Denise Powell has emerged victorious in the Democratic primary for Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District, a key electoral battleground often referred to as a “blue dot” due to its unique voting pattern amid an overwhelmingly Republican landscape. Her victory marks a significant step in the race to fill the seat left vacant by retiring Republican U.S. Rep. Don Bacon.

This Omaha-area district is a prime target for Democrats in the upcoming midterm elections, drawing national attention during presidential races. This is because Nebraska is one of the rare states that divides its electoral votes, and the 2nd District has favored Democratic presidential candidates in three out of the last five elections since 2008.

Powell, known for her political activism, triumphed over a competitive field that included state Sen. John Cavanaugh. The race between Powell and Cavanaugh was particularly close, delaying the final call until Wednesday.

Looking ahead to the general election, Powell will face Brinker Harding, a member of the Omaha City Council who received President Donald Trump’s endorsement. Harding, who ran unopposed in the Republican primary, now stands as Powell’s main rival for the congressional seat.

In her victory statement, Powell expressed her commitment to advocating for Nebraskans. “This country and Nebraska are worth fighting for — and I’m ready to spend the next six months working for every vote and sharing my vision for Nebraska so we can finally have a representative in Congress who will serve us,” she declared. “It’s time to be brave.”

Powell led Cavanaugh by 2.1 percentage points, or 1,080 votes, out of more than 51,000 votes counted.

AP called the race after Douglas County election officials said there were only 5,125 outstanding mail-in ballots in the Democratic primary, and a total of 830 provisional ballots from all political parties. Even if all those ballots are counted in the Democratic primary, Cavanaugh would have to win them by about 18 percentage points over Powell to close the gap, a margin he didn’t come close to achieving in any of the five vote updates provided by Douglas County so far. Cavanaugh trailed in all three counties in the district, though Douglas accounted for about 93% of the votes.

The matchup between Powell and Harding is expected to be among this fall’s most competitive House races, as Democrats try to win control of the chamber for the second half of Trump’s term.

The 2nd District is one of just three districts in the country that supported Democrat Kamala Harris for president in 2024 while also electing a Republican representative. Trump won the district in 2016, and the retiring Bacon, who has clashed with Trump, has held the House seat for five terms.

The Nebraska GOP said in a statement Wednesday that Republicans are ready to fight back against a “radical left” that has poured money into the state.

“The left wants Nebraska, and we are going to make sure they don’t get it,” said NEGOP Chairman Mary Jane Truemper.

Powell, who is Latina, co-founded Women Who Run Nebraska, a political action committee that supports progressive female candidates, and she has a decade of Democratic political activism. She had the backing of EMILY’s List and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus’ campaign operation.

Powell has never held office but said her deep connections have helped her with independents and third-party voters, who make up nearly 30% of the district’s electorate.

Some Democratic critics argued that a Cavanaugh primary victory would have jeopardized the district’s “blue dot” status because he’d be leaving his valuable state legislative seat, making it easier for Republicans in the Nebraska Legislature to change the law that allows the state to split its electoral votes.

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Peoples reported from New York.

On Wednesday evening at Citi Field, Brett Baty found himself at the center of a perplexing incident involving a mysterious ABS challenge during the Mets game.

During the sixth inning, Baty was called out on strikes and directed a frustrated look towards umpire Junior Valentine. In a split-second decision, he raised his arm, seemingly to protest the call.

However, Baty’s gesture did not meet the helmet tap requirement necessary to challenge a call. Despite this, Valentine interpreted the motion as a challenge, leading to an official review of the pitch.

The called strike was quickly confirmed, as a confused Baty could be seen pleading his case to the umpire.

The bizarre sequence cost the Mets their final challenge of the game, and manager Carlos Mendoza wasted little time entering the field and arguing with Valentine’s interpretation of the moment.

The Mets trailed the Tigers 2-1 when the strange Baty strikeout occurred but tied the game in the seventh inning.

Donald Trump’s highest-ranking military official has received a confidential report revealing that China is providing weapons to America’s allies in the Middle East as U.S. military supplies dwindle.

This report, prepared this week by the Joint Staff’s intelligence division for Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has caused concern within the Pentagon. It surfaces just as Trump is set to meet Xi Jinping in Beijing on Thursday.

As the U.S. has been using up its resources to shield Gulf allies from Iranian attacks, China has stepped in to address the shortage, supplying arms to the same allies that Washington is striving to defend.

According to an analysis reported by the Washington Post, the specific Gulf states receiving Chinese arms were not identified, although Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have long been significant purchasers from Beijing in the region.

Furthermore, China has been providing energy resources to nations affected by Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, including Australia, Thailand, and the Philippines, all of which are allied with the U.S. through treaties.

Trump’s summit with Xi was postponed in March because of the Iran war, and he arrives in Beijing with his standing battered at home and abroad over the conflict which has wrought chaos on the global economy.

The President remains adamant that Iran cannot get its hands on a nuclear bomb, but is increasingly eager to end the war which has sent oil prices skyrocketing ahead of crucial midterm elections in November.

China has seized on the 39-day conflict to expand its military, economic and diplomatic influence around the world, the intelligence report warns.

US President Donald Trump (C) is escorted by China’s Vice President Han Zheng (R) upon his arrival at Beijing Capital Airport in Beijing on May 13

Fire and smoke rise into the sky after an Israeli attack on the Shahran oil depot on June 15, 2025 in Tehran, Iran

Beijing has cast itself as the responsible global power, branding the US strikes on Iran ‘illegal,’ calling for restraint, and offering itself as a stabilizing alternative to Trump.

‘The war in Iran is massively improving China’s geopolitical position,’ Jacob Stokes, a senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security, told the Washington Post.

Trump has claimed that the closure of the Strait of Hormuz is far more damaging to China than to the US, with roughly 45 percent of Beijing’s crude oil imports passing through the narrow waterway.

But the intelligence warns that China has been able to weather the storm because it has vast oil reserves and has been building up its sources of renewable energy.

‘China is the second-most-insulated country in the world to the energy crisis, after only the US,’ Ryan Hass, a China expert at the Brookings Institution, told the Post.

China has been able to supply jet fuel and other energy commodities to other nations, even as Iran’s blockade chokes off global flows.

‘This is not altruism,’ Hass added. ‘It is Beijing seizing on an opportunity to drive wedges between America and its traditional partners.’

The US has raced through its missile stockpiles in the asymmetric fight against Iran’s vast fleet of drones, firing million-dollar interceptors at cheap one-way attack aircraft.

China’s President Xi Jinping looks on during a signing ceremony together with Tajikistan’s President Emomali Rahmon (not pictured) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China May 12

US forces have burned through nearly half their entire Patriot interceptor stockpile, more than half their THAAD ballistic missile defenses and over 850 Tomahawk cruise missiles during the 39-day war, according to a Center for Strategic and International Studies analysis. Replacing them will take three to five years.

The drain has sparked alarm in Taiwan, Japan and South Korea, where officials are questioning whether the US can be relied upon to defend them against China.

Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said: ‘Assertions claiming the global balance of power have shifted towards any nation other than the United States of America are fundamentally false.’

He added that the US ‘maintains a deep, resilient arsenal and the industrial capacity required to defend our nation, protect our interests, and deter any adversary.’

White House spokeswoman Olivia Wales said the US ‘decimated the Iranian regime’s military capabilities in 38 short days and is now strangling what’s left of their economy with one of the most successful naval blockades in history.’

Trump meets Xi in Beijing on Thursday, the first face-to-face between the two leaders since the Iran war erupted on February 28.

The President is expected to press Xi to lean on Tehran to accept a ceasefire and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, while Xi is widely expected to push for tariff relief and access to American-designed AI chips.

The summit was originally slated for March but was postponed when the war broke out.

Allegiant Air announced on Wednesday that it has successfully acquired Sun Country Airlines, completing a significant merger between two budget airlines amidst a challenging period for the low-cost aviation sector, especially following the recent closure of Spirit Airlines.

The Las Vegas-based Allegiant confirmed that the acquisition was finalized after securing necessary regulatory and shareholder approvals. Initially announced in January, the deal was valued at approximately $1.5 billion, including debt obligations.

“This is a pivotal moment in Allegiant’s journey as we officially unite with Sun Country,” stated Allegiant CEO Gregory Anderson. He emphasized that the merger will enhance the airline’s capacity to provide more affordable travel options to passengers.

This strategic move occurs as both airlines and travelers face rising jet fuel prices, a consequence of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. These increased costs have begun to translate into higher fares and additional fees across the industry, posing a significant challenge to budget airlines, which have limited ability to absorb such financial pressures.

Spirit Airlines, in particular, felt the impact acutely. The ultra low-cost carrier ceased operations on May 2 after 34 years, with escalating fuel prices compounding its longstanding financial difficulties, which included substantial debt, frequent restructuring attempts, and persistent cash-flow issues.

Against that backdrop, Allegiant and Sun Country say their tie-up gives them more ways to generate revenue. Along with passenger flights, Sun Country brings into the fold cargo flying for Amazon, as well as charter trips for sports teams, casinos and the U.S. Department of Defense.

Allegiant says the expanded network is also expected to give travelers more options, especially in smaller and mid-sized markets, with about 195 aircraft serving nearly 175 cities and more than 650 routes.

For now, travelers shouldn’t expect any changes. Both airlines will continue to operate separately, and customers can keep booking, checking in and managing trips just as they do today.

Allegiant said it will take time to bring the two airlines together. Over the long term, the combined company is expected to operate under the Allegiant name and remain headquartered in Las Vegas, while adding new options and connections across its broader network.

Minneapolis–St. Paul, where Sun Country is based, will remain an important hub for the airline.