Healthcare executive Rick Jackson clinched the Republican gubernatorial nomination on Tuesday, pulling off a win over Lt. Gov. Burt Jones and securing a spot in the November election against Democratic nominee Keisha Lance Bottoms.

The pair advanced from the Republican primary after neither candidate secured the majority needed to avoid a runoff on May 19. 

The contest came as Republicans seek to hold the governor’s mansion in a state that has become one of the country’s premier political battlegrounds. Gov. Brian Kemp is term-limited and cannot seek re-election, creating the first open governor’s race in Georgia since 2018. Kemp threw his weight behind Jones over the weekend.

Jackson, a businessman who entered politics as an outsider candidate, sought to position himself as an alternative to career politicians. His campaign focused heavily on economic issues, government spending and opposition to what he describes as establishment politics.

Jackson has argued that Republicans need a nominee who can energize voters frustrated with the political system. He has also attempted to appeal to conservatives who want a candidate outside Georgia’s existing political leadership structure.

The runoff highlights divisions within the Georgia Republican Party over the direction of the state’s conservative movement after Kemp’s tenure. While both candidates embraced many of the same conservative policy positions, they have differed over experience, electability and the future of Republican leadership in the Peach State.

The race also attracted attention because of Georgia’s importance ahead of the midterms. Democrats have made significant gains in the state over the past decade, winning presidential and Senate races while turning Georgia into a key battleground. Republicans, however, have continued to perform strongly in statewide races, including Kemp’s decisive re-election victory in 2022.

Bottoms, who served as Atlanta’s mayor from 2018 to 2022 and later worked in the Biden administration, secured the Democratic nomination and is preparing for a competitive general election campaign. Democrats view the open-seat contest as an opportunity to regain control of the governor’s office for the first time in more than two decades.

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Rep. Mike Collins won Georgia’s Republican Senate primary runoff Tuesday, defeating former University of Tennessee football coach Derek Dooley.

Now, he will have the far larger task of knocking off Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff in one of the most competitive Senate race this election cycle.

The runoff was triggered after Collins and Dooley each failed to win a majority in the May 19 primary, forcing a second round in a contest that Republicans view as one of their best opportunities to flip a Democratic-held Senate seat in 2026. President Donald Trump endorsed Collins over the weekend, boosting his chances in the runoff.

Collins, a congressman representing Georgia’s 10th District, finished first in the primary. The trucking company owner and staunch ally of Trump built his campaign around support for the president’s agenda, border security, immigration enforcement and conservative cultural issues. Collins sought to portray himself as a proven conservative fighter with experience in Washington and strong ties to the Republican base.

Dooley, meanwhile, leaned on his name recognition as a former college football coach and member of one of Georgia’s most prominent political families. His father, Vince Dooley, was the legendary University of Georgia football coach and athletic director. Although Dooley has never held elected office, he has campaigned as a political outsider capable of attracting independent and swing voters in a general election.

Collins argued that Republicans need a candidate with a proven conservative record and close ties to Trump. Dooley has countered that his outsider status and broader appeal would make him a stronger challenger in November.

But some Republicans are worried about Collins, including his hardline stance on abortion rights and an Office of Congressional Conduct probe into his office’s potential misuse of resources that the Republican lawmaker has referred to as a “nothing burger.”

His social media tone, which includes severely downplaying the U.S. Capitol attack where some pro-Trump rioters injured members of law enforcement, gives credence to the president’s view of him as a “a true Friend, Fighter, and WARRIOR,” as Trump wrote in his post endorsing Collins.

But those sentiments also spotligh a few of the vulnerabilities for a statewide candidate coming from a reliably red congressional district. 

Collins will now face Ossoff, who is seeking a second term after winning a pair of runoff elections in 2021 that helped Democrats gain control of the Senate. Since taking office, Ossoff has built a national fundraising network. His re-election campaign has emphasized lowering costs for families, protecting access to healthcare, supporting economic development and promoting government accountability. 

In a statement published shortly after Collins’ win, Ossoff called the congressman a “notorious bigot” who was under federal investigation.

“Donald Trump’s handpicked candidate Mike Collins is a notorious bigot, antisemite, and extremist currently under federal investigation for the illegal misuse of tax dollars,” Ossoff said. “Collins, who is only a congressman because his daddy was a congressman, voted to double health insurance premiums for more than a million Georgians, for the Iran War, and for the Trump tariffs.”

The House Ethics Committee is investigating allegations that Collins used government funds to benefit an aide.

Georgia remains a key battleground state heading into the midterm elections. Once considered a reliably Republican stronghold, the state has become increasingly competitive over the past decade.

Republicans see Georgia as one of their strongest pickup opportunities in a midterm cycle where control of the Senate could once again hinge on a handful of closely contested races. Democrats, meanwhile, are expected to invest heavily to protect Ossoff’s seat, viewing him as a key part of the party’s future.

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Iran and the United States reached a deal Sunday aimed at ending the Middle East war, according to President Donald Trump and Tehran’s deputy foreign minister, marking a major breakthrough after months of conflict and on-again, off-again negotiations.

The statements from Trump and Tehran raised hopes for an end to fighting that has left more than 7,500 dead, most of them in Lebanon and Iran, and rocked the global oil market.

“The Deal with the Islamic Republic of Iran is now complete. Congratulations to all! I hereby fully authorize the toll free opening of the Strait of Hormuz, and, simultaneously herewith, authorize the immediate removal of the United States Naval blockade,” Trump announced on Truth Social. “Ships of the World, start your engines. Let the oil flow!” 

Oil prices fell in the hours following the announcement, with U.S. crude oil tumbling nearly 5%. Stock futures rose and Asian-Pacific stock markets traded higher Monday morning as investors appeared hopeful for a long-term peace deal.

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi confirmed on Iranian state media that a deal had been reached and would be signed Friday in Switzerland. He said Iran’s agreement came after 14 hours of talks with mediators from Qatar.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, whose country has also worked as a mediator, announced on social media that “both sides have declared the immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon,” where Israel has been battling the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group.

“With the agreement now in place, mediators will facilitate a series of meetings this week,” Sharif said. “These pre-implementation discussions will lay the foundation for the technical talks and the official signing ceremony.”

The announcement comes after weeks of intensive negotiations mediated by regional partners after both sides had signaled in recent days that an agreement was close.

The memorandum is not a final peace treaty. Instead, it outlines commitments by both sides as negotiators work toward a broader agreement, establishing a framework for a 60-day negotiating period. That window is meant for U.S. and Iranian officials to resolve outstanding disputes and negotiate a more comprehensive agreement.

A senior administration official told reporters on a background call Friday that the framework includes commitments related to reopening the Strait of Hormuz and lifting the U.S. blockade on Iranian ports.

The proposed agreement, the senior administration official said, also calls for the dismantling of Iran’s nuclear program, with highly enriched nuclear material to be destroyed on-site by the U.S. and a guarantee of “long-term peace in the region.”

A senior Iranian official, however, told Reuters that the U.S. had agreed to allow Iran to dilute its stockpile of highly enriched uranium on Iranian soil under a final deal.

“I am somewhat concerned that Iran’s view of the agreement seems different than what the American negotiating team is claiming,” Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said as news of the deal emerged Sunday.

The senior Trump administration official said the agreement would include Israel and Iran’s terror proxies — a notable element given that renewed attacks between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon on Sunday threatened to derail the deal entirely.

The war began Feb. 28 with joint U.S. and Israeli airstrikes that killed hundreds, including Iran’s longtime supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Trump and others in his administration repeatedly promised it would be over in weeks and that deals to pause the fighting were imminent, only to walk back those statements.

Early in the fighting, dozens of children died when an airstrike destroyed a school. Despite reports from within the U.S. intelligence community that American forces were likely responsible, and that faulty intelligence may have played a part, the Pentagon has yet to acknowledge that, saying only that it was under investigation.

As combat wore on, Iran repeatedly fired missiles and drones at U.S. allies in the region and attacked ships trying to transit the Straight of Hormuz. Israel bombarded Beirut and other areas and sent ground troops into southern Lebanon in pursuit of Hezbollah leadership.

As gas prices in the U.S. soared, Trump’s approval ratings plummeted, piling tension on his relationship with congressional Republicans, especially those up for re-election.

Expectations for a deal had risen in recent days as officials from the U.S. and Pakistan, which has been acting as a mediator, indicated that progress was being made behind the scenes.

Though the deal is set to be signed next Friday, Trump said over the weekend that he expected a deal would be signed Sunday, which he first declared on social media a day earlier. He also shared a post from Sharif — who has played a key mediating role — announcing that an agreement was expected to be finalized “in the next 24 hours.”

Iranian officials poured cold water on the expected deal up until the last minute. Citing state media, Reuters reported Saturday that Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei denied that the memorandum of understanding would be signed Sunday, which also happened to be Trump’s 80th birthday.

“We will have to wait and see about ​the exact date of the signing of the memorandum of understanding, although it will not be tomorrow,” Baqaei said, according to Reuters.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

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President Donald Trump’s decision Thursday to cancel planned military strikes against Iran was the latest twist in a monthslong cycle of threats, self-imposed deadlines and extensions that have repeatedly brought the United States and Iran to the brink of escalation — before pulling back.

Since the beginning of the Feb. 28 conflict, Trump has publicly set at least eight deadlines for military action against Iran, only to cancel them.

The latest pause came Thursday. Trump spent the morning threatening that the U.S. was prepared to escalate its military campaign against Iran, pledging strikes that would be “bigger” and “more powerful” as the two countries exchanged fire for a third time this week. Trump also threatened to target Iran’s energy sector, warning that the U.S. would take control of Kharg Island, the country’s main oil export hub.

Hours later, Trump called off strikes he said were scheduled for that evening, saying discussions with Tehran have been “approved by all parties involved.”

However, Iran state-run media reported that Tehran has not approved any agreements.

These repeated reversals have highlighted the volatile and unpredictable nature of the fragile talks, which have oscillated between warnings of imminent military action and optimistic declarations that a deal is close at hand.

Below is a timeline of each time Trump has publicly delayed or canceled planned military action since the conflict began, according to MS NOW’s count.

March 21

The cycle began when Trump issued a 48-hour ultimatum on March 21, warning that Iran’s electrical infrastructure could be targeted if Tehran failed to comply with U.S. demands.

March 23

Two days later, on March 23, Trump delayed planned strikes by five days, saying negotiations were moving toward a “complete and total resolution” of hostilities.  

March 26

Three days after that, Trump pushed back a deadline for attacks on Iranian electrical facilities by 11 days, saying talks were progressing “very well.”

April 5

In April, Trump revised deadlines tied to demands that Iran reopen the Strait of Hormuz. On April 5, the White House confirmed Trump had shifted a deadline after previously signaling action could come sooner. 

April 7

 Two days later, on April 7, he extended a military pause by two weeks. 

April 21

Two weeks later, Trump indefinitely postponed another deadline after appeals from Pakistani officials, saying Iran would first need to submit a unified proposal before military action would be considered.

May 18

On May 18, Trump said he had canceled a planned military attack at the request of leaders from Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates because “serious negotiations” were underway.

June 11

In his latest walk-back, Trump announced on Truth Social that he had called off strikes scheduled for later in the day, saying negotiators had reached an agreement on the key elements of a memorandum of understanding that could lead to a broader deal. 

Trump described the emerging framework as a “strong memorandum of understanding” and said final documents could be completed within days, adding that the Strait of Hormuz could reopen shortly after a tentative signing ceremony but stopped short of providing a firm deadline.

According to Iranian state media and a source familiar with the negotiations who spoke to MS NOW, Iran still has not formally endorsed any proposed peace agreement.

Iran’s Fars News Agency, citing a source close to the negotiating team, reported that Tehran has not approved the text of any memorandum of understanding with the U.S. and that no final agreement has been reached.

Laura Barrón-López contributed to this report.

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Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner maintained that people in Maine continue to have his back as his past “gets dug up, litigated and weaponized” during a campaign rally Friday night, marking his first large public event since a series of allegations and personal controversies rocked his campaign just days before the June 9 primary. 

Platner told supporters in Bal Harbor that even as critics revisit his past and level what he described as false accusations, Mainers have stood by him.

“When hurtful things I said on the internet a decade ago came out into the public as I shared my personal journey through PTSD and darkness of recovery and accountability and growth, Maine had my back,” Platner said.

“Now as every single piece of that past and journey gets dug up, litigated, and weaponized, you have my back and when politically motivated serious and false accusations are made against me, Maine, you have my back.”

With primary day just days away, Friday’s rally served as an important test of whether Platner can reassure and mobilize supporters, while maintaining momentum in a race that has become one of the most closely watched Democratic primaries of the 2026 election cycle.

The Get-Out-the-Vote rally comes after a tumultuous week for Platner and a day after The New York Times published a report detailing allegations from several ex-girlfriends, including from Lyndsey Fifield, who said he repeatedly grabbed her hard enough to leave marks, pulled her from a taxi by the wrist during an argument and, in one incident, twisted her arm behind her back and held her in a room. 

Fifield told the newspaper that Platner never punched or hit her but said the incidents left her frightened. The report also included criticism from other women about Platner’s behavior in past relationships. Platner denied the allegations on MS NOW, calling claims of physical abuse “simply not true” and characterized them as politically motivated.  

Platner said on Thursday that there were aspects of his past for which he takes responsibility, including struggles with alcohol and difficult periods following his military service. However, he rejected claims that he physically harmed former partners and disputed allegations related to a tattoo that critics said resembled Nazi imagery. 

Platner also faced scrutiny about sexually explicit messages he exchanged with multiple women early in his marriage. He has publicly acknowledged sending the messages and apologized for his conduct.

Despite the controversies, Platner has retained the backing of several high-profile Democrats, all of whom view Maine’s Senate race as critical to Democrats’ hopes of reclaiming the chamber.  Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., joined Platner at the rally, underscoring continued support from prominent progressive allies despite growing scrutiny of the candidate’s past, though at least a handful of Democrats have expressed concerned.

Khanna briefly addressed the allegations against Platner, and praised his wife, Amy Gertner, for her resilience. He highlighted that the Senate candidate has been open about his struggles following military service, and argued “we broke thousands of young men by sending them into dumb wars.”

“Now, no one should make excuses for his past relationships, some of which were toxic and volatile, and no one on our side should attack the women who came forward,” Khanna said.

“He understood that those years that he came back were not the best years of his life. He was ashamed of some of the things he said and did, and then he, unlike others, took accountability for it, and he’s worked to be a better man, a better human being,” he added.

Khanna praised Platner as a candidate who has consistently backed progressive priorities, citing his opposition to the war in Iran, support for Medicare for All and willingness to challenge wealthy donors and billionaires.

“When it comes down to it, we showed up for Graham, because he has showed up for us,” he said.

Democrats view Maine as one of their best pickup opportunities in 2026 and believe defeating incumbent Sen. Susan Collins could be critical to their chances of reclaiming control of the Senate.

In his speech, Platner remarked on Collins’ own marriage and the lack of press she receives on it.

“Susan Collins hasn’t met a war she doesn’t like,” Platner said. “It’s no surprise because she’s married to a lobbyist who represents the defense industry. You don’t see as many articles about that.”

Platner also criticized Collins as a career politician, saying she “has given up some charade that she’s a moderate, that she stands up against her party. That she cares about her constituents more than she cares about those that donate money to her.”

“We see through it,” he said.

A Democratic victory in the state would flip a Republican-held seat and potentially provide a key vote in a closely divided chamber. Polling has also continued to show Platner leading both the Democratic field and Collins in a potential general election matchup.

“We’re gonna need to have each other’s backs,” Platner said “because we are in the fight of our lives.”

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