7 Things: Russia’s onslaught continues, Durant out to a big lead in Alabama’s U.S. Senate race and more …

7. Biden got another booster shot

• President Joe Biden went on camera to get his second booster shot for the coronavirus vaccine. This is his fourth shot overall. The shot comes just after the U.S. Food & Drug Administration approved the fourth shot for Americans age 50 and older.

• The fourth shot has been viewed as somewhat controversial since there has been little shown that it’s actually necessary or effective. After getting his shot, Biden said, “Didn’t hurt a bit.”

6. Teachers about to get paid

• The Alabama Senate Finance and Taxation Education Committee has advanced legislation that would provide a 10-20% raise for experienced educators in the public school system. The legislation is an effort to keep experienced teachers from leaving the profession and attract more qualified teachers.

• There are additional raises provided in the legislation, including an automatic annual raise of 1%. Qualifications would start at those with 15 years’ worth of experience, which would give the teacher a 7.2% raise. The cap is at 35 years’ worth of experience with a 20.8% raise.

5. Tuberville is still questioning the second union vote, and he should

• The votes are being counted in the second vote to unionize at the Amazon fulfillment center in Bessemer, but U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn) has raised questions over the repeated vote, and he’s joined U.S. Senator Richard Burr (R-N.C.) in sending a letter to the National Labor Relations Board regional director Lisa Henderson.

• This is the second letter that’s been sent to the NLRB, but the senators have said the first response came from the Washington, D.C. office and didn’t answer questions. In their latest letter, they stated, “This raises concerns that the Order resorting to the extraordinary remedy of a re-run election…is less about improper employer interference, and more about [NLRB general counsel Jennifer Abruzzo’s] need to guarantee a particular result.”

4. Britt now focusing on legal immigration

• U.S. Senate candidate Katie Britt has taken on the issues of illegal immigration in her campaign, but now she’s also taking issue with some of the legal immigration practices in the country. Britt said, “America’s immigration policies have been good for foreigners who want to come to America. But they have been bad for American workers. That needs to change.”

• Britt has proposed a decrease in legal immigration, reforming guest worker programs, creating a requirement for employers to use E-Verify and a change in the EB-5 visa program since it “allows shady foreign investors like Russian oligarchs to obtain green cards.” Previously, Breitbart News raised an issue with a fundraiser for Britt thrown by “managing director of LCR Capital Partners — a firm that facilitates wealthy foreign nationals and their family members into securing green cards by claiming to invest in U.S. real estate.”

3. Blanchard calls to suspend Alabama’s gas tax 

• Gubernatorial candidate Lindy Blanchard has started to advocate for Governor Kay Ivey and the Alabama Legislature to suspend the current gas tax. Blanchard called for this while giving a speech in Tuscaloosa.

• Blanchard said, “A recent study showed that increasing prices at the pump are impacting Alabamians more than any other state in the nation. I know you need help immediately! Today, not tomorrow, not after the election.” About suspending the gas tax, Blanchard advised, “They should have already done this. This would bring immediate relief to hardworking Alabamians during a time of high inflation and the highest gas prices in our state’s history.”

2. Durant has taken a strong lead, according to recent poll

• A new poll from The Hill shows that candidate Mike Durant has taken a 10-point lead over candidate Katie Britt in Alabama’s U.S. Senate race, while U.S. Representative Mo Brooks (R-Huntsville), who is in third place, continues to fall.

• Durant polled at 33%, Britt at 23% and Brooks at 12%. According to the poll, there were 6% of people who were not voting for any of the stated candidates, and 26% remain undecided. Interestingly, among undecided voters, 60% said that they will likely vote for whoever former President Donald Trump endorsed.

1. Biden’s strategies with Russia failed early on, and we aren’t training Ukraine’s troops

• As Russia pretends it wants peace but continues its assault, U.S. General Tod Wolters revealed that President Joe Biden’s attempts to prevent Russia from invading Ukraine failed. Wolters was asked during testimony before the House Armed Services Committee, “Would it be fair to say that deterrence failed in Ukraine?”

• While testifying, Wolters responded, “Number one I would say that NATO’s solidarity remained,” but he was asked to answer the question more directly, to which he said, “I can’t argue with your conclusion.” General Wolters also said that we are not training troops in Ukraine, despite claims from Biden and his administration that we are.