usatoday--2020-12-06--What vaccination rates in rural America tell us about the advent of COVID-19 vaccines

America ’ s poor track record vaccinating people against the flu spells trouble for the coming effort to immunize the nation against COVID-19 , experts say , particularly in rural areas where the novel coronavirus is raging out of control .
A USA TODAY analysis of flu vaccine rates among Medicare participants shows that rural counties from West Texas to northern Nebraska to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan had some of the country ’ s lowest vaccination rates in 2017 , the most recent year with data .
It ’ s a pattern that holds true across America .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flu vaccination rates tended to be .
Data for the analysis came from the County Health Rankings project and the Index of Relative Rurality , a metric that ranks counties based on population size , density , remoteness , and built-up area .
The analysis identified 604 counties where fewer than a third of Medicare participants received flu vaccines , 580 of which were predominantly rural .
These places were home to more than 13 million people and were spread across the nation ; all but nine states had at least one low-vaccination @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were 215 counties where fewer than 1 in 4 residents on Medicare were vaccinated .
“ We do n't have the convenience of jumping into a Walgreens , CVS or Walmart and getting our flu shot .
Our nearest Walgreens and Walmart are 30 miles away , ” said Dr. Jennifer Bacani McKenney , a family physician and the Wilson County Health Officer in Fredonia , Kansas , explaining some of the barriers in rural areas that exist in addition to vaccine hesitancy and distrust .
Because of financial , storage and staffing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the providers in our county and many private clinics across the state do not provide in-clinic vaccinations , so the patient is required to make an additional appointment to get vaccines at a health department . ''
Of course , people who opt out of the flu vaccine might seek it for the coronavirus because the pandemic has killed more people than the annual flu .
At the same time , people who previously took the flu vaccine might not get their shots for COVID-19 because the pandemic has intensified Americans ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But flu vaccination rates can at least provide clues to how rural America will respond to the arrival of the COVID-19 vaccine .
Data on flu vaccination among Medicare enrollees – primary elderly Americans – provide a detailed geographic window into how the COVID-19 vaccine will be accepted by that key at-risk group , said Dr. Randy Hubach , an associate professor of rural health and director of the Sexual Health Research Lab at Oklahoma State University .
“ I think it ’ s an accurate contextual representation of what we can probably @ @ @ @ @ @ @ potential consequences for rural America can be seen in flu data .
Historic data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Wonder database show that the flu virus tends to kill at higher rates in more rural counties .
Experts say if COVID-19 vaccination follows the same pattern as the flu , the flow of people between these communities and the rest of the country will put both city dwellers and rural residents at risk .
Flu vaccination has largely skipped much of rural America because , in part , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ communities to get to pharmacies , clinics or hospitals offering vaccines .
There ’ s also a longstanding distrust in the medical system in these areas .
Yet getting the COVID-19 vaccine to these areas will be key to tamping down a virus that ’ s ravaged rural communities , experts said .
“ Ensuring vaccine coverage of rural communities is an essential part of the strategy to protect rural communities from COVID-19 , ” Dr. Thomas Tsai , a surgeon and health policy researcher at Harvard 's T.H .
Chan School of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Researchers don ’ t know how much of the U.S. population will need to be protected to stop the spread of COVID-19 .
Estimates range from 50 % to as high as 90 % of the population to achieve a threshold epidemiologists describe as “ herd immunity.
” Reaching that threshold will be a struggle , if the flu vaccine is any indication .
Only half the country gets vaccinated for the flu , on average , and surveys show a growing number of people intend to refuse a COVID-19 vaccine .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the COVID-19 vaccine will be the difference between a coronavirus that ’ s endemic and actively circulating and a coronavirus that ’ s all but wiped out , a goal the nation has attained with the smallpox , mumps and diphtheria viruses .
“ How you are going to move that needle from 50 % up to 75 % really becomes the question , ” Hubach said .
More : When could the first COVID-19 vaccines be given in the US ?
And the prickly problem of vaccine uptake is one that health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ With two COVID-19 vaccine candidates expected to receive emergency use authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration later this month , federal and state health officials are finalizing vaccine distribution plans to immunize the front-line health care workers and nursing home residents that comprise the Phase 1a group , the Americans who will first receive the vaccine against the coronavirus .
That wave of immunizations is expected to occur before the end of the year .
Mancef Slaoui , the chief science advisor to Operation Warp Speed , recently said he expected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two days of the FDA ’ s authorization .
Dr. Nancy Messionier , director of CDC ’ s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases , said last week that everyone in phase 1a should expect their first dose within three weeks of a vaccine being authorized .
The rollout thereafter should proceed quickly .
On a Dec. 2 Operation Warp Speed call with reporters , Slaoui said he expected that 20 million people would receive either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine in December , followed by 30 million people in January and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ FDA authorization .
In early 2021 , vaccinations will proceed beyond front-line health care workers and nursing home residents to essential workers followed by adults with high-risk medical conditions and people aged 65 and older .
But getting vaccines to essential workers and seniors , especially in rural areas , will be an ongoing challenge given the historically low vaccination rates , which researchers sometimes refer to as 'uptake , ’ in rural counties .
The reason for low vaccine uptake ?
A variety of factors including long-standing systemic health and social inequities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ providers , says Hubach .
McKenney in Kansas is seeing vaccine distrust play out both in private clinic visits and in public town hall discussions about the coronavirus .
“ I hear people saying they ’ re hesitant to take this vaccine , ” said McKenney .
“ They ’ re nervous .
They don ’ t want to be the first ones .
It goes along with the rural mentality of being suspicious of the government and science.
” That worries McKenney because of how hard communities in Kansas and across the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recent months .
“ The numbers that we ’ re seeing right now in our communities actually makes me kind of terrified about what ’ s going to happen before we ever start vaccinating , ” she said .
“ What ’ s going to happen in the next month or two months ?
” Yet despite that damage , people aren ’ t changing their behaviors .
“ Even with those high numbers of cases and deaths , it ’ s still not hitting home for people , ” said McKenney .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Only 1 percent die .
It ’ s not a big deal.
’ ” Rural counties in the Dakotas , Kansas , Montana and Mississippi have seen some of the highest COVID-19 surges with over 300 deaths per 100,000 people .
Influenza and other respiratory diseases have also hit many of those same counties hard in the past , though at much lower levels – around 25 deaths per 100,000 on average , according to CDC data from 2018 .
Rural residents who opt out of vaccination are far from monolithic in their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ passes on the flu shot and all other vaccines in Jerauld County , South Dakota , where just over one in five residents was immunized in 2017 .
The 69-year-old retired rancher and substitute teacher said she instead takes dietary supplements and minds a strict diet to keep in good health .
She won ’ t be getting vaccinated for COVID-19 either , she said .
“ I don ’ t put anything foreign into my body that I don ’ t need to , ” Ogren said .
“ I ’ ve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and I don ’ t get vaccinated for anything.
” Jerauld County residents have died of COVID-19 at a rate of more than 640 per 100,000 residents , one of the highest rates in the country .
Health experts warn that if a population doesn ’ t attain herd immunity , places that haven ’ t been immunized will continue to see surges in cases and deaths from the virus known by the scientific name SARS-CoV-2 .
But achieving herd immunity will be a serious challenge in countries like the United States where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a coronavirus that returns seasonally , guaranteeing continued suffering .
“ What happens if countries do not reach high vaccine coverage levels ?
First , SARS-CoV-2 will become endemic but at a low level … with peaks in winter and troughs in summer in the northern hemisphere , ” wrote the authors of a letter published last month in The Lancet journal pointing out challenges to herd immunity .
Dr. Roy Anderson , one of the authors and a professor in the School of Public Health at Imperial College London , said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continue to circulate if herd immunity isn ’ t reached .
Rural areas will not be spared .
“ The virus will remain endemic , but cities will be major reservoirs seeding rural regions , ” said Anderson , who was adamant that the virus would likely not ever go away .
“ It will be endemic and seasonal.
” Dr. Krutika Kuppalli , an assistant professor in the division of infectious disease at the Medical University of South Carolina , is also concerned .
“ Do I think it ’ s going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Yeah , I do .
When we have millions and millions of cases , it seems like it ’ s going to become endemic .
My hope is we get enough people to take up the vaccine.
” Despite rural counties ’ historically low rates of vaccine uptake , Hubach sees an opportunity to better communicate with those communities about the COVID-19 vaccine .
Tapping faith leaders and community outreach workers that have an understanding of local context and climate is going to be very important .
“ How do you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one thing we can do for the common good ?
’ , ” he said .
More : Side effects from the COVID-19 vaccine means 'your body responded the way it 's supposed to , ' experts say In addition to tailoring public health messages to specific communities in rural counties , relying on the patient-doctor bond is an important way to build trust in the COVID-19 vaccine and boost vaccination rates , says Dr. Brian Chow , a physician and principal investigator on AstraZeneca ’ s COVID-9 vaccine trial at Tufts Medical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been historically marginalized and denied health care or worse , Chow explained .
Promoting COVID-19 vaccination needs to surmount distrust in medical care .
“ The majority of people will get vaccinated through their doctor ’ s office , ” said Chow .
“ Leveraging those relationships will be key .
A strong recommendation from their primary care provider really influences whether or not people accept a vaccine.
” Aleszu Bajak is on Twitter at @ aleszubajak or can be emailed at abajak @ usatoday.com

What vaccination rates in rural America tell us about the advent of COVID-19 vaccines Rural counties have some of the lowest flu vaccination rates. That’s a serious problem for the COVID vaccine rollout.
Show Caption Hide Caption COVID-19 vaccine concerns: You Asked, We Answered We asked you to tell us your biggest questions about the COVID-19 vaccines. Here are some answers. USA TODAY
America’s poor track record vaccinating people against the flu spells trouble for the coming effort to immunize the nation against COVID-19, experts say, particularly in rural areas where the novel coronavirus is raging out of control.
A USA TODAY analysis of flu vaccine rates among Medicare participants shows that rural counties from West Texas to northern Nebraska to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan had some of the country’s lowest vaccination rates in 2017, the most recent year with data. It’s a pattern that holds true across America. The more rural the county, the lower flu vaccination rates tended to be.
Data for the analysis came from the County Health Rankings project and the Index of Relative Rurality, a metric that ranks counties based on population size, density, remoteness, and built-up area. The analysis identified 604 counties where fewer than a third of Medicare participants received flu vaccines, 580 of which were predominantly rural.
These places were home to more than 13 million people and were spread across the nation; all but nine states had at least one low-vaccination county.
At the extreme, there were 215 counties where fewer than 1 in 4 residents on Medicare were vaccinated.
“We don't have the convenience of jumping into a Walgreens, CVS or Walmart and getting our flu shot. Our nearest Walgreens and Walmart are 30 miles away,” said Dr. Jennifer Bacani McKenney, a family physician and the Wilson County Health Officer in Fredonia, Kansas, explaining some of the barriers in rural areas that exist in addition to vaccine hesitancy and distrust.
Because of financial, storage and staffing issues, she said, "none of the providers in our county and many private clinics across the state do not provide in-clinic vaccinations, so the patient is required to make an additional appointment to get vaccines at a health department."
Of course, people who opt out of the flu vaccine might seek it for the coronavirus because the pandemic has killed more people than the annual flu. At the same time, people who previously took the flu vaccine might not get their shots for COVID-19 because the pandemic has intensified Americans’ skepticism of science and drug regulators.
But flu vaccination rates can at least provide clues to how rural America will respond to the arrival of the COVID-19 vaccine. Data on flu vaccination among Medicare enrollees – primary elderly Americans – provide a detailed geographic window into how the COVID-19 vaccine will be accepted by that key at-risk group, said Dr. Randy Hubach, an associate professor of rural health and director of the Sexual Health Research Lab at Oklahoma State University. “I think it’s an accurate contextual representation of what we can probably expect with the COVID vaccine.”
The potential consequences for rural America can be seen in flu data. Historic data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Wonder database show that the flu virus tends to kill at higher rates in more rural counties.
Experts say if COVID-19 vaccination follows the same pattern as the flu, the flow of people between these communities and the rest of the country will put both city dwellers and rural residents at risk.
Flu vaccination has largely skipped much of rural America because, in part, it’s harder for people in remote communities to get to pharmacies, clinics or hospitals offering vaccines. There’s also a longstanding distrust in the medical system in these areas. Yet getting the COVID-19 vaccine to these areas will be key to tamping down a virus that’s ravaged rural communities, experts said.
“Ensuring vaccine coverage of rural communities is an essential part of the strategy to protect rural communities from COVID-19,” Dr. Thomas Tsai, a surgeon and health policy researcher at Harvard's T.H. Chan School of Public Health, said in an email.
Herd immunity
Researchers don’t know how much of the U.S. population will need to be protected to stop the spread of COVID-19. Estimates range from 50% to as high as 90% of the population to achieve a threshold epidemiologists describe as “herd immunity.”
Reaching that threshold will be a struggle, if the flu vaccine is any indication. Only half the country gets vaccinated for the flu, on average, and surveys show a growing number of people intend to refuse a COVID-19 vaccine. Achieving a much higher vaccination rate with the COVID-19 vaccine will be the difference between a coronavirus that’s endemic and actively circulating and a coronavirus that’s all but wiped out, a goal the nation has attained with the smallpox, mumps and diphtheria viruses.
“How you are going to move that needle from 50% up to 75% really becomes the question,” Hubach said.
More: When could the first COVID-19 vaccines be given in the US?
And the prickly problem of vaccine uptake is one that health officials need to figure out quickly. With two COVID-19 vaccine candidates expected to receive emergency use authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration later this month, federal and state health officials are finalizing vaccine distribution plans to immunize the front-line health care workers and nursing home residents that comprise the Phase 1a group, the Americans who will first receive the vaccine against the coronavirus.
That wave of immunizations is expected to occur before the end of the year. Mancef Slaoui, the chief science advisor to Operation Warp Speed, recently said he expected the first Americans to be vaccinated within two days of the FDA’s authorization. Dr. Nancy Messionier, director of CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, said last week that everyone in phase 1a should expect their first dose within three weeks of a vaccine being authorized.
The rollout thereafter should proceed quickly. On a Dec. 2 Operation Warp Speed call with reporters, Slaoui said he expected that 20 million people would receive either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine in December, followed by 30 million people in January and 50 million people in February, pending FDA authorization. In early 2021, vaccinations will proceed beyond front-line health care workers and nursing home residents to essential workers followed by adults with high-risk medical conditions and people aged 65 and older.
But getting vaccines to essential workers and seniors, especially in rural areas, will be an ongoing challenge given the historically low vaccination rates, which researchers sometimes refer to as 'uptake,’ in rural counties. The reason for low vaccine uptake? A variety of factors including long-standing systemic health and social inequities as well as a distrust of medical providers, says Hubach.
McKenney in Kansas is seeing vaccine distrust play out both in private clinic visits and in public town hall discussions about the coronavirus.
“I hear people saying they’re hesitant to take this vaccine,” said McKenney. “They’re nervous. They don’t want to be the first ones. It goes along with the rural mentality of being suspicious of the government and science.”
More: Kentucky legislator pre-files bill prohibiting colleges from mandating vaccines
That worries McKenney because of how hard communities in Kansas and across the Plains have been hit by COVID-19 in recent months.
“The numbers that we’re seeing right now in our communities actually makes me kind of terrified about what’s going to happen before we ever start vaccinating,” she said. “What’s going to happen in the next month or two months?”
Yet despite that damage, people aren’t changing their behaviors. “Even with those high numbers of cases and deaths, it’s still not hitting home for people,” said McKenney. “They’re saying, ‘Only 1 percent die. It’s not a big deal.’”
Rural counties in the Dakotas, Kansas, Montana and Mississippi have seen some of the highest COVID-19 surges with over 300 deaths per 100,000 people. Influenza and other respiratory diseases have also hit many of those same counties hard in the past, though at much lower levels – around 25 deaths per 100,000 on average, according to CDC data from 2018.
Endemic illness
Rural residents who opt out of vaccination are far from monolithic in their reasons.
Lynn Ogren said she routinely passes on the flu shot and all other vaccines in Jerauld County, South Dakota, where just over one in five residents was immunized in 2017. The 69-year-old retired rancher and substitute teacher said she instead takes dietary supplements and minds a strict diet to keep in good health. She won’t be getting vaccinated for COVID-19 either, she said.
“I don’t put anything foreign into my body that I don’t need to,” Ogren said. “I’ve never been vaccinated for the flu, and I don’t get vaccinated for anything.”
Jerauld County residents have died of COVID-19 at a rate of more than 640 per 100,000 residents, one of the highest rates in the country.
Health experts warn that if a population doesn’t attain herd immunity, places that haven’t been immunized will continue to see surges in cases and deaths from the virus known by the scientific name SARS-CoV-2. But achieving herd immunity will be a serious challenge in countries like the United States where vaccine hesitancy is widespread. The consequence is a coronavirus that returns seasonally, guaranteeing continued suffering.
“What happens if countries do not reach high vaccine coverage levels? First, SARS-CoV-2 will become endemic but at a low level … with peaks in winter and troughs in summer in the northern hemisphere,” wrote the authors of a letter published last month in The Lancet journal pointing out challenges to herd immunity.
Dr. Roy Anderson, one of the authors and a professor in the School of Public Health at Imperial College London, said in an interview that the virus will continue to circulate if herd immunity isn’t reached. Rural areas will not be spared.
“The virus will remain endemic, but cities will be major reservoirs seeding rural regions,” said Anderson, who was adamant that the virus would likely not ever go away. “It will be endemic and seasonal.”
Dr. Krutika Kuppalli, an assistant professor in the division of infectious disease at the Medical University of South Carolina, is also concerned.
“Do I think it’s going to become endemic?” said Kuppalli. “Yeah, I do. When we have millions and millions of cases, it seems like it’s going to become endemic. My hope is we get enough people to take up the vaccine.”
Promoting vaccination
Despite rural counties’ historically low rates of vaccine uptake, Hubach sees an opportunity to better communicate with those communities about the COVID-19 vaccine. Tapping faith leaders and community outreach workers that have an understanding of local context and climate is going to be very important. “How do you have them say, ‘Vaccination is one thing we can do for the common good?’,” he said.
More: Side effects from the COVID-19 vaccine means 'your body responded the way it's supposed to,' experts say
In addition to tailoring public health messages to specific communities in rural counties, relying on the patient-doctor bond is an important way to build trust in the COVID-19 vaccine and boost vaccination rates, says Dr. Brian Chow, a physician and principal investigator on AstraZeneca’s COVID-9 vaccine trial at Tufts Medical Center in Boston. Many rural communities have been historically marginalized and denied health care or worse, Chow explained. Promoting COVID-19 vaccination needs to surmount distrust in medical care.
“The majority of people will get vaccinated through their doctor’s office,” said Chow. “Leveraging those relationships will be key. A strong recommendation from their primary care provider really influences whether or not people accept a vaccine.”
Aleszu Bajak is on Twitter at @aleszubajak or can be emailed at abajak@usatoday.com


usatoday--2020-12-07--'Unambiguous, loud and threatening': Trump supporters protest at home of Michigan Secretary of State

DETROIT — Dozens of protesters gathered in front of Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson 's home Saturday night , shouting through megaphones against the certification of the election and demanding a forensic audit .
A portion of the demonstration was broadcast live on Facebook around 9:30 p.m .
The protesters are seen walking up to Benson 's home , some wearing President Donald Trump paraphernalia and carrying American flags .
`` We are letting her know that we 're not taking this ( expletive ) election , we are not standing down , we are not giving up you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from a man that has earned it completely 100 % by a freaking landslide , '' Genevieve Peters , who posted the live video , said as she walked to the house .
`` Let me tell you : This ai n't over . ''
The group then begins chanting , `` Stop the steal '' and `` We want an audit , '' touting signs displaying a stop sign that read , `` Defend our liberty , stop the steal . ''
Benson said the protesters gathered in front of her home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ finishing putting up Christmas decorations , just when the two were preparing to watch the Christmas classic , `` How the Grinch Stole Christmas . ''
`` I have always been an energetic advocate for the right and importance of peaceful protest as enshrined in the United States Constitution , however there is a line crossed when gatherings are done with the primary purpose of intimidation of public officials who are carrying out the oath of office they solemnly took as elected officials , '' Benson said in a statement Sunday night .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been roaring since polls closed in early November , Benson continued in the statement , and protesters are an extension of efforts to thwart the election .
`` Through blatantly false press releases , purely political legislative hearings , bogus legal claims and so called 'affidavits ' that fail to allege any clear or cogent evidence of wrongdoing , those unhappy with the results of this election have perpetuated an unprecedented , dangerous , egregious campaign to erode the public ’ s confidence in the results of one of the most secure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state ’ s history , '' Benson said .
Trump allies to Michigan judge : Force Gov .
Whitmer to overturn Biden 's win , give state to president She added : `` The demands made outside my home were unambiguous , loud and threatening .
They targeted me in my role as Michigan ’ s Chief Election Officer .
But the threats of those gathered weren ’ t actually aimed at me — or any other elected officials in this state .
They were aimed at the voters . ''
Throughout the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ personal attorney Rudy Giuliani have circulated false conspiracies about election fraud in Michigan .
The two continue to attempt to discredit the election by citing false allegations about absentee ballots counted in Detroit , allegations that have been disproven in court and by election officials .
Trump falsely claims that he won the election in Michigan when in fact he lost the state by more than 154,000 votes .
Giuliani appeared before the Michigan House Oversight Committee on Wednesday during which he spent more than three hours asking questions of witnesses who accompanied @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to present what the Trump campaign deems to be evidence of fraud , but was largely conspiracy and misinformation .
Peters is seen attempting to speak with a security officer who arrived at the scene , but the officer does not engage .
A few patrol units from the Detroit Police Department and the Michigan State Police later appeared , and the situation remained peaceful , MSP Lt. Mike Shaw said .
`` There was n't much to it , '' Shaw said .
Fact check : Claims linking Dominion Voting Systems to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ posed no security issue to Benson , Shaw said .
`` I would n't even call it a demonstration , it was just a small event and nothing came of it . ''
Despite Shaw 's recollection of the peaceful event , Attorney General Dana Nessel and Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy issued a joint statement condemning the demonstration , deeming the protesters ' actions as `` mob-like behavior '' and said the event was not activism .
Rather , it was , `` disturbing behavior masquerading as protest . ''
'It has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ slams Trump 's rhetoric on voting fraud '' They shouted baseless conspiracy theories about the election , and in videos uploaded to social media , at least one individual could be heard shouting 'you ’ re murderers ' within earshot of her child ’ s bedroom , '' the statement reads .
`` In a civil society , there are many ways to peaceably assemble and demonstrate .
Anyone can air legitimate grievances to Secretary Benson ’ s office through civil and democratic means , but terrorizing children and families at their own @ @ @ @ @ @ @ behavior masquerading as protest should be called out for what it is and roundly condemned by citizens and public officials alike . ''
Peters in the video promises they will be back .
Peters is a vocal and avid fan of Trump and often goes live at various rallies in support of the president .
`` We will not stand down , we will not stop , '' Peters continues in the livestream .
`` We will continue to take this election back for the president that actually won it by a landslide @ @

'Unambiguous, loud and threatening': Trump supporters protest at home of Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson
Show Caption Hide Caption Michigan certifies Biden win Michigan election officials on Monday certified Democrat Joe Biden's 154,000-vote victory in the state, another setback for President Donald Trump. (Nov. 23) AP
DETROIT — Dozens of protesters gathered in front of Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson's home Saturday night, shouting through megaphones against the certification of the election and demanding a forensic audit.
A portion of the demonstration was broadcast live on Facebook around 9:30 p.m. The protesters are seen walking up to Benson's home, some wearing President Donald Trump paraphernalia and carrying American flags.
"We are letting her know that we're not taking this (expletive) election, we are not standing down, we are not giving up you are not going to take this election from a man that has earned it completely 100% by a freaking landslide," Genevieve Peters, who posted the live video, said as she walked to the house. "Let me tell you: This ain't over."
The group then begins chanting, "Stop the steal" and "We want an audit," touting signs displaying a stop sign that read, "Defend our liberty, stop the steal."
Viral Michigan hearing: ‘SNL’ parodies Rudy Giuliani and Melissa Carone
Benson said the protesters gathered in front of her home as she and her 4-year-old son were finishing putting up Christmas decorations, just when the two were preparing to watch the Christmas classic, "How the Grinch Stole Christmas."
"I have always been an energetic advocate for the right and importance of peaceful protest as enshrined in the United States Constitution, however there is a line crossed when gatherings are done with the primary purpose of intimidation of public officials who are carrying out the oath of office they solemnly took as elected officials," Benson said in a statement Sunday night.
The demonstration fueled the misinformation fire that has been roaring since polls closed in early November, Benson continued in the statement, and protesters are an extension of efforts to thwart the election.
"Through blatantly false press releases, purely political legislative hearings, bogus legal claims and so called 'affidavits' that fail to allege any clear or cogent evidence of wrongdoing, those unhappy with the results of this election have perpetuated an unprecedented, dangerous, egregious campaign to erode the public’s confidence in the results of one of the most secure, accessible and transparent elections in our state’s history," Benson said.
Trump allies to Michigan judge: Force Gov. Whitmer to overturn Biden's win, give state to president
She added: "The demands made outside my home were unambiguous, loud and threatening. They targeted me in my role as Michigan’s Chief Election Officer. But the threats of those gathered weren’t actually aimed at me — or any other elected officials in this state. They were aimed at the voters."
Throughout the election, President Donald Trump and his personal attorney Rudy Giuliani have circulated false conspiracies about election fraud in Michigan. The two continue to attempt to discredit the election by citing false allegations about absentee ballots counted in Detroit, allegations that have been disproven in court and by election officials.
Trump falsely claims that he won the election in Michigan when in fact he lost the state by more than 154,000 votes. Giuliani appeared before the Michigan House Oversight Committee on Wednesday during which he spent more than three hours asking questions of witnesses who accompanied him to the hearing as a means to present what the Trump campaign deems to be evidence of fraud, but was largely conspiracy and misinformation.
Peters is seen attempting to speak with a security officer who arrived at the scene, but the officer does not engage.
A few patrol units from the Detroit Police Department and the Michigan State Police later appeared, and the situation remained peaceful, MSP Lt. Mike Shaw said. "There wasn't much to it," Shaw said.
Fact check: Claims linking Dominion Voting Systems to Democrats are wrong or misleading
The protest posed no security issue to Benson, Shaw said. "I wouldn't even call it a demonstration, it was just a small event and nothing came of it."
Despite Shaw's recollection of the peaceful event, Attorney General Dana Nessel and Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy issued a joint statement condemning the demonstration, deeming the protesters' actions as "mob-like behavior" and said the event was not activism. Rather, it was, "disturbing behavior masquerading as protest."
'It has to stop': Georgia election official slams Trump's rhetoric on voting fraud
"They shouted baseless conspiracy theories about the election, and in videos uploaded to social media, at least one individual could be heard shouting 'you’re murderers' within earshot of her child’s bedroom," the statement reads. "In a civil society, there are many ways to peaceably assemble and demonstrate. Anyone can air legitimate grievances to Secretary Benson’s office through civil and democratic means, but terrorizing children and families at their own homes is not activism. This disturbing behavior masquerading as protest should be called out for what it is and roundly condemned by citizens and public officials alike."
Peters in the video promises they will be back. Peters is a vocal and avid fan of Trump and often goes live at various rallies in support of the president.
"We will not stand down, we will not stop," Peters continues in the livestream. "We will continue to take this election back for the president that actually won it by a landslide."


usatoday--2020-12-07--NFL playoff picture after Week 13: Vikings in, Cardinals out of last NFC wild-card spot

Here 's how the NFL playoff picture looks after Week 13 's Sunday afternoon games .
( Note : the postseason field expands to 14 teams this season and could potentially go to 16 if the league 's schedule is thrown into disarray down the stretch by COVID-19 disruptions . )
x-1 .
New Orleans Saints ( 10-2 ) , NFC South leaders : Their sweep of Atlanta combined with the Bears ' latest loss made New Orleans the first team to clinch a spot in the Super Bowl tournament this year .
The Saints have n't missed postseason since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fourth consecutive division crown and second No .
1 seed in the past three years .
Also , starting QB Drew Brees should be back very soon .
2 .
Green Bay Packers ( 9-3 ) , NFC North leaders : They clinched a share of first place Sunday but do n't quite have a berth officially cemented .
One more win or Vikings loss will but a bow on Pack 's seventh division crown in past decade .
3 .
Los Angeles Rams ( 8-4 ) , NFC West leaders : Win @ @ @ @ @ @ @ defeat of Seahawks restores L.A. to divisional crest .
4 .
New York Giants ( 5-7 ) , NFC East leaders : Surprise upset at Seattle puts them on a four-game win streak and guarantees them at least another week atop the worst division in the league .
5 .
Seattle Seahawks ( 8-4 ) , wild card No .
1 : Good luck finding anyone who thought they 'd fall at home to the Colt McCoy-led G-Men , a loss that knocked them out of the NFC West lead .
6 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ wild card No .
2 : They return from their bye next Sunday to open a stretch drive against four opponents all scuffling at .500 or worse – though Week 14 's date with the surging Vikes wo n't be easy .
7 .
Minnesota Vikings ( 6-6 ) , wild card No .
3 : Now 5-1 since their bye week , they 've overtaken the Cards for the final berth – for now – by virtue of a slightly better record in common games played with Arizona .
8 .
Arizona @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out of field : Meanwhile , they 're 1-4 since their bye week , and their latest loss to the Rams pushed the Cardinals outside the playoff field .
Chance to rebound given their next two dates ( at Giants , vs. Eagles ) are with NFC East opposition .
1 .
Pittsburgh Steelers ( 11-0 ) , AFC North leaders : They 'll try to extend their unbeaten season and quest for home-field advantage Monday afternoon against Washington .
2 .
Kansas City Chiefs ( 10-1 ) , AFC West leaders : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ must keep the gas pedal down .
Even if the Steelers lose Monday , the Chiefs wo n't be able to overtake them this week due to an inferior record in AFC games .
3 .
Buffalo Bills ( 8-3 ) , AFC East leaders : Tennessee 's loss elevates them one spot but a tough date with the 49ers on Monday night awaits .
A loss would drop Buffalo back to the No .
4 slot .
4 .
Tennessee Titans ( 8-4 ) , AFC South leaders : Bad loss to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Titans retain to their division lead because they 've got a better record in AFC South games ( 3-1 ) than the Colts ( 2-2 ) , who are also 8-4 overall .
5 .
Cleveland Browns ( 9-3 ) , wild card No .
1 : Massive win in Nashville moves them closer to ending a league-worst playoff drought dating back to 2002 .
The Browns host the Ravens in Week 14 before back-to-back games in New York , er , New Jersey .
6 .
Miami Dolphins ( 8-4 ) , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 'll take an ugly win over Cincinnati and the conference record ( 5-3 ) that keeps them ahead of Indy ( 4-4 ) .
7 .
Indianapolis Colts ( 8-4 ) , wild card No .
3 : Survived in Houston on Sunday and continue clinging to the AFC 's final playoff rung .
8 .
Las Vegas Raiders ( 7-5 ) , first team out of field : They do n't look like a team ready to compete in January even after a last-minute escape against the winless Jets .
But big @ @ @ @ @ @ @ visiting Sin City over the next three weeks .
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Join our Facebook Group , The Ruling Off the Field , to engage in friendly debate and conversation with fellow football fans and our NFL insiders .
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NFL playoff picture after Week 13: Steelers suffer first loss but retain No. 1 seed in AFC
Show Caption Hide Caption NFC Week 13 overreactions: The Giants are no longer a joke, the Carson Wentz era may be SportsPulse: Week 13 brought one of the biggest upsets of the year with the Giants going into Seattle with a backup QB and coming away with a victory and respect. Mackenzie Salmon reacts to the biggest storylines in the NFC from this weekend's action. SportsPulse, USA TODAY
Here's how the NFL playoff picture looks after Week 13's games. (Note: the postseason field expands to 14 teams this season and could potentially go to 16 if the league's schedule is thrown into disarray down the stretch by COVID-19 disruptions.)
AFC
1. Pittsburgh Steelers (11-1), AFC North leaders: Not only did they lose their perfect season Monday afternoon against Washington, the Steelers failed to wrap up a playoff berth. But since it's a non-conference loss, they retain the inside track for home-field advantage going into Sunday night's date at Buffalo.
x-2. Kansas City Chiefs (11-1), AFC West leaders: Didn't look all that impressive while outlasting Denver but triumph permits champs to be first AFC squad to punch playoff ticket.
3. Buffalo Bills (9-3), AFC East leaders: Tennessee's loss gave them opportunity to elevate one spot. Buffalo still can't create breathing room in division.
4. Tennessee Titans (8-4), AFC South leaders: Bad loss to the Browns, but the Titans retain division lead because they've got a better record in AFC South games (3-1) than the Colts (2-2), who are also 8-4 overall. Tennessee should get right with Jags and Lions next on schedule.
5. Cleveland Browns (9-3), wild card No. 1: Massive win in Nashville moves them closer to ending a league-worst playoff drought dating back to 2002. The Browns host the Ravens in Week 14 before back-to-back games in New York, er, New Jersey.
6. Miami Dolphins (8-4), wild card No. 2: They'll take an ugly win over Cincinnati and the conference record (5-3) that keeps them ahead of Indy (4-4) – especially with Chiefs and Patriots headed to South Florida in next two weeks.
7. Indianapolis Colts (8-4), wild card No. 3: Survived in Houston on Sunday and continue clinging to the AFC's final playoff rung with games against Raiders and Steelers upcoming.
8. Las Vegas Raiders (7-5), first team out of field: They don't look like a team ready to compete in January even after a last-minute escape against the winless Jets. But big opportunities ahead with Colts and Dolphins both visiting Sin City over the next three weeks. Ravens now have matching 7-5 mark.
NFC
x-1. New Orleans Saints (10-2), NFC South leaders: Their sweep of Atlanta combined with Chicago's latest loss made New Orleans the first team to clinch a spot in the Super Bowl tournament this year. The Saints haven't missed postseason since 2016 and are on track for their fourth consecutive division crown and second No. 1 seed in the past three years. Also, starting QB Drew Brees should be back very soon – perhaps even against Philadelphia in Week 14.
2. Green Bay Packers (9-3), NFC North leaders: They don't have a berth officially cemented, but Pack could put a bow on seventh division crown in past decade with cooperation from Vikings in Week 14.
3. Los Angeles Rams (9-4), NFC West leaders: Smashed the Patriots on Thursday night, perhaps achieving scant Super Bowl LIII redemption but definitely solidifying their hold on the division to start Week 14.
4. New York Giants (5-7), NFC East leaders: Surprise upset at Seattle puts them on a four-game win streak and guarantees them at least another week atop the worst division in the league. No breathing room here after Washington (5-7) managed to upset Pittsburgh, but Giants' season sweep of WFT could prove critical as division race winds down.
5. Seattle Seahawks (8-4), wild card No. 1: Good luck finding anyone who thought they'd fall at home to the Colt McCoy-led G-Men, a loss that knocked 'Hawks out of the NFC West lead. Next week's visit from New York's other team should prove more beneficial.
6. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-5), wild card No. 2: They return from their bye next Sunday to open stretch drive against four opponents all scuffling at .500 or worse – though Week 14's date with the surging Vikes won't be easy.
7. Minnesota Vikings (6-6), wild card No. 3: Now 5-1 since their bye week, they've overtaken Arizona for the final berth – for now – by virtue of a slightly better record in common games played with the Cardinals. They'll see Bucs and Saints over next three weeks.
8. Arizona Cardinals (6-6), first team out of field: Meanwhile, they're 1-4 since their bye, their latest loss to the Rams pushing Cards outside the playoff field. Chance to rebound given their next two dates (at Giants, vs. Eagles) are with NFC East opposition.
x — clinched berth
***
Follow USA TODAY Sports' Nate Davis on Twitter @ByNateDavis
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usatoday--2020-12-07--His father died of COVID-19 alone in a nursing home: The obituary he wrote blames Americans who 'aba

Dr. Marvin James Farr was born into an America where neighbors were willing to die for their fellow citizens .
But he died Tuesday in a very different country – one where `` many of his fellow Americans refuse to wear a piece of cloth on their face to protect one another . ''
That 's according to a widely shared obituary written by one of Farr 's five surviving children , Courtney Farr , that criticizes Americans who have `` disparaged and abandoned '' science amid the coronavirus pandemic .
Farr , 81 , of Scott City , Kansas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and had been in isolation at a nursing home since Thanksgiving day , according to his son .
`` He was preceded in death by more than 260,000 Americans infected with covid-19 .
He died in a room not his own , being cared for by people dressed in confusing and frightening ways .
He died with covid-19 , and his final days were harder , scarier and lonelier than necessary .
He was not surrounded by friends and family , '' his son wrote in the obituary posted on the website of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a farmer and veterinarian , was born in 1939 `` into an America recovering from the Great Depression and about to face World War 2 , times of loss and sacrifice difficult for most of us to imagine , '' Courtney Farr wrote .
`` Americans would be asked to ration essential supplies and send their children around the world to fight and die in wars of unfathomable destruction .
He died in a world where many of his fellow Americans refuse to wear a piece of cloth on their face to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ careers filled his life with an understanding of the science of life : how to nurture it , how to sustain it , and the myriad ways that life can go wrong .
As a young man he debated between studying mortuary or veterinary science .
He chose life over death , '' the obituary continues .
`` The science that guided his professional life has been disparaged and abandoned by so many of the same people who depended on his knowledge to care for their animals and to raise their food .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ man of his community , '' and `` a family man , both of blood and chosen family , '' his son wrote .
He was active in social organizations that did `` good work '' for the Shriners Hospitals for Children network .
He was also a lay reader at church and `` saw no conflict between the science of his professional life and the belief of his personal life , each enriched the other . ''
`` From religion , he especially drew on lessons of forgiveness and care , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after those who had harmed him the deepest , a sentiment echoed by the healthcare workers struggling to do their jobs as their own communities turn against them or make their jobs harder .
He would also fail those who needed him the most at times , as he was still human , with his flaws and limits . ''
'Staring down a tsunami ' : Exhausted COVID-19 nurse 's viral photo shows what it 's like The obituary has been widely circulated online and featured by various news organizations .
Courtney Farr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he was `` in shock '' by the number of people who have seen it .
`` It 's resonated with a lot of people , and that warms my heart , '' Farr said in the post .
`` Often when we experience loss , pain , or trauma , we feel so alone .
And there 's such incredible power to learning that you are not , that someone else also knows . ''
Most of the responses to the obituary have been positive , Farr said , but there have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including claims that I made my father 's obituary political . ''
`` Well , his death was political .
He died in isolation with an infectious disease that is causing a national crisis .
To pretend otherwise or to obfuscate is also a political decision , '' Farr wrote .
`` I 'm sure my father 's main complaint would be that he does n't have the chance to give you all his two cents . ''
Courtney Farr and Price & Sons Funeral Home did not immediately respond to requests for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 279,000 people in the U.S. and 1.5 million worldwide have died after contracting COVID-19 , according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University .
Meanwhile , infections and deaths continued climbing in recent weeks , leading the influential Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation model to project on Friday that the U.S. will surpass half-a-million COVID-19 deaths by April .
To combat the spread of COVID-19 , the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that Americans wear face masks in public spaces , and 37 states mandate the wearing of face @ @ @ @ @ @ @ list maintained by AARP .
CDC studies have found , in at least 16 states and the District of Columbia , local mask mandates appear to have contributed to the mitigation of COVID-19 transmission .

His father died of COVID-19 alone in a nursing home: The obituary he wrote blames Americans who 'abandoned' science
Show Caption Hide Caption Dr. Fauci Warns of 'Surge upon Surge' as COVID-19 hospitalizations increase Dr Fauci Warns of 'Surge upon Surge' , of Coronavirus Infections during a televised interview on ABC's 'This Week' on Sunday. Wibbitz - News
Dr. Marvin James Farr was born into an America where neighbors were willing to die for their fellow citizens.
But he died Tuesday in a very different country – one where "many of his fellow Americans refuse to wear a piece of cloth on their face to protect one another."
That's according to a widely shared obituary written by one of Farr's five surviving children, Courtney Farr, that criticizes Americans who have "disparaged and abandoned" science amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Farr, 81, of Scott City, Kansas, tested positive last week for COVID-19 and had been in isolation at a nursing home since Thanksgiving day, according to his son.
"He was preceded in death by more than 260,000 Americans infected with covid-19. He died in a room not his own, being cared for by people dressed in confusing and frightening ways. He died with covid-19, and his final days were harder, scarier and lonelier than necessary. He was not surrounded by friends and family," his son wrote in the obituary posted on the website of Price & Sons Funeral Home.
Farr, a farmer and veterinarian, was born in 1939 "into an America recovering from the Great Depression and about to face World War 2, times of loss and sacrifice difficult for most of us to imagine," Courtney Farr wrote.
"Americans would be asked to ration essential supplies and send their children around the world to fight and die in wars of unfathomable destruction. He died in a world where many of his fellow Americans refuse to wear a piece of cloth on their face to protect one another."
Farr graduated from Kansas State University in 1968.
"His careers filled his life with an understanding of the science of life: how to nurture it, how to sustain it, and the myriad ways that life can go wrong. As a young man he debated between studying mortuary or veterinary science. He chose life over death," the obituary continues.
"The science that guided his professional life has been disparaged and abandoned by so many of the same people who depended on his knowledge to care for their animals and to raise their food."
Farr was religious, "a man of his community," and "a family man, both of blood and chosen family," his son wrote. He was active in social organizations that did "good work" for the Shriners Hospitals for Children network. He was also a lay reader at church and "saw no conflict between the science of his professional life and the belief of his personal life, each enriched the other."
"From religion, he especially drew on lessons of forgiveness and care," Farr wrote. "He would look after those who had harmed him the deepest, a sentiment echoed by the healthcare workers struggling to do their jobs as their own communities turn against them or make their jobs harder. He would also fail those who needed him the most at times, as he was still human, with his flaws and limits."
'Staring down a tsunami': Exhausted COVID-19 nurse's viral photo shows what it's like
The obituary has been widely circulated online and featured by various news organizations. Courtney Farr said in a Facebook post Thursday that he was "in shock" by the number of people who have seen it.
"It's resonated with a lot of people, and that warms my heart," Farr said in the post. "Often when we experience loss, pain, or trauma, we feel so alone. And there's such incredible power to learning that you are not, that someone else also knows."
Most of the responses to the obituary have been positive, Farr said, but there have been "a few negative comments, including claims that I made my father's obituary political."
"Well, his death was political. He died in isolation with an infectious disease that is causing a national crisis. To pretend otherwise or to obfuscate is also a political decision," Farr wrote. "I'm sure my father's main complaint would be that he doesn't have the chance to give you all his two cents."
Courtney Farr and Price & Sons Funeral Home did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
As of Saturday, more than 279,000 people in the U.S. and 1.5 million worldwide have died after contracting COVID-19, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. Meanwhile, infections and deaths continued climbing in recent weeks, leading the influential Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation model to project on Friday that the U.S. will surpass half-a-million COVID-19 deaths by April.
To combat the spread of COVID-19, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that Americans wear face masks in public spaces, and 37 states mandate the wearing of face masks in public, according to a list maintained by AARP. CDC studies have found, in at least 16 states and the District of Columbia, local mask mandates appear to have contributed to the mitigation of COVID-19 transmission.


usatoday--2020-12-06--After abrupt exit from 'The Voice,' Ryan Gallagher's manager denies he breached COVID protocols

A week after contestant Ryan Gallagher 's abrupt exit from `` The Voice , '' his manager is denying claims that it was due to breaching the show 's COVID-19 protocols .
`` The Voice '' host Carson Daly announced on air Monday that Gallagher , a member of Team Kelly Clarkson , `` had to exit the competition , '' without elaborating further .
A joint statement from NBC and MGM to USA TODAY on Sunday said Gallagher is a talented artist , but had to be removed after they had been `` made aware of a breach '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' “ After examining the situation , and out of abundance of caution , we determined that Ryan could not participate in our Monday night show without potentially putting others at risk .
Therefore , we made the difficult decision to remove Ryan from the competition , '' the statement added .
Michael Catalano , Gallagher 's manager , told People and Entertainment Tonight that Gallagher was dismissed from the show last Sunday for `` an alleged violation of the show ’ s COVID-19 protocol , '' though Gallagher tweeted about performing on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` In my opinion , nothing could be further from the truth , '' Catalano said of the allegations , noting that Gallagher understood how serious the pandemic is because his mother was recently in the ICU for three weeks with the novel coronavirus .
`` It was a scary time for Ryan and his family and he certainly would not knowingly put anyone at risk by not adhering to the show ’ s COVID-19 policy , '' Catalano added .
`` As you can imagine there is more to the story @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at an appropriate time and place of our choosing Ryan and I will be able to share the balance of the details , as well as Ryan ’ s side of the story . ''
USA TODAY has reached out to Catalano for further comment .
What made things more peculiar was that Gallagher had tweeted about being a contestant on the show early Monday , making it seem like his exit was a last-minute decision .
`` Here we go America !
!
Never thought a small town guy like me would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Fans originally speculated that the reason for Gallagher 's departure was due to a sickness in his family , since he shared earlier this season that his mother had been hospitalized with COVID-19 .
In a tweet Monday evening , however , Gallagher returned to Twitter to give an update on why he was n't on the show , ruling out a family sickness but otherwise leaving things unclear .
`` Thank you everybody for the concern for my family .
However , everybody 's fine .
That 's not the cause @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ' , '' he says in the clip .
`` I did n't drop out of the show , details are still to come , I 'll keep you posted . ''
On his Instagram Stories , he also posted a photo of himself in a tuxedo with the words : `` 2020 you are an interesting one ''

After abrupt exit from 'The Voice,' Ryan Gallagher's manager denies he breached COVID protocols
Show Caption Hide Caption 'The Voice' highlights: John Legend, Kelly Clarkson spar over singers "The Voice" season premiere included Kelly Clarkson, John Legend, Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton in their red chairs and virtual fans. Entertain This!, USA TODAY
A week after contestant Ryan Gallagher's abrupt exit from "The Voice," his manager is denying claims that it was due to breaching the show's COVID-19 protocols.
"The Voice" host Carson Daly announced on air Monday that Gallagher, a member of Team Kelly Clarkson, "had to exit the competition," without elaborating further. A joint statement from NBC and MGM to USA TODAY on Sunday said Gallagher is a talented artist, but had to be removed after they had been "made aware of a breach" in their "strict COVID protocols."
“After examining the situation, and out of abundance of caution, we determined that Ryan could not participate in our Monday night show without potentially putting others at risk. Therefore, we made the difficult decision to remove Ryan from the competition," the statement added.
Michael Catalano, Gallagher's manager, said in a statement obtained by USA TODAY that Gallagher was dismissed from the show last Sunday for "an alleged violation of the show’s COVID-19 protocol," though Gallagher tweeted about performing on the show as recently as Monday morning.
"In my opinion, nothing could be further from the truth," Catalano said of the allegations, noting that Gallagher understood how serious the pandemic is because his mother was recently in the ICU for three weeks with the novel coronavirus.
"It was a scary time for Ryan and his family and he certainly would not knowingly put anyone at risk by not adhering to the show’s COVID-19 policy," Catalano added. "As you can imagine there is more to the story here than the show has announced and at an appropriate time and place of our choosing Ryan and I will be able to share the balance of the details, as well as Ryan’s side of the story."
What made things more peculiar was that Gallagher had tweeted about being a contestant on the show early Monday, making it seem like his exit was a last-minute decision. "Here we go America!! Never thought a small town guy like me would make it here!" he wrote.
Here we go America!! Never thought a small town guy like me would make it here! @NBCTheVoice @kellyclarkson pic.twitter.com/EEgwpslV3k — Ryan Gallagher (@RyanDGallagher) November 30, 2020
Fans originally speculated that the reason for Gallagher's departure was due to a sickness in his family, since he shared earlier this season that his mother had been hospitalized with COVID-19.
In a tweet Monday evening, however, Gallagher returned to Twitter to give an update on why he wasn't on the show, ruling out a family sickness but otherwise leaving things unclear.
"Thank you everybody for the concern for my family. However, everybody's fine. That's not the cause of what happened tonight on 'The Voice'," he says in the clip. "I didn't drop out of the show, details are still to come, I'll keep you posted."
On his Instagram Stories, he also posted a photo of himself in a tuxedo with the words: "2020 you are an interesting one"
Contributing: Sara M. Moniuszko


usatoday--2020-12-06--Reports: Shane Beamer expected to be next football coach at South Carolina

Oklahoma assistant Shane Beamer is expected to be hired as South Carolina 's football coach , multiple media outlets reported Saturday night .
The news was first reported by Bruce Feldman of Fox Sports and The Athletic shortly after the Gamecocks ' regular season-ending 41-18 loss to Kentucky .
Beamer , 43 , is a Charleston native and former South Carolina assistant under Steve Spurrier .
Billy Napier , currently Louisiana-Lafayette 's head coach and a former Clemson and Alabama assistant , said earlier Saturday he was no longer a candidate for the South Carolina job .
Louisville head coach @ @ @ @ @ @ @ staying with the Cardinals after speaking with South Carolina .
Beamer , who is Oklahoma 's assistant head coach for offense and tight ends/halfbacks coach , was with the Gamecocks from 2007-10 before leaving to spend spend four seasons under father Frank Beamer at Virginia Tech .
Week 14 winners and losers : Ohio State , Texas A & M stay on playoff track More : Sprinklers on field go off during game at Lane Stadium between Clemson and Virginia Tech Shane Beamer will replace Will Muschamp , who was fired last month @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Gamecocks .
Offensive coordinator Mike Bobo has served as the team 's interim head coach for the final three regular-season games .
After starting the season 2-2 , South Carolina has lost six consecutive games .

Reports: Shane Beamer expected to be next football coach at South Carolina
Oklahoma assistant Shane Beamer is expected to be hired as South Carolina's football coach, multiple media outlets reported Saturday night.
The news was first reported by Bruce Feldman of Fox Sports and The Athletic shortly after the Gamecocks' regular season-ending 41-18 loss to Kentucky. Beamer, 43, is a Charleston native and former South Carolina assistant under Steve Spurrier.
Billy Napier, currently Louisiana-Lafayette's head coach and a former Clemson and Alabama assistant, said earlier Saturday he was no longer a candidate for the South Carolina job. Louisville head coach Scott Satterfield also publicly stated he was staying with the Cardinals after speaking with South Carolina.
Beamer, who is Oklahoma's assistant head coach for offense and tight ends/halfbacks coach, was with the Gamecocks from 2007-10 before leaving to spend spend four seasons under father Frank Beamer at Virginia Tech.
Week 14 winners and losers: Ohio State, Texas A&M stay on playoff track
More: Sprinklers on field go off during game at Lane Stadium between Clemson and Virginia Tech
Shane Beamer will replace Will Muschamp, who was fired last month seven games into his fifth season with the Gamecocks. Offensive coordinator Mike Bobo has served as the team's interim head coach for the final three regular-season games. After starting the season 2-2, South Carolina has lost six consecutive games.


usatoday--2020-12-06--Ford Motor Co. cuts contract workers effective immediately, ends buyout period for salaried employee

Ford Motor Co. ended the first week of December confirming publicly that delivery of its 2021 Ford Bronco would be delayed , and then informing contract employees their commitments would be terminated .
Contract workers were notified by their agency employers late Friday that `` their assignment at Ford has ended , '' Ford spokesman Ian Thibodeau confirmed to the Free Press , part of the USA TODAY Network .
Cuts were effective immediately upon notice , Thibodeau said .
`` This adjustment is part of our continued effort to refine the work we need to do and the people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
Thibodeau declined to say how many people had been let go and which departments had been affected .
Ford Bronco 2021 : Deliveries delayed until summer because of COVID-19 supply chain disruptions Ford has long- and short-term employees working on contract in areas including engineering product development , purchasing and information technology .
Engineers , for example , may work years on product launches at Ford though technically employed by an outside agency .
Contract employees are rarely given severance or health care ; their pay ends immediately .
Also Friday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ buyout opportunity announced in September had closed and no additional cuts would occur in 2020 .
The number of Ford employees retiring as part of the Voluntary Incentive Program fell `` within the range '' of a goal stated previously , Thibodeau said .
`` There will be no further salaried retirements or separations associated with the program . ''
He declined to say whether cuts would be made in early 2021 , as sometimes occurs after contract workers are eliminated at companies .
`` We will continue to adjust our resources as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the plan '' outlined by CEO Jim Farley , Thibodeau said .
`` We ’ ll inform our employees directly of any measures in the future , though there is nothing to share at this time . ''
On Sept. 8 , Ford emailed employees the details of a severance package with a goal of shedding at least 1,400 U.S. jobs by the end of 2020 .
The last day of employment would be Dec. 31 .
Targeted employees had 30 years of service , were age 55 and older with 10 years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years of service Kumar Galhotra , president , Americas & International Markets Group , who oversees the profit and loss of the business units , told workers the news and followed up with an email that said : `` We 're in a multiyear process of making Ford more fit and effective around the world .
We have reprioritized certain products and services and are adjusting our staffing to better align with our new work statement . ''
Contact Phoebe Wall Howard at 313-222-6512 orphoward @ freepress.com.Follow her on Twitter @ phoebesaid .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ for our autos newsletter .

Ford Motor Co. cuts contract workers effective immediately, ends buyout period for salaried employees
Show Caption Hide Caption A few questions with Kumar Galhotra Kumar Galhotra, president of Ford North America answers a few questions at Ford World Headquarters in Dearborn, MI on Thursday, Dec. 13, 2018. Romain Blanquart, Detroit Free Press
Ford Motor Co. ended the first week of December confirming publicly that delivery of its 2021 Ford Bronco would be delayed, and then informing contract employees their commitments would be terminated.
Contract workers were notified by their agency employers late Friday that "their assignment at Ford has ended," Ford spokesman Ian Thibodeau confirmed to the Free Press, part of the USA TODAY Network.
Cuts were effective immediately upon notice, Thibodeau said.
"This adjustment is part of our continued effort to refine the work we need to do and the people required to do it," he said.
Thibodeau declined to say how many people had been let go and which departments had been affected.
Ford Bronco 2021: Deliveries delayed until summer because of COVID-19 supply chain disruptions
Kia recall: Kia recalling nearly 295,000 vehicles due to engine fire risk, including select Sorento, Soul SUVs
Ford has long- and short-term employees working on contract in areas including engineering product development, purchasing and information technology.
Engineers, for example, may work years on product launches at Ford though technically employed by an outside agency. Contract employees are rarely given severance or health care; their pay ends immediately.
Ford ends buyout for salaried workers
Also Friday, U.S. salaried employees learned that the buyout opportunity announced in September had closed and no additional cuts would occur in 2020.
The number of Ford employees retiring as part of the Voluntary Incentive Program fell "within the range" of a goal stated previously, Thibodeau said. "There will be no further salaried retirements or separations associated with the program."
He declined to say whether cuts would be made in early 2021, as sometimes occurs after contract workers are eliminated at companies.
"We will continue to adjust our resources as we align with the priorities ... in the plan" outlined by CEO Jim Farley, Thibodeau said. "We’ll inform our employees directly of any measures in the future, though there is nothing to share at this time."
On Sept. 8, Ford emailed employees the details of a severance package with a goal of shedding at least 1,400 U.S. jobs by the end of 2020. The last day of employment would be Dec. 31.
Targeted employees had 30 years of service, were age 55 and older with 10 years of service or age 65 with five years of service
Kumar Galhotra, president, Americas & International Markets Group, who oversees the profit and loss of the business units, told workers the news and followed up with an email that said: "We're in a multiyear process of making Ford more fit and effective around the world. We have reprioritized certain products and services and are adjusting our staffing to better align with our new work statement."
Contact Phoebe Wall Howard at 313-222-6512 or phoward@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @phoebesaid. Read more on Ford and sign up for our autos newsletter.


usatoday--2020-12-06--After the Dow Jones Industrial Average hit 30k, what's next? Is it time to sell or increase stock ex

I ’ ve never really understood the hoopla surrounding Dow 10K , 20K or 30K for that matter .
It is true I have a Dow 20K hat , but it was a gift .
I found it this past spring when the Dow Jones Industrial Average ( DJIA ) dipped below 20K again after first scaling the hurdle on Jan. 25 , 2017 wiping out three years of gains , a grim reminder that Mr. Market has a mind of his own .
Yet , after the most dramatic and shortest bear market on record , the market not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ past Dow 30K for the first time on Nov. 24 .
Since the low on March 23 , the S & P 500 is up 53.1 % through Dec. 4 .
Now what ?
Is it time to sell ?
Increase stock exposure ?
Or just buy Bitcoin ?
New to investing ?
: Here 's an estimate on how long before the stock market makes you a millionaire .
Investing 101 : Investing apps make it easy for beginners .
Here 's how I started .
Let ’ s be real : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which was the year of another epic sell-off .
And if we learned anything from the Dow 20K roundtrip , it was that stocks don ’ t ascend in a straight line .
Nor do they adhere to our arbitrary expectations .
Stocks gauge future earnings growth which is correlated to future economic growth .
The market ’ s focus is not tomorrow , or next week but the next six to twelve months .
And , frankly , despite the effects of resurging COVID cases and deaths , future U.S. and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The problem with focusing on targets like Dow 30K is they are a distraction .
I have heard from a great many people asking if they should be investing now that the market has hit Dow 30K .
Should they wait for a pullback ?
The questions are reasonable and logical but rarely does market timing work for individual or professional investors .
Stocks don ’ t react to targets , they trade on future earnings .
If you look at the Dow price chart of monthly closes since 1896 you will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ upward .
Of course , every student of the market knows about the crash of 1929 , Black Monday in October of 1987 , the bear markets of 2008-2009 and 2020 .
And we tend to place much greater emphasis on declines than the two thirds of annual periods when the market increases in value .
Yardeni Research recently cited a study conducted by the Pew Research Center which revealed only seven state retirement plans in the U.S. are funded at 90 % or higher .
South Dakota is at the top of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New Jersey is the worst at a funded ratio of 38.4 % .
I mention this here because with the market hitting all-time highs , we would expect public pensions to be in much better shape .
The prudent move , if you are the future beneficiary of a public pension , is to set aside additional assets for retirement .
And , if you have a 401 ( k ) , keep contributing .
Retirement is 20 years of unemployment .
We will need all we can get .
Stocks are undoubtedly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ – recall that we experience a correction of some magnitude once every 12 months on average – but that is not a reason not to invest .
In February as the market was hitting new highs , this column suggested increasing contribution levels to your 401 ( k ) in preparation for the inevitable correction so you would be investing more dollars at cheaper prices .
I hope you did .
Here are some suggestions to consider for your 401 ( k ) as the Dow once again hits new highs : • @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to global holdings .
The rest of the world has underperformed the U.S. for a long time .
Now may be the time to dip your toe in .
• Bonds have had a great year and interest rates are near historic lows .
Remember , when rates rise , the underlying prices of bonds decline .
Now may be a good time to trim your winners and look for better ( read : less expensive ) places to be invested .
• Consider investments in hybrid securities like convertible bonds , convertible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Especially if you seek income .
• If you are materially overweight growth stocks you may want to trim and look for a high-quality value fund .
In the near term , value may continue to outperform growth as it has in recent weeks .
Pundits will tell you – with an air of complete certainty – why the market performed so well in November : the vaccine , uncertainty surrounding another presidential election ( more or less ) in the books , a robust economic rebound thanks to unprecedented monetary and fiscal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But the fact is no one knows for sure , which is why the best strategy for your 401 ( k ) is to keep contributing and stay the course .
Because eventually , we will be musing about Dow 40K with Dow 30K in the rear-view mirror .
Nancy Tengler is the chief investment officer at Laffer Tengler Investments and the author of “ The Women ’ s Guide to Successful Investing .
”

After the Dow Jones Industrial Average hit 30k, what's next? Is it time to sell or increase stock exposure?
Show Caption Hide Caption Dow crests 30,000 on vaccine hopes, Biden transition The Dow Jones Industrial Average broke 30,000 points Tuesday as investors were encouraged by the latest progress on developing coronavirus vaccines and news the transition of power in the U.S. to President-elect Joe Biden will finally begin. (Nov. 24) AP
I’ve never really understood the hoopla surrounding Dow 10K, 20K or 30K, for that matter.
It is true I have a Dow 20K hat, but it was a gift. I found it this past spring when the Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped below 20K again after first scaling the hurdle on Jan. 25, 2017 wiping out three years of gains, a grim reminder that Mr. Market has a mind of his own.
Yet after the most dramatic and shortest bear market on record, the market not only came roaring back – it sailed past Dow 30K for the first time on Nov. 24. Since the low on March 23, the S&P 500 is up 53.1% through Dec. 4.
Now what? Is it time to sell? Increase stock exposure? Or just buy Bitcoin?
New to investing?: Here's an estimate on how long before the stock market makes you a millionaire.
Investing 101: Investing apps make it easy for beginners. Here's how I started.
Let’s be real: November was the best month since 1987, which was the year of another epic sell-off. And if we learned anything from the Dow 20K roundtrip, it was that stocks don’t ascend in a straight line. Nor do they adhere to our arbitrary expectations.
Stocks gauge future earnings growth, which is correlated to future economic growth. The market’s focus is not tomorrow, or next week, but the next six to 12 months. And, frankly, despite the effects of resurging COVID cases and deaths, future U.S. and global economic growth look pretty darn good.
The problem with focusing on targets like Dow 30K is that they are a distraction. I have heard from many people asking whether they should be investing now that the market has hit Dow 30K. Should they wait for a pullback?
The questions are reasonable and logical, but rarely does market timing work for individual or professional investors. Stocks don’t react to targets they trade on future earnings.
If you look at the Dow price chart of monthly closes since 1896, you will see an index in a relentless climb upward. Of course, every student of the market knows about the crash of 1929, Black Monday in October of 1987, and the bear markets of 2008-2009 and 2020. And we tend to place much greater emphasis on declines than on the two-thirds of annual periods when the market increases in value.
Yardeni Research recently cited a study conducted by the Pew Charitable Trusts that revealed only seven state retirement plans in the U.S. are funded at 90% or higher.
South Dakota is at the top of the list with 100% funding; New Jersey is the worst at a funded ratio of 38.4%.
I mention this here because with the market hitting all-time highs, we would expect public pensions to be in much better shape. The prudent move, if you are the future beneficiary of a public pension, is to set aside additional assets for retirement. And, if you have a 401(k), keep contributing. Retirement is 20 years of unemployment. We will need all we can get.
Analyst: Holiday retail demand will exceed supply Retail analyst Simeon Siegel says shoppers should expect for stock to be low and to pay more for gifts, as businesses have had to downsize during the pandemic. (Nov. 23) AP
Stocks are undoubtedly due for a correction at some point – recall that we experience a correction of some magnitude once every 12 months on average – but that is not a reason not to invest.
In February, as the market was hitting new highs, this column suggested increasing contribution levels to your 401(k) in preparation for the inevitable correction, so you would be investing more dollars at cheaper prices. I hope you did.
Here are some suggestions to consider for your 401(k) as the Dow once again hits new highs:
Review your current allocations. Consider adding to global holdings. The rest of the world has underperformed the U.S. for a long time. Now may be the time to dip your toe in.
Bonds have had a great year and interest rates are near historic lows. Remember, when rates rise, the underlying prices of bonds decline. Now may be a good time to trim your winners and look for better (read: less expensive) places to be invested.
Consider investments in hybrid securities like convertible bonds, convertible preferred stocks or straight preferred stocks. Especially if you seek income.
If you are materially overweighting growth stocks, you may want to trim and look for a high-quality value fund. In the near term, value may continue to outperform growth as it has in recent weeks.
Trump congratulates country on historic Dow rally President Donald Trump made a surprise appearance in the White House briefing room to congratulate his administration and the American public on a historic stock market rally. The Dow traded above 30,000 points for the first time Tuesday. (Nov. 24) AP
Pundits will tell you – with an air of complete certainty – why the market performed so well in November: the vaccine, uncertainty surrounding another presidential election (more or less) in the books, a robust economic rebound thanks to unprecedented monetary and fiscal stimulus. All of these are plausible.
But the fact is, no one knows for sure, which is why the best strategy for your 401(k) is to keep contributing and stay the course. Because eventually, we will be musing about Dow 40K, with Dow 30K in the rear-view mirror.
Nancy Tengler is the chief investment officer at Laffer Tengler Investments and the author of “The Women’s Guide to Successful Investing.”


usatoday--2020-12-06--Chance the Rapper, Dionne Warwick share wholesome Twitter exchange: 'I am now Dionne the Singer'

Dionne Warwick has some questions , and Chance the Rapper is all too happy to answer them .
Warwick , who turns 80 next weekend , took to Twitter on Saturday with a burning question for the 27-year-old rapper : `` If you are very obviously a rapper why did you put it in your stage name ?
I can not stop thinking about this . ''
Chance the Rapper , whose real name is Chancelor Bennett , needed a moment before answering her question .
`` Sorry I ’ m still freaking out that u know who I am @ @ @ @ @ @ @ replied , before adding he would go by `` whatever you wan na call me Ms Warwick .
As it turns out , Warwick is a big fan : `` Holy , '' one of Justin Bieber 's recent singles , features Chance the Rapper and is one of her `` favorite songs right now , '' she shared .
Warwick even proposed she and Chance collaborate on music , promising to message him about rapping together .
`` Of course I know you , '' Warwick wrote .
`` You ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will arrive under a different name ?
Warwick later joked that she would now go by `` Dionne the Singer '' to properly clarify her profession .
But she has some more names in need of explaining .
Next up : Canadian R & B singer Abel Tesfaye , better known for his stage name , The Weeknd , who said he was `` honored '' that Warwick `` roasted '' him .
`` It 's not even spelled correctly , '' she tweeted at the singer .
`` If you have 'The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coming for you .
I need answers today . ''

Chance the Rapper, Dionne Warwick share wholesome Twitter exchange: 'I am now Dionne the Singer'
Show Caption Hide Caption New Music Friday: Bieber's 'new era' begins 'Holy' Justin Bieber begins a "new era" with a Chance The Rapper-assisted single. Plus, new albums are out from Alicia Keys and Keith Urban. Entertain This!, USA TODAY
Dionne Warwick has some questions, and Chance the Rapper is all too happy to answer them.
Warwick, who turns 80 next weekend, took to Twitter on Saturday with a burning question for the 27-year-old rapper: "If you are very obviously a rapper why did you put it in your stage name? I cannot stop thinking about this."
Chance the Rapper, whose real name is Chancelor Bennett, needed a moment before answering her question.
"Sorry I’m still freaking out that u know who I am. This is amazing!" he replied, before adding he would go by "whatever you wanna call me Ms Warwick.
"God bless you," he added.
As it turns out, Warwick is a big fan: "Holy," one of Justin Bieber's recent singles, features Chance the Rapper and is one of her "favorite songs right now," she shared. Warwick even proposed she and Chance collaborate on music, promising to message him about rapping together.
"Of course I know you," Warwick wrote. "You’re THE rapper."
Maybe their collaboration will arrive under a different name? Warwick later joked that she would now go by "Dionne the Singer" to properly clarify her profession. But she has some more names in need of explaining. Next up: Canadian R&B singer Abel Tesfaye, better known for his stage name, The Weeknd, who said he was "honored" that Warwick "roasted" him.
"It's not even spelled correctly," she tweeted at the singer. "If you have 'The' in your name i’m coming for you. I need answers today."


usatoday--2020-12-04--Little girl overcomes all odds to walk

Little girl overcomes all odds to walk

Little girl overcomes all odds to walk Ava Reyes was born with spina bifida .
Doctors told her parents she @ @ @ @ @ never walk .
Now , she 's unstoppable .

Little girl overcomes all odds to walk
Ava Reyes was born with spina bifida. Doctors told her parents she'd either be paralyzed or never walk. Now, she's unstoppable.
Humankind, USA TODAY


usatoday--2020-12-07--Georgia Senate race heats up during debate between Sen. Kelly Loeffler and Raphael Warnock

Georgia Senate race heats up during debate between Sen. Kelly Loeffler and Raphael Warnock All eyes are on Georgia as @ @ @ @ @ up for grabs during runoff elections on Jan. 5 .

Georgia Senate candidates attack each other's backgrounds
All eyes are on Georgia as control of the Senate is up for grabs during runoff elections on Jan. 5.
USA TODAY Handout


usatoday--2020-12-06--'May incriminate himself in debate': Jon Ossoff on Sen. Perdue's absence from debate

'May incriminate himself in debate ' : Jon Ossoff on Sen. Perdue 's absence from debate During the debate for @ @ @ @ @ , Jon Ossoff said it 's a `` strange situation '' without Sen. David Perdue @

Jon Ossoff calls debate 'strange situation' without Sen. David Perdue
During the debate for the Senate seat in Georgia, Jon Ossoff said it's a "strange situation" without Sen. David Perdue.
USA TODAY Handout


usatoday--2020-12-07--'Appointed senator' vs. 'radical liberal': Kelly Loeffler, Raphael Warnock stick to script in Georgi

Georgia Senate incumbent Kelly Loeffler and challenger Raphael Warnock stuck to their scripts during an Atlanta Press Club debate Sunday night .
For Loeffler , that meant reciting her campaign ads nearly word-for-word : Referring constantly to her opponent as “ radical liberal Raphael Warnock , ” sometimes twice in the same sentence .
Additionally , she kept pressing her attacks on Warnock calling police “ gangsters and thugs ” and a snippet from a Warnock sermon on how it is impossible to serve both God and the military .
Warnock ’ s answers were also familiar — his narrative @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from defending himself from Loeffler ’ s claims , has been his support of health care coverage for those with preexisting conditions and pointing out that Loeffler ’ s strategy has revolved around demonizing him , not promoting herself .
'Overrun with misinformation ' : Georgia Senate runoff elections are latest battleground for Facebook and Twitter falsehoods Loeffler continued the dire warnings President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence stressed at their Georgia campaign stops this weekend : If Republicans lose the Senate , the American Dream will give way to socialism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chuck Schumer ’ s “ Take Georgia , change America ” quote .
Loeffler said Warnock would be a “ rubber stamp ” for Schumer , despite boasting during an August campaign stop in Savannah that she was “ the only U.S .
Senator that has a 100 % Senate voting record with our president.
” Warnock took shots at Loeffler being appointed to her senate seat , calling her “ Georgia ’ s appointed senator ” “ Kelly Loeffler is trying to misrepresent me because she knows she has spent the first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ herself , ” Warnock said .
“ She ’ s the unelected senator of Georgia .
She was appointed .
The people of Georgia have been disappointed.
” Perdue vs. Ossoff , Loeffler vs. Warnock : Faith takes the forefront as Georgia Senate runoffs heat up The focus of the debate was rarely on Georgia-specific issues for either candidate , spare the results of the presidential race .
During a section of the debate in which the candidates asked each other questions , Warnock asked Loeffler , “ Did Donald Trump lose a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ answer : “ President Trump has every right to use every legal recourse available .
In our own state we ’ ve seen time and again we have investigations that need to be completed .
We ’ ve had two audits , and those audits have discovered thousands of votes here in several counties in Georgia that were not counted.
” When pressed on the subject of Georgia ’ s election results and Trump ’ s recent criticism of Gov .
Brian Kemp , Loeffler , refused to answer whether she thought Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 250 active investigations in Georgia announced by the Secretary of State ’ s office last week .
With Senate on the line : Georgia activists are sliding into voters ' DMs before election Earlier Sunday , Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger defended the integrity of the general election in an ABC News interview , noting that despite those 250 investigations , his office has not found evidence supporting `` systemic fraud '' that would change the certified outcome : President-elect Joe Biden won Georgia by over 12,000 votes .
After the hourlong @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the evening was : The best way to do right by Georgians is by protecting the Republican Senate majority , fighting back socialism and defeating “ radical liberal Raphael Warnock.
” 'We 're going to keep fighting ' : Pence tells Georgia voters presidential election not over Warnock , on the other hand , attempted to appeal to the everyman by portraying Loeffler , the wealthiest senator in the country , as out of touch with Georgians , and pointing toward the need to “ heal division ” in the country , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crowded field of candidates in last month 's special election , Loeffler received 25.9 % , with 1,273,214 votes .
Warnock finished with 32.9 % , with 1,617,035 votes .
In Georgia , candidates must win by 50 % plus one to avoid a runoff .
Georgians will settle the race on Jan. 5 .
The deadline to register to vote is Monday , and early voting begins on Dec. 14 .

'Appointed senator' vs. 'radical liberal': Kelly Loeffler, Raphael Warnock stick to script in Georgia Senate runoff debate
Show Caption Hide Caption Georgia Senate candidates attack each other's backgrounds All eyes are on Georgia as control of the Senate is up for grabs during runoff elections on Jan. 5. USA TODAY Handout
Georgia Senate incumbent Kelly Loeffler and challenger Raphael Warnock stuck to their scripts during an Atlanta Press Club debate Sunday night.
For Loeffler, that meant reciting her campaign ads nearly word-for-word: Referring constantly to her opponent as “radical liberal Raphael Warnock,” sometimes twice in the same sentence. Additionally, she kept pressing her attacks on Warnock calling police “gangsters and thugs” and a snippet from a Warnock sermon on how it is impossible to serve both God and the military.
Warnock’s answers were also familiar — his narrative in campaign ads so far, aside from defending himself from Loeffler’s claims, has been his support of health care coverage for those with preexisting conditions and pointing out that Loeffler’s strategy has revolved around demonizing him, not promoting herself.
'Overrun with misinformation': Georgia Senate runoff elections are latest battleground for Facebook and Twitter falsehoods
Loeffler continued the dire warnings President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence stressed at their Georgia campaign stops this weekend: If Republicans lose the Senate, the American Dream will give way to socialism, leaning multiple times on Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s “Take Georgia, change America” quote.
Loeffler said Warnock would be a “rubber stamp” for Schumer, despite boasting during an August campaign stop in Savannah that she was “the only U.S. Senator that has a 100% Senate voting record with our president.”
Warnock took shots at Loeffler being appointed to her senate seat, calling her “Georgia’s appointed senator”
“Kelly Loeffler is trying to misrepresent me because she knows she has spent the first 10 months of her tenure thinking about herself,” Warnock said. “She’s the unelected senator of Georgia. She was appointed. The people of Georgia have been disappointed.”
Runoffs: History, how they work, and their roots in racism As Georgia heads towards a highly anticipated runoff election, it begs the question: Why do some states have runoffs? And what's the purpose of them? Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
Perdue vs. Ossoff, Loeffler vs. Warnock: Faith takes the forefront as Georgia Senate runoffs heat up
The focus of the debate was rarely on Georgia-specific issues for either candidate, spare the results of the presidential race.
During a section of the debate in which the candidates asked each other questions, Warnock asked Loeffler, “Did Donald Trump lose a recent presidential election?”
Loeffler's answer: “President Trump has every right to use every legal recourse available. In our own state we’ve seen time and again we have investigations that need to be completed. We’ve had two audits, and those audits have discovered thousands of votes here in several counties in Georgia that were not counted.”
When pressed on the subject of Georgia’s election results and Trump’s recent criticism of Gov. Brian Kemp, Loeffler, refused to answer whether she thought Trump won the election and instead pointed toward the 250 active investigations in Georgia announced by the Secretary of State’s office last week.
With Senate on the line: Georgia activists are sliding into voters' DMs before election
Earlier Sunday, Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger defended the integrity of the general election in an ABC News interview, noting that despite those 250 investigations, his office has not found evidence supporting "systemic fraud" that would change the certified outcome: President-elect Joe Biden won Georgia by over 12,000 votes.
After the hourlong debate, Loeffler’s message for the evening was: The best way to do right by Georgians is by protecting the Republican Senate majority, fighting back socialism and defeating “radical liberal Raphael Warnock.”
'We're going to keep fighting': Pence tells Georgia voters presidential election not over
Warnock, on the other hand, attempted to appeal to the everyman by portraying Loeffler, the wealthiest senator in the country, as out of touch with Georgians, and pointing toward the need to “heal division” in the country, a message shared by Biden.
In a crowded field of candidates in last month's special election, Loeffler received 25.9%, with 1,273,214 votes. Warnock finished with 32.9%, with 1,617,035 votes.
In Georgia, candidates must win by 50% plus one to avoid a runoff.
Georgians will settle the race on Jan. 5. The deadline to register to vote is Monday, and early voting begins on Dec. 14.