Midwest

Florida, Michigan, New Jersey, New York kick off early in-person voting

Published

1 year ago

October 27, 2024

Florida, Michigan, New Jersey, New York kick off early in-person voting

Florida, Michigan, New York and New Jersey all kick off early in-person voting Saturday as the nation begins heading to the polls for the 2024 election. Here’s what you need to know.

Michigan is one of the most competitive states this cycle

Michigan shocked the country in 2016 when it backed former President Trump by 0.23 points, or a mere 10,704 votes.

Since then, the state has delivered for Democrats, with a nearly three-point win for President Biden, the election and re-election of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and, in the last midterms, a state government trifecta.

CHECK OUT THE LATEST FOX NEWS POWER RANKINGS IN THE 2024 ELECTION

Even so, this will be a competitive race. Recent high-quality polls have it within the margin of error.

Democrats do well in the southeastern part of the state, and Biden was able to win in 2020 by bringing out Black voters and gaining in the Detroit metro area. Flipping Kent County, home to Grand Rapids and a representative mix of urban, suburban and rural voters, was also crucial to his victory. Trump will need to take it back for a statewide win in 2024.

Voting booths at a polling center inside PS 103 Hector Fontanez in the Wakefield neighborhood of the Bronx borough of New York June 25, 2024. (Getty)

Michigan’s population grew by 2% over the last decade with growth concentrated in the Grand Rapids area. Since then, the state has experienced a decline, especially in Detroit.

The Great Lake State will also vote for a new senator after Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow decided not to run for re-election this year. House Rep. Elissa Slotkin hopes to keep the seat in Democratic hands and has an edge in this competitive race. She faces GOP candidate and former Rep. Mike Rogers.

Both the presidential and Senate races are ranked Lean D on the Fox News Power Rankings.

CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS POLLING IN THE HARRIS-TRUMP PRESIDENTIAL RACE

Key downballot races in today’s early voting states

Voting also begins Saturday in several battleground House districts. For a full list of competitive races, see the latest Senate and House rankings.

Michigan’s 7th District: Slotkin is vacating this south central Michigan district, which she flipped by a 5.4-point margin in the midterms. This year, it’s a battle between two former state senators — Democrat Curtis Hertel and Republican Tom Barrett. This race is a toss-up on the Fox News Power Rankings.
Michigan’s 8th District: Next door, the 8th district is also without an incumbent. Rep. Dan Kildee is retiring after 12 years in the House, making this a race between Democratic state Sen. Kristen McDonald Rivet and Republican businessman Paul Junge. The seat includes Flint and the Tri-Cities area, so winning the working-class vote will be critical. It’s also a toss-up on the Power Rankings.
Michigan’s 10th District: Republican incumbent Rep. John James has the edge in the 10th district. He’s up against Democrat and former judge and prosecutor Carl Marlinga. The district includes southern Macomb County and Rochester. Holding on to the outer suburban vote there will be critical to a GOP win. This is a Lean R race.
New Jersey’s 7th District: New Jersey’s 7th district is the only competitive House race on the state map. The district includes Trump’s Bedminster Golf Club and a raft of wealthy, suburban areas. It became more Republican in the last round of redistricting. Freshman Republican Rep. Tom Kean Jr. is the incumbent. He faces local Democrat and political organizer Sue Altman. It was last ranked Lean R.
New York’s 1st District: Occupying the east side of Long Island, New York’s 1st district is one of the most politically diverse in the region. It includes the ultra-wealthy Hamptons suburbs and farming communities in Suffolk County. Republican Rep. Nick LaLota, who replaced Rep. Lee Zeldin in 2023, is the incumbent against former CNN anchor and Democrat John Avlon. This race is ranked Lean R.
New York’s 4th District: Closer to New York City, the ultra-competitive 4th district in Nassau County includes Long Beach, Garden City and Uniondale, where former President Trump held a rally last month. Incumbent Rep. Anthony D’Esposito spoke at that event. He’s up against local Democratic Town Supervisor Laura Gillen. It’s ranked Toss-up on the rankings.

Fox News Power Rankings House chamber (Fox News)

New York’s 17th District: This Hudson Valley district offers one of the highest-profile races of the cycle. This race was decided by less than 2,000 votes in the midterms, when voters elected moderate Republican Rep. Mike Lawler. This year, he’ll face the former occupant of this seat, Democratic Rep. Mondaire Jones. It’s another Toss-up.
New York’s 18th District: Into the mid-Hudson Valley and the Catskills, the 18th District is represented by another well-known moderate congressman, Democratic Rep. Pat Ryan. And like its neighbor, this race was tight in the midterms. It was ultimately settled by fewer than 5,000 votes. GOP Rep. Alison Esposito is the Republican candidate here. She served in the New York Police Department for 25 years before announcing her run. It’s a Lean D district.
New York’s 19th District: The third Hudson Valley battleground with a moderate incumbent, the 19th District includes the Catskills and the Finger Lakes. GOP Rep. Marc Molinaro flipped this seat in the midterms with a roughly 5,000-vote margin. This year, he faces Democratic attorney Josh Riley. This race is a Toss-up.
New York’s 22nd District: Further upstate to Syracuse and Utica, GOP Rep. Brandon Williams, first elected in the midterms, is threatened by redistricting. He faces Democratic challenger and state Sen. John Mannion in a race ranked Lean D on the Power Rankings.

IN BID FOR DISGRUNTLED REPUBLICANS, HARRIS TEAMS UP WITH CHENEY IN GOP BIRTHPLACE

How to vote in Florida

This is a guide to registration and early voting. For comprehensive and up-to-date information on voter eligibility, processes and deadlines, please go to Vote.gov and the election website for Florida.

Voting by mail

Florida began absentee voting in late September. Applicants do not need to provide an excuse to receive a ballot. The state must receive a ballot application by Oct. 24, and that ballot must be delivered to state officials by Nov. 5.

Early in-person voting

Start dates for early in-person voting vary by county in Florida, but the earliest counties began Saturday. Check the state’s website for more information.

Voter registration

The deadline for Florida residents to register to vote was Oct. 7.

Fox News Power Rankings presidential map (Fox News )

How to vote in Michigan

Voting by mail

Michigan began absentee voting in late September. Applicants do not need to provide an excuse to receive a ballot. The state must receive a ballot application by Nov. 1, and that ballot must be delivered to state officials by Nov. 5.

Early in-person voting

Start dates for early in-person voting vary by county in Michigan, but the earliest counties began on Saturday. Check the state’s website for more information.

Voter registration

The deadline for Michigan residents to register to vote online or by mail was Oct. 21. They can register in person at any point during early voting or on election day.

How to vote in New York

Voting by mail

New York began absentee voting in late September. Applicants do not need to provide an excuse to receive a ballot. The state must receive a ballot application by Oct. 26, and that ballot must be delivered to state officials by Nov. 5.

Early in-person voting

New York kicked off early in-person voting on Saturday, and it will continue through Nov. 3.

Voter registration

New York residents can register to vote online, in person or by mail through Oct. 26.

Fox News Power Rankings presidential forecast (Fox News)

How to vote in New Jersey

Voting by mail

New Jersey began absentee voting in late September. Applicants do not need to provide an excuse to receive a ballot. The state must receive a ballot application by Oct. 29, and that ballot must be delivered to state officials by Nov. 5.

Early in-person voting

New Jersey kicked off early in-person voting on Saturday, and it will continue through Nov. 3.

Voter registration

New Jersey residents were required to register to vote by Oct. 15.

Anders Hagstrom is a reporter with Fox News Digital covering national politics and major breaking news events. Send tips to Anders.Hagstrom@Fox.com, or on Twitter: @Hagstrom_Anders.

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Midwest

Breaking: Arkansas Announces Significant Partnership With Tyson Foods, Including New Uniform Patch Logos

Published

3 hours ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

Breaking: Arkansas Announces Significant Partnership With Tyson Foods, Including New Uniform Patch Logos

As the college athletics landscape continues to change, schools are continuing to find new sources of income, which include sponsorship deals that are now shown on football jerseys.

After the NCAA passed a rule allowing schools to promote their new sponsors on the field and on athletic jerseys, there have been plenty of athletic departments looking for ways to raise additional revenue.

Now, schools are starting to sell major advertising deals to the most suitable, but also the biggest companies that will help increase that revenue flow.

EXCLUSIVE: White House Confirms College Sports Panel With President Trump, Including A-List Attendees

According to multiple sources, Arkansas has signed an exclusive deal with Tyson Foods, with Razorbacks donor John Tyson part of the monumental deal for the athletic department.

Breaking: Arkansas Announces Significant Partnership With Tyson Foods, Including New Patch Sponsorship

As part of the most comprehensive partnership in college sports history, Tyson Foods will be integrated across Razorbacks Athletics through a comprehensive set of brand assets, including:

Official Protein of the Arkansas Razorbacks
Logo placement on fields and courts across sports venues
Media backdrops at press conferences and broadcast facilities
Brand Ambassador programs engaging Arkansas student-athletes

“This historic sponsorship is transformative for Razorback Athletics. For decades, Tyson Foods has been more than a corporate partner—they are an integral part of the Arkansas story, Arkansas AD Hunter Yurachek said about the deal. “Having Tyson Foods incorporated across our varsity teams and venues sends a powerful message about the caliber of our programs and the type of talent we can bring to the University. We are grateful for our continued partnership and thrilled to showcase this collaboration to the nation every time our teams compete.”

Breaking: Arkansas Announces Significant Partnership With Tyson Foods, Including New Uniform Patch Logos [Photo by Noah Southard/University of Arkansas Athletics Department]

The terms of the agreement have yet to be announced, but the Tyson logo will appear on all 19 men’s and women’s varsity Razorback teams starting in the 2026-27 athletic season.

Now, we wait to see which other schools will look towards outside investors to help fund this new era of college athletics.

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Detroit, MI

Detroit Pistons’ loss to Cavs shows weaknesses before playoffs

Published

5 hours ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

Detroit Pistons’ loss to Cavs shows weaknesses before playoffs

CLEVELAND – In just five days, the Detroit Pistons faced the Cleveland Cavaliers twice.

They split the games to finish their season series against the Central Division rivals, but with a potential reunion looming in the second round of the NBA playoffs, the Pistons came away from both games unsatisfied.

On Friday, it was the Pistons needing overtime to overcome a Cavaliers team missing James Harden and Donovan Mitchell at Little Caesars Arena. On Tuesday, March 3, in Cleveland, however – with Harden back in the lineup – the Pistons struggled in the areas they usually thrive, for a 113-109 loss.

The Pistons’ first loss on the road since Jan. 29 didn’t feature their usual fire for much of the night.

“I’m frustrated with the effort level, the attention to detail that we played on that end of the floor,” coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “The times and opportunities where we did do the right thing, did get stops, we let people outwork us to come up with offensive rebounds. We can’t afford to not play at maximum effort. That’s been our superpower all year long and, tonight, I felt like there were times where we were outworked. If we’re outworked, this isn’t going to be the results that we want.”

The Pistons work at being the league’s most disruptive team via turnovers has given them a top-three defensive rating. They force turnovers on 17.2% of possessions – best in the NBA –and only trail the Houston Rockets in offensive rebounding percentage. They also lead the league in steals and blocks per game. Getting out in transition and capitalizing on second-chance opportunities has created an above-average offense despite struggles on 3-point shooting.

For three quarters against the Cavaliers, little of that materialized – as least until the Pistons grabbed seven steals in the final period (after just two in the first three). Overall, the Pistons were beat on the offensive glass (11-10), mustered just 10 fastbreak points (their lowest total since Jan. 27) and picked up 11 second-chance points (their least since Feb. 6).

It was, in all, a lackadaisical defensive performance, with the Pistons repeatedly losing shooters behind the arc as the Cavs knocked down 17 3-pointers – eight more than the Pistons.

“Obviously they’re a good team, but we haven’t been playing to our standard on that side of the ball,” Pistons wing Javonte Green said. “Coach talked about the effort we need to bring every game. We just need to play harder. We can’t get outworked on offensive rebounds and 50-50 balls, that’s our identity. I feel like we needed to pick up that slack.”

The Pistons also were hurt by a poor shooting performance by Cade Cunningham; he finished with 10 points and 14 assists but shot 4-for-16. Cleveland threw multiple defenders at him all night, and he obliged by passing the ball and setting up his teammates. It led to a big second half for Tobias Harris, who scored all 19 of his points in the last two quarters.

But it wasn’t enough.

“On the defensive end we just couldn’t put up a wall, couldn’t get a stand going,” Cunningham said. “Personally, I had a lot of bad closeouts; just off the ball, I didn’t feel sharp. Just gotta clean all that stuff up.”

With 22 games remaining, the Pistons are focused on cleaning up the margins so they’ll be ready for postseason play. These two games against the Cavaliers have given them a list of areas to clean up.

Friday, they needed an extra period to win after rallying from a late nine-point deficit despite losing Cunningham late after he fouled out with just under two minutes left in the fourth quarter. Jalen Duren and Daniss Jenkins stepped up in overtime after Duncan Robinson also fouled out.

Mostly, the Cavaliers have proven they can pounce during soft stretches on defense. Thursday brings another rematch with a contender, as the Pistons wrap up a three-game road trip against the San Antonio Spurs (another opponent from last week).

“We didn’t play our best basketball the other night,” Bickerstaff said of the Cavaliers’ game on Feb. 27. “Give our guys credit because we played 53 minutes and were able to pull it out in some adverse conditions. Cade fouls out, Duncan fouls out, our guys still figure out a way to get it done.

“We need to be better. We need to be better defensively, we need to impose ourselves on the game a little bit more than we did last game. I thought the last two quarters of the Orlando game [on Sunday] were the best quarters we’ve played defensively since New York [on Feb. 19]. I hope, and told our guys, that we can continue to build off that, because that’s where it always starts for us. You can tell the tone by how we are defensively and how we’re getting after it.”

Contact Omari Sankofa II at osankofa@freepress.com. Follow him on Bluesky and/or X @omarisankofa.

[ MUST WATCH: Make “The Pistons Pulse” your go-to Pistons podcast, listen available anywhere you listen to podcasts (Apple, Spotify) or watch live on YouTube. ]

Next up: Spurs

Matchup: Pistons (45-15) at San Antonio (44-17).

Tipoff: 8 p.m. Thursday, March 5; Frost Bank Center, San Antonio.

TV/radio: FanDuel Sports Network Detroit; WXYT-FM (97.1).

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Milwaukee, WI

Why are Milwaukee-area students protesting ICE actions?

Published

6 hours ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

Why are Milwaukee-area students protesting ICE actions?

Ever since the shooting deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, both by federal agents in Minneapolis in January, there have been numerous student protests by high school students across the country – including several in Wisconsin and the Milwaukee area.

Students at Milwaukee Public Schools’ high schools including Milwaukee King, Ronald Reagan, and others; Wauwatosa East High School, Shorewood High School, Menomonee Falls High School, Nicolet High School, Whitefish Bay High School – even one student at Marquette University High School – have all walked out of school to protest Immigrations and Customs’ Enforcement actions in Minneapolis and nationwide.

What is it about ICE’s actions that have students walking out? How are school districts handling it, and what do students and parents think?

UW-Madison political science professor shares thoughts on what’s behind student walkouts

Political science professor emeritus Howard Schweber of the University of Wisconsin-Madison said several factors play into why students are protesting.

One of those factors is that ICE raids have taken place near schools. In some school districts, teachers have been arrested and students have disappeared. In some areas of Minneapolis, schools have had to switch to remote learning because students feared ICE raids, Schweber said.

Second, Schweber said the walkouts tie in to past student protests over guns in schools; high school students are feeling unsafe in their schools.

“They’re feeling threatened by forces, you know, far beyond their control, and feeling like first, it was their government wouldn’t protect them. This time it’s their government that’s doing it to them. Of course I’m only speaking from the perspective of the students who are protesting. I don’t mean to suggest that all students feel this way, but the ones who are protesting, this is, I think, what is driving them,” he said.

“Unlike some other issues, I think this one – like the guns in schools issues – hits very close to home, and makes them feel personally involved and threatened by the situation,” he said.

Schweber also talked about where the First Amendment applies during these situations.

He said students, particularly high school students, do have First Amendment rights. He said that schools may not punish students for expressing one viewpoint as opposed to another, and that any policy must be neutral. However, he said, students who walk out, and especially students who engage in conduct that disrupts school activities, can be disciplined.

“The legal background to this is students have a right to express themselves, but while they’re in school or while they’re supposed to be in school, that right is quite curtailed,” he said. “I noticed that in Madison, for example, there were some protests that were held after school ended in order to avoid this problem, which is certainly one way to avoid the issue, but then it’s not a walkout.”

How school districts deal with the walkouts

When it comes to walkouts, school districts typically approach them from several perspectives: attendance, neutrality, recognizing freedom of speech and safety.

In general, school districts will mark students who participate in walkouts as absent and unexcused unless their parents call in to excuse them. Most districts surveyed by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel also stressed that walkouts are student-sponsored and not organized or sanctioned by the districts.

For example, Pewaukee High School principal Brian Sniff said in a letter to parents that a Feb. 4 walkout at that school was student-initiated and student-led. He said that while students planning the walkout consulted with administration for clarity on the school’s expectations and potential consequences so they could make an informed decision about their plans, the district did not endorse or encourage the activity.

At the same time, some districts have acknowledged that students have free speech rights, as guaranteed by the First Amendment.

While reiterating that students who walk out are unexcused unless a parent excuses them, the Wauwatosa School District said in a letter to parents in advance of a Jan. 12 walkout that it values and encourages student self-expression and recognizes the “importance of civic engagement as part of a well-rounded education.”

“We view moments like this as opportunities for young people to explore their voices, deepen their understanding of social issues, and learn about the power of collective action in a safe and constructive way,” the letter said.

Safety is also another factor that districts consider.

South Milwaukee School District Superintendent Deidre Roemer, Shorewood High School principal Tim Kenney and Franklin High School principal Michael Vuolo said in their letters to parents before planned walkouts that staff would not supervise students who left school grounds.

Sniff said that if students walked out, administrators and security would monitor the situation, ensure they remained in designated safe areas on campus and prevent conflict. But he added that supervision means ensuring safety, and does not equal support.

Parent, student perspective

Jamie Esser, a parent of a child attending Pewaukee High School, said she supported the walkout there. She said teens getting involved with politics and social issues was “heartwarming” to her.

“I think our children, ever since lockdown, have been isolated and stuck in their cell phones and stuck on social media and not really interacting with each other or looking at the world at large. So I think – especially with all the controversy around ICE and around the treatment of their fellow Americans or even fellow human beings – I think it’s great that kids are taking up concerns, and as far as I’m concerned, it’s very promising for the future that today’s generation sees the injustice and just wants to be heard that they don’t agree with it,” Esser said.

Conversely, Joe Rivera, a parent and school board candidate for the Wisconsin Hudson School District in northwestern Wisconsin, said he was concerned about inconsistencies in how that district told parents it would handle a walkout v. what actually happened.

The walkout took place, even though the district told parents that students would not be allowed to leave campus and that classes would continue as scheduled, a Feb. 14 post on his campaign Facebook page said.

“Allowing a large, pre-planned demonstration during the school day – after communicating it would not be allowed – created confusion, undermined trust, and placed students in unnecessary danger, the post said. “We do not have to look far to see how similar situations, even nearby, have escalated quickly and turned tragic.”

“As a parent in this district, I find it unacceptable that families were told one thing and experienced another – especially when it involves student supervision and safety during the school day,” the post said.

Thomas Stilp, a Marquette University High School student, said he was among several students who were organizing a walkout at his school in February. Things looked ready to go until the night before the walkout. That’s when organizers heard concerns that the walkout might draw unwanted attention from ICE; those concerns led them to cancel the event.

Stilp said he thinks students fear that what’s happening in Minnesota will eventually happen in Milwaukee.

“What we really want is the whole country to be doing this, and if people are leaving schools and people are shutting down their offices and are not showing up to work, like businesses are closed; if you can’t get your coffee in the morning because of these ICE raids that are happening and businesses are calling for that to be stopped, that’s when you’re going to notice,” he said.

However, not all students support the walkouts.

One of those students is Turner Dittrich, a senior at Arrowhead High School and a founder, former president and current member of the school’s chapter of the conservative organization Turning Point. He is also the son of Terry Dittrich, the Waukesha County Republican Party chairman.

Turner Dittrich said that while people have the right to protest, they should not interfere with ICE, which is investigating criminal behavior.

“My whole take on it is, is why should undocumented illegal citizens get the same immunity as the ones who sacrifice to follow the law? We are America. We are a country of laws,” he said.

Dittrich said anti-ICE protests have been boosted by students who simply do not want to be in school. He also said he does not think it’s right for students to miss school for protests, out of respect for teachers.

“At Arrowhead especially, I’ve met some phenomenal teachers, some phenomenal individuals. They wake up tired and they’re really pouring out their energy into what they’re teaching students. For the ICE protests to not be done at 3:30 or 4 [after school] is just shocking to me because it’s like, what are these teachers possibly doing? Now, I understand freedom of speech. They can’t control kids necessarily, but at the end of the day, when teachers are getting paid to show up and work hard, it just unfortunately saddens me.

“It’s the same thing if there was a pro-ICE protest. I would think that during school hours, it’d be wrong, right? So I think on both sides of the aisle, the fact that we’re doing this during school hours, is wrong. It can’t be done that way,” Dittrich said.

Contact Alec Johnson at (262) 875-9469 or alec.johnson@jrn.com. Follow him on X (Twitter) at @AlecJohnson12.

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