With ballot counting lasting an entire month, California’s 13th Congressional District has been called in favor of Democrat Adam Gray. Gray has allegedly won the U.S. House seat by only 187 votes, defeating incumbent Republican John Duarte in the last Congressional race to be called. This win, if it stands up to scrutiny, will give the Republicans a very narrow majority margin in the House. That margin will be even smaller if all of President Trump’s Cabinet picks are confirmed, since two of his current picks hold seats in the House. The fact that this single voting district took a full month to count a few hundred thousand votes, resulting in the narrowest of Democratic wins, makes this just another in a long list of election results ultimately going to the Democrat ticket after an exceedingly prolonged ballot count process. Adam Gray (D) just flipped a House seat in California. The election was a month ago. Nothing to see here… pic.twitter.com/XKIWaxY3Fl — Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) December 4, 2024 Republican Rep. John Duarte conceded to Gray earlier today according to CNN reporting. The contest was the last unresolved House race in the country, and with Gray’s victory, Republicans won 220 seats to Democrats’ 215. Overall, Democrats gained one seat from their pre-election total. The Republican majority is likely to be even tighter in the early part of next year – former GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida resigned from the House last month and won’t take his seat in the new Congress. Republican Reps. Elise Stefanik of New York and Mike Waltz of Florida are expected to leave the chamber to take positions in the Trump administration. If all three seats are vacant at once, a 217-215 majority would mean that Republicans couldn’t afford to lose a single member on a party-line vote. Adam Gray issued the following statement via his account on X when the Associated Press called the race in his favor last night. Thank you #CA13! Let’s get to work. pic.twitter.com/FftFIUNkei — Adam C. Gray (@AdamGrayCA) December 4, 2024 BREAKING: Democrat Adam Gray wins election to U.S. House in California’s 13th Congressional District, beating incumbent John Duarte. #APRaceCall at 12:51 a.m. EST. https://t.co/FjgpZFcJ4E — AP Politics (@AP_Politics) December 4, 2024 You know it’s bad when even CBS reporters sound surprised that the vote counting took as long as it did. Nearly a month after Election Day, the final outstanding congressional race has been decided. Democrat Adam Gray has been elected to represent California’s 13th House District by less than 200 votes. The GOP will maintain a slim majority in the House. pic.twitter.com/3rIZZF4XTj — CBS Mornings (@CBSMornings) December 4, 2024 Only a few days ago there were reportedly 1,500 votes still in question, mostly with signature issues. Ultimately, the official tally has Gray winning by under 200 votes according to Fox News. Democrat Adam Gray has won California’s 13th Congressional District race by a mere 187 votes, defeating incumbent Republican Rep. John Duarte, according to The Associated Press. California’s 13th Congressional District was the last seat to be called, with the district being one of the most competitive races in the Golden State. Republicans maintained the majority with 220 U.S. House seats, and Democrats at 215. Gray was the ninth Democrat to flip a House seat in the 2024 election, while the GOP flipped eight seats – slipping the Republican majority. Three Republican members – Elise Stefanik, Michael Waltz and Matt Gaetz – were picked for the incoming Trump administration, though Gaetz withdrew his name from consideration, and it may take several months to fill those seats. The race has been characterized as one of the tightest in the country. In 2022, Duarte narrowly defeated Gray by just 564 votes. As has been pointed out countless time in the last few weeks, every race that ended up counting votes for multiple weeks ultimately went to a Democrat, as did the state races in states that have either lax or no voter ID requirements. Adam Gray flips California’s 13th congressional district. We have lost every single race in CA that counted for 4 weeks after the election. We now have a one seat majority in the House of Representatives. When every Republican loses the longer it takes to count the vote, it… pic.twitter.com/sDb3AyKsA3 — Scott Adams (@scottadamsshow) December 4, 2024 President Trump, as expected, will have his work cut out for him considering such a small Republican majority when the 119th Congress convenes. Republicans can afford to lose only two votes when passing legislation in the House, according to a report by NBC News. Republicans will have a narrow majority in the House next year with Democrats flipping one final seat in California, leaving GOP leaders with even less margin for error as they try to advance President-elect Donald Trump’s agenda. The GOP can lose just two votes on legislation in the House in the next Congress if Democrats all vote in opposition, giving them little wiggle room for absences, internal fighting and vacancies. The slim GOP majority underscores the close fight for the House this year, with operatives in both parties acknowledging that the recent redistricting process narrowed the battlefield by creating fewer competitive races. Just over 40 seats — around 10% of the chamber — were decided by less than 5 percentage points, according to data from the NBC News Decision Desk. That slim majority over the Democratic seats in Congress isn’t the only issue. Adam Gray’s win means Republicans have won 220 House seats this election cycle, with Democrats holding 215 seats. https://t.co/JVEx9g5kUe — Newsweek (@Newsweek) December 4, 2024 With President Trump getting an early start naming his Cabinet picks and nominations for key administration roles, we’ve already had a glimpse at the impact the RINOs clinging to power are going to have when it comes to President Trump’s agenda. Without a doubt, that short House majority will be a point of constant contention during President Trump’s next term.

President Biden earned his reputation as “sleepy Joe” Wednesday when he dozed off in the middle of an event in Africa. Joe Biden is out COLD. pic.twitter.com/2Wo0bVyBVl— The First (@TheFirstonTV) December 4, 2024 Watch the embarrassing moment above.

Nine Inch Nails might be back with us sooner than we had imagined

President-elect Donald Trump is considering replacing Pete Hegseth with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis as his defense secretary pick, according to the Wall Street Journal. 

Brian Thompson, the CEO of United Healthcare, was murdered outside the Hilton Midtown Hotel in a targeted hit. His wife said he had received some threats. “I don’t know details. I just know that he said there were some people that had been threatening him,” she told NBC News by phone. “I can’t really give […] The post United Healthcare CEO Killed in a Targeted Hit in Manhattan appeared first on www.independentsentinel.com.

The New York City police commissioner said at a press conference on Wednesday that the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson appears to be a targeted hit. “I want to be clear: at this time, every indication is that this was a premeditated, pre-planned, targeted attack,” said New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch. The suspect arrived on foot outside the Hilton hotel in Midtown Manhattan around five minutes before Thompson was seen walking alone without any security detail toward the hotel where his company was holding a conference, NYPD Chief of Detectives Joe Kenny said. The suspect, who appears to be a white male, approached Thompson from behind and shot him in the back just after 6:45 am, according to Kenny. The suspect continued walking toward Thompson, shooting him multiple times. The shooter then fled on foot before getting onto an electric city bike and riding into Central Park. The last known location of the suspect was in Central Park, and Kenny said the city e-bikes have GPS locators on them. Kenny added that authorities still do not know the motive for the shooting. The UnitedHealthcare CEO was pronounced dead at a hospital shortly after the shooting. New York City Democratic Mayor Adams told reporters, “We want to be clear to New Yorkers that this does not appear to be a random act of violence,” The New York Times reported. The Times reported that the shooter appeared to know which entrance Thompson would use to enter the hotel. CHECK OUT THE DAILY WIRE HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE A surveillance photo taken near the hotel showed the suspect wearing all black with a backpack and appearing to hold a long handgun. Another photo showed the suspect fleeing on a bike after the shooting. At the press conference on Wednesday, police released a flyer showing the surveillance images and offering a $10,000 reward to anyone who has information on the suspect. New York Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul said she has been briefed on the shooting and called it “horrific.” “Our hearts are with the family and loved ones of Mr. Thompson, and we are committed to ensuring the perpetrator is brought to justice,” she said.

Appearing on “The Free Press” Wednesday morning, Daily Wire host Michael Knowles argued that social conservatism is not just alive and well under Donald Trump — it’s thriving. Journalist Batya Ungar-Sargon asked Knowles if it was fair to say that Trump has largely “sidelined” social conservative issues, referencing Trump’s positions on abortion and gay marriage. “It’s better to look at what Trump does, than necessarily what he says,” Knowles argued, disagreeing with the assessment. “I’m not accusing the man of lying, I’m accusing him of being a good politician who understands when to lean in on a topic and when to pull back.” “Does President Trump really have stark disagreements with the conservative movement? I don’t know. Even on the so-called social issues, President Trump is the most successful social issue president in any of our lifetimes,” Knowles told the hosts. “The man appointed the justices who overturned Roe v. Wade.” Host Michael Moynihan then asked Knowles if it really matters what Trump believes on social issues, if he continues to deliver wins for conservatives. “It matters most importantly what he does,” Knowles responded. The Daily Wire host pointed to Trump’s rhetoric surrounding Florida’s pro-abortion Amendment 4 as a “great example” of Trump’s support for socially conservative positions. “President Trump signaled that he might support a pro-abortion amendment. And then he changed his position, he said, ‘actually, that’s too extreme,’” Knowles said. “Notice that language he uses: ‘this is too extreme, this is too far, this is too crazy.’ What he’s speaking to is common sense.” Knowles then highlighted how Trump moderated his view on an abortion-related amendment in Florida during the campaign after folks on the right voiced their opposition. Trump and his campaign were grounded in “common sense,” Knowles argued, which he said is good for social conservatives because “common sense is moving in our direction.” As evidenced by the 2024 election, Americans are now largely in opposition to the transgender agenda, Knowles highlighted. Notably, Trump’s campaign ran with ads that blasted Vice President Kamala Harris’ support for the movement, using the tagline, “Kamala is for they/them, Trump is for you.” In fact, the trans issue has made its way to the U.S. Supreme Court, where judges are hearing oral arguments on Wednesday in U.S. v. Skrmetti. WATCH (relevant content starts around the 20-minute mark).: This morning on The Free Press Live, 9:30 a.m. ET: Is social conservatism doomed under Trump’s GOP? with @MichaelJKnowles. What’s going on in South Korea? with @Geoffrey_Cain. And more! Join @MCMoynihan and @BUngarSargon ? https://t.co/d2DJQTMewM — The Free Press (@TheFP) December 4, 2024 Related: Donald Trump Jr. Says His Dad May Remove Mainstream Media From Press Room

We celebrated Halloween with bad dad jokes and a hilarious little capybara named Cheesecake. To celebrate their Halloween, Hawk Conservancy Trust presents Owl-Mania. Heavy on the corn, this cornucopia of owl jokes is sure to offer a hoot or two. @hawkconservancytrust Happy Owl-O-Ween from all of us here at the Hawk Conservancy Trust! #owls #birdsofprey #bird #birdtok #birdsoftiktok #owlsoftiktok #animalsoftiktok #hawkconservancytrust #hampshire #halloween2024 ♬ The Pumpkin’s Song (Menu Theme) – Oskar Schuster The video begins with handler Jillian Varner sitting with a little owl friend. She calmly turns to the little owl and says, “Hey, Whisper, what do owls say during the month of October?” Whisper the owl clearly doesn’t understand the joke, answering, “Brrrrrppppttt.” Jillian spoke better owl than us and told Whisper they got it right, then repeated the punchline for us, “Happy Owl-oween!” Next on the stage is the owl Willow with a handler who asks, “What does an owl do on Halloween?” Since Willow seemed shy, her handler answered for the little bird, “It goes trick or tweeting.” The jokes didn’t get any better, but these adorable owls are ready for fall. Image from TikTok. The Hawk Conservancy Trust is a rescue center for birds of prey and an educational center where visitors can learn about birds of prey and how these animals fit into the ecosystem. Their work focuses on education, research, rehabilitation, and conservation. They maintain an entire staff of experts and handlers who truly care about the birds and provide an enriching environment to meet their needs. We’re not sure how subjecting these owls to silly Halloween jokes helps their rehabilitation, but we’re not the experts. We’ve discovered why owls always get invited to Halloween parties. I don’t want to share their favorite treat, though. Yuck! Mice Krispie Squares. To learn more about these fantastic animals, you can follow the Hawk Conservancy Trust on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, or TikTok. Please share these hoots. You can find the source of this story’s featured image here. The post Hoo’s Heard This One? Owls “Tell” Series Of Silly Jokes In Adorable Video appeared first on InspireMore.