Bucephalus is undoubtedly one of the most famous horses in history. After Alexander the Great tamed the horse‚ the two became inseparable‚ with Bucephalus accompanying Alexander on his legendary Persian campaign‚ carrying his master into the battle and sharing his victories. Bucephalus’ death in India deeply affected Alexander‚ marking the limit of the campaign. To honor his beloved companion‚ Alexander named a city after Bucephalus. The story of Alexander and Bucephalus is more than a story between an iconic historical figure and his horse. It is also a testament to Alexander’s greatness‚ foreshadowing his future as a leader and conqueror‚ a man who changed the course of history.   Bucephalus Was Impossible to Tame Detail from the Battle of Issus mosaic of Alexander the Great and his horse Bucephalus‚ 100 BCE‚ Archaeological Museum of Napoli   The story of how Alexander tamed Bucephalus is as iconic as the story of Alexander’s Persian campaign. Bucephalus was presented to king Phillip II of Macedon‚ Alexander’s father‚ in 344 BCE by Philonicus of Thessaly. According to Plutarch’s detailed account‚ Bucephalus was an expensive horse‚ costing 13 talents‚ three times more than the regular Macedon steed. Described as a beast of a horse with a massive head (Boukephalas means ox’s head)‚ the horse had a large white star on his forehead. He also had a wild temperament‚ and was deemed untamable. Thus‚ Phillip decided not to buy an untamable horse. But not everyone was of the same opinion.   Alexander the Great Tamed Bucephalus Alexander and Bucephalus‚ by Domenico Maria Canuti‚ 1645-1684. Source: Christie’s   The king ordered the horse to be taken away‚ but his 12-year-old son – Alexander – intervened‚ wagering that he could mount the fierce beast. Phillip‚ amused by his son’s naivety‚ agreed. Famously‚ Alexander realized that Bucephalus was frightened by his own shadow. He spoke calmly to the horse and gently turned his head toward the sun‚ and was able to mount Bucephalus. Philip was so impressed and declared that Alexander would secure for himself a large kingdom‚ as Macedonia was too small for him. While this could be a later invention‚ we know that Phillip gifted the horse to Alexander.    Thus‚ Bucephalus’ fate became linked with that of his master‚ the legendary conqueror. In fact‚ Bucephalus was essentially a mirror image of Alexander the Great. Legend says that Alexander and Bucephalus were both born on the same day‚ and the moment they met changed the flow of history.   He Accompanied Alexander on His Campaign A map of the route that Alexander the Great took to conquer Egypt‚ Mesopotamia‚ Persia‚ and Bactria   Bucephalus was more than a horse; he was a symbol of Alexander’s military prowess and leadership. He was always at his master’s side‚ sharing the glory of his victories. Only Alexander could ride him‚ and indeed he did‚ into every battle from the conquest of the Greek city states to the now iconic battles of Gaugamela and Issus‚ all the way to India‚ the end of the known world. Bucephalus’ presence on the battlefield was a morale booster for the soldiers‚ as Alexander’s brave war horse was key figure in the Alexander’s army‚ embodying spirit and discipline of the Macedon cavalry.    According to an anecdote‚ shortly after the final defeat of Persian king Darius III‚ Bucephalus was kidnapped‚ while Alexander was away. Upon returning‚ and finding his beloved horse missing‚ Alexander promised to fell every tree‚ lay countryside to waste‚ and slaughter every inhabitant unless Bucephalus was not brought back. The horse was promptly returned along with plea of mercy.     Alexander Founded a City in Bucephalus’ Honor Statuette of Alexander the Great on Horseback‚ 1st century BCE. Source: The Metropolitan Museum   The bond between the man and horse was so profound‚ that Bucephalus’ death deeply affected Alexander. Bucephalus died in 326‚ shortly after the Battle of Hydaspes‚ likely due to wounds or the old age. The faithful steed was by that point around thirty years old. Alexander grief was so immense‚ that he gave his companion a royal funeral. Reportedly‚ the conqueror wept openly at the sight of Bucephalus’ lifeless body. But Alexander went even further.   To honor his heroic horse‚ Alexander the Great founded a city on the banks of the Hydaspes River‚ naming it Alexandria Boukephala. Boukephala seems to outlive both Bucephalus and his master‚ being mentioned by Pliny the Elder and Ptolemy‚ and appearing in 4th-century Tabula Peutingeriana map.   The Horse Became a Legend Statue of Alexander the Great in Thessaloniki‚ Greece   Only three years later‚ Alexander the Great would follow Bucephalus‚ dying in Babylon‚ leaving his vast empire and‚ more importantly‚ the Hellenistic world as his lasting legacy. Thus‚ it is unsurprising that‚ like his master‚ Bucephalus became a legend. The horse became the subject of literature and art‚ including the most famous of them: the monumental “Alexander Mosaic‚” uncovered at the Roman site of Pompeii. Bucephalus also became a model for other famous horses‚ such as Julius Caesar’s famous polydactyl horse or Napoleon’s warhorse Marengo.    Thus‚ from a wild beast to a most loyal royal companion‚ Bucephalus reminds us of his master’s achievements and legacy‚ gaining the well-deserved immortality and the status of a legendary horse and companion. 

  Since the fall of Phoenician Tyre‚ the Mediterranean‚ once interconnected by vast trade networks running from southern Iberia to the Levantine coast‚ was in flux. Sicily was perfectly positioned to serve as a central‚ commercial hub for the two halves of the sea. But who would control it&;#63; The Carthaginians‚ heirs of their Phoenician ancestors‚ or the colonial Sicilian Greeks with their famed capital of Syracuse. For nearly a century‚ the two powers would muster countless men‚ mercenaries‚ and fleets to answer this question‚ and it all began at Himera.   Before the Battle of Himera: The Lines Are Drawn Sicily after the Peace Treaty of 405 BCE‚ made by the author using QGIS   With lucrative ports and colonies in the western half of Sicily‚ Carthage guarded its territory with swift and often decisive proactivity‚ thwarting several attempts by Greek colonists to settle there.   Carthaginians‚ native Sicilians‚ and Greek colonists all vied for territory. Soon‚ a complex web of treaties‚ marriage alliances‚ and local despots developed‚ ensuring that the once small and sporadic conflicts would now escalate and draw in mercenaries from nearly every corner of the Mediterranean.   Seizing on civil unrest‚ an ambitious young man named Gelon took control of Syracuse. Seeking legitimacy for his new regime‚ the tyrant married the daughter of Theron of Akragas. Legitimacy was not his only goal. A rival‚ Anaxilas of Rhegium‚ had taken the town of Zancle to gain control over the Messenian Straits‚ threatening the eastern half of Sicily. Anaxilas was a well-connected man; his father-in-law also happened to be a tyrant‚ controlling a small town on the northern coast of Sicily. It was called Himera.   Another duo of despots vying to control crucial shipping lanes could not be tolerated. It was against Anaxilas’ father-in-law that the new partnership of Gelon of Syracuse and Theron of Akragas first moved. Terillus of Himera was expelled‚ and he instinctively sought aid from his son-in-law. They turned to the one man in the region who could contend with the wealth and arms of a united Akragas and Syracuse: Hamilcar of Carthage.   Inherently leery of the Syracusans and any concentration of Greek power‚ Hamilcar agreed to aid Terillus and “brought against Gelon three hundred thousand Phoenicians‚ Libyans‚ Iberians‚ Ligyes‚ Elisyci‚ Sardinians‚ and Cyrnians” (Herodotus 7.165). In 480 BCE‚ the invasion of Sicily began‚ and the two new ententes would meet on the fields of Himera to decide the fate of Sicily.   Herodotus’ Account of the Battle Marble Bust of Herodotus‚ Copy of a Greek bronze statue of the first half of the fourth century BCE. Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art   Writing only a generation after Himera‚ Herodotus’ account (Book 7.165-167) is the most contemporary retelling of the battle. Yet‚ it remains frustratingly vague despite his claim that it was based on the stories of the Carthaginians themselves.   The historian’s estimate of 300‚000 Carthaginian men landing on Sicily is surely hyperbolic. The Carthaginians‚ undoubtedly‚ mobilized a massive‚ multi-ethnic force‚ yet the Syracusan force response was similar. An army comprised of men from all over the Greek world was mustered to match the Carthaginian threat. The two commercial powers used their wealth to defeat each other.   The armies fought for hours‚ neither gaining the upper hand. The “barbarians‚” as Herodotus calls them‚ held the field against the Greek coalition. Meanwhile‚ in his tent‚ the pious Hamilcar‚ whom Herodotus calls the king of Carthage‚ performed a sacrificial ritual in order to gain favorable omens for his endeavor. His efforts were in vain‚ and the sight of his army collapsing caused him to throw himself onto the huge sacrificial pyre. Far from being a shameful act‚ Hamilcar’s self-immolation was lauded by the Carthaginians‚ even inspiring honorific ruler cults to be established.   Herodotus’ account leaves out much of the actual battle‚ focusing instead on the figures of Gelon and Hamilcar‚ who are both portrayed as upright and noble men despite their contrasting fates.   Diodorus’ Account of the Battle of Himera Battle of Himera‚ by Giuseppe Sciuti. Source: Wikimedia Commons   Most of Diodorus Siculus’ voluminous work has not survived into the present day. However‚ his account of Himera does remain (Book 11.21-23)‚ giving us much of the detail that Herodotus’ account lacks. Writing in the first century CE‚ he tells us that Gelon‚ a tyrant of Syracuse‚ brought 50‚000 men into the field. He rushed his men across the island to meet the invaders and quickly fortified the town of Himera. Some of the Carthaginians had strayed too far from their camp and were quickly taken prisoner by the mobile Syracusan cavalry. From them‚ Gelon learned that the enemy force had pulled their boats ashore‚ and were expecting allies from the local town of Selinus to join them shortly.   Gelon sent his cavalry‚ and ordered them to ride up to the walls posing as the friendly Selinuntians. Once inside the camp‚ they were to set fire to the ships.   An alarm was raised as soon as the fire from the ships could be seen. It was at that moment that Gelon led his force in a shattering charge against the Carthaginian camp. Panicked by the flames and the oncoming army‚ the Carthaginian coalition scrambled to the walls. It was in this maelstrom that Hamilcar‚ conducting his ritual to Poseidon‚ was slain.   Like Herodotus‚ Diodorus relays that the battle was hard fought. Slowly‚ as the flames from their destroyed fleet grew higher and thicker‚ word began to trickle through the Carthaginian ranks that their commander was dead. With their fleet burning‚ the Carthaginian lines broke‚ and a great slaughter ensued. Gelon gave the order that no order was to be given. So great were the casualties‚ that Diodorus reports that not a man that landed on Sicily returned to Carthage.   Greek Triumph Bases of the Deinomenid tripods at Delphi‚ by William West III (photographer). Source: Ancient World Image Bank   When we think of decisive battles in ancient history‚ we think of Salamis‚ Gaugamela‚ or Caesar’s stunning victory at Alesia. We do not think of Himera. Perhaps it is because‚ to noble Greeks drunk from their victory over the mighty Persians‚ Sicily was a backwater. However‚ in the ancient mind‚ Himera stood alongside other legendary victories. Both ancient accounts agree that it was a shattering victory for the Syracusans. It would drive the Carthaginians from the island for the next seven decades.   Gelon commemorated the event by dedicating a monument at Delphi‚ making sure to broadcast his victory to the wider Greek world. From the spoils‚ he also struck a magnificent series of silver decadrachms he referred to as Demareteia after his wife. The style adopted for this issue would go on to influence Carthage’s own religious iconography during the subsequent rise of Tanit’s cult within the capital city.   A Carthaginian Conspiracy&;#63; Decadrachm issued by Gelon with the head of a goddess‚ 5th century BCE. Source: University of Pennsylvania Museum     Herodotus (7.166) tells us that the battle took place the same day as the naval triumph at Salamis. While likely not chronologically true‚ the two victories‚ in his mind‚ were equivalently monumental‚ serving as an emphatic statement on the triumph of Hellenism. Similarly‚ Diodorus (11.24) reports that the battle actually took place on the same day as the Battle of Thermopylae. For narrative purposes‚ it was important for the ancient authors to emphasize the connection between the two conflicts. For Diodorus‚ he did not even see them as separate. It was his assertion that the Persians had coordinated their own invasion with the Carthaginians in an attempt to destroy the Greek world once and for all (Diodorus‚ 11.20).   However‚ there is little evidence outside Greek literature to suggest that there was‚ in fact‚ a coordinated‚ anti-Greek alliance. The Carthaginians were as deeply suspicious of the Persians as they were of the Sicilian Greeks. Three decades prior‚ Persia had planned its own invasion of Carthage. It was only thwarted by the Phoenicians’ unwillingness to sail against their Punic daughter colony.   In fact‚ it was not the Carthaginians that contacted the Persians. It was Gelon of Syracuse himself. Seeking aid for his campaign against the Carthaginians‚ he sent the traditional sign of friendship to King Xerxes: earth and water. He was a pragmatist with no compunctions about dealing with an enemy of other Greek city-states. There was no pan-Hellenic loyalty‚ nor was there a pan-Mediterranean alliance formed against it.   The Two Hundred Years War Temple of Syracusan Victory at Himera. Source: Livius.org‚   Some have argued that the repercussions of the defeat in 480 BCE were disastrous for the Carthaginians‚ setting them back decades on the world stage (see Warmington‚ Carthage‚1960).  While this is true if our scope is limited solely to Sicily‚ Carthage‚ at large‚ continued to thrive through the 5th century BCE‚ both commercially and militarily. Their influence in Sicily lessened after the defeat at Himera‚ but their ambitions did not wane. They began to launch military campaigns into the interior of North Africa‚ kickstarting an agrarian aspect to an economy that had previously relied nearly entirely on maritime commerce (Pilkington‚ The Carthaginian Empire 550-202 BCE‚ 2019).   In 410 BCE‚ spats among Sicilian city-states would once again draw Carthage into the fray. This time‚ the expedition was led by Hannibal Mago. His grandfather was Hamilcar‚ the Carthaginian commander who lost his life at Himera. His grandson was seemingly less pious and wasted no time in taking his familial revenge.   The Second Battle of Himera did not go as well for the Sicilian Greeks. Hannibal won a resounding victory and sacrificed 3‚000 prisoners on the same spot where his grandfather was sacrificed nearly 75 years earlier. Gelon’s Temple of Syracusan Victory that had been erected after the first battle was demolished as Hannibal continued his revenge tour (Diodorus‚ 13.62.4). The Carthaginians had returned with a vengeance‚ but the fortune of war is fickle. Within three years‚ Hannibal was to be dead‚ ravaged by an unforeseen plague that would soon spread to the shores of North Africa. Sicily for the Carthaginians seemed to be forever cursed.   A Discovery Related to the Battle of Himera Dido Building Carthage by J.M.W. Turner‚ 1815. Source: London National Gallery   While the ancient accounts of the battle are crucial to our understanding of the events‚ modern-day discoveries have also helped us to fill in the gaps. In 2008‚ an archaeological excavation uncovered a mass grave to the west of the ancient fortifications of the city. Over 100 bodies were discovered. Weapon fragments were also found in association with the inhumations. Most of the individuals were young adult males.   Interestingly‚ strontium isotope ratio analysis of the bodies confirms the ancient sources and proves that the Syracusan army was made up of men from all over the Greek world. The diversity represents not only mercenaries hired by Gelon but also allies that provided men. The lack of a Carthaginian presence again corroborates the outcome of the battle. The victorious Syracusans had ample time to bury their dead with care while the invaders scrambled to the burnt remains of their ships.   Conversely‚ the graves associated with the Second Sicilian War (410 BCE) show hastily buried bodies done out of necessity rather than reverence. An army that once represented a diverse array of the Greek world now showed only Syracusans. As in the ancient sources‚ it appears in this fight the Syracusans stood alone. Unflinching yet unable to stop the Carthaginians from securing a shocking victory.   Few could have known at the time that this great clash at Himera between two powerful nations would lead to a nearly unending string of conflicts known as the Sicilian Wars. Seven wars would be fought between the Carthaginians and the Sicilian Greeks before Carthage’s eventual showdown with Rome.

God hears you&;#33; &;quot;This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will‚ he hears us.&;quot; – 1 John 5:14 A man was being pursued by a roaring‚ hungry lion. Feeling the beast's hot breath on his neck and knowing his time was short‚ he prayed frantically as he ran‚ &;quot;O Lord‚ please make this lion a Christian.&;quot; Within seconds‚ the frightened man became aware the lion had stopped. When he looked behind him‚ he found the lion kneeling‚ lips moving in obvious prayer. Greatly relieved at this turn of events‚ and now eager to join the newly converted lion in prayer‚ he approached the mighty beast. As he drew near‚ he heard the lion praying‚ &;quot;And bless‚ O Lord‚ this food for which I am exceedingly grateful.&;quot; We often have a very specific vision of how we expect God to answer our prayers. But prayer isn't about the fulfillment of our will – it's about seeking and trusting in the fulfillment of God's will. You're probably carrying concerns today that you need to bring before the Lord. Maybe it's a personal illness or a sick family member. Perhaps you're lonely‚ tired‚ or confused about what's next in your life. God promises in His Word that He hears your prayers. And you can trust that He will answer them in the absolute best way possible – according to His will and your greatest good&;#33; Prayer Challenge:  Ask God to help you trust in His goodness‚ wisdom‚ and love as you bring your requests before Him. Pray that you'll long to see His will accomplished in your life. Questions for Thought: What are some prayers in your past that God answered in ways you didn't expect&;#63; How can you pray today in a way that reflects your trust in His will&;#63; Visit the Senior Living Ministries website The post God Hears You&;#33; – Senior Living – April 24 appeared first on GodUpdates.

A Prayer When a Situation Seems ImpossibleBy Chris Eyte “When the disciples heard this‚ they were greatly astonished and asked‚ ‘Who then can be saved&;#63;’ Jesus looked at them and said‚ ‘With man this is impossible‚ but with God all things are possible.&;quot;' – Matthew 19:25-26 My wife and I held hands and stood on the cusp of the light blue sea beneath hot sunlight. Gigantic waves from an aggressive tide crashed onto the bodies of swimmers and bodyboarders around us. The surf was daunting and very‚ very large. &;quot;This is what it is like in life. These waves are like the challenges‚&;quot; I said to my wife‚ who had been unwell of late. &;quot;We need to hold hands together with Jesus and jump higher than the waves.&;quot; A surge loomed over us‚ and we both thrust our bodies upwards‚ gasping for air as the mega tower of water crashed over our heads. &;quot;You need to get the family together. This is serious.&;quot; … Two days later‚ after our time on the beach‚ my wife was standing alone in a hospital. She could hardly believe the words coming from the nurse. Between the two ladies lay a man in a hospital trolley. He was unconscious from a brain stroke. That man was me. The rest of the family and my friends‚ as they learned about the situation‚ were shocked to realize just how serious it was. Plans were remade‚ flights booked‚ and travel plans changed. The nurse had said that my life was on a cliff edge. A deadly wave crashed over me from out of nowhere and there seemed little hope. The situation was very real and impossible. Even so‚ the call went out from prayer warrior to prayer warrior around the world. I do not exaggerate. They gathered and they interceded upon the God of all comfort to show his lovingkindness. The only person in the entire universe who can bring hope where there is only darkness.  Two days later‚ I regained consciousness to find myself in a high-dependency brain injuries unit some 40 miles from home. I had no memory of the day before. Another nurse was next to me‚ telling me about the brain bleed. I endured all sorts of invasive tests in the following two weeks‚ and I was bed-bound. My left arm went black from the prodding of needles. One morning‚ I woke up to find a smiling doctor stitching a large IV line into my left wrist artery. No cause for the bleed was found. My wife and I were told this is good news. And then‚ I was informed that I would be going home. It was a sheer miracle&;#33; Toward the end of my hospital stay‚ I learned to walk again and pottered around the ward‚ familiarizing myself with the clinical surroundings. I headed to the outer door and saw the sign above‚ ‘High Dependency Brain Injuries Unit‚' and felt a coldness in my spine. The thought occurred to me: &;quot;How can I have been in this place&;#63;&;quot; And that thought was quickly followed by another: &;quot;How is it possible that I can WALK out of this place&;#63;&;quot; But I did‚ and thankfully I returned to my wife and children. I spent a long time recovering and building my strength again. Some six months later‚ I am walking by the Mediterranean Sea nearly two thousand miles from home‚ taking a break between sessions at a work conference. How is that possible&;#63; How can I have recovered enough to do that&;#63; How can I be staring at the drab‚ grey rooftops of a hospital building one moment and the next find myself looking at the brilliant sun setting over tranquil waters&;#63; How is it possible to find a way out when a situation is definitely impossible&;#63; I mean‚ really and absolutely impossible. Ask Lazarus‚ the man whom Jesus raised from the dead. Or the little girl whom Jesus also raised from the dead. Or the demoniac who slashed himself by tombs‚ freed by Jesus. Or the man born blind‚ who regained his sight. Or myself‚ marked down as likely to die but now living. How is it possible&;#63; I call it the ‘J Factor.' The fact of Jesus Christ in our lives. When everything seems totally hopeless. When you are struggling with suffering and walking in the valley of death‚ there is a Man calling‚ &;quot;Come out&;#33;&;quot; in the midst of the dark‚ turbulent storm. His very name means ‘God With Us.' He &;quot;knows those who are his' and He will never‚ ever abandon us. We can trust him‚ we can hope in him‚ we can walk with him‚ we can know him – our future is guaranteed because of him&;#33; Whether we live or die‚ we belong to the Lord. My wife has recently painted these words on a wall in our house as a reminder to us both: &;quot;Mightier than the waves of the sea‚ is His love for us&;#33;&;quot; (Inspired by Psalm 93:4). Please remember this. Mightier than the tempest you are facing is His love for you&;#33; Let us pray: Father of all comfort‚I declare today‚ not just in words but from my heart‚ directing my mind as I say this: Nothing is impossible with God. Every word from God is pure‚ He is a shield unto those who trust in him (Proverbs 30: 5). You ARE my shield and you have said that whilst we mustn't put you to the test‚ we can truly trust you. When we turn to you in prayer‚ you run to us as you run to the prodigal son. So I put my hope in you today and the power of your beautiful Holy Spirit. You know my weaknesses and failings. My situation. Help me to walk with you in faith. Today and every day. I love you Lord. Help my life to match those words. In Jesus’ name‚ Amen. Photo credit: ©Getty Images/David Baileys Christopher Eyte lives with his wife C&;eacute;line and three children in Swansea‚ Wales‚ UK. He has worked as a journalist for many years and writes his own blog (hislovefrees.life) encouraging others in their walk with Jesus. He became a Christian in February 2002‚ after a friend explained God’s amazing grace&;#33; Teach Us to Pray is a FREE prayer podcast hosted by iBelieve writer Christina Patterson. Each week‚ she gives you practical‚ real-life tips on how to grow your faith and relationship with God through the power of prayer. To listen to her episode on What to Pray in the Morning for a Worry-Free Day‚ click below&;#33; Now that you’ve prayed‚ are you in need of someone to pray for YOU&;#63; Click the button below&;#33; Visit iBelieve.com for more inspiring prayer content. The post A Prayer When a Situation Seems Impossible – Your Daily Prayer – April 24 appeared first on GodUpdates.

Donald Trump secured another GOP primary victory Tuesday night. This time in Pennsylvania. According to The Hill‚ Trump captured 83.5% of the vote at the time of writing. Nikki Haley tallied 16.5%. JUST IN: Donald Trump wins the Republican presidential primary in Pennsylvania – AP — Breaking911 (@Breaking911) April 24‚ 2024 The Hill reports: Trump has already hit the delegates he needs to secure the Republican nomination for 2024‚ and there are another 67 delegates up for grabs in the Keystone State’s Tuesday night contest‚ according to a tracker from Decision Desk HQ/The Hill. Across the aisle‚ President Biden is set to pick up another win in Pennsylvania’s Democratic primary. Neither presidential contender was expected to see major challengers‚ but Biden is likely to see a protest vote as some Democrats express frustration with the administration over Biden’s handling of the Israel-Hamas war — and Trump could see some protest votes for his ex-rival‚ Nikki Haley. Polling averages from Decision Desk HQ/The Hill show Trump with a slim 0.4 point lead over Biden in the battleground state as the race gears up for a competitive rematch of the pair’s 2020 showdown. Voters in Pennsylvania are casting ballots Tuesday in the race for Sen. Bob Casey’s (D-Pa.) seat in the upper chamber‚ as well as several closely watched House contests. The state is poised to play a critical role in deciding which party controls the White House and Congress next year. WATCH: PENNSYLVANIA PRIMARY VOTER: &;quot;I voted for Donald J. Trump … he did an excellent job and I would vote for him again and again.&;quot; pic.twitter.com/GLkrvZDyCJ — RNC Research (@RNCResearch) April 23‚ 2024 Dave McCormick won the GOP Senate primary to face Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA) in November’s general election. “I’m honored to receive the endorsement of our party to run for the US Senate. Our movement is strong. Now let’s retire Bob Casey and renew our nation‚” McCormick said. I’m honored to receive the endorsement of our party to run for the US Senate. Our movement is strong. Now let’s retire Bob Casey and renew our nation. pic.twitter.com/sxZm0ImSwn — Dave McCormick (@DaveMcCormickPA) April 24‚ 2024 Per NBC News: Democratic Sen. Bob Casey and Republican Dave McCormick are officially set to face off in Pennsylvania’s high-stakes Senate battle this fall after winning their uncontested primaries on Tuesday‚ NBC News projects. Casey‚ a three-term incumbent‚ and McCormick‚ who rallied the Pennsylvania GOP establishment behind his candidacy after announcing his bid last year‚ will now sprint toward the November election in one of the most bitterly contested‚ expensive Senate races in the country. The race is among a handful that could tip the balance of power in Congress’ upper chamber. For McCormick‚ a hedge fund executive and former official in President George W. Bush’s Treasury Department‚ his 2024 run comes on the heels of a failed 2022 bid against celebrity doctor Mehmet Oz‚ who narrowly defeated him in a Republican primary with former President Donald Trump’s backing. Oz went on to lose to Democrat John Fetterman in the general election. This time around‚ McCormick has the support of Trump‚ as well as GOP leaders across Pennsylvania.

You’ve got to have big balls to do an album of covers of songs from rock’s crown jewels. Or be totally bonkers

In response to knowing the heart of God we are called to share the wonders of his invisible nature with a world in desperate need of him.