Midwest
New candidate emerges in crowded field as possible replacement for Vance's Ohio Senate seat
FIRST ON FOX: Republican Gov. Mike DeWine is considering an Ohio attorney and Trump surrogate to fill Vice President-elect JD Vance’s Senate seat once he vacates the position and moves on to the White House, Fox News Digital has learned.
Attorney Mehek Cooke, a Republican attorney who served as a political and legal surrogate for Trump in 2024, is under consideration to be chosen to fill Vance’s seat, a source familiar with the situation told Fox News Digital.
Cooke, known as a formidable fundraiser in the state of Ohio, has appeared on Fox News and was a vocal supporter of President-elect Trump during the 2024 campaign, where he won Ohio by 11 points and his endorsement in the state is viewed as carrying a significant amount of weight.
State law dictates that Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine will select a Republican to take Vance’s spot in the Senate until a special election is held in November 2026 to determine who will serve the rest of Vance’s term, which ends in 2028. The winner of that special election will then have to run again in 2028 in order to start a new six-year term.
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Ohio attorney and Trump surrogate Mehek Cooke is being considered for Sen. Vance’s Senate seat (Fox News Digital)
Cooke, who ran for Ohio House of Representatives in 2020, spent time as the assistant chief counsel in the Ohio governor’s office from 2012 to 2014 and in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio, where she handled criminal cases involving corruption, terrorism, drug trafficking, asset forfeiture, and money laundering.
Cooke, a wife and mother of two, was born in India and immigrated legally to the United States with her family at the age of 5. Cooke is also the founder and President of American Frontier Strategies and has worked as a political consultant and commentator across the state of Ohio.
Marty Savko, the chair of the earth moving company Savko & Sons which has been in business in Columbus, Ohio for 75 years, told Fox News Digital that Cooke “is totally 100% in touch with both the average man and wife” in Ohio.
“She’s a proud American citizen, she’s proud of this country and she very much has a kind heart and realizes that not everyone has the same opportunities. She is a firm believer in what’s right and what’s wrong, and you know where she stands.”
“She’s not part of a clique like some people get to Washington or even get in the state house here in Ohio, and they become part of a clique, and they vote with the clique. No, she’s a person of her own determination and what she feels is the best for everyone involved, and she’s honest, extremely honest, extremely forthright.”
Savko, a prominent Trump donor, told Fox News Digital that Cooke is a “fighter” in the same mold as the last two senators who have been elected statewide, JD Vance and Bernie Moreno.
Multiple sources close to the situation told Fox News Digital that elevating women is important to DeWine and that he would like to appoint a woman to the seat, although gender is not the deciding factor.
Republican Jane Timken, an Ohio attorney who served as chair of the Ohio Republican Party from 2017 to 2021, is also widely considered to be another potential Vance replacement.
Other candidates reportedly in the mix include Ohio’s Republican Secretary of State Frank LaRose, Republican Lt. Gov. Jon Husted, Attorney General Dave Yost, Treasurer Robert Sprague and State Sen. Matt Dolan.
Yost, who has said he wouldn’t accept the position, and Husted are believed to be focused on the upcoming governor’s race to replace DeWine. Former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy had been floated as a possibility but he recently accepted a position in the Trump administration and withdrew his name.
Three Republicans currently serving in Congress – Reps. Mike Carey, David Joyce and Warren Davidson – are believed to be options as well.
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Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance speaks on stage on the third day of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on July 17, 2024. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Carey, who has strong relationships with both Trump and DeWine, reached out to DeWine shortly after Vance was selected, a source familiar with the discussion said this summer.
DeWine, who is viewed as part of the Republican establishment, will face a balancing act of appointing someone highly regarded by both the Trump base of the party and the more moderate wing.
Sources tell Fox News Digital that the decision from DeWine is likely not imminent and will be announced in line with whenever Vance officially vacates his seat.
Cooke and a spokesperson for DeWine’s office declined to comment.
DeWine press secretary Dan Tierney told Fox News Digital earlier this month that the timing of the governor’s announcement will depend on when Vance officially vacates his Senate seat and that the governor plans to appoint a “workhorse.”
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine onstage at the Fiserv Forum during preparations for the Republican National Convention (RNC) on July 14, 2024, in Milwaukee, Wisc. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
Tierney said that DeWine will be looking for a “workhorse” who is “qualified and ready to earn the trust of Ohio voters for another term.”
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Detroit Pistons forced Game 7 with a 115-94 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 6 in Cleveland on Friday.
Pistons forced Game 7 with a 115-94 win over the Cavaliers in Game 6 in Cleveland on Friday.
Detroit — After staving off elimination Friday night at Rocket Arena, the Detroit Pistons will face the Cleveland Cavaliers at Little Caesars Arena on Sunday night, with the series tied 3-3. If the Pistons win Game 7, they will reach the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2008 and will compete against the New York Knicks.
In preparation, the Pistons released their final injury report for the series, which lists Kevin Huerter, Caris LeVert, and Duncan Robinson as questionable for Game 7. LeVert (right heel contusion) and Robinson (lower back soreness) were listed as questionable ahead of the Pistons’ 115-94 Game 6 victory but played vital roles in the win.
Robinson returned to the lineup after missing Game 5 Wednesday night, finishing with 14 points while shooting 4-of-7 from behind the arc in 20 minutes. However, he returned from the injury by coming off the bench for the first time this season. Coach J.B. Bickerstaff chose to keep Daniss Jenkins in the starting lineup to assess Robinson’s condition.
Huerter has been listed as questionable for the third time since his return for a left adductor strain that forced him to miss seven consecutive games. He sustained the injury during the Pistons’ first-round series against the Orlando Magic. He played for three minutes in his comeback on Wednesday night but left the game shortly thereafter. Despite being available, Huerter did not play in Game 6.
However, the most significant reveal from the Pistons’ injury report was the noticeable absence of Jalen Duren. The All-Star center rolled his left ankle midway through the third quarter of Game 6 after colliding with Cavaliers guard James Harden.
Bickerstaff substituted Duren immediately for Paul Reed. He made a couple of trips to the locker room, but returned at the start of the fourth quarter. As a result, Duren had his most impactful game of the series, finishing with 15 points and 11 rebounds, including seven offensive rebounds and two blocks.
NBA Playoffs, second round: No. 1 Pistons vs. No. 4 Cavaliers
Series tied 3-3
Game 1: Pistons 111, Cavaliers 101
Game 2: Pistons 107, Cavaliers 97
Game 3: Cavaliers 116, Pistons 109
Game 4: Cavaliers 112, Pistons 103
Game 5: Cavaliers 117, Pistons 113 (OT)
Game 6: Pistons 115, Cavaliers 94
Game 7: at Detroit, Sunday, 8 p.m. (Amazon Prime)
coty.davis@detroitnews.com
@cotydavis_24
MILWAUKEE – The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s 134th commencement ceremony is this weekend, and for one family, this year’s class proves to be extra special.
Son graduating with honors
What they’re saying:
“It just feels like it hasn’t set in quite yet, but once it does, I’m sure it’ll feel pretty good,” said Will Peters, who is graduating with honors in computer science and as a Wisconsin Army National Guard commissioned officer.
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But there’s another milestone that makes this year’s graduation one that Peters will always remember.
Mother getting master’s degree
What they’re saying:
“He’s getting his undergraduate degree, and I’m getting my master’s degree in nursing,” said Mary Peters, Will’s mother.
That’s right: Both mother and son are crossing the graduation stage. Mary, a UWM academic program specialist as well, said she will cherish the moment forever.
“It’s just exciting, because I graduated from UW-Milwaukee with my nursing degree, my undergraduate, in December 2001,” she said. “I went back for my master’s degree, and I didn’t know that Will and I are going to be graduating the same day.”
Peters family Panther pride
Dig deeper:
Chris Peters is cheering them on, not only as father and husband, but also as a UWM faculty member and alumnus.
“We really hope that Will would carry on what became a family tradition of graduating from UWM. We believe in UWM, we believe that we got a very high-quality education,” he said.
Chris, Mary and Will Peters
Just like his wife, Chris graduated from UWM with a bachelor’s in nursing and eventually earned his doctorate while working for the university.
“I’m very proud of my wife and my son,” he said. “It’s got a lot of the resources of a large university, but it’s still small enough to know you by name and take care of people who needed it, and it’s been a great experience for the whole family.”
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For the Peters family, Panther pride will always run deep.
“We’re Panthers. We’re proud to work here. We’re proud to be alumni here. We’re proud of what UWM has done for us, and we’re now working for the opportunity to give back to the campus and the students,” said Chris.
The Source: FOX6 News interviewed the Peters family.
Minneapolis, MN
Minnesota’s Unsung State Park Unit Is An Idyllic Minneapolis Day Trip To Boat, Fish, And Hike – Islands
Minnesota is serious about its lakes. Their “Land of 10,000 Lakes” slogan isn’t an exaggeration. In fact, the true count is 11,842, based on their definition of what constitutes a lake, which Wisconsin likes to argue about with them. Regardless of whose definition you use, Minnesota has a lot of lakes to choose from, which means you can still find a little slice of solitary lakeside serenity if you know where to look. One of those places is Greenleaf Lake.
Idyllic Greenleaf is only about 1.5 hours from Minneapolis, and it’s never crowded — in fact, there’s a good chance you’ll have it all to yourself. Most of the bigger, more popular lakes, like Red Lake, Leech Lake, and Lake Superior’s shoreline, are in Minnesota’s northern half, several hours from the Twin Cities. But there’s no need to wander so far from urban amenities and the well-connected airport, when you can enjoy an idyllic day on Greenleaf Lake instead.
The state recreation area that protects this beautiful lake started as a grassroots effort to establish a state park within 30 miles of every Minnesotan. After years of work, the agreements, land acquisition, and funding all finally fell into place, and the park was transferred to the state in 2009. Almost 20 years later, the park is still an unassuming and peaceful place for a day trip from Minneapolis for those who don’t need much to enjoy the outdoors.
Enjoying Greenleaf Lake State Recreation Area
The first thing to know about Greenleaf Lake State Recreation Area is that this park embraces its primitive natural habitat. There are actually two lakes in the park, Greenleaf and Sioux, but there aren’t many facilities here beyond the peaceful, natural surroundings. The park’s entrance and only parking area is at Greenleaf Lake, which has a small boat launch, a fishing pier, and a few picnic tables, all surrounded by trees and vegetation. Enjoy a lazy morning of boating and fishing for panfish, pike, walleye, and largemouth bass on the lake, followed by a delicious picnic lunch while you read away the afternoon with only the birds to keep you company. Minnesota may be known for having some of the friendliest people in America, but you’re unlikely to run into more than a handful here. Quiet solitude awaits at this park.
The park’s one hiking trail begins at the parking area and winds just a mile through an open field and into a small forest south of Greenleaf Lake, before you’ll have to turn around and return the way you came. Bring insect-repellent clothes and spray to protect your skin, as bugs can be overwhelming in the warm seasons, and ticks are always a possibility in the woods. One Google reviewer described the trail as unwalkable due to the bugs. The rest of the park, including Sioux Lake, isn’t easily accessible. Most visitors won’t ever see Sioux Lake because there are no trails to it.
The lack of park facilities has turned off some visitors and contributed to some poor reviews on Tripadvisor. The people that leave Greenleaf Lake five-star reviews on Google are the ones that just enjoy being out in nature. If you prefer a Minnesota state park with more amenities, consider Lake Bemidji State Park instead.
Planning your day at Greenleaf Lake
While Minneapolis is one of America’s best cities for getting around without a car, you’ll need one to explore beyond the metro area. Getting to Greenleaf Lake State Recreation Area is easy with GPS, but don’t rely on following park signs once you get close. Visitors report there aren’t any on the small backroads that lead to the park. The entrance road is nothing fancy, a narrow dirt road that leads to a small parking area. If you’re visiting just to get your park passport stamp, it’s not actually at the park. It’s at the DNR office in Hutchinson.
Before arriving at Greenleaf Lake State Recreation Area, be sure to stop for a restroom break. There are no facilities, sometimes not even a porta-potty, at the park. The closest convenience stores are in Litchfield, Dassel, or Hutchinson, each about 15 to 20 minutes from the parking area at Greenleaf Lake. If you’re a seasoned backpacker and are prepared to do your business in the woods, make sure you follow Leave No Trace principles.
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