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These Are America's Most (And Least) Dangerous States

Zero Rss
4 weeks 2 days ago
These Are America's Most (And Least) Dangerous States

Where you live can significantly affect your likelihood of experiencing violent crime, with reported rates varying severalfold across the United States.

This map, via Visual Capitalist's Bruno Venditti, ranks every U.S. state and the District of Columbia by reported violent crimes per 100,000 residents between March 2025 and February 2026.

The figures include murder, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault, using data from the FBI Crime Data Explorer.

Washington, D.C. and Alaska Top the Rankings

Washington, D.C. recorded the nation’s highest violent crime rate at 789 incidents per 100,000 residents.

D.C.’s rate is partly elevated because it is an entirely urban jurisdiction, unlike states that also include suburban and rural areas.

Rank State/District Violent crime rate per 100K people (Mar 2025–Feb 2026) 1 District of Columbia 789 2 Alaska 731 3 New Mexico 645 4 Arkansas 533 5 Tennessee 482 6 Kansas 465 7 Louisiana 461 8 Colorado 429 9 Missouri 428 10 Michigan 426 11 California 417 12 Montana 414 13 Oklahoma 408 14 New York 389 15 Arizona 379 16 Nevada 379 17 South Carolina 376 18 Maryland 353 19 Delaware 345 20 Texas 343 21 Alabama 335 22 South Dakota 322 23 North Carolina 316 24 Oregon 311 25 Washington 290 26 Indiana 289 27 Ohio 283 28 Georgia 281 29 Massachusetts 267 30 West Virginia 260 31 Florida 252 32 Illinois 250 33 Wisconsin 239 34 Iowa 239 35 North Dakota 230 36 Minnesota 224 37 Pennsylvania 222 38 Nebraska 222 39 Utah 220 40 Idaho 218 41 Vermont 212 42 Mississippi 207 43 Kentucky 207 44 Virginia 201 45 New Jersey 194 46 Hawaii 190 47 Wyoming 189 48 Rhode Island 143 49 New Hampshire 121 50 Connecticut 108 51 Maine 92

Alaska ranked second overall, with 731 violent crimes per 100,000 residents. The state’s elevated rate was largely driven by higher levels of rape and aggravated assault.

Meanwhile, New Mexico recorded 645 violent crimes per 100,000 residents, the highest rate in the contiguous United States.

South and Southwest See Higher Rates

The South and Southwest account for many of the country’s highest violent crime rates. Alongside New Mexico, Arkansas, Tennessee, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas all ranked in the upper half of the list, though the underlying factors vary widely by state.

For example, New Orleans has more murders per capita than any other city in the country, contributing to Louisiana’s rate of 461 violent crimes per 100,000 people, the seventh highest in the country.

More broadly, violent crime is shaped by a range of factors, including poverty, policing strategies, substance abuse, and population density.

Northeastern States Report the Lowest Crime Rates

The Northeast dominates the bottom of the ranking. Maine reported the nation’s lowest violent crime rate at just 92 incidents per 100,000 residents, followed by Connecticut, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island.

Several other Northeastern states, including New Jersey and Massachusetts, also posted relatively low rates.

Although crime rates differ substantially across states, violent crime in the U.S. has generally declined over the past several decades. This makes today’s geographic differences more notable than the long-term national trend.

If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Mapped: U.S. Financial Crimes by State on Voronoi.

Tyler Durden Mon, 07/13/2026 - 19:40
Tyler Durden

South Carolina's Governor Appoints Lindsey Graham's Sister To Fill His Senate Seat

Zero Rss
4 weeks 2 days ago
South Carolina's Governor Appoints Lindsey Graham's Sister To Fill His Senate Seat

Update (1900ET): Gov. Henry McMaster (R-S.C.) appointed Darline Graham Nordone, the late senator’s younger sister, to take his place in the Senate until the election in November.

“Lindsey has always been there for me, and now I will be there for him,” Nordone told reporters at a press conference with McMaster on Monday afternoon.

“It is such a privilege to get to finish some of his important work, and I promise to work hard over the next several months to support the president and carry forward the efforts of my brother on behalf of the citizens of South Carolina and the United States.”

“To Lindsey, I miss you more than I can even put into words,” she added. “But I’m going to do this. I got it.”

As Chris Queen reports for PJMedia.com, Nordone’s name came up when President Donald Trump suggested that McMaster nominate her in a post on Truth Social: "I recommended, to Governor Henry McMaster, Lindsey Graham’s wonderful sister, Darline, to serve as interim Senator from the Great State of South Carolina. This would be a fabulous tribute to Lindsey, who loved her dearly! President DONALD J. TRUMP"

CNN reports:

Under state law, McMaster can appoint a temporary replacement to fill Graham’s vacant seat. But because Graham was up for reelection this year, his death will kick off a sprint primary election to replace him on the November ballot.

Ahead of the press conference, Senate Majority Leader John Thune told CNN’s Dana Bash that he spoke Sunday with both Nordone and McMaster.

“I’ll let the governor make an announcement about that, but that certainly in my view makes a lot of sense,” Thune said. “In many respects, it would be a way of extending Lindsey’s legacy here and certainly something that, if that’s what they decide to end up doing, I think there’d be a lot of support for it.”

NewsNation reports that Nordone hasn’t spoken publicly since her brother’s death until the press conference, noting, “Graham Nordone declined interview requests following the news of her brother’s death, saying it was ‘still too raw’ to come out and say anything yet.”

My friend and colleague Sarah Anderson wrote on Sunday night about the wonderful relationship Graham and Nordone have had with each other over the years:

After graduating high school, Graham's college years were wrought with tragedy. When he was just 20 years old, his mother died from Hodgkin's lymphoma. He was the one who had to break the news to his little sister. 

A little over a year later, his father died in his sleep after having a heart attack. Darline, who discovered their father dead, was only 13 years old at the time. Graham rushed home from school to comfort his sister. "Lindsey wrapped his arms around me and promised me he would always be there for me and always take care of me," she once said in an interview. 

He didn't have to do it. What young man, at the age of 21 or 22, with his whole life ahead, wants to put everything on hold and help raise a young girl and take over a family business? But that's exactly what he did. He came from college every single weekend to spend time with his sister and manage the bar. 

Like many others, I had my doubts about appointing Nordone, but as the day has drawn on, I realized that she’s a perfect caretaker for the seat since she’ll fulfill her brother’s vision. Then November's election can take care of itself. Knowing how red South Carolina is, I have no reason to worry whether this seat will stay in safe hands.

*  *  *

While plenty of jaws are still agape following Saturday night's shockingly sudden death of Republican South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, scheming over his vacant seat is already well underway. With Graham having been a chief champion of the West's proxy war against Russia in Ukraine, and a zealous collaborator with Israel in promoting American warfare against Iran, it's not just South Carolinians who are concerned about their representation in Washington.  

There are two separate tracks in this succession drama. First, under South Carolina law, Republican South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster must appoint someone to represent the state for the balance of Graham's fifth term, which runs through January 3.

As you watch the scramble for U.S. Senate in South Carolina...

Lindsey Graham was sworn on January 3, 2003, succeeding Strom Thurmond.

Thurmond took that seat on November 7, 1956.

That's only two Senators in nearly 70 years.

— Jamie Dupree (@jamiedupree) July 13, 2026

Separately, South Carolina Republicans must choose a new nominee for November's general election. Candidates can officially file starting July 21, with the window shutting on July 28. Then, a special primary election will be held on Tuesday, Aug. 11. If no candidate scores not just a plurality but a majority of the votes, the top two vote-getters would advance to a runoff election on Aug. 25. Before Graham's death, the Cook Political Report rated the Palmetto State "safe" for continued GOP control. It's doubtful that status will change no matter whom Republicans pick to go up against Democrat pediatrician Annie Andrews in November. In his 2020 re-election, Graham coasted to a 10-point win over his Democratic opponent.   

McMaster doesn't have a firm deadline for naming a temporary replacement, but choosing someone quickly gives him a potent opportunity to give someone a leg up in the primary race for the term that starts in January. As an alternative, he could go in the opposite direction and appoint a "caretaker" who has no ambition to hold the seat after the end of the year. McMaster, who is term-limited and will stop being governor in January, could conceivably appoint himself the interim senator, which would have Lt Gov Pamela Evette ascend to the governor's desk.  

With Graham's body still cooling, the man he trounced in the June primary -- businessman Mark Lynch -- wasted no time in announcing he will be a candidate in the special primary. On Sunday evening, Lynch committed $5 million to "finish the race we started." Amusingly, earlier in the day, Lynch had said, "today is not a day for politics." 

President Trump, whose endorsement is still powerful within the GOP despite his own crumbling popularity, declined on Sunday to tell NBC News whom he prefers for the seat. “I have somebody that I think would be great, but I don’t want to say it now because it’s just, you know, it’s too soon with Lindsey," Trump said. "I don’t want to even talk about anybody, but I do have somebody that I think is really good.”

“Just when I thought I was out… they pull me back in…” pic.twitter.com/1AzRMPAEuc

— Nancy Mace (@NancyMace) July 12, 2026

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Zelensky are certainly among those most sorry to learn that Graham suddenly died. Graham was easily one of the most hawkish figures in Washington, and was constantly working with both foreign leaders to help keep US money and weapons flowing in their direction. In that light, they may have hoped that former South Carolina governor and former UN ambassador Nikki Haley would pursue the seat. However, a spokesman told Politico's Alec Hernandez that Haley "has no plans to run for office at this time."

Other potential opponents for Lynch include: 

  • Rep. Nancy Mace. She's poised to hand over her House seat in January, having foregone reelection for a failed bid for governor this year. She is actively considering a run for Graham's seat, according to Politico and The New York Times. Their reporting is reinforced by Mace's posting of a clip from Godfather III, in which Michael Corleone says the classic line, "Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in."

  • Rep. Russell Fry. The 41-year-old Trump ally currently represents South Carolina's solidly-Republican 7th Congressional District. In un-Lindsey Graham fashion, Fry was one of a few dozen Republicans who voted in 2023 to direct President Biden to pull troops out of Syria within 180 days.  

  • Rep. Ralph Norman. At 73 years old, the hard-right Norman is two years older than the dead Graham and would test America's growing fatigue with Congress being a gerontocracy. Norman reportedly called Trump on Sunday to discuss a potential endorsement. Trump was said to have replied, "Give me a week." Norman's expected to make some kind of announcement about his intentions on Tuesday, and South Carolina outlet FITS News says he's running. 

  • Rep. Joe Wilson. Famed for yelling "you lie!" at President Obama during an address to Congress in 2009, Wilson's name has been circulating. However, on Sunday night he signaled that he wouldn't be running. "I was grateful to speak with President Trump today reminiscing about our mutual friend, Senator Lindsey Graham," Wilson tweeted. "I assured him my goal is to remain in the House to keep his two-vote majority for the American people!!!" 

  • Lt Gov Pamela Evette. She tried for the governor nomination this year, but lost to Alan Wilson, son of firebrand Rep. Joe Wilson. In an odd move, Trump endorsed both of them for the GOP nomination. 

There could be a crowded field, which would elevate the chances that a runoff would be needed. Within about 30 hours of each other, America saw two Grahams exit their Senate races in a bad way -- Lindsey Graham via heart failure, and Maine Democratic hopeful Graham Platner via being on the wrong end of a sex-assault accusation. Between the South Carolina special primary election and Maine Democrats picking a new candidate at a rushed convention this month, the entertainment is stacking up for political junkies in the dog days of summer 2026. 

Tyler Durden Mon, 07/13/2026 - 19:30
Tyler Durden

911 Dispatch Call Reveals Lindsey Graham’s Final Moments

NY Post
4 weeks 2 days ago
Medics were called to Senator Lindsey Graham’s Washington, DC, home over reports of an individual suffering from chest pains, and then a reported heart attack, shortly before his sudden death on Saturday night. In audio of an emergency medical response dispatch obtained by The Post, a call is made around 8:30 p.m. for a person...
New York Post Video

About 2,040 Pounds Of Cocaine, 5,800 Pounds Of Marijuana Seized At Sea

Zero Rss
4 weeks 2 days ago
About 2,040 Pounds Of Cocaine, 5,800 Pounds Of Marijuana Seized At Sea

Authored by Naveen Athrappully via The Epoch Times,

U.S. authorities have seized about 2,040 pounds of cocaine and almost 5,800 pounds of marijuana in three separate maritime interdictions carried out with international partners.

Action by JIATF-S and Costa Rican authorities led to the capture of a boat allegedly involved in drug smuggling. Courtesy of the JIATF-S

The most recent interdiction involved the Joint Interagency Task Force (JIATF) South and Panama's National Aeronaval Service intercepting a go-fast vessel following a rapid aerial and surface pursuit, JIATF South said in a July 10 post on X. The operation led to the seizure of roughly 2,010 pounds of cocaine.

JIATF South, based in Key West, Florida, is an international alliance that monitors and facilitates the interdiction of drug traffickers in maritime and air domains. Operating across a 42-million-square-mile area, JIATF South involves cooperation from 13 domestic and 20 international partners. The task force seeks to disrupt the flow of illegal drugs and dismantle transnational criminal organizations.

In a second interdiction, JIATF South and authorities from Costa Rica cooperated to intercept a drug smuggling vessel and capture a pick-up boat that was fleeing, according to a July 9 X post. The operation led to the seizure of 3,672 pounds of marijuana, with four suspects arrested.

The third interdiction was a joint operation between JIATF South, Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and Dominican Republic partners that intercepted a vessel in the Caribbean Sea attempting to transport illicit cargo, the task force said in a July 8 X post.

Authorities seized 2,124 pounds of marijuana and about 30 pounds of cocaine, and detained two smugglers in this incident. A smuggling route operated by a major transnational criminal organization was disrupted.

Drug seizures have risen under the Trump administration.

In a June 18 statement, the CBP said it had seized 56 percent more drugs in the current fiscal year through May than during the same period in fiscal year 2024 under the previous administration.

In the four months between February and May, marijuana seizures averaged 37,033 pounds per month, which is 61 percent higher than the same period in the 2024 fiscal year.

For the month of May, the nationwide seizure of cocaine, marijuana, fentanyl, heroin, and methamphetamine was 32 percent higher than in May 2024.

"CBP remains on the frontline against drug smuggling, seizing dangerous narcotics before they reach American communities," the agency said.

Northern Border Drug Trafficking

Last week, a Canadian national was sentenced to 240 months in prison for leading a criminal organization that trafficked hundreds of kilograms of cocaine and methamphetamine valued at up to $17 million from the United States into Canada, according to a July 9 statement from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

The issue of drug trafficking at America's northern border was highlighted by Michael J. Krol, Homeland Security Investigations' assistant director for domestic operations, during a June 30 House committee hearing.

"Unique to the northern border, the flow of illicit drugs reflects both inbound and outbound dynamics," Krol said.

A key concern "is the drug flow moving through the United States into Canada. Cartel-owned cocaine and other controlled substances are routed north for domestic consumption and onward shipment to Europe," he added.

During fiscal year 2024-25, the Canada Border Services Agency reported seizing roughly 7,700 pounds of cocaine, compared to 2,700 pounds seized during fiscal year 2020-21, Krol said.

During a May 12 Senate committee hearing, DEA head Terry Cole and FBI Director Kash Patel said they were working to disrupt new drug production facilities in Canada.

"We see more precursors coming into the Port of Vancouver, coming into Canada," Cole said.

Patel said that drug traffickers have gotten "smart" with improved security at the U.S. southern border, shifting operations to Canada.

The FBI was working with Canadian authorities to disrupt the production facilities that criminals have moved north, according to Patel.

Tyler Durden Mon, 07/13/2026 - 19:15
Tyler Durden

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