G.O.P. Insurgents Win in Del. and N.Y.
The Tea Party scored two big victories in the Republican primaries yesterday. In Delaware, Christine O’Donnell defeated moderate Republican Michael Castle in the U.S. Senate primary. O’Donnell will face Democrat Chris Coons in the general election.
Castle, a member of the U.S. Congress since 1993, lost to O’Donnell by a six-percent margin, 47 to 53. Moderate Republicans worry that the results will hurt the party’s chances of taking back the Senate. Party strategists are likely to move their money elsewhere.
In New York’s Republican gubernatorial primary, Tea Party candidate Carl Paladino defeated former Congressman Rick Lazio, who was supported by the party establishment. Paladino comes with baggage; he reportedly sent racist emails and tweeted, “Illegals everywhere today! So many spics makes me feel like a speck. Grrr. Wheres my gun!?”
In his victory speech, Paladino said, “They say I am an angry man, and that’s true. We are all angry.”
Gray defeats Fenty as voters choose conciliatory approach over brash tactics
In the Democratic primaries, the only surprise came in the D.C. mayoral race, where the incumbent Adrian Fenty lost to D.C. Council Chairman, Vincent C. Gray. Fenty advocated a hard line towards change, earning praise for his efforts in educational reform. Experts say his brash approach ultimately rubbed many voters the wrong way.
In other races, incumbent New York Congressman Charlie Rangel easily won his district in Harlem despite a pending ethics trial.
Also in New York, incumbent Rep. Carolyn Maloney won a close race, which should secure her a tenth term in office. Democrats, however, fell behind Republicans in voter turnout for the first time since the 1930s. Non-voters outnumbered voters in both parties.
Real IRA says it will target UK bankers
Irish terrorist group the Real IRA says that it will begin to target British banks with bombing attacks. In an interview with the Guardian, leaders said that they will target bankers because they are “criminals” and “the next-door neighbours of the politicians.” The group is looking to capitalize on the widespread hostility toward banks in the UK.
It seems that members of the Real IRA are fans of The Godfather; their message to the Guardian was recorded on a USB memory stick, hidden behind a toilet. Officials are confident that the anti-capitalist group does not have the numbers or supplies to carry out any large-scale bombings. And while many citizens are unhappy with banking practices, the public is far from embracing the violent anti-capitalist sentiment of the Real IRA.
Twitter announces its first redesign
Yesterday, Twitter unveiled a new design for the social-networking site’s main page. The re-design should make for a more user-friendly experience, according to Twitter CEO Evan Williams. Users will get “more out of Twitter in a lot less time,” Williams said.
The new Twitter will be divided in half, unlike the current version with a main center pane showing a timeline of tweets. On the new screen’s left side, you’ll see the tweets of whatever people you’re following, while on the right there will be videos, photos and other multimedia associated with the people in your network. The new layout will also provide more space and options for advertising, an area of revenue the company has yet to fully exploit.