Who will replace Lori Lightfoot as Chicago mayor?



As the night drags on, the outcome of the Chicago mayoral race still remains unclear.

Paul Vallas and Brandon Johnson faced off in Chicago's mayoral runoff on Tuesday after advancing from a February contest in which current Mayor Lori Lightfoot saw her re-election hopes dashed when she placed third, failing to qualify for the April runoff contest.

Johnson is a member of the Cook County Board of Commissioners.

Vallas, who served as CEO of Chicago Public Schools more than two decades ago, ran for mayor in 2019 as well but failed to advance to the runoff. In the February 2023 election, he finished in first with a comfortable lead over Johnson, who placed second.

Vallas had been endorsed by U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.).

The Chicago Teachers' Union backed Johnson, who, according to the Associated Press, is a former teacher and union organizer.

"Brandon began his career as a public school teacher, first at Jenner Academy in Cabrini-Green and then at Westinghouse College Prep on the West Side, where he experienced firsthand how school closures, unemployment and gun violence impacted his students and their communities," according to brandonforchicago.com. "Brandon went on to become an organizer with the Chicago Teachers Union, where he led multi-racial coalitions to defend neighborhood schools from privatization, reduce high-stakes standardized testing and expand access to state funding."

U.S. Rep. Jesús "Chuy" García of Illinois, who finished in fourth place during the Chicago mayoral contest earlier this year, just announced that his 28-year-old daughter passed away. "Last night our beloved daughter, Rosa, passed away at the age of 28. Our family is completely heartbroken. Rosa joined our family as a young girl who had been in the foster care system. We did our best to provide a stable, loving, and welcoming home for her. Our family asks for privacy and welcomes your thoughts and prayers during this most difficult time," García said in a statement on Tuesday.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Former Disney star Hilary Duff breaks the internet with 'empowering' photos for Women's Health



Former child star Hilary Duff is "approaching her life and career on her own terms" by posing nude for Women’s Health magazine. The 34-year-old mother of three said she's finally at "a place of being peaceful" with her body after years of trying to live up to Hollywood's beauty standards.

Duff shared her struggles with accepting her body image as a young actress over the years on Disney's "Lizzie McGuire" and later "How I met Your Father." She described feeling "horrifying" pressure that eventually led to a yearlong eating disorder when she was 17.

“I’m proud of my body. I’m proud that it’s produced three children for me. I’ve gotten to a place of being peaceful with the changes my body has gone through. I also want people to know a makeup artist was there putting glow all over my body and someone put me in the most flattering position,” Duff told the magazine.

But, @HilaryDuff adds, "I also want people to know a makeup artist was there putting glow all over my body and someone put me in the most flattering position."pic.twitter.com/pcojwtnYbL
— Women's Health (@Women's Health) 1652184767
Grab your copy on stands 5/24! https://trib.al/r1lCVTh\u00a0pic.twitter.com/5KUuNJMEUq
— Women's Health (@Women's Health) 1652184772

Duff posted the magazine cover on Instagram, with the caption, “Sooooo, this was scary….. I knew doing this would terrify me and I was right! @womenshealthmag had the most lovely all-women shoot and I actually had the best time. I felt strong and beautiful and laughed a lot getting into some of these poses without my high waisted mom jeans and oversized whatever I normally wear. Thank you to everyone who normalized this day for me and propped me up with compliments and love. @nikkilee901 you worked your butt off! @kdeenihan I live for the no make up/make up look you give me and the “sheen” spray was 🤌🏻@daniellamidenge I love these photos so much, thank you for capturing a moment in time where I felt both completely vulnerable but powerful."


Duff's bare-all photos have been widely circulated online, sparking both generous praise and discussion about body image and what's really considered “empowering."

Hilary Duff is turning heads and making headlines following her @WomensHealthMag cover.pic.twitter.com/gFPKDAdTda
— TODAY with Hoda & Jenna (@TODAY with Hoda & Jenna) 1652278268
Capturing the beauty of the body is my favorite and most healing and fulfilling art. Thank you for sharing and normalizing this type of body positivity with the world!@WomensHealthMagpic.twitter.com/6iWqhfYx5J
— \ud835\udc12\ud835\udc0e\ud835\udc14\ud835\udc0b\ud835\udc02\ud835\udc11\ud835\udc00\ud835\udc05\ud835\udc13.eth \u262e\ufe0f (@\ud835\udc12\ud835\udc0e\ud835\udc14\ud835\udc0b\ud835\udc02\ud835\udc11\ud835\udc00\ud835\udc05\ud835\udc13.eth \u262e\ufe0f) 1652216537
Hilary Duff does it and it\u2019s empowering and good for her she looks great\u2026Britney does it and people think she needs therapy\u2026lol this world is crazy
— Brandon (@Brandon) 1652204447
that is interesting although is this just like a victory lap for living up to hollywood standards...?
— Jesse Harrison (@Jesse Harrison) 1652204552


I don\u2019t understand why women have to take their clothes off to feel empowered. It\u2019s just weird.
— KendraKlassen (@KendraKlassen) 1652217229


The issue I think that people have is that it is cringe. This woman is a 10 out of 10 and she is acting like it requires bravery to do this.
— Ray (@Ray) 1652221460
Pretty brave for Hilary Duff to reject those absurd Hollywood standards and put herself out there like that now that you can bounce quarters off her rear end. https://twitter.com/womenshealthmag/status/1523999473986375681\u00a0\u2026
— Jesse Kelly (@Jesse Kelly) 1652299452

Hilary Duff poses naked on the cover of 'Women's Health' and gets candid about what she loves most about her body.


Virginia dad goes nuclear on teachers' union boss: They require 'permission slips' for 'snacks,' 'field trips' but not to 'talk about my son’s penis'



A father in Loudoun County, Virginia, tore into American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten this week after the union boss claimed that a growing parental rights movement in America could lead to civil war.

What did he say?

Brandon Michon — an outspoken parent who is also running for Congress as a Republican in Virginia's 10th district — told Fox News on Monday that union heads and school boards across the country are the ones who started the conflict by pushing progressive ideologies in schools.

"They've already invaded the classroom," Michon charged.

"When you think about it, [the union] colluded with the CDC, colluded with the DOJ and this administration on calling parents domestic terrorists," he said.

Michon, who has four children under the age of 10, accused Loudoun County Public Schools and other progressive school districts of pushing their radical views surrounding sexual orientation, gender identity, and critical race theory on children without consent from parents.

"They have to have signed permission slips for their snacks, they have to have signed permission slips to go on field trips, but no one is asking me for permission to talk about my son’s penis," he exclaimed. "It is unacceptable. They are pushing indoctrination on the most innocent part of the population."

The special interest groups and unions invaded education a long time ago. Parents will continue to advocate for a proper education of our children. \n\nWhen elected I will investigate you @rweingarten \n\nJoin us May 21st so we can get this country back on track. \n\n#VA10 @FoxNewspic.twitter.com/Lb6llsB0Vf
— Brandon Michon (@Brandon Michon) 1650908192

What's the background?

Weingarten made headlines last week after going off on proponents of the parental rights in education movement in America during an unhinged radio interview.

"We've been very lucky in America, and we in some ways live in a bubble for a long time. This is propaganda. This is misinformation. This is the way in which wars start. This is the way in which hatred starts," the teachers union leader fumed to radio host Rick Smith.

Elsewhere in the discussion, she called backlash against progressive ideology being taught in public schools an "existential threat" to the country and complained that "right-wing extremists" are "exploiting" parents' fears to accomplish political ends.

Weingarten's remarks served as a flash point in the heated battle between parents who want more control over their children's education and the leaders of educational institutions who think they know better.

In recent months, parental outrage over transgender-affirming and critical race theory curricula in schools has culminated in legislation aiming to prevent such unwanted indoctrination. Perhaps the most popular piece of legislation is Florida's House Bill 1557, which bars classroom discussion on sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through the third grade and establishes scaleable guidelines for discussion on the subject matter in grades thereafter.

What else?

Outraged over what his children were being taught in school, Michon decided to speak up at school board meetings last year. Now he's running for office with a campaign focused on parental empowerment and putting children's interests first.

"The children just want to learn," Michon told Fox News.

"If you want to talk about the biggest equalizer in all of education, literacy. Let’s get back to teaching more literacy. That [lifts] up all socio-economic classes," he argued, adding, "Don’t talk about the vocal minority of parents when there is vocal minority on the other side. We need to renew the focus on our children. Math, science, history, the things that will make them good members of society."

Crowder TEARS DOWN Biden's Russian Oil Ban LIVE! Great Reset RANT! | Louder With Crowder

Crowder TEARS DOWN Biden's Russian Oil Ban LIVE! Great Reset RANT! | Louder With Crowder

NASCAR reportedly shuts down 'Let's Go Brandon' sponsorship deal after granting initial OK



NASCAR on Tuesday formally rejected a sponsorship deal based on the anti-Biden "Let's go, Brandon" chant.

What are the details?

Last week, Brandonbilt Motorsports and Xfinity Series driver Brandon Brown — whose post-victory interview in October first sparked the slogan — announced their partnership with cryptocurrency meme coin LGBcoin.io for the 2022 season.

In a press release, the team showcased Brown's new paint scheme, which featured "an eye-catching red, white, and blue livery with the logo and wordmark of LGBcoin aboard his No. 68 Chevrolet Camaro."

But according to a NASCAR spokesperson speaking with Motorsport.com, Brown's team "jumped the gun" in publicizing the deal, which was initially OK'd by a NASCAR employee but failed to gain full clearance upon further review.

The Washington Post reported that the NASCAR official who initially signed off on the deal was not authorized to do so. RACER reported that the deal "was not done through the appropriate portal and was incorrectly approved without proper understanding of the LGBcoin."

NASCAR has yet to issue a formal statement on the matter.

I\u2019m excited to welcome @LGBcoin_io aboard my No. 68 Chevrolet Camaro as our 2022 NASCAR Xfinity Series full season primary partner!\n\nPress release: \n\nhttps://www.bmsraceteam.com/teamupdates\u00a0pic.twitter.com/s8PkfCtnVD
— Brandon Brown (@Brandon Brown) 1640877711

In conversation with Fox Business, a spokesperson for Brown, Maxwell Marcucci, claimed that NASCAR did officially approve the deal only to walk it back later. He added that the organization's subsequent statements have run "counter to facts of the situation."

"After the announcement went live on Thursday morning, NASCAR acknowledged to us late that afternoon that we had received approval but that they now needed to discuss this at a higher level," Marcucci reportedly said.

What's the background?

Brown was the central figure in the launch of the politically tumultuous slogan, which has become a coded way of saying, "F*** Joe Biden."

During an interview with NBC after Brown's first career Xfinity Series victory last October, fans in the grandstands at the Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama began shouting the anti-Biden chant. Then, either out of confusion or in a poor attempt to control the narrative, the NBC sports reporter incorrectly claimed that the crowd was chanting "Let's go, Brandon" to celebrate Brown's victory.

The moment immediately went viral, and "Let's go, Brandon" became a tongue-in-cheek rallying cry for critics of President Biden, to the left's chagrin.

Brown, for his part, has claimed that he has "zero desire to be involved in politics" and is actually leery of being associated with the controversial chant for fear of being "canceled" and losing out on sponsorship deals.

In the press release announcing the sponsorship deal, Brandonbilt Motorsports said LGBcoin is a "patriotic coin" that "aims to inspire positivity and unity, grounded in a strong belief of the American dream."

The coin is reportedly similar to other meme coins like Dogecoin and Shiba Inu and, despite having no intrinsic value, has achieved a market capitalization of more than $300 million in under six months.

“We are proud to support Brandon this season, to help him continue his American dream,” James Koutoulas, the founder of Typhoon Capital Management, added. "If we do our job right, when you think of us, and you hear, ‘Let’s Go Brandon,’ you’ll think and feel, ‘Let’s Go America.'"

Brandonbilt Motorsports reportedly plans to fight NASCAR's rejection of the sponsorship deal, but the team is likely to face an uphill battle, as NASCAR reserves the right to deny any sponsorship agreements it deems to be "detrimental" to the sport.

NASCAR driver Brandon Brown announces sponsorship deal with LGBcoin, cryptocurrency named for 'Let's Go, Brandon' meme



Days after NASCAR driver Brandon Brown told the media he was having difficulties finding a sponsor for his driving team, the man whose name inspired a meme is now sponsored by a cryptocurrency inspired by the "Let's Go Brandon" meme.

It's a story that's possible only in 2021.

Brown's first name became ubiquitous after an NBC sports reporter misheard a crowd chanting "F*** Joe Biden!" The 28-year-old driver had just claimed his first-ever NASCAR victory at the Taladega Superspeedway in Talladega, Alabama, and the reporter incorrectly said the crowd was chanting "Let's Go, Brandon" to celebrate his win.

The moment, captured on video, instantly went viral. "Let's Go, Brandon" became a rallying cry of protest against President Joe Biden, an inside joke for conservatives and anyone else opposed to Biden's presidency, and an annoyance for the humorless left-wing media, which dubbed the phrase a "right-wing slur."

Meanwhile, the actual Brandon Brown just wanted to race. He told the New York Times in a recent interview that he had "zero desire to be involved in politics" and that he was leery of having his name associated with a coded "F*** Joe Biden" chant for fear of being "canceled" and losing potential sponsorship deals.

In another interview with Sports Business Journal, he said the meme became "extremely difficult" for his racing team.

“If you’re a national corporation, that means you sell to all consumers ... and unfortunately, when you get dragged into the political arena, people want you to take a side. I’ve never been put in a position where it’s, ‘OK, what side are you on? Left or right?’ So it’s hard for a brand to want to attach to somebody who might be kind of divisive in their consumer base," he said.

But it looks like Brown found a primary sponsor who is not only fine with the "Let's Go, Brandon" meme, but wants to capitalize on it.

Brown's team Brandonbilt Motorsports announced Thursday that the cryptocurrency meme coin LGBcoin.io (LGBcoin/$LGB) has signed on as the team's full-season primary partner for the 2022 NASCAR Xfinity Series season.

LGBcoin, according to a press release, is a new meme cryptocurrency "similar to other meme coins and tokens such as Dogecoin and Shiba Inu." Though LGBcoin has "no intrinsic value," the press release boasts that it has achieved a market capitalization of more than $300 million in fewer than six months, and that as "America's Coin," it "aims to inspire positivity and unity, grounded in a strong belief of the American dream."

“We are thrilled to partner with Brandonbilt Motorsports and Brandon Brown for the 2022 NASCAR Xfinity Series season,” James Koutoulas, LGBcoin HODLer (a term derived from a misspelling of "hold," in the context of cryptocurrency trading) and founder of Typhoon Capital Management, a Miami-based hedge fund, said. “Brandon is not only an incredibly talented driver, but also a thoughtful individual wise beyond his years. His commitment and singular focus on his profession is inspiring and his personal story is one that we can all be proud of—an American story of success and perseverance. Brandon is truly America’s Driver.”

Brown shared a video on Twitter Thursday debuting his No. 68 Chevorlet Camaro, now painted in red, white, and blue with the LGBcoin.io logo featured prominently.

I\u2019m excited to welcome @LGBcoin_io aboard my No. 68 Chevrolet Camaro as our 2022 NASCAR Xfinity Series full season primary partner!\n\nPress release: \n\nhttps://www.bmsraceteam.com/teamupdates\u00a0pic.twitter.com/s8PkfCtnVD
— Brandon Brown (@Brandon Brown) 1640877711

“Having the financial support of LGBcoin is incredible, especially at such a pivotal time in our team’s growth as we work to build to the next level of competition,” Brown said. “From wondering if we would have the financial means to continue to compete, to my first major win (at Talladega no less), to becoming an unintentional meme, this past season was a rollercoaster. The support of sponsors like LGBcoin empowers us to be as competitive as possible and I’m looking forward to competing hard on the track in 2022.”

“We are proud to support Brandon this season, to help him continue his American dream,” Koutoulas said. “If we do our job right, when you think of us, and you hear, ‘Let’s Go Brandon,’ you’ll think and feel, ‘Let’s Go America.’”

‘Let’s Go Brandon! Woooooo!’: Man Interrupts Nancy Pelosi’s Press Conference

'USA! USA! USA!'

Gov DeSantis visits Brandon Honda in Brandon, Florida to sign legislation that prohibits mandatory COVID-19 vaccination: 'We are respecting people's individual freedom in this state'



Sunshine State Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday signed legislation that ensures Floridians have the freedom to make their own decisions regarding COVID-19 vaccination without facing the threat of losing their job.

"We are respecting people's individual freedom in this state," DeSantis said while delivering remarks at the Brandon Honda dealership in Brandon, Florida.

The conservative governor signed legislation that prohibits private employers from requiring COVID-19 vaccination. Workers who do not want to get the shots can be exempt due to recovery from prior COVID-19 illness, religious or health concerns, testing, use of personal protective equipment, pregnancy, or expected pregnancy, according to a press release, which notes that employers who breach the employee health protections will get slapped with a fine.

"Government entities may not require COVID-19 vaccinations of anyone, including employees," the press release notes. "Educational institutions may not require students to be COVID-19 vaccinated," it also states. "School districts may not have school face mask policies."

The location of the event appeared to be a reference to the expression "Let's go Brandon," which has become a euphemism for the profane pejorative "F*** Joe Biden."

When asked whether he went to Brandon due to the trolling of the presidential administration, DeSantis answered, "So I think that Brandon, Florida's a great American city. I think the people here are fantastic."

Live: Gov. DeSantis signs bills preventing vaccine mandates from Brandon, Florida youtu.be

Earlier this month DeSantis jokingly referred to the Biden administration as the "Brandon administration."

The "Let's go Brandon" meme originated in October when a reporter was interviewing Brandon Brown, who had won a NASCAR race.

During the interview people in the crowd were chanting "F*** Joe Biden."

The reporter tried to cover, "you can hear the chants from the, the crowd. Let's go Brandon."

DeSantis Doubles Down On ‘Brandon Administration’ Comment When Pressed By Reporter

'It needles the national media'

Ex-football player and cop points out LeBron James’ hypocrisy: ‘Living on a high horse’ in a ‘multimillion dollar house’ around ‘nothing but white people’



Former football player and police officer Brandon Tatum blasted NBA star LeBron James over what he says is his hypocrisy of living in an isolated bubble but pointing the finger at a police officer doing his job.

James went viral on Wednesday night after tweeting a photo of the officer involved in the fatal shooting of 16-year-old Ma'Khia Bryant, who was reportedly trying to stab another female during a Tuesday altercation.

James tweeted — and later deleted — the photo with the caption, "YOU'RE NEXT. #ACCOUNTABILITY."

What are the details?

Speaking with Fox News' Laura Ingraham on Thursday night, Tatum — who runs a conservative YouTube channel — said that James would not hesitate to work with white police officers for the right reason.

"LeBron James is living on a high horse. He's in a multimillion-dollar house living around nothing but white people," Tatum railed. "He is not affected by none of this violence. He could care less. And at the drop of a dime, he will have white officers at his house doing investigations on false claims if there is some."

He also blasted the Black Lives Matter movement for similar hypocrisy.

"LeBron James and these wealthy people like the BLM co-founder living in million-dollar houses, they don't care," Tatum added. "They just want to push a virtue signal because they have nothing better to do. They are not educated enough to look at things from both sides and they continue to want to push a narrative that's just not true. I really wish they would be held accountable and at least ashamed of what they're doing to our country."

Following Ma'Khia Bryant's shooting death, Tatum — who, on Twitter, goes by handle @TheOfficerTatum — tweeted video of the child's mother saying that her daughter "promoted peace."

He captioned the video, "As [Bryant] was attempting to stab another girl. People need to stop getting on TV lying about their kids. I saw the body camera."

As she was attempting to stab another girl. People need to stop getting on TV lying about their kids. I saw the bod… https://t.co/rzsVaNNiAF
— Brandon Tatum (@Brandon Tatum)1619008764.0