The Maine Democratic Senate ticket is in total chaos after Troy Jackson, the leading replacement for scandal-ridden candidate Graham Platner, was hit with assault allegations. Jackson, a DSA-affiliated Maine politician, was accused of physical assault earlier today by the political organization Progressive Victory. The group works with left-wing politicians and influencers to organize grassroots support for leftist causes.  “Troy Jackson in a heated disagreement struck a female colleague with a bottle he threw at her. There are many witnesses and it appears this is a widespread open secret within Maine politics and not an isolated incident,” said Progressive Victory in a social media post.   Progressive Victory detailed “troubling information” it had received about Jackson. “In our discussions we have received troubling information about not only Jackson’s behavior, but the behavior of many prominent Maine Democrats toward women more broadly,” the organization wrote. “Both as a result of the credibility of the sources and in the interest of not seeing our movement make the same mistake twice, we are choosing to share some of this now.” We began asking our contacts on the ground in Maine about Troy Jackson earlier today after seeing many suggestions that he should replace Graham Platner against Susan Collins. In our discussions we have received troubling information about not only Jackson’s behavior, but the… — Progressive Victory (@ProgressiveVic) July 7, 2026 Discussions to replace Platner come after his most recent scandal, which involves accusations of sexually assaulting his ex-girlfriend while intoxicated. Several prominent Democrats, including California Rep. Ro Khanna and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, have already abandoned their endorsements amid the scandal. The previously DSA-backed candidate has made headlines with his openly socialist policy proposals, vicious anti-Israel rhetoric, and support for other radical causes.  These sexual assault allegations are the latest in a series of scandals concerning Platner, including a longstanding Nazi tattoo, an active presence on Kik (an app called “a predator’s paradise” by the National Center on Sexual Exploitation), derogatory comments about women and rape victims, and many more.  Platner has denied any “non-consensual behavior” after the accusation surfaced, but did state that his campaign was considering “next steps.” “This is a very, very serious allegation,” Jackson said of the accusations against Platner. “This is something I never considered, but if Graham’s stepping away, I am very, very interested and think I’m the best person to replace him.”  Jackson has yet to comment on the allegations made against him by Progressive Victory. 

Never-before-seen security footage played Tuesday during a preliminary hearing in the murder case against Tyler Robinson appeared to show Robinson walking with what authorities described as a “limp” just minutes before the shooting. “UVU prosecutors just presented this footage of Tyler Robinson arriving on campus for the third time, just minutes before the shooting,” Blake Neff, a producer of “The Charlie Kirk Show,” posted online. “Look at how he is walking, as if something is hindering his right leg.” (See footage above.) Reports have previously indicated that Robinson appeared to walk with a stiff right leg before the shooting, or with an unusual gait, which some have suggested could indicate he was concealing a rifle under his clothing. Robinson is facing the death penalty for the fatal shooting of Turning Point USA founder and conservative leader Charlie Kirk. WATCH LIVE: Tyler Robinson Preliminary Hearing Agent David Hull testified that Robinson was “walking with a gait or a limp.” As the video played in the courtroom, the agent said the suspect appeared to be having difficulty walking. Reporters inside the courtroom said the prosecution used surveillance footage to establish that Robinson was on campus four separate times on September 10, 2025, the day Kirk was killed. “The timeline prosecutors are building is strong. Surveillance placing Robinson on campus before, during, and after the shot. Roof access, sniper position in the gravel, that screwdriver left behind, every piece fits,” Jack Posobiec reported on Monday. “Defense is already grasping at procedural straws.” In another video played for the court, a person believed to be Robinson was seen “‘rolling’ over the railing of the Losee Student Center and moving into a prone position just seconds before Kirk was shot,” Neff posted. Security footage also appeared to show a person believed to be Robinson seconds after Kirk was fatally shot. The person was seen running along the top of a campus building “before dropping down onto the grass and heading away from campus on foot, carrying something,” The New York Times reported. The hearing will determine whether prosecutors have presented enough evidence to establish probable cause for Robinson to stand trial for Kirk’s assassination. Related: The Chilling Moment Judge Flinches While Watching Charlie Kirk Assassination Footage

Senator Mitch McConnell’s (R-KY) extended hospitalization has fueled mounting questions about both his health and what would happen if Kentucky’s longest-serving senator were unable to complete his final term. The 84-year-old Kentucky Republican has remained hospitalized since June 14, when emergency responders were dispatched to his Washington residence following what widely reported emergency radio traffic described as a cardiac arrest requiring CPR. McConnell’s office has released only brief statements since then, declining to disclose the nature of his condition or his prognosis. The lack of information has sparked widespread speculation online, but it has also drawn renewed attention to an unusual wrinkle in Kentucky election law that could become significant if McConnell were to resign or otherwise vacate his seat before his term expires in January 2027. McConnell’s office attempted to tamp down speculation last week, issuing another short statement. “Senator McConnell appreciates the outpouring of support he’s receiving while he continues his recovery in the hospital,” his office said. “The Senator continues to improve and is working closely with his staff on Kentucky and Senate matters while the Senate is out of session.” Beyond that statement, his office has declined to provide additional details regarding his medical condition. The limited disclosures have become increasingly notable as conservative commentators and online activists speculate about the senator’s status, with some questioning whether his office is withholding information until a key election-law deadline passes. Much of that speculation centers on changes Kentucky lawmakers made last year to the state’s Senate vacancy process. In 2024, Kentucky enacted House Bill 622, repealing the state’s previous law allowing the governor to appoint an interim U.S. senator and replacing it with a special-election process. Under the revised statute, if a Senate vacancy occurs before a term expires, the governor must issue a proclamation calling a special election to fill the remainder of that term. Unlike many states, Kentucky no longer provides for an interim gubernatorial appointment under the statute. However, adding another layer of complexity, Kentucky law does not require a separate special election if a vacancy occurs within three months of a regularly scheduled general election. This year’s three-month cutoff falls on August 3. Legal experts caution, however, that Kentucky’s revised succession law has never been tested in court. Josh Douglass, associate dean for research at the University of Kentucky Rosenberg College of Law, told Newsweek that the legislation could face constitutional questions because Section 152 of the Kentucky Constitution grants the governor appointment authority over statewide vacancies, while the Seventeenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution allows — but does not require — states to authorize temporary gubernatorial appointments before an election. If challenged, courts would have to determine whether Kentucky’s revised statute is consistent with both the state and U.S. constitutions, all in a very short timeframe. Complicating matters further, the statute provides detailed procedures for calling special elections but does not explicitly address how a vacancy would be handled when the same Senate seat is already scheduled to appear on the general-election ballot only months later. The uncertainty comes as Kentucky is already preparing to elect McConnell’s successor. Rep. Andy Barr (R-KY), who secured President Donald Trump’s endorsement and won the GOP primary, will face Democratic nominee Charles Booker in the general election for the seat. Barr enters the race as the clear favorite in a state that has not elected a Democrat to the U.S. Senate since 1992. While questions surrounding Kentucky’s election law have attracted increasing attention, another aspect of McConnell’s hospitalization has generated its own round of speculation. Three days after McConnell was hospitalized, his wife, former Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, traveled to Beijing as part of what her office described as a previously scheduled philanthropic trip connected to her family’s charitable work. Chinese state media published photographs showing Chao meeting with Chinese Vice President Han Zheng, who encouraged continued efforts to strengthen relations between Beijing and Washington. The timing of the trip prompted even more speculation because of the limited public information surrounding McConnell’s condition. Chao’s spokesperson rejected suggestions that the travel reflected anything unusual. “The secretary was on a long-planned trip in China to support her family’s philanthropic endeavors,” the spokesperson said. “During the trip, she met with a number of people, including the U.S. ambassador. The Senator’s health did not warrant an immediate return to the U.S.” For now, McConnell remains a sitting senator, and there has been no public indication that he intends to resign. But with his office continuing to release only brief updates, his prolonged hospitalization has placed renewed attention on Kentucky’s untested Senate succession law — and the unusual legal questions that could arise if his status were to change before voters elect his successor in November.

Team USA fell to Belgium in the round of 16 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after coming out flat in a 4-1 loss Monday night. After an impressive tournament start, winning two of their group stage games and dominating in their opening knockout stage match against Bosnia and Herzegovina 2-0, the United States Men’s National Team (USMNT) suffered a blowout loss in Seattle to Belgium. The return of Folarin Balogun after his controversial red card, which FIFA suspended, and Belgium’s appeal fell flat was not enough as Team USA struggled to generate enough offense to advance to their first quarterfinal since 2002. Favorites to advance, Belgium put the United States on its heels early when Charles De Ketelaere scored from point blank range in the ninth minute of play after the USMNT struggled to clear the ball from their own box. This was the story of the first half, as Belgium was winning the race to every ball. After earning a free kick from just outside the penalty box, Malik Tillman scored in his second straight game. His shot bounced off a Belgian defender’s head and landed in the back of the net in the 31st minute, tying the game at one apiece. MALIK TILLMAN FORCES THE EQUALIZER FOR THE @USMNT

Notorious anti-Trump singer Bruce Springsteen claims that criticizing President Trump actually makes him a patriot. “I believe in critical patriotism,” the New Jersey-based entertainer said during his recent PBS special, “Bruce Springsteen: Finding America in Song.” He added, “I believe that’s the definition of a patriot, you know, that you love your country so much that you are willing to look at it clearly, recognize its faults, encourage it to be a better place, and believe that you carry in your heart the country that is waiting.” Springsteen recently ended his “Land of Hope and Dreams” tour, which was filled with political protest and Trump-bashing galore, as The Daily Wire previously reported. The far-left singer, 76, made endless political statements during the tour, both on and off the stage. “There’s some very weird, strange, and dangerous sh*t going on out there right now,” he said during his Manchester stop. “In America, they are persecuting people for using their right to free speech and voicing their dissent. This is happening now. In America, the richest men are taking satisfaction in abandoning the world’s poorest children to sickness and death.” On the topic of the Trump administration targeting illegal aliens for deportation, Springsteen said, “They are removing residents off American streets and without due process of law, are deporting them to foreign detention centers and prisons.” “In my country they’re taking sadistic pleasure in the pain they inflict on loyal American workers. They’re rolling back historic civil rights legislation that has led to a more just and plural society,” the singer said at another point. “They are abandoning our great allies and siding with dictators against those struggling for their freedom. They are defunding American universities that won’t bow down to their ideological demands.” But Trump has not accepted the criticism in silence. Recently, the president made his opinion known, calling for a MAGA boycott against Springsteen and his shows. “Bad, and very boring singer, Bruce Springsteen, who looks like a dried up prune who has suffered greatly from the work of a really bad plastic surgeon, has long had a horrible and incurable case of Trump Derangement Syndrome, sometimes referred to as TDS,” the president wrote, echoing what many on social media were saying. “The guy is a total loser who spews hate against a President who won a Landslide Election, including the popular vote, all Seven Swing States, and 86% of the Counties across America.”