Cancel Elections? Kill Switches in our Cars? Kid Rock at the Pentagon?

Between the attempted shootings at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner and the ongoing drama regarding our war with Iran, the news cycle was once again overwhelming enough for many would-be big stories flew under the radar. Here are some of the biggest stories you might have missed this week.

Cancel Congressional Elections?

Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry says he plans to suspend his state's May 16 U.S. House primaries following a Supreme Court ruling Wednesday that struck down the state’s congressional map as an unconstitutional racial gerrymander. The decision, which invalidates Louisiana's second majority-Black congressional district, requires state lawmakers to redraw the map before elections can proceed.

The suspension affects only the six U.S. House primaries, while it remains unclear whether Senate primaries or Louisiana's new closed-primary system will be impacted. Absentee ballots have already been sent out, and Early voting is set to begin Saturday, raising legal and logistical challenges.

Florida legislators passed gerrymandered maps proposed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, who, anticipating the ruling, had already called for a special session of the state legislature to redraw Florida's Congressional maps.

Big Brother wants control of your car

A provision in the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act directs the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to establish a safety standard requiring new vehicles to include advanced drunk- and impaired-driving prevention technology. The goal is to passively detect impairment. Cameras and sensors inside a vehicle could detect signs of impairment, such as pupil dilation or rapid eye movement, which opponents say could mistakenly flag a person in legitimate distress (and possibly in desperate need to escape a dangerous situation in their vehicle).

The provision was lobbied for by Mothers Against Drunk Driving. No final rule has been issued, and the original November 2024 deadline for NHTSA to finalize regulations has passed without action being taken. While the law mandates the development of such technology, it does not yet require automakers to install it. Implementation timelines suggest that if rules are finalized soon, the technology could become mandatory in all new passenger vehicles by September 2027.

Make a Wish for Kegseth?

Kid Rock addressed soldiers at the Pentagon this week. Yes, you read that correctly. Bob Ritchie, who has performed under the moniker first as a rapper and then as a country(ish) singer, addressed soldiers at the Pentagon. Let that soak in.

The event was part of a "Freedom 250" community relations initiative tied to the U.S. Semiquincentennial. Ritchie participated in "troop touches," filmed promotional videos for his upcoming tour, and later took a joy ride in an Army Apache helicopter with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth at Fort Belvoir.

This comes after Hegseth shut down an investigation into a military fly-by over Ritchie's Nashville estate last month.