Happy New Year 2025

Tag: wins

MAGA candidate wins GOP primary in Florida race to replace Matt Gaetz in Congress

The candidate endorsed by President Trump on Tuesday won the Republican primary in a special congressional election to replace former GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz in Florida’s 1st Congressional District.

The Associated Press projects that Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis will win the GOP nomination in the district, which is located in the northwest corner of the state in the Panhandle region.

He will face gun safety advocate Gay Valimont, who ran unopposed in the Democratic primary.

Patronis, who was also endorsed by House Speaker Mike Johnson, topped nine other Republican candidates in the crowded primary field. He will be considered the clear favorite in the April 1 general election to fill the congressional seat in the heavily red district.

“A fourth generation Floridian from the beautiful Panhandle, and owner of an iconic seafood restaurant, Jimmy has been a wonderful friend to me, and to MAGA,” Trump wrote in a social media post earlier this month.

IT’S PRIMARY DAY IN PARTS OF THIS CRUCIAL STATE

Left: Florida CFO Jimmy Patronis; Right: President-elect Donald Trump rings the opening bell on the trading floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on Dec. 12, 2024 in New York City. (Left: Fox News Digital; Right: Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

Gaetz resigned from Congress abruptly late last year after Trump tapped him to be his attorney general, though Gaetz eventually withdrew himself from consideration amid growing Republican opposition.

The congressman’s resignation also came as the House Ethics Committee had been preparing its report on allegations against Gaetz that included illicit drug use and sex with a minor, all of which he has denied.

Among those who fell short to Patronis in the GOP primary was a former Navy veteran who challenged Gaetz last year with the backing of former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.

Gaetz had triggered the congressional maneuver in 2023 that eventually led to McCarthy’s ouster from power after less than a year as House speaker.

Former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., speaks at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wis., on July 17, 2024. (AP/J. Scott Applewhite)

Patronis – whose family runs a popular restaurant in Panama City – which is outside the district -was criticized for not living in the district.

He twice won statewide elections as chief financial officer and, until Gaetz quit Congress, was seen as a potential candidate in Florida’s 2026 race to succeed term-limited Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Florida CFO Jimmy Patronis delivers remarks at a campaign event in Sarasota, Florida, on Nov. 6, 2022. (Tiffany Tompkins/Bradenton Herald/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

Republican and Democratic primaries were also being held Tuesday in Florida’s 6th Congressional District, in the special election to fill the seat left vacant after GOP Rep. Michael Waltz stepped down to serve as national security adviser in the second Trump administration. The general election in the red district is also scheduled for April 1.

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With a fragile, razor-thin majority in the House, the likely reinforcements from Florida’s 1st and 6th Congressional Distircts will be welcome news to Republican leadership in the chamber as it tries to pass Trump’s agenda.

Paul Steinhauser is a politics reporter based in New Hampshire.

January 29, 2025
Trump endorsed candidate wins GOP primary in Florida race to replace Mike Waltz in Congress

The candidate endorsed by President Trump on Tuesday won the Republican primary in a special election in Florida’s 6th Congressional District in the race to replace former GOP Rep. Michael Waltz.

Waltz stepped down from his House seat last week to serve as national security adviser in Trump’s second administration.

The Associated Press projects that state Sen. Randy Fine will win the GOP nomination in the Republican-leaning district, which stretches from Daytona Beach to the southern suburbs of Jacksonville along Florida’s Atlantic coast.

Fine, who at one time was the only Jewish Republican lawmaker in the state legislature, topped a couple of other Republicans running in the primary. He will be considered the clear favorite in the April 1 general election.

IT’S PRIMARY DAY IN PARTS OF THIS CRUCIAL STATE

State lawmaker Randy Fine, a Republican from South Brevard County, Florida, speaks during a special legislative session, on Wednesday, May 19, 2021, in Tallahassee. (AP)

Republican and Democratic primaries were also being held Tuesday in Florida’s 1st Congressional District, in the special election to fill the seat left vacant after GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz resigned from Congress abruptly late last year after Trump tapped him to be his attorney general.

Gaetz eventually withdrew himself from consideration amid growing Republican opposition. The congressman’s resignation also came as the House Ethics Committee had been preparing its report on allegations against Gaetz that included illicit drug use and sex with a minor, all of which he has denied.

Then-Rep. Michael Waltz of Florida (left) introduces then-Secretary of Defense nominee Pete Hegseth during his Senate Armed Services confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill on January 14, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images) (Getty Images)

Both of Tuesday’s Republican primaries in Florida are a test of Trump’s overwhelming clout over the GOP.

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The general election in Florida’s 1st District is also on April 1.

With a fragile, razor-thin majority in the House, the likely reinforcements from both districts will be welcome news to Republican leadership in the chamber as it tries to pass Trump’s agenda.

Paul Steinhauser is a politics reporter based in New Hampshire.

January 29, 2025
Jannik Sinner wins Australian Open for 2nd straight time

Italian tennis star Jannik Sinner defeated German Alexander Zverev in straight sets to win his second consecutive Australian Open title on Sunday, 6-3, 7-6 (4), 6-3.

Sinner once again solidified his top ranking in tennis. He’s been No. 1 in the world since June with no signs of stopping. He didn’t face a break point, and had more winners (32-25) and fewer unforced errors (45-27).

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Jannik Sinner celebrates after defeating Alexander Zverev in the men’s singles final at the Australian Open in Melbourne, Sunday, Jan. 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

Zverev said it himself.

“You’re the best player in the world, by far. I was hoping that I could be more of a competitor today, but you’re just too good. It’s as simple as that,” he said.

It’s the third Grand Slam title for Sinner. He’s won the Australian Open twice and won the U.S. Open last year. He went as far as the semifinals in the French Open and in Wimbledon. He’s the eighth man in the Open era to start his career 3-0 in Grand Slam finals.

“It’s amazing to achieve these things,” he said.

AMERICAN MADISON KEYS WINS AUSTRALIAN OPEN, UPSETS NO. 1-RANKED ARYNA SABALENKA

Jannik Sinner carries the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup after defeating Alexander Zverev at the Australian Open, Jan. 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)

Sinner came into the tournament with a massive spotlight on him. He tested positive for a trace amount of an anabolic steroid twice last March but blamed it on an accidental exposure involving two members of his team. He was cleared in a ruling that was appealed by the World Anti-Doping Agency.

He was initially exonerated in August, but WADA’s appeal is set for April.

Tennis stars such as Nick Kyrgios have spoken up about the doping violations of players like Sinner and Iga Swiatek, who accepted a suspension in November.

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Jannik Sinner plays a forehand to Alexander Zverev during the men’s singles final at the Australian Open, Sunday, Jan. 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

“Two world No.1s both getting done for doping is disgusting for our sport. It’s a horrible look,” the Aussie star said last month. “Tennis integrity right now, and everyone knows it, but no one wants to speak about it, it’s awful.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.

January 26, 2025
American Madison Keys wins Australian Open, upsets No. 1-ranked Aryna Sabalenka

American tennis star Madison Keys upset No. 1-ranked Aryna Sabalenka to win the Australian Open on Saturday.

Keys, 29, won 6-3, 2-6, 7-5 in the tightly contested match to win her first-ever Grand Slam tournament.

Keys finished with just one more point won than Sabalenka overall, winning 92 points, compared to Sabalenka’s 91.

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Madison Keys, center, of the U.S. reacts as she receives the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup from Evonne Goolagong Cawley after defeating Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus in the women’s singles final at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, on Saturday, Jan. 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

Sabalenka was seeking to win her third consecutive Australian Open, something that was last achieved — by Martina Hingis — from 1997 through 1999.

This was the second time in Keys’ career that she had a chance at a major title, her last being a 6-3, 6-0 loss to fellow countrywoman Sloane Stephens in the 2017 US Open.

Keys had high expectations for herself in her tennis career, but began to accept the fact that she might never win a Grand Slam title.

“From a pretty young age, I felt like if I never won a Grand Slam, then I wouldn’t have lived up to what people thought I should have been. That was a pretty heavy burden to kind of carry around,” Keys said.

NOVAK DJOKOVIC BOOED AFTER RETIRING FROM AUSTRALIAN OPEN SEMIFINAL MATCH WITH INJURY

Madison Keys of the U.S. reacts during her women’s singles final match against Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

“So I finally got to the point where I was proud of myself and proud of my career, with or without a Grand Slam. I finally got to the point where I was OK if it didn’t happen. I didn’t need it to feel like I had a good career or that I deserved to be talked about as a great tennis player.

“I feel like finally letting go of that kind of internal talk that I had just gave me the ability to actually go out and play some really good tennis to actually win a Grand Slam.”

Not only did Keys upset the No.1 ranked Sabalenka, but she also took down No. 2 ranked Iga Świątek in the semifinals en route to her Australian Open title victory.

Keys was the first woman since Serena Williams in 2005 to defeat both of the WTA’s top two players at Melbourne Park. She said that beating Swiatek gave her the confidence she could win against Sabalenka.

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Madison Keys of the U.S. speaks during a press conference after defeating Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus in the women’s singles final at the Australian Open tennis championship to win the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup, in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

“Winning that match the other night against Iga was really kind of a big hurdle,” Keys said. “I always believed that I could do it, but to do it that way — really I thought to myself after the match that I can absolutely win on Saturday.”

This was Keys 46th Slam appearance, the third most before winning a women’s major title, being only Flavia Pennetta’s 49 and Marion Bartoli’s 47 appearances before they won.

“I didn’t always believe that I could get back to this point. But to be able to do it and win, it means the world to me.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Ryan Canfield is a digital production assistant for Fox News Digital.

January 25, 2025
Survivor of Nova music festival Hamas terror attack wins slot to represent Israel at Eurovision

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A survivor of the Nova music festival terrorist attack by Hamas Oct. 7, 2023, has channeled her therapeutic journey through music and on Thursday secured the slot to represent Israel at the Eurovision Song Contest in Basel, Switzerland.

Yuval Raphael, 24, reportedly began singing as a way to cope with the trauma she endured after she, four of her friends and roughly 40 others attempted to hide in a roadside bomb shelter near Kibbutz Re’im after they fled the festival by car after the attack.

Raphael, who was forced to hide under the bodies of those killed in front of her for about eight hours before help arrived, has shared her story and described how Hamas terrorists repeatedly returned to the bomb shelter and opened fire on those hiding inside.

Eventually, the terrorists began throwing grenades into the concrete shelter, a story similar to what dozens endured that day, including American-Israeli Hersh Goldberg-Polin.

IDF KILLS HAMAS TERRORIST IT SAYS WORKED FOR UNRWA, LED CHARGE ON REIM BOMB SHELTER MASSACRE

“Music is one of the strongest ingredients in my healing process,” she said during the competition Thursday, The Times of Israel reported.

Despite having no previous experience as a singer, Raphael secured her top spot after singing “The Writings on the Wall” followed by a rendition of ABBA’s “Dancing Queen” dedicated to “all the angels” killed in the October 2023 terrorist attack.

Raphael had previously garnered international attention not with her powerhouse voice but by sharing her experience with the United Nations Human Rights Council in a move she said was not politically motivated but an attempt to bring attention to what innocent civilians endured that tragic day.

Pictures are displayed on the walls of a bomb shelter near Kibbutz Be’eri in southern Israel, April 7, 2024, where, six months earlier, people sought refuge before being killed during the deadly Oct. 7 attack on Israel by Hamas terrorists from Gaza. (Reuters/Amir Cohen)

TRUMP ENVOY SAYS GAZA CEASEFIRE COULD PAVE WAY FOR MIDEAST NORMALIZATION DEAL: ‘INFLECTION POINT’

Yuval Raphael, 24, won the slot to represent Israel at the Eurovision music competition Jan. 23, 2023, after having no prior singing experience. (Ortal Dahan Ziv)

“I want to tell them the story of the country, of what I went through, of what others went through,” she reportedly said ahead of the final. “I want to tell the story, but not from a place of seeking pity. I want it to be from a place of standing strong in the face of this and in the face of the boos I’m 100% sure will come from the crowd.”

Raphael’s comments were in reference to the pushback she and other Israelis have faced during the international competitions, including in 2024, following the terrorist attack and subsequent Israel Defense Forces’ (IDF) operations in Gaza.

Yuval Raphael, 24, won the slot to represent Israel at the Eurovision music competition Jan. 23, 2023, despite having no prior singing experience. (Ortal Dahan Ziv)

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Israel has faced calls to be banned from the international competition, but the European Broadcasting Union has rejected the push, affirming that Eurovision is a non-political music event. The 2024 Israeli contestant, Eden Golan, faced anti-Israeli protests and had to be granted a Shin Bet security detail.

Golan was also required to change the name of her song, “October Rain,” to “Hurricane” because event officials believed it was too political, The Times of Israel reported.

January 23, 2025