Among the states they have been paying particularly close attention to, those people said, are Nevada and Idaho, where Trump's camp has been active. One source close to Never Back Down, the outside super PAC supporting DeSantis, said they were monitoring Alabama, where there could be movement on the minimum thresholds needed to win delegates.

The campaign is also keeping an eye on Missouri, where Republicans are planning to hold caucuses but have yet to set delegate selection rules. "You got to go state by state. This is not an easy process. You've got to be organized in order to do so," said one source within the DeSantis campaign. The behind-the-scenes battle must conclude by Oct.

On the second and last day of the Bee, 15 competitors were still standing for the final face-off at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in suburban Washington, to be televised live on ESPN beginning at 8:30 p.m.

"Messier, Doppelganger, McLaren Vale, and Blackadder are some of racing's most exciting colts this year, and we are grateful for Bob's outstanding training effort with them," said Tom Ryan of SF Racing LLC, which owns the horses.

OXON HILL, Md., June 1 (Reuters) - Competitors in the final rounds of the Scripps National Spelling Bee picked their way along a precarious lifeline of consonants and vowels on Thursday as they eyed a $40,000 cash prize.

The misery was compounded on 15 when he spun a wedge into the water guarding the front of the green and walked off with a double-bogey seven, followed by another double on 16 after finding the drink again, this time with his tee shot on the par-three. 

However, his 2008 triumph is a far cry from his struggles at Augusta this year with his determination not likely to be rewarded with silverware but rather a place almost rock-bottom of the leaderboard.  

"What?!" exclaimed Maggie Sheridan, 13, from Mansfield, Ohio, throwing her hands up in disbelief when she learned she correctly spelled whirlicote, a type of luxurious carriage, with one second to spare.

"His base of support is significantly higher among activists than the rank-and-file." There are an estimated 2,467 delegates up for grabs in the 2024 Republican state-by-state nominating battle. The contest is often effectively over before all the states have a chance to vote, meaning those that vote relatively early like Nevada and Michigan can be of great importance.

In a win for Trump, Republicans in Michigan recently agreed to select more than two-thirds of their delegates via caucus meetings, where active members tend to have the most sway. The change was prompted by a decision by Democratic Party leaders to bring the state-funded primary date forward to earlier than was allowed under Republican National Committee (RNC) rules.

This was an aggressive move by the Raiders new regime led by coach Josh McDaniels and general manager Dave Ziegler and the latest in an AFC West arms race as teams try to catch Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs.

Trump is not alone in trying to shape the 2024 battlefield in his favor. The Democratic National Committee in February approved President Joe Biden's shakeup of the party's 2024 primary calendar, giving Black voters a greater say in the nominating process and carving an easier path for Biden. The Democrats' changes boosted the roles of South Carolina and Georgia among other states, and demoted the famed Iowa caucuses.

Jason Roe, a Republican strategist based in Michigan, said the Trump campaign's machinations had the hallmarks of a strategy mapped out by LaCivita, a longtime Virginia political operative whom he called "a skilled convention vote counter." "Any time you can get delegates selected at a convention or caucus it is more advantageous for Trump than being on the ballot," Roe said.

Morbid curiosity after Alex Murdaugh was sentenced to two life sentences for the the murders of his wife Maggie and son Paul drew shoppers from far and wide to bag up a piece of their own 'murderabilia' - with items going under the hammer for up to $36,000. 

However, it is unclear if he will have a chance to extend that number and take the solo lead after he admitted in his pre-tournament press conference that he is unsure how many more Masters he has left in him. 

The five-time winner had battled through the heavy rain and high winds to just edge through to the weekend in the morning - with a helping hand from pal Justin Thomas - but had another long afternoon of grinding it out. 

And one the possessions that found a new home was Welsh's mask, which is now set to hang in the society's 'Haunted Grounds' cafe and museum alongside a placard noting its former place inside Alex Murdaugh's hunting lodge. 

"I encouraged the owners to move them, not only because it is best for these horses and their future in racing but also for fans of the sport who are excited to watch them run," Baffert said in a statement.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) - Arizona pitcher Zac Gallen already knew he was probably going to face Mookie Betts multiple times this season. Manny Machado, too.

He also wasn´t particularly surprised when Freddie Freeman joined the Dodgers.