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This week's Republican primary in Ohio's congressional special election was a relatively crowded affair. Given the partisan leanings of the state's 15th district, locals realized that the winner of the GOP nomination would inevitably end up in Congress, and so plenty of candidates competed for the prize.

Not surprisingly, with nearly a dozen Republicans on the ballot, different candidates lined up support from different allies: Donald Trump backed former coal lobbyist Mike Carey; former Rep. Steve Stivers supported state Rep. Jeff LaRe; Sen. Rand Paul rallied behind state Rep. Ron Hood; while Debbie Meadows, a conservative activist who's married to former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, stood behind local church leader Ruth Edmonds.

At first blush, this wouldn't have seemed especially notable. But just below the surface, there was a problem: Donald Trump didn't want different GOP leaders endorsing different candidates; he wanted everyone to ignore their preferences and support his chosen candidate -- because he said so.

Politico reported a few weeks ago that Team Trump saw the intra-party diversity of thought as an example of "disloyalty."

The same article quoted former Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski saying, "Organizations that endorse candidates against the president's endorsement do so at their own peril." He added, "[I]t will be remembered."

Evidently, he wasn't kidding. The former president issued a written statement yesterday, not only celebrating the fact that his candidate prevailed, but also calling out Rand Paul by name for daring to back his own candidate in a Republican special-election primary.

"Do you think Rand Paul will apologize for spending nearly $1 Million on another candidate in Ohio's 15th District congressional race after I had already endorsed Mike Carey? ... Rand's candidate came in a distant third out of eleven. Rand is a different kind of guy.... Do you think he learned his lesson?"

Trump didn't specify what "lesson" the Kentucky senator is supposed to have learned, but there's no great mystery here.

It's not enough to be loyal to Trump; the failed former president also expects Republicans to be loyal to those who are loyal to Trump. He gets to pick the candidates; his endorsement must be paramount; his preferences must be honored above others'. The job of other Republicans is to smile, nod, and do what the former president says they should do.

Trump's authoritarian instincts in governing are well known, but no one should forget that he brings a similar style to his role as the effective head of the contemporary Republican Party.

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Why Rand Paul is suddenly having to deal with Donald Trump's ire - MSNBC

Senator Rand Paul joined "Fox News Primetime" to weigh in on National Institutes of Health director Francis Collins' comments saying parents should wear masks at home to protect their children from COVID-19.

SENATOR RAND PAUL: How can people who are sosmart say such stupid things?There is no science to defendputting your kids in masks orparents wearing masksno science whatsoever.If there were, we would bewearing masks for years andyears because for kids, thedeath rate is about the same asthe seasonal flu.It may be less than the seasonalflu. So,is Francis Collinsproposing that because the flu iswith us forever that parentsshould be wearing masks aroundtheir kids that have the flu?It is absolutely and utterlywithout scientific evidence! Now, theyre all freaking outright now about the Deltavariant.One thing isin all likelihood trueit ismoretransmissible, significantly more transmissible, butguess what?Every bit of evidence shows that it's less deadlysignificantly less deadly.Public Health England looked at92,000 people.If you were vaccinated andunder 50, there were no deaths.If you were unvaccinated andunder 50, .08%still very, very small.So, its not an argument for notgetting vaccinated.Its an argument for not gettinghysterical over the Deltavariant.We shouldnt be changing anymandates and really, in alllikelihood, the masks didntaffect the trajectory of thevirus at all.The only thing thats slowingthe virus down is the vaccineand natural immunity and theycontinue to ignore naturalimmunity because they think weare too far behind. Wegot to vaccinate thechildren but, in reality I thinkits 90% of people over 65have been vaccinated.Thats extraordinary.We should be celebrating.

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Rand Paul hits NIH Director for mask-at-home comments: How can people who are so smart say such stupid things? - Fox News

Even as COVID-19 cases surge, the traditional start to the fall campaign season in Kentucky will go on as planned this weekend.The 141st Fancy Farm picnic will be held Saturday in Graves County. The church fundraiser always attracts politicians from across the commonwealth for "unique" political speeches, but sometimes less so on years when there are no statewide races on the ballot -- like this year. Who's opting outSome of the most powerful politicians in the state who have declined to go are Gov. Andy Beshear (D), Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R) and U.S. Sen. Rand Paul (R).Beshear said along with it not being an important election year for the state, he's worried it'll be a super-spreader event for COVID-19. "I don't want anybody harmed at Fancy Farm and there's the opportunity for that to happen especially these sit-down dinners that get packed or packed in. That, in an area of the state that doesn't have a high vaccine rate and maybe has a larger group of unvaccinated individuals than you'd otherwise see. It's dangerous and I don't want anybody to get hurt," he said at a news conference this week.Lt. Gov. Jaqueline Coleman won't be there either.And they're hardly the only democrats opting out. Many are taking part in a counter-event in Louisville aimed at promoting vaccines. (Scroll down to learn more about it.)McConnell and Paul said they backed out because they will be in Washington, D.C., over the weekend working on the infrastructure bill.Charles Booker (D), who will run against Paul next year, also couldn't go as his baby is due "at any moment."Who's still inCongressman James Comer (R) has already been spotted in Graves County and Kentucky's Secretary of State Michael Adams (R) is likely to be in attendance as well.Attorney General Daniel Cameron (R) told radio station WHVO he's looking forward to the event and will be bringing his pregnant wife.We've also heard Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles (R) and State Auditor Mike Harmon (R) will speak.Additional event detailsThe picnic is a fundraiser for St. Jeromes church and school.It starts at 10 a.m. and goes until 10 p.m. The political speaking starts at 2 p.m.Picnic goers can expect to eat "world famous" pork and mutton. The counter-eventMany Democrats who declined to go will attend a new counter-event called "FancyVaxx" in Louisville.The event was created with the intent to have something safer in the midst of the delta variant's rapid spread. It'll take place from noon to 2 p.m. at the IUE-CWA, 5153 Poplar Level Road.Free COVID-19 vaccines will be available, walk-ups welcome.Among speakers will be Congressman John Yarmuth (if in town), state Sen. Morgan McGarvey and Kentucky House Minority Leader Joni Jenkins, along with the majority of the Jefferson County Delegation and "most federal, state and local candidates for 2022 elections."The public can call 502-582-1999 or go to the LDP website and their Facebook page for more information.

Even as COVID-19 cases surge, the traditional start to the fall campaign season in Kentucky will go on as planned this weekend.

The 141st Fancy Farm picnic will be held Saturday in Graves County.

The church fundraiser always attracts politicians from across the commonwealth for "unique" political speeches, but sometimes less so on years when there are no statewide races on the ballot -- like this year.

Some of the most powerful politicians in the state who have declined to go are Gov. Andy Beshear (D), Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R) and U.S. Sen. Rand Paul (R).

Beshear said along with it not being an important election year for the state, he's worried it'll be a super-spreader event for COVID-19.

"I don't want anybody harmed at Fancy Farm and there's the opportunity for that to happen especially these sit-down dinners that get packed or packed in. That, in an area of the state that doesn't have a high vaccine rate and maybe has a larger group of unvaccinated individuals than you'd otherwise see. It's dangerous and I don't want anybody to get hurt," he said at a news conference this week.

Lt. Gov. Jaqueline Coleman won't be there either.

And they're hardly the only democrats opting out. Many are taking part in a counter-event in Louisville aimed at promoting vaccines. (Scroll down to learn more about it.)

McConnell and Paul said they backed out because they will be in Washington, D.C., over the weekend working on the infrastructure bill.

Charles Booker (D), who will run against Paul next year, also couldn't go as his baby is due "at any moment."

Congressman James Comer (R) has already been spotted in Graves County and Kentucky's Secretary of State Michael Adams (R) is likely to be in attendance as well.

Attorney General Daniel Cameron (R) told radio station WHVO he's looking forward to the event and will be bringing his pregnant wife.

We've also heard Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles (R) and State Auditor Mike Harmon (R) will speak.

The picnic is a fundraiser for St. Jeromes church and school.

It starts at 10 a.m. and goes until 10 p.m. The political speaking starts at 2 p.m.

Picnic goers can expect to eat "world famous" pork and mutton.

Many Democrats who declined to go will attend a new counter-event called "FancyVaxx" in Louisville.

The event was created with the intent to have something safer in the midst of the delta variant's rapid spread. It'll take place from noon to 2 p.m. at the IUE-CWA, 5153 Poplar Level Road.

Free COVID-19 vaccines will be available, walk-ups welcome.

Among speakers will be Congressman John Yarmuth (if in town), state Sen. Morgan McGarvey and Kentucky House Minority Leader Joni Jenkins, along with the majority of the Jefferson County Delegation and "most federal, state and local candidates for 2022 elections."

The public can call 502-582-1999 or go to the LDP website and their Facebook page for more information.

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Fancy Farm 2021: Who's going, who's not and the counter event - WLKY Louisville

Unvaccinated people who have had Covid-19 may be more than twice as likely to get infected again than those who tested positive and bolstered their natural immunity with a vaccine, according to a small study that assessed the likelihood of reinfection.

The study, published on Friday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, examined the risk of reinfection during May and June among hundreds of Kentucky residents who tested positive for the virus in 2020.

Those who did not get vaccinated this year faced a risk of reinfection that was 2.34 higher than those who did get their shots. Released on Friday, the study suggests that for those who had overcome an infection, the addition of a vaccine offered better protection than the natural immunity generated by their original bout with the virus alone.

Even though the study examined only a small number of people in Kentucky, it would seem to counter the argument by one of its home-state U.S. senators, Rand Paul, who has repeatedly asserted that vaccination is unnecessary for people like him who had the virus and developed immunity.

Dr. Rochelle P. Walensky, the director of the C.D.C., said the data reinforced the importance of vaccination, even for those who had already had the virus.

If you have had Covid-19 before, please still get vaccinated, Dr. Walensky said on Friday. Getting the vaccine is the best way to protect yourself and others around you, especially as the more contagious Delta variant spreads around the country.

The studys authors cautioned that much is still not known on how long natural immunity to the virus lasts and that genomic sequencing was not conducted to confirm that the reinfections were not simply flare-ups of the remains of the subjects initial infection.

The C.D.C. and the Biden administration have been aggressively campaigning to increase vaccinations in recent weeks as cases and hospitalizations have soared in the last month, largely because of the Delta variant, and especially in regions of the country where immunization rates are low.

In the last week, the number of new virus cases reported each day has averaged 100,200, as of Thursday, the first time the daily average surpassed 100,000 since mid-February, according to a New York Times database. On Friday, the country logged 106,723 new daily cases.

Another study published on Friday reported that vaccinations dramatically reduced Covid hospitalizations among the elderly in February, March and April. The study examined data on 7,280 patients from a Covid hospitalization surveillance network, using state records to look at their vaccination status. The vast majority of the hospital patients had not been vaccinated or were only partially vaccinated; only 5 percent were fully vaccinated.

Although vaccination did not entirely eliminate infections, the risk of being hospitalized was significantly lower for those who were fully vaccinated. Among those 65 to 74, the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines reduced the risk of Covid-related hospitalization by 96 percent and the Johnson & Johnson one-dose vaccine reduced hospitalizations by 84 percent. In the age group of 75 and older, the Pfizer vaccination reduced hospitalizations by 91 percent; the Moderna vaccine by 96 percent; and the Johnson & Johnson vaccine by 85 percent.

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Unvaccinated Adults Who Had Virus Face Risk of Reinfection, C.D.C. Says - The New York Times

A university has defended its research that has been criticized by a group opposing taxpayer-funded animal testing.

The White Coat Waste Project said documents it obtained showed the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) had directed $424,455 to the University of Georgia in September 2020 to infect 28 beagles with disease-causing parasites.

The group's criticism centred on NIAID and its director Dr. Anthony Fauci. The group told Newsweek it didn't know if Fauci had personally ordered the experiment, but said that "it was ordered by his NIH (National Institutes of Health) division."

Documents that White Coat Waste obtained under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), also reviewed by the right-wing news outlet The Daily Caller, found that the animals were to be allowed to develop infections for three months and that then they would be euthanized for blood collection.

The documents said the animals "vocalized in pain" during the experiments. The story, which was also reported by Fox News, was based on redacted documents that outlined a study starting on November 12, 2020 in which the beagles were to be euthanized after 196 days.

In a statement to Newsweek, the White Coat Waste Project said that the experiments were related to treatment for a tropical disease called lymphatic filariasis, and that tests had already been conducted on other animals.

White Coat Waste Project research manager Daniel Lopez said that the documents showed Fauci, "needs to be held accountable for his wasteful and cruel spending." Newsweek has contacted NIAID for comment.

Greg Trevor, associate vice president for marketing and communications at the University of Georgia said the research was for a potential vaccine, developed at another institution, that would protect against a disease affecting 120 million people.

He said in an emailed statement that under federal rules, a vaccine must be tested in two animal species before it can be cleared for human clinical trials. When NIAID decided to fund this research, the agency determined that the research needed to be conducted on a dog model.

"According to researchers at the UGA College of Veterinary Medicine, beagles are the standard dog model used in this type of research," the statement said.

"Because this disease currently has no cure, unfortunately the animals that are part of this trial must be euthanized. We do not take lightly the decision to use such animals in some of our research."

The university followed the humane standards of the Animal Welfare Act, the Public Health Service Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animal and the National Research Council Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, and other guidelines, Trevor said.

"Nearly every advancement in medicine, medical devices and surgical procedures has depended on research involving animal subjects," the statement added.

The international advocacy group Speaking of Research (SR) has been critical of White Coat Waste Project and its broader claims that animal experimentation takes place in the U.S. without accountability at great expense to taxpayers.

Speaking of Research said that despite what the group says, "animal studies are highly regulated and vast amounts of information are available to the public."

White Coat Waste Project has also joined those criticizing Fauci over questions of "gain of function" experimentation at the Wuhan Institute of Virology, the lab in China that some have linked to the COVID pandemic.

The group, along with Kentucky Senator Rand Paul, is exploring claims that the NIH funded "gain of function" research in Wuhan, in which a virus is enhanced in a lab to study its impact in the real world.

The NIH and NIAID said they supported funding for research into viruses in bats and mammals, but had never approved grants for gain-of-function research on coronaviruses.

Fauci himself dismissed Paul's claims, telling lawmakers last month that the research Paul referred to "was judged by qualified staff up and down the chain as not being gain-of-function."

Continued here:
University Defends Vaccine Tests on Dogs After Dr. Fauci and NIH Blasted With Criticism - Newsweek