Midwest
Congressional election observers deploy to Iowa for recount in uncalled House race
Congressional election observers are being deployed to Iowa to monitor the recount in an uncalled House race.
The House Committee on Administration, which provides oversight of federal elections, announced on X that “Congressional Election Observers are being deployed to Iowa to observe the recount of the First Congressional District race.”
Chairman Rep. Bryan Steil, R-Wisc., “is committed to ensuring an accurate count of all legal ballots,” the committee’s GOP leadership said.
“We must make sure that every legal ballot is counted accurately,” Steil added in a statement. “This Congress, we recruited a record number of Congressional Election Observers and continue to run the most robust Program in the history of the House to ensure fairness and accuracy in our election results. I want to thank each of our Election Observers and my colleagues for sharing their staff’s time as a commitment to strengthening our elections.”
Democrat Christina Bohannan’s campaign on Thursday requested the recount in her bid against Republican incumbent Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks to represent Iowa’s 1st District. The initial tally puts Bohannan fewer than 1,000 votes — less than a percentage point — behind Miller-Meeks.
SIZE OF SLIM REPUBLICAN HOUSE MAJORITY HANGS ON 5 UNCALLED RACES
Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, R-Iowa, speaks with local farmers on the Barn Talk podcast on the Whisler family farm near Washington, Iowa, Nov. 1, 2024. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette via AP FILE)
The contest is a much tighter rematch of 2022, when Miller-Meeks won by 7 percentage points. Miller-Meeks earned a first term in Congress representing Iowa’s 2nd District when she defeated Democrat Rita Hart by just six votes in 2020.
Miller-Meeks has declared victory and said she was confident in her lead.
In a statement released Thursday afternoon, Miller-Meeks’ campaign accused Bohannan and other Democrats of being “election deniers.”
“This is a delaying tactic to thwart the will of the people,” the statement said. “A recount won’t meaningfully change the outcome of this race as the congresswoman’s lead is mathematically impossible to overcome.”
HOUSE LAUNCHES POLL WATCHER PROGRAM AMID GOP-WIDE PUSH FOR ELECTION SECURITY
Rep. Bryan Steil, R-Wis., addresses a campaign rally on Aug. 20, 2024 in Kenosha, Wisconsin, alongside Vice Presidential candidate Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio. (Andy Manis/Getty Images)
Bohannan’s campaign said in a statement that the recount will make certain “that every voter is heard,” but that they have “full trust in this process and will accept the results regardless of the outcome.”
Steil’s announcement comes as part of a GOP poll watcher program launched by the House in September in the party’s push for election security.
Eight weeks before the election, the House Committee on Administration moved to boost accountability efforts at the polls for more than a dozen House races expected to come down to razor-thin margins through the Election Observer Program. Congressional staffers were eligible to volunteer for a training program that would set them up to be poll watchers to then be sent out to districts, not including their own, if requested by a congressional candidate in a close race.
Democratic nominee for Iowa’s 1st congressional district Christina Bohannan waves to supporters during an election night watch party at Big Grove Brewery in Iowa City, Iowa, Nov. 5, 2024. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette via AP File)
Republican incumbents held onto Iowa’s three other congressional seats, including the competitive 3rd District where Zach Nunn fended off a challenge from Democrat Lanon Baccam.
Republican incumbents Ashley Hinson in the 2nd District and Randy Feenstra in the 4th District won decisively. Hinson defeated Democrat Sarah Corkery. Feenstra defeated Democrat Ryan Melton.
Republicans so far have won enough seats to control the House, completing the party’s sweep into power and securing their hold alongside President-elect Trump.
Fox News’ Elizabeth Elkind and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Detroit, MI
How many division wins will the Detroit Lions tally in 2026?
Every year, the NFL schedule bring upon something new for the Detroit Lions. This year, it’s a trip to Germany, a rare “Sunday Night Football” game at Carolina, and an early bye week. Oh wait, scratch that last one. It happens all that time.
Another constant on the Lions’ schedule is their divisional opponents. Like every other team, Detroit’s six divisional games make up over a third of their entire schedule. That means Detroit’s record within the NFC North will likely be crucial toward their regular season success. And with all three of their road divisional games crammed into the final four weeks of the season, how Detroit fares in those contests will almost certainly decide where they land in the postseason picture.
Last year, Detroit was swept by both the Vikings and Packers, and even though they ended up sweeping the division-winning Chicago Bears, it wasn’t enough to punch their ticket to the playoffs. So today’s Question of the Day is:
How many division wins will the Lions pick up on their 2026 schedule?
My answer: I’m going with three.
First off, let’s get this straight. There is no universe where getting swept by the Vikings again in 2026 is acceptable. I understand their defense is a very tough matchup for an offense-heavy team like the Lions, but Minnesota’s roster just doesn’t compare to the rest of the division right now—especially with the questions at quarterback. Because the Vikings still always play the Lions tough, I’ll give them a split of the series.
And I’m going to be boring with the other two teams, too. I expect a split with each series. I think Ben Johnson will have a chip on his shoulder after getting swept by Dan Campbell last year and find a way to win one of those games. And while I’m really tempted to predict a sweep of the Packers, I’m just having a hard time seeing it given how well they tend to play against Detroit. The Lions will have the benefit of the bye week going into their first matchup, but a Week 18 game in Lambeau will be tough, even if the Lions managed to beat them in that exact scenario during the 2022 season.
How many division wins do you think the Lions pick up this year? Vote in the poll below and share your reasoning in the comment section.
Milwaukee, WI
How much money do I need to retire in Wisconsin? Here’s what a new study found
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MILWAUKEE – Where you live can have a significant impact on how much money you need saved for retirement. And according to a new study, Wisconsin ranks near the middle of the pack in terms of the most and least expensive states for retirees.
Big picture view:
MoneyLion, a consumer finance app and marketplace, examined how much money Americans would need to save each month to retire comfortably in each state. The study weighed factors such as average retiree household expenses, Social Security income and the age at which a person started saving for retirement.
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The study’s full methodology can be found on MoneyLion’s website.
What they’re saying:
Ted Jenkin, managing partner at Exit Wealth Advisors, told FOX Business that state income taxes and real estate property taxes are two of the biggest expenses that retirees need to look at. Thomas Aiello, National Taxpayers Union vice president of federal affairs, added that taxes are a reason some retirees may move to places like Florida, Texas and Tennessee – which offer no sate income tax or “death” tax.
How much in Wisconsin?
Local perspective:
Wisconsin ranked No. 28 in MoneyLion’s study, which determined someone would need to save $1,096,140 to retire comfortably at age 65. That’s based on a $54,807 average annual cost of retirement over 20 years.
To hit that number, MoneyLion said someone would need to start saving $2,030 per month at age 20 or $2,610 per month starting at age 30.
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By the numbers:
MoneyLion’s study also determined the following savings needed to retire comfortably at age 65 (as well as the average annual cost of retirement over 20 years) in neighboring states:
- Minnesota, No. 25: $1,162,628 ($58,131)
- Illinois, No. 34: $1,003,326 ($50,166)
- Michigan, No. 42: $868,526 ($43,426)
- Iowa, No. 43: $821,180 ($41,059)
Hawaii was the most expensive state for retirees, with $3,132,206 needed to retire comfortably at age 65. The most affordable state in the study was West Virginia, with $664,463 needed to retire comfortably at age 65.
The Source: Information in this story is from the MoneyLion study, which referenced data from the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics and other sources. LiveNOW from FOX and FOX Business contributed to this report.
Minneapolis, MN
Minneapolis mayor, city staff defy community survey, pushback growing on council
The mayor of Minneapolis and his staff are defying a community survey by recommending a group to develop a site at George Floyd Square that did not receive the most support in that survey.
It still received positive feedback, and the city council will have final say, but for now, Mayor Jacob Frey and city staff feel that the Minnesota Agape Movement is best suited to handle future development of the former gas station at 38th and Chicago, now known as The Peoples’ Way.
But according to a survey of community stakeholders, the group Rise & Remember garnered the most strongly positive reactions overall.
Since the city shared this development, the mayor’s office has declined multiple interview requests, as we try to learn his reasoning. We also had other questions about what seems like a contradiction in how he’s felt about community being involved in this process so far.
Minneapolis City Council overrides mayor’s veto of George Floyd Square pedestrian mall study
For example, following a city council override of his veto as they pushed for a 38th & Chicago plan that community surveying found was not wanted in February 2025, the mayor lashed out at council members.
“Today’s short-sighted decision by the council has ignored community wishes and is a colossal waste of both time and money,” Mayor Frey said that February day last year.
As we continued to try to get clarity surrounding the mayor’s decision to move forward with Agape, a city spokesperson shared the following:
City staff has taken community input, including the survey results, into consideration for this Peoples’ Way recommendation. Community input was one of multiple factors, such as relevant experience, we considered for the evaluation criteria outlined in the RFQ. One of the things we heard from community was a desire for the applicants to collaborate on a project since they all bring strengths to the table. Agape is ready and willing to collaborate with all stakeholders and community in a development process.
Within the city’s announcement about the recommendation, the mayor shared the following:
George Floyd Square carries significant meaning for Minneapolis and for people around the world,” said Mayor Jacob Frey. “We’re looking forward to partnering with Agape and the community as we take this next step together to continue building toward the long-term vision for the Square.
This development is already getting council pushback — members will have final say and the Business, Housing, and Zoning Committee will first address it on June 2, with plans for the full council to June 11.
Council member Jason Chavez, whose ward includes part of George Floyd Square, sent the following statement:
Mayor Frey promised a decision on the future of the People’s Way in May 2025 and instead took an extra year to make a decision. He also chose to disregard the data and the community’s preference.
I have concerns about fairness, transparency, and accountability about the entire process. The results of the city-commissioned survey showed that the Rise and Remember proposal received the most support, was most closely aligned with community values, and received the most strongly positive reactions overall. Mayor Frey sat on the results of this survey for over a year.
In an interview with 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS, council member Soren Stevenson, whose ward also partly falls in George Floyd Square, says his community is ready to move forward and has frustrations with how things have been handled thus far.
“There was such an opportunity to listen to what the community had asked for, and we’re not there,” Stevenson said about this most recent development.
“It’s been, it’s been really confusing and troubling for community members to understand, like, am I giving you my feedback because you want it and you’re going to use it, or am I giving you my feedback, so that you can check the box that feedback has been gotten?” Stevenson added.
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