In 2001, six-year-old Haley Zega got lost on a family hike in the Arkansas wilderness. She was found after three days where she survived drinking river water. Now there’s a book about it. What does it take to be a book? Novelist and Bard College professor Benjamin Hale is Haley’s uncle, so he wrote an article about it in Harper’s. When an article is expanded into a book, you wonder how much extra filling you get in the reading. A lot of books should be articles, rather than the other way around. (A lot of articles should be Substack posts, a lot of posts should be tweets, and a lot of tweets shouldn’t exist at all.)

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These 4 States Already Enacted SAVE Act Look-Alikes While John Thune Does Failure Theater

Other states are set to vote on amendment language clarifying that 'only' U.S. citizens can vote in elections.

GOP Candidate for Arkansas Secretary of State Assailed Arkansas's GOP Governor and Praised Outspoken Trump Critic Thomas Massie

One of two Arkansas Republicans vying to be the party's nominee for secretary of state has a social media feed littered with attacks on Republican officials—including the state's governor, Sarah Huckabee Sanders—and praise for one of the president's foes, Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie.

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Dad accused of killing daughter's alleged rapist wins Republican sheriff nomination: 'We're just getting started'

An Arkansas father who is facing second-degree murder charges for allegedly killing his teen daughter's suspected sexual abuser has won the Republican nomination for county sheriff.

As Blaze News reported in October 2024, Aaron Spencer woke up to find his 14-year-old daughter missing from the family’s home. Police were notified about the missing girl.

'Michael Fosler is [expletive] dead on the side of the road for trying to kidnap my daughter. I had no choice.'

Spencer got in his vehicle to try to track down his missing daughter and spotted a white Ford truck on the highway owned by Michael Fosler — the 67-year-old man accused of raping Spencer's daughter.

The Lonoke County Sheriff's Office said in a press release, "While en route, deputies were notified that the father, Aaron Spencer, had located the juvenile in a vehicle with Michael Fosler."

The affidavit said Spencer used his vehicle to rear-end Fosler’s Ford F-150 truck at an intersection, which forced it off the road and into a ditch.

Citing court records, USA Today reported that Spencer "then got out of his car and started firing a gun at Fosler. He fired 16 times, court records state, noting 15 bullets hit Fosler."

Court documents said Spencer pistol-whipped Fosler in the face after firing the shots.

Court records show Spencer then called 911 and said, "Michael Fosler is [expletive] dead on the side of the road for trying to kidnap my daughter. I had no choice."

Police said Fosler was pronounced dead at the crime scene.

Spencer was arrested, charged with second-degree murder in connection with Fosler's death, and then released from the Lonoke County Detention Center after posting bail.

Court documents said Spencer went to the home of a female acquaintance of Fosler on July 8, 2024, told the woman that Fosler raped his underage daughter, and then demanded Fosler's phone number and home address.

Spencer instructed the woman not to call anyone, including the police, according to court documents.

However, Fosler's acquaintance revealed the situation to one of her family members, who was a mandated reporter. According to USA Today, "Mandated reporters are required to notify law enforcement officials or social services about suspected cases of child abuse."

The mandated reporter alerted the Lonoke County Sheriff's Office about the rape allegations, court records stated.

Court records said two officers went to Spencer's residence as part of the investigation into the rape of his minor daughter.

Court docs said the interaction between Spencer and officers was recorded on a police bodycam, and one of the officers is heard telling Spencer, "We still don't live in a country where you can take the law into your own hands," to which Spencer responded with an expletive.

Officials with the Wade Knox Children's Advocacy Center interviewed Spencer's daughter, according to court records.

USA Today reported that police obtained an arrest warrant for Fosler for a charge of rape and one count of internet stalking of a child — both of which are felonies.

USA Today said Fosler was arrested and then released from jail on $50,000 bond on July 17, 2024.

Spencer's sister-in-law in 2025 launched a GiveSendGo crowdfunding campaign, which has raised over $100,000 in an effort to keep their "family afloat amid Aaron’s daunting legal proceedings."

"Beginning in the spring of 2024, my then 13-year-old niece was targeted by a predator, groomed, and assaulted multiple times," the crowdfunding listing said.

As Blaze News reported in October 2024, Spencer launched a political campaign to become the new Lonoke County Sheriff despite awaiting trial in connection with the alleged murder of Fosler.

The Arkansas secretary of state revealed that Spencer won more than 53% of the vote in last Tuesday's three-person GOP primary, easily defeating incumbent Lonoke County Sheriff John Staley and David Bufford.

Spencer said of his victory, "Lonoke County sent a clear message last night, and we're just getting started."

"I'm running to restore accountability and integrity to the sheriff's office, and the people of this county just showed they want the same thing," the father said on his campaign Facebook page. "Let's finish the job and build a safer, stronger Lonoke County together."

Sheriff Staley congratulated Spencer by saying in a statement, "Tonight, the voters made their decision in the Republican Primary, and I respect the decision."

Staley had been the Lonoke County Sheriff for the last 13 years.

Spencer — a husband, father, combat veteran of the 82nd Airborne Division, contractor, and farmer — now will face off against Democrat nominee Brian Mitchell Sr. in November.

Fox News noted that Spencer will be prohibited from serving as sheriff if he is convicted of the murder charge.

Spencer's trial initially was scheduled for January but has been postponed. He has pleaded not guilty.

Spencer's lawyers released a statement Friday: "Aaron did exactly what Arkansas law allows and exactly what any father would do: He protected his daughter and himself from harm."

"We said from the beginning that Aaron was justified under Arkansas law in protecting his daughter, and every time the facts have come into focus, that conclusion has only become clearer," the Lassiter & Cassinelli legal team proclaimed.

His lawyers also characterized Spencer's supporters as "parents, veterans, and neighbors who watched the system fail and support a father who stepped up."

"Lonoke County residents have rallied behind Aaron Spencer not just in his legal defense, but in his broader mission to bring accountability to a county government that has long operated without it," the statement said.

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Arkansas Dem Running for Senate on 'Fairness' Platform Backed Race-Based Hiring and Admissions Policies

The Democratic nominee for Senate in Arkansas, Hallie Shoffner, says her "campaign is about fairness" for "everyone who works hard." Shortly before announcing that campaign, Shoffner testified in favor of race-based hiring and admissions policies in Arkansas's government and public universities.

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'Ding-dong ditch' goes sideways yet again as teen gets shot amid popular prank, officials say

Once again, the popular "ding-dong ditch" prank — in which young people bang on front doors of homes, typically late at night, and run away — has ended with a teenager getting shot.

Sheriff Mike McCormick of Garland County, Arkansas, said a 16-year-old male suffered a gunshot wound during a reported "ding-dong ditch" prank in the area of Marion Anderson Road on Feb. 27.

'Trespassing, terrorizing, and damaging property.'

The sheriff said the 911 Communications Center late in the evening received multiple complaints of vehicles in the area with subjects wearing hoods and masks who were kicking and hitting residential doors.

While patrol deputies were performing an initial investigation, officials said they received another report about a subject who suffered a gunshot wound and was at a local hospital.

Sheriff's office investigators responded in order to collect surveillance, witness statements, and related evidence, officials said, and they determined that reports of subjects kicking and hitting residential doors and the shooting were related incidents.

Officials indeed said the subjects were engaging in the "ding-dong ditch" prank.

The sheriff's office said the identities of those involved "will not be released at this time. This is an active investigation."

A KATV-TV video report shared security camera clips from several homes in the neighborhood stemming from the incident; the station said the prank was under way around 11 p.m.

The station said "in camera footage from one residence in that area, you can see a hooded and masked individual getting out of a black pickup truck, running through the front yard of the residence and up the walkway, slamming his fist on the door, and then running off."

Tuesday’s must-watch primaries: The races that will determine if America First takes over in 2026

Voters in three states head to the polls on Tuesday, March 3, in the first major test of whether the America First movement will dominate the 2026 midterms, as several prominent Republican incumbents face key primary challenges.

'I just haven't made a decision on that race yet.'

Texas

The highest-profile race Tuesday is arguably the Senate primary matchup between incumbent Sen. John Cornyn, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, Rep. Wesley Hunt, and several other Republican candidates.

It is the most costly Senate primary race in history, with over $122 million spent. Cornyn, who was first elected in 2002, accounts for over 57% of total spending, with $69 million in ad buying by his campaign and outside groups. Total ad buy in support of Hunt is $12 million; for Paxton, $4.1 million.

Paxton has accused Cornyn of betraying Trump and the America First movement.

“I’m running to beat Fake Republican John Cornyn. The race is a DEAD HEAT,” Paxton said on Monday as part of an effort to encourage his conservative supporters to contribute to his campaign.

Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images

Cornyn warned Texans not to vote for Paxton.

“Ken Paxton will be the kiss of death for Republicans on the ticket in November of 2026,” Cornyn said in February.

"I think the attorney general, if he's the nominee, could very well lose the seat," he continued. "But if he doesn't lose the seat, he's not going to win except by the hair of his chin. And unfortunately, that will not help the down-ballot races."

President Donald Trump has not endorsed any candidates in the Texas Senate GOP primary race.

"I just haven't made a decision on that race yet," Trump told reporters in February.

"I like all three of them," Trump said, referring to Cornyn, Paxton, and Hunt. "Actually, I like all three. Those are the toughest races. They've all supported me. They're all good, and you're supposed to pick one, so we'll see what happens."

Also seeking to take over Cornyn's seat, on the Democrat side, U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett is facing off against state Rep. James Talarico. Total ad spending in support of Crockett reaches roughly $4.5 million, with $20.8 million for Talarico.

A poll from the University of Texas at Tyler showed Crockett, who received an endorsement from former Vice President Kamala Harris last week, with a double-digit lead over Talarico.

“Heading into Election Day, especially with multiple polls showing me ahead," Crockett told her supporters, "I want you to be ready to tune out the noise, the falsehoods, and the onslaught of attacks from D.C. insiders, the Epstein class, and all those who benefit from the status quo.”

Jasmine Crockett. Photo by Al Drago/Getty Images

With Paxton running in the Senate election, multiple Republicans have thrown their hats into the ring to become the state's next attorney general, including Rep. Chip Roy, attorney Aaron Reitz, and state Senators Mayes Middleton and Joan Huffman.

Texas voters will also select their nominee in the gubernatorial primary election, with the general election scheduled for November 3. Gov. Greg Abbott (R) is seeking a fourth term and faces several challengers.

There are also 38 U.S. congressional seats in Texas up for grabs in Tuesday's election.

Incumbent Rep. Tony Gonzales is up for re-election amid a political crisis over a scandal involving a former staffer who died by suicide. Gonzales is set to have a rematch against Brandon Herrera, a firearms influencer who nearly beat Gonzales in a 2024 runoff.

Tony Gonzales. Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call Inc./Getty Images

Incumbent Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R), elected to the House in 2018, is the only Texas Republican incumbent who has not received Trump's endorsement this election cycle. He is facing competition from three Republican candidates: attorney Martin Etwop, Army veteran Nicholas Plumb, and state Rep. Steve Toth.

Polling in Texas opens at 7:00 a.m. and closes at 7:00 p.m local time. Voting in the Republican or Democrat primary does not require party affiliation. However, voters who choose to participate in one party's primary will be affiliated with that party for the rest of 2026. This affiliation will prevent those voters from casting ballots in the other party's runoff election.

If no candidate secures more than 50% of the primary vote, the top two candidates will advance to a runoff election on May 26.

North Carolina

In June, Sen. Thom Tillis (R) announced his retirement, prompting a dozen candidates, including six Republicans and six Democrats, to run for his seat. Former Republican Party Chair Michael Whatley, who secured Trump's endorsement, is the most prominent name on the GOP side. Former Gov. Roy Cooper is leading the Democrat primary election.

Donald Trump and Michael Whatley. Photographer: Cornell Watson/Bloomberg/Getty Images

North Carolina voters will also cast their ballots to select 14 candidates for the U.S. House of Representatives.

Polls open at 6:30 a.m. and close at 7:30 p.m. local time. The state holds partially closed elections, in which voters can select only their party's ballots. Unaffiliated voters may choose a Republican or Democratic ballot, but they cannot vote in more than one primary.

In North Carolina, a runoff election is triggered when the second-place candidate requests it, but this applies only in primaries where the first-place candidate receives 30% or less of the vote. The state's potential runoffs would be held on May 12.

Arkansas

Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders (R) is up for re-election. While she is running unopposed in the Republican primary, Democrats have a contested primary on Tuesday to choose who will face Sanders. Democrats will decide between state Sen. Fredrick Love and businesswoman Supha Xayprasith-Mays. Libertarian Party candidate Colt Shelby will be on the ballot in the general election on November 3.

Incumbent Sen. Tom Cotton (R), who took office in 2015, is competing to retain his seat against two Republican candidates: Pastor Micah Ashby and Arkansas State Police Trooper Jeb Little.

Tom Cotton. Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

All of Arkansas' four U.S. House districts are holding primary elections on Tuesday.

Arkansas' polling sites will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. local time. The state conducts open primaries, allowing voters to select either a Republican or Democratic ballot at the polls without registering with the chosen party.

The state's runoff elections are triggered if no candidate secures more than 50% of the vote. These runoff elections would be held on March 31.

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Arkansas Senate Candidate Running To 'Fight for Farmers' Backed Carbon Tax That Could Cost Them Hundreds of Millions of Dollars

Hallie Shoffner is running for Senate in Arkansas as a political outsider who will "fight for farmers." Before launching her campaign, however, Shoffner revealed that she joined a California-based climate organization over its support for a carbon tax bill that could cost farmers billions.

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Exclusive: 'Anti-China moves' pay off BIGLY — Governor Sanders and Arkansas earn A+ for crushing CCP land-grabs

The communist regime in Beijing has long worked to undermine the United States.

China — which the first Trump administration recognized as a "revisionist" power keen on shaping "a world antithetical to U.S. values and interests" — and its agents have run intimidation and coercion campaigns out of illegal police stations on American soil; engaged in espionage and political destabilization efforts in the U.S.; and launched numerous cyberattacks on American institutions and critical infrastructure.

Perhaps most importantly, China has bought up vast swathes of strategically significant U.S. land.

'Arkansas was the first state in the country to kick communist China off our farmland and out of our state.'

Some states have taken meaningful steps to fight back against these and other subversive initiatives.

The efforts by Arkansas, in particular, to defend against Chinese communist influence and infiltration have not only captured Beijing's attention but that of State Shield, a foreign-influence watchdog group founded by Joe Gebbia, the co-founder of Airbnb who went to work last year for the Department of Government Efficiency.

State Shield, which works in over 10 states to advance policies to counter Chinese influence and bolster regional and national security, has awarded Arkansas an A+ rating in its inaugural 2025 State Shield Scorecard and named Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders (R) "Best Governor for National Security."

"Arkansas was the first state in the country to kick Communist China off our farmland and out of our state, and we didn't stop there," Sanders said in a statement obtained by Blaze News.

"We've taken real action to protect our land, our data, and our taxpayers from hostile foreign influence," continued the governor. "This recognition shows that strong leadership at the state level makes a real difference in keeping our people and our economy secure."

Photo by Kevin Frayer/Getty Images

Whereas subsequent scorecards will reflect annual reviews of legislative activity, State Shield indicated its inaugural scorecard reflects an evaluation of work completed from 2021 to 2025. During that period, Arkansas passed numerous laws aimed at curbing foreign influence.

Last year, for instance, the Natural State, enacted legislation:

withholding funding for a state-supported institution of higher education that has a Confucius Institute or similar institute related to China, prohibiting state-sponsored investment in China, and banning sister cities with China;
barring Chinese Communist Party-controlled businesses from leasing any interest in Arkansas land or holding any interest in agricultural land located within a 10-mile radius of critical infrastructure; and
prohibiting colleges and universities from engaging in the creation of agricultural products, conducting classified research, or conducting agricultural research under a contract with a prohibited foreign party.

In addition to ratifying these and other pieces of legislation on-theme, Gov. Sanders moved the needle on countering Chinese influence with numerous actions and executive orders.

'It is indeed necessary to be vigilant against Arkansas' anti-China moves.'

Among the gubernatorial actions highlighted by State Shield was Sanders' January 2023 executive order aimed at protecting Arkansas information and communications technology from the influence of adversarial foreign regimes, and her EO banning CCP-linked TikTok on state networks and state-issued devices.

Arkansas' efforts to curb Chinese influence have infuriated the communists in Beijing.

When, for instance, Arkansas ordered the subsidiary of a China-owned agricultural firm ChemChina to sell off land in the Natural State pursuant to Arkansas Act 636 — legislation ratified in 2023 by Sanders — the CCP propaganda publication Global Times viciously attacked the governor.

The publication accused Sanders both of advancing "undignified" rhetoric and proving that "American politicians are incapable of driving local development, but are good at orchestrating political farces."

It further warned that "it is indeed necessary to be vigilant against Arkansas' anti-China moves, as they could potentially lead to imitation and similar actions by other conservative U.S. states."

State Shield's scorecard indicates that while Arkansas leads the pack, other red states — especially Nebraska — aren't far behind.

Sanders, whose efforts have in some cases dovetailed with the Trump administration's, said early last year, "President Trump is the first president in my lifetime to take a hard line against communist China, and we are proud to support that work in Arkansas by getting communist China off our land and out of our state."

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Strange but True Crime

These 4 States Already Enacted SAVE Act Look-Alikes While John Thune Does Failure Theater

GOP Candidate for Arkansas Secretary of State Assailed Arkansas's GOP Governor and Praised Outspoken Trump Critic Thomas Massie

Dad accused of killing daughter's alleged rapist wins Republican sheriff nomination: 'We're just getting started'

Arkansas Dem Running for Senate on 'Fairness' Platform Backed Race-Based Hiring and Admissions Policies

'Ding-dong ditch' goes sideways yet again as teen gets shot amid popular prank, officials say

Tuesday’s must-watch primaries: The races that will determine if America First takes over in 2026

Texas

North Carolina

Arkansas

Arkansas Senate Candidate Running To 'Fight for Farmers' Backed Carbon Tax That Could Cost Them Hundreds of Millions of Dollars

Exclusive: 'Anti-China moves' pay off BIGLY — Governor Sanders and Arkansas earn A+ for crushing CCP land-grabs

Santa Monica shoe store owner ambushed by attempted robbers — but he ends the threat with his gun, police say

Unlike Harris, Trump Sees Women As More Than Reproductive Parts

Baby's first junk food: How companies prey on new parents

Middle-Class Americans Don’t Care What Paul Krugman’s Charts Say About Inflation

Democrats’ Bill Would Give The DOJ Veto Power Over State And Local Election Laws

Bloomberg hit-piece targeting anti-child-trafficking film 'Sound of Freedom' was penned by LGBT activist who opposed stigmatizing pedophiles

Kohl's faces potential 'Bud-lighting' over its LGBT agitprop targeting toddlers

Texas

North Carolina

Arkansas

We’ll keep you informed with top stories for conservatives who want to become informed decision makers.