five days. However, I'll likely never pay that type of price for a baseball game. The value is on the White Sox as Skubal needs to figure out his pitching again after missing some time. I won't bet that either, though. I don't hate the Tigers -1.5 at -105.
Instead, I'm taking the under 8 in this game. The reason is that Skubal may not be quite as crisp, but if he is, we will see no runs from the White Sox. The Tigers are averaging just four runs per game, and the White Sox offense is giving up just about that amount as well. Most of the Tigers' games are low-scoring. The White Sox have given up a lot of runs lately, but I just don't see the Tigers getting there, even against Fedde.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
For more sports betting information and plays, follow David on X/Twitter: @futureprez2024
SEE IT: Dem senator downplays security threat of illegal immigration after White House terror plot
A longtime Senate Democrat declined to directly condemn illegal immigration as a national security threat after it was revealed the terror plot to ambush the UFC White House event Sunday night was schemed by an immigrant from Mexico.
Abraham Alvarez is an illegal immigrant from Mexico who overstayed his visa, according to Homeland Security information first obtained by Fox News Digital. He was identified as the alleged "ringleader" of a network of 23 individuals who planned to carry out a "mass casualty event" with explosive drones striking the White House on June 14.
After reports surfaced that Alvarez was the architect of the failed terror attack, Fox News Digital asked Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., if she views illegal immigration as a threat to the national security of the homeland.
"We have to have good national security grid watch, and we have to stop terrorist attacks," the Washington Democrat replied, keeping it ambiguous.
"I’ll look more into the specific details. Don’t know about it," she continued.
Alvarez, 31, failed to leave the country when his B2 visitor visa expired in 2001 after coming to the U.S. as a child. He was granted Dreamer status — deportation relief — by the Obama administration in 2014 through Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), and has remained in the U.S. ever since under that program.
Cantwell is not one of the Democrats who has adopted a particularly hard-line immigration stance in Congress. She has, however, repeatedly condemned aggressive immigration enforcement, particularly under the Trump administration.
DEM BORDER REP BRAGS ABOUT VOTING AGAINST LAKEN RILEY ACT
Cantwell has voted several times since President Donald Trump took office to challenge some efforts of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) related to alleged racial profiling by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers. She has encouraging immigration enforcement to not detain pregnant illegal immigrants and has backed investigation into the conditions of detention centers.
She also voted against the Laken Riley Act in January 2025, which requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to detain illegal immigrants who have been charged with certain crimes including theft, assault, burglary, shoplifting and more.
Along with Alvarez, five additional individuals have been arrested this month for assisting in the alleged terror plot to attack the White House UFC event over the weekend.
WHITE HOUSE UFC TERROR PLOT 'RINGLEADER' IS A MEXICAN ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT, DHS CONFIRMS
Federal authorities said the motivation of the attack was related to government corruption, Israel’s influence on American politics and the handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files.
Alvarez, when asked in messages about explosive drones by a co-conspirator, said he wanted "as many and as deadly as we can get." Investigators also noted the suspect's goal was to target "capitalist elites," billionaires and politicians funded by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC).
Of the 23 identified in planning the terror attack, 18 have still not been charged.
Each suspect could face a maximum penalty of life in prison and a $250,000 fine, with a potential additional five years if also convicted of planning to carry out violence on White House grounds.
Maine Democrats reject Platner-backed candidate in blow to scandal-plagued Senate hopeful
Hannah Pingree, the former speaker of the Maine House of Representatives, clinched the Democratic nomination in Maine's 2026 gubernatorial race.
Pingree defeated a crowded field of primary challengers in the blue-leaning state's Democratic primary, according to The Associated Press.
Former Maine State Senate President Troy Jackson, an economic populist backed by embattled U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner, was also viewed as a top contender for the party's nomination. Jackson’s loss is a blow to Platner as he seeks to unseat U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, in November’s midterm elections.
Former Biden public health official Nirav Shah was also viewed as a top contender for the Democratic nomination. The results come as Jackson and Platner campaigned together on multiple occasions ahead of the June 9 primary. The two were seen embracing Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., during a "Fighting Oligarchy" rally in late May. Sanders, a progressive leader, has endorsed both candidates.
GRAHAM PLATNER BLASTS NEW ALLEGATIONS AS 'FALSE ACCUSATIONS': 'MAINE, YOU HAVE MY BACK'
Jackson, a logger who has served in both chambers of the state legislature, has largely stood by Platner’s candidacy despite mounting fallout over allegations of abuse in past relationships with women and questions over whether he was aware of a tattoo with Nazi origins that he later covered up.
He appeared with Platner during a fiery rally in Bar Harbor on Friday during which the Senate candidate slammed "politically motivated, serious and false, false accusations" that have been levied against him.
The gubernatorial hopefuls are running to succeed Gov. Janet Mills, D-Maine, who was term-limited. Mills, 78, suspended her Senate campaign in April after struggling to raise money and falling behind in polling.
Mills endorsed Pingree, D-Maine, to be her successor. Pingree is the daughter of Rep. Chellie Pingree, D-Maine, and is associated with the party’s establishment wing.
The state's ranked-choice voting system required voters to rank candidates in order of preference. That structure meant the candidate who received the most initial support — in this case Shah — ultimately lost to a candidate backed by a broader coalition of voters in Pingree.
Platner said he ranked Pingree and Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, D-Maine, after Jackson, his top pick.
The three Democratic candidates urged their supporters to rank each other highly on their ballots, likely in an attempt to blunt Shah’s momentum.
THE GROWING LIST OF CONTROVERSIES THREATENING DEMOCRAT GRAHAM PLATNER'S MAINE SENATE BID
"I think we're the three people in this race who have voted time and time again on behalf of Maine people, on behalf of working people, on behalf of universal healthcare, on behalf of the environment, on behalf of more housing for Maine people," Pingree said at a joint press conference with Jackson and Bellows in late May in remarks reported by Maine Public Radio. "I think you can trust the three of us to get the job done."
Pingree thanked her competitors in a Friday morning statement, praising the civility of a ranked choice campaign before pivoting to the citizens of Maine.
"After a year-long campaign and a careful count, the results are in. I’m grateful, I’m ready and there is no time to waste. I've spent nearly 25 years serving the people of Maine and the last year really brought home what that service is about — because Mainers show up for each other, in cities and towns, and they never give up on their neighbors. Thank you to everyone who voted, volunteered, donated, or opened their doors to talk with me about what matters to them, and what’s at stake in this election," the statement read.
Shah, an epidemiologist, spearheaded Maine’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which included daily televised briefings. Before Mills tapped him to lead the state’s Center for Disease Control and Prevention, his ties to the Pine Tree State appeared to have been minimal.
He previously served as director of the Illinois Department of Public Health between 2015 and 2019 and was raised in Wisconsin and Kentucky.
An outside spending group backing Shah highlighted Jackson’s previous opposition to abortion rights in negative advertising. Early in Jackson’s career in the state legislature, he received a 100% rating from the Maine Right to Life.
On the Republican side, six candidates vied for the party’s nomination, with former Bush administration official Bobby Charles defeating the crowded field that included Jonathan Bush, a businessman who is a cousin of former President George W. Bush.
Democrats will likely have an edge in the open contest with the party holding nearly all statewide offices. The nonpartisan Cook Political report rates the contest as "likely Democrat."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Freddy, the viral World Cup tourist, links up with country singer Ella Langley and the internet loves it
World Cup sensation Freddy dipped his toes into the country music world in epic fashion.
Freddy, a German tourist, has taken the internet by storm ever since arriving in America for the World Cup. The man's real name isn't known, but his content is gold as he chronicles life in America.
The X account has gained a following of nearly 700,000 people, and he discovered one of the best entertainers in America on his road trip: Country star Ella Langley.
INTERNET FALLS IN LOVE WITH GERMAN SOCCER FAN DISCOVERING AMERICAN SOUTH AHEAD OF 2026 WORLD CUP
Freddy tweeted earlier in June that he was becoming a big fan of the "Choosin' Texas" singer, and intended to go to one of her concerts.
Well, it happened Thursday night in Oklahoma City.
Freddy and his entourage met up with the talented singer for a photo that is already making serious waves online as of Friday morning.
Langley responded on X by tweeting, "So nice meeting y’all 🫶🏼 Hope you enjoyed the show!!"
This might be one of the biggest moments of worlds colliding in recent history for the site. We're big fans of Ella Langley, the World Cup is taking everyone by storm and Freddy has become a social media star.
Now, all three came together for the kind of content you simply can't buy.
WATCH USA VS AUSTRALIA ON FOX ONE
To tell you how amped up Langley was to have Freddy and his crew at the show, she made sure his hotel room was covered with goodies.
There's going to be a great documentary made someday about Freddy, and I can't wait to watch. Simply electric content, and I can't wait to see what comes next. Hit me with your thoughts at David.Hookstead@outkick.com.