Republican wins special election, bolstering the GOP majority in House

Trump-endorsed Republican state Sen. Randy Fine emerged victorious in one-of-two special elections in the Sunshine State on Tuesday night.

Fine will be taking over former Congressman Mike Waltz’s seat in Florida’s 6th Congressional District, after Waltz vacated the seat to become President Donald Trump’s National Security Advisor. Fine outlasted Democrat Josh Weil, a public school employee and political newcomer who raised nearly 10 times more than Fine.

Florida’s sixth district, located on the Sunshine State’s Atlantic coast from Daytona Beach to just south of Saint Augustine and inland to the outskirts of Ocala, was carried overwhelmingly by former GOP congressman Waltz in 2024. President Trump also won the 6th Congressional District in 2024 by a significant margin – 30 points.

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The Republican’s victory came in the closest election for Florida’s sixth district since 2018, when former Congressman Waltz beat out his Democrat opponent by13 points. Each subsequent election, Waltz won at least 60% of the vote.

Tuesday’s unusually close race, widely seen as a referendum on President Trump’s first few months in office, carries implications for the broader battle for power in Congress.   

There were fears that a loss in both, or either, of Florida’s Tuesday special elections would deal a significant blow to the Republican majority in the House of Representatives, which has dwindled since Trump plucked numerous Republican House members, such as Waltz, to join his cabinet.

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Amid these concerns, GOP New York Rep. Elise Stefanik’s nomination to be Trump’s Ambassador to the United Nations was pulled.

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Weil’s ability to drum up a campaign war chest worth nearly $10 million, dwarfed Fine’s which held a little under $1 million. However, in the final week before Tuesday’s election, outside Republican-aligned groups doled out around $1 million for advertising in an attempt to help boost Fine.

Tuesday’s victory notches one more seat in the House for Republicans, expanding their slim five-vote majority by one more.

Following Tuesday’s victory President Trump took to social media to congratulate Fine and Fine thanked the President for his support.

Trump celebrates swing state’s move to enshrine voter ID requirements into constitution

Wisconsin will enshrine the state’s voter ID law in the state constitution after voters approved the proposal on Tuesday, according to The Associated Press’ vote call at 9:48 p.m. EST.

The Badger State already requires that voters have photo ID in order to participate at the polls, but that law has now been elevated to a constitutional amendment.

The measure was placed on the ballot by the Republican-controlled legislature in an effort to strengthen election security. 

It also protects the law from potentially being overturned in court when Democrats are in control, as constitutional amendments have to be approved in two legislative sessions and by a statewide popular vote.

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The proposal’s passing was celebrated by GOP lawmakers, President Donald Trump and DOGE leader Elon Musk.

State Sen. Van Wanggaard, a Republican who co-authored the amendment, said “this will help maintain integrity in the electoral process, no matter who controls the Legislature.”

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Trump celebrated the law being added to the state constitution on Truth Social after the vote was called Tuesday night.

“VOTER I.D. JUST APPROVED IN WISCONSIN ELECTION. Democrats fought hard against this, presumably so they can CHEAT. This is a BIG WIN FOR REPUBLICANS, MAYBE THE BIGGEST WIN OF THE NIGHT. IT SHOULD ALLOW US TO WIN WISCONSIN, LIKE I JUST DID IN THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION, FOR MANY YEARS TO COME!” the president wrote.

Musk celebrated with a simple “Yeah!” while sharing The AP’s call on X.

Opponents of the proposal, who typically oppose photo ID requirements in general, argued that voting will be more difficult for people of color, disabled people and poor people because they claim the law isn’t enforced fairly.

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Nine states, including Wisconsin, require that voters present photo ID, though Wisconsin’s requirements are the strictest, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. 

There are laws in 36 states requiring or requesting that voters show some sort of identification, the NCSL said.

Val Kilmer, ‘Top Gun’ and ‘Batman Forever’ star, dead at 65

Actor Val Kilmer, who starred in many high-profile films, including “Top Gun,” “Batman Forever” and “Tombstone,” died Tuesday. He was 65.

The New York Times reported that Kilmer died of pneumonia.

Kilmer, who played Tom “Iceman” Kazansky in the original “Top Gun” in 1986, died in Los Angeles, according to his daughter, Mercedes Kilmer. 

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The actor was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2015, but recovered, she said.

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Josh Brolin paid tribute on Instagram to the Mark Twain fanatic, who played the writer twice on screen and also in the “Citizen Twain” theater production. 

“See ya, pal. I’m going to miss you,” Brolin wrote. “You were a smart, challenging, brave, uber-creative firecracker. There’s not a lot left of those. I hope to see you up there in the heavens when I eventually get there. Until then, amazing memories, lovely thoughts. #valkilmer #marktwain.”

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Kilmer most recently appeared in “Top Gun: Maverick” in 2022 to reprise his infamous role as Iceman.

Although he could portray his character, he still had difficulty due to damage from a tracheostomy. Kilmer required the use of a breathing tube.

“I can’t speak without plugging this hole [in his throat]. You have to make the choice to breathe or to eat,” he told People Magazine in 2021. “It’s an obstacle that is very present with whoever sees me.”

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When Kilmer and Cruise reunited for “Maverick,” nearly 30 years after the original “Top Gun” was released, it was like the pilots had never left each other’s sides.

“It was like no time had passed at all,” Kilmer shared with Entertainment Weekly. “We blew a lot of takes laughing so much. It was really fun … special.”

In recent years, Kilmer spent time painting and was described as “a talented and prolific artist in a variety of mediums” on his website.

Kilmer was born and raised in Los Angeles, and attended Julliard School in New York City. He made his film debut in the 1984 comedy, “Top Secret!”

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His breakthrough role, though, was playing Jim Morrison in Oliver Stone’s 1991 rock docudrama, “The Doors.”

He then portrayed Doc Holliday in “Tombstone,” and Elvis Presley’s spirit in “True Romance,” before taking on the role of a caped crusader in “Batman Forever.” 

Kilmer was known for roles in “Heat,” “The Saint,” “The Salton Sea,” “Alexander,” “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang,” and “Conspiracy.”

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He showed off comedic chops in the “Macgruber” comedy, and voiced K.I.T.T. in a number of “Knight Rider” episodes. 

The “Thunderheart” actor married fellow “Willow” star Joanne Whalley in 1988 after meeting on the set of the film. They divorced in 1996.

Kilmer is survived by his two children, Mercedes and Jack.

Labor Department secures eye-popping sum to return to American taxpayers

U.S. Department of Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer announced on Monday that her department will return over $1 billion in unused COVID-era funding back to the taxpayer amid the Trump administration’s push for the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to slash waste, fraud and abuse in the federal government.

In a press release, the Labor Department said $1.4 billion of unspent COVID funding will be “returned to taxpayers through the U.S. Department of Treasury’s General Fund” and added that “action” is “being taken to recover the remaining $2.9 billion.”

 “The roughly $4.3 billion was intended for states to use for temporary unemployment insurance during the pandemic,” the press release states. “Instead, several states continued spending millions of dollars despite no longer meeting necessary requirements, which was uncovered in a 2023 audit conducted by the department’s Office of Inspector General.”

The department explained in the press release that the funding originated from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act in March 2020 and that the program was meant to provide expanded unemployment insurance for Americans who were not able to work during the pandemic.

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The program was closed in 2021, the department said, but the 2023 audit “found four states were allowed to access the funding ‘despite not meeting program requirements,’ totaling over $100 million in spending.”

“There’s no reason leftover COVID unemployment funds should still be collecting dust,” DeRemer told Fox News Digital in a statement. “I promised to look out for Americans’ hard-earned tax dollars, and we are delivering at the Department of Labor.”

“Any money still sitting around for pandemic-era unemployment funds is a clear misuse of Americans’ hard-earned tax dollars,” Chavez-DeRemer said in the press release, adding that she is “rooting out waste to ensure American Workers always come First.”

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Deputy Secretary of Labor Keith Sonderling said in a statement, “It’s unacceptable that billions of dollars went unchecked in a program that ended several years ago.

“In a huge win for the American taxpayer, we’ve clawed back these unused funds and will keep working to eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse.”

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The announcement comes after DeRemer said in her first memo to the department after taking over last month that she plans to comply with Trump’s executive orders and work with DOGE to eliminate waste, fraud and abuse.

“Under the leadership of President Trump, our focus remains on promoting job creation, enhancing workforce development, and ensuring safe working conditions, wages, and pensions so that every American has the opportunity to succeed,” DeRemer said to employees in the memo. “I challenge each of you to actively engage with your teams to identify innovative solutions that can help us achieve our goals.” 

Chavez-DeRemer said that the Labor Department must align with the priorities of the Trump administration and “must focus on practicing fiscal responsibility, reducing unnecessary spending, and optimizing our resources to ensure that taxpayer dollars are utilized effectively.” 

Elon Musk says Tesla terror ‘generals’ have been identified: ‘We’re coming for them’

Amid a wave of violence against Tesla vehicles, showrooms and charging stations, Department of Government Efficiency chief Elon Musk labeled the attacks as “wide-scale domestic terrorism” and demanded authorities “go after the generals” behind the violence.

Reports of Tesla-related incidents have been increasing nationwide, ranging from minor vandalism, such as keying or graffiti, to more extreme cases like arson and drive-by shootings allegedly targeting Tesla vehicles.

Over the weekend, anti-Musk protesters saw one of their biggest shows of force as the decentralized movement known as Tesla Takedown planned a “Global Day of Action” targeting more than 500 Tesla locations worldwide. 

“This is fundamentally a case of terrorism. It’s wide-scale domestic terrorism with the purpose of intimidation, and it’s harming innocent people. It’s really terrible,” Musk said Tuesday on “The Five.” 

“What we actually have to get to are the people who are organizing and paying for these attacks and protests. That’s who we really need to go after, because the people that were actually throwing the Molotov cocktails — they’re the foot soldiers, but we need to go after the generals.”

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“The president has made it very clear that we’re going to go after those that are paying and organizing these violent attacks, and Attorney General Bondi has said the same thing. I believe that that is exactly what will happen,” Musk said, adding the administration knows who these “generals” are.

In response to the nationwide violence, the FBI launched a task force to investigate attacks on Tesla owners. FBI Director Kash Patel posted on X, formerly Twitter, that the incidents are being treated as “domestic terrorism.” 

The Tesla chief executive rebuked the “incredible hypocrites” within the legacy media and Democratic Party, arguing that the rhetoric of DOGE critics has fueled anger against Tesla and its supporters.

“I find it ironic and incredibly hypocritical that the same Democrat politicians who would want to throw someone in prison for 20 years simply for watching things at January 6, but not actually doing any violence, you don’t hear a single word from them about the actual violence happening against Tesla,” he said.

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Musk also discussed his concerns about the Democratic agenda at the state level as voters head to the ballot to determine the fate of the key battleground state’s Supreme Court. 

Wisconsin voters marched to the polls on Tuesday to decide if conservatives or liberals will control the majority on the state’s Supreme Court, which is likely to rule on crucial issues including congressional redistricting, voting and labor rights, and abortion.

With a massive infusion of money from Democrat and Republican-aligned groups from outside Wisconsin — which turned the race into the most expensive judicial election in the nation’s history — the contest has turned into a referendum on Trump’s sweeping moves in his first 100 days.

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Musk, who has found himself front-and-center in the electoral showdown, warned the outcome could threaten the Republican Party’s razor-thin majority in the House and in turn wreak havoc on the Trump agenda.

“All the president is trying to do is implement the will of the people, and they are trying to stop the will of the people through judicial trickery,” Musk said, outlining the potential ripple effect of Wisconsin’s Supreme Court election.

The judiciary has been hard at work within the checks-and-balances system, with many district judges and state courts blocking moves from the Trump administration. Some critics, like Musk, have labeled these judicators as “activist” judges.

“There is a huge problem with activists that are actually politicians in judges’ robes, and that needs to stop,” Musk said. “These fake judges should be ashamed of themselves. They are just pretending to be judges, but they are not. They’re making the law instead of implementing the law.”

Obama was privately working against Harris after Biden dropped out, new book says

Reporter and author Jonathan Allen said Tuesday that former President Barack Obama was working against former Vice President Kamala Harris after former President Joe Biden dropped out, advocating for an open primary because he didn’t think Harris could win.

“President Obama absolutely did not think that Joe Biden should continue, according to our sources close to President Obama,” Allen told MSNBC. “And he also didn’t want Kamala Harris to be the replacement for Biden. He didn’t think that she was the best choice for Democrats, and he worked really behind the scenes for a long time to try to have a mini-primary, or an open convention, or a mini-primary leading to an open convention, did not have faith in her ability to win the election.”

Allen, a senior politics reporter at NBC News, and Amie Parnes, a senior political correspondent for The Hill, joined MSNBC to discuss their new book set to be released this month, titled, “FIGHT: Inside the Wildest Battle for the White House.”

“As it turned out, she didn’t win, but he was really working against her,” Allen continued.

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Allen also said Obama was not willing to endorse Harris when he talked to the vice president on the day Biden dropped out.

Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama did eventually endorse Harris, but their support came five days after the president announced he was dropping out and endorsed Harris himself.

“In one moment, he had set up a phone call with Congressman [James] Clyburn from South Carolina on the day that Joe Biden handed off the baton to Kamala Harris, and Obama had set up a call with Clyburn for like 5:30 that afternoon. And Clyburn thought to himself, this guy is going to try to rope me into the open convention thing, I better get my endorsement of Harris out there fast, so this is a short conversation,” Allen said. 

Obama and Harris’ offices did not immediately return requests for comment. 

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The book, according to an excerpt published by The Hill, also details how Biden repeatedly urged Harris not to break with him publicly on his administration’s policies. 

“But the day of the debate Biden called to give Harris an unusual kind of pep talk — and another reminder about the loyalty he demanded. No longer able to defend his own record, he expected Harris to protect his legacy,” authors Allen and Parnes wrote. “Whether she won or lost the election, he thought, she would only harm him by publicly distancing herself from him — especially during a debate that would be watched by millions of Americans. To the extent that she wanted to forge her own path, Biden had no interest in giving her room to do so.”

Biden told Harris, “No daylight, kid,” during their phone call ahead of the debate, according to the book excerpt. 

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Harris was criticized throughout her campaign for not breaking with the president on more issues after she took his spot at the top of the Democratic ticket. At one point, she told “The View” that she couldn’t think of anything she would have done differently than Biden during his first term.

‘Home Alone’ star shares why he hasn’t spoken to his father in over 30 years

It’s been over three decades since Macaulay Culkin had any contact with his father. 

During a recent episode of Kate Hudson and Oliver Hudson’s “Sibling Revelry” podcast, the “Home Alone” star opened up about why he walked away from acting at a young age and explained why he hasn’t spoken to his estranged dad, Christopher “Kit” Culkin, in over 30 years. 

“Why’d you quit [acting]?” Oliver asked.

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“I was tired,” the former child star, 44, responded. “I remember talking to my father and I said, ‘I’m getting tired. I think I need a break.'”

But, with his father’s constant pushing, he “felt trapped,” said Macaulay. 

It wasn’t until his parents split that Macaulay felt he could step away from acting. 

“I haven’t spoken to him in about 30-something years,” he said. “Oh, he deserves it too. Yeah. He’s a man who, he had seven kids, and now he has four grandkids. Yeah. And, none of them want anything to do with him.”

Macaulay, who shares sons, Dakota, 3, and Carson, 2, with his fiancée, Brenda Song, is one of seven siblings, including brother Kieran Culkin. His mom, Patricia Brentrup, separated from his father when Macaulay was a teenager. 

Recalling the tense custody battle his parents went through at the time, the actor described his dad as “narcissistic.”

“I wanted nothing to do with my f—ing father. Like, he was just the worst.”

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Macaulay recalled challenging the judge who had ordered him to “do visits” with Kit at the time.  

“I told my lawyer, I said, ‘Yeah, I’m not doing that.’ He said, ‘Well, you know, you’ll be in contempt of court and this and that.’ I go, ‘OK. Well, how about this? I dare the judge to put me in jail for not wanting to visit [my] abusive father. I actually, I’m gonna double down on that. I double dare him to arrest the most famous kid in the world,'” Macaulay said.

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Now, as a dad, Macaulay said he often uses his past as motivation in how he parents his two boys. 

“It’s one of my earliest memories of him was [thinking] when I grew up, this is how I’m not gonna be with my kids,” he said. 

“Now that I have kids of my own, it’s like, you know, it kicks up some dust,” he added. “I kinda go, you know, like, I can’t believe he was like that. He had all these lovely kids. It’s crazy.”

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As for his life today, Macaulay said he’s “in a really great place,” adding, “I feel really good. I’m probably in the best place of my entire life.” 

This isn’t the first time Macaulay has spoken about his estrangement from his dad. 

In 2018, the actor claimed Kit was “mentally and physically” abusive, and made threats including, “Do good or I’ll hit you.”

“He was a bad man. He was abusive, physically and mentally — I can show you all my scars if I wanted to,” Macaulay alleged at the time. “Everything he tried to do in life, I excelled at before I was 10 years old.”

Culkin’s parents divorced after he filmed “Richie Rich” in 1994. He called their split “one of the best things that’s ever happened” because it led to him leaving the industry.

“I even wanted to take a break for a while, and eventually I was like, ‘I’m done guys. Hope you all made your money because there is no more coming from me,’” Culkin said.

He famously sued his parents over his $17 million earnings in a custody dispute when he was 15 years old. He had their names removed as his legal guardians so they could no longer control his fortune.

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Tim Tebow, wife pay visit to Trump, Marco Rubio in Oval Office

It’s a busy week for the University of Florida with its men’s basketball team gearing up for the Final Four in San Antonio.

And a couple of its most famous alumni paid a visit to President Donald Trump this week.

Tim Tebow and his wife, Demi-Leigh, posed for a photo with Trump and Sen. Marco Rubio, who also attended the University of Florida, in the Oval Office.

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The Tebows and Rubio delivered the infamous “Gator Chomp” behind Trump.

Tebow made a trip to D.C. last year to combat child exploitation.

Tebow showed support for the Renewed Hope Act, which “would enhance the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s capabilities to better identify, rescue and protect victims of online child sexual exploitation and bring child exploiters to justice,” according to lawmakers.

Tebow, through his foundation, has worked with Homeland Security Investigations with a mission to identify and rescue victims of child sexual abuse. 

Tebow joined senators John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., and representatives Laurel Lee, R-Fla., and Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., to announce the Renewed Hope Act of 2024 last year.

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The 2007 Heisman Trophy winner and his wife are expecting a baby girl later this year.