Lara Trump skips North Carolina US Senate race, clears way for Cooper versus Whatley
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -President Donald Trump's daughter-in-law Lara Trump on Thursday said she would not run for the U.S. Senate in North Carolina next year, setting the stage for an expected matchup of former Democratic Governor Roy Cooper and Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley.
Republicans currently hold a 53-47 majority in the Senate, and North Carolina will be the site of one of the half-dozen most competitive races in next year's midterm elections, following Republican Thom Tillis' decision not to seek reelection.
"After much consideration and heartfelt discussions with my family, friends, and supporters, I have decided not to pursue the United States Senate seat in North Carolina at this time," Lara Trump said in a posting on X on Thursday.
Multiple U.S. media outlets, citing unnamed sources, have reported that Whatley and Cooper intend to enter the race. The two could not be reached for comment on Thursday.
North Carolina is one of six Senate races that are seen as competitive by political analysts. The other five are in Georgia, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota and New Hampshire.
Democrats face an uphill battle in capturing control of the chamber, as they would need to defend seats in Michigan, Minnesota and New Hampshire where incumbents are retiring and flip at least four Republican-held seats for a majority.
They are seen as having better odds of capturing the House of Representatives, though efforts underway in heavily Republican Texas to redraw district lines could dim their chances in that chamber as well.
Tillis opted not to seek reelection after drawing Trump's ire for voting against a sweeping tax-cut bill that will cut Medicaid funding. That may have provided Democrats with the ammunition to help sway the state's rural voters.
"It would result in tens of billions of dollars in lost funding for North Carolina, including our hospitals and rural communities," Tillis said of the massive bill the Senate passed on July 1.
Cooper also blasted the bill in a July 3 posting on social media, saying that it hurt "working families, seniors, children and veterans so those at the top can have big tax breaks."
On Monday, in his role as Republican National Committee head, Whatley posted criticism on social media of Representative Abigail Spanberger, the Democrat running for governor of Virginia this year. His missive might provide a hint on how a head-to-head matchup with Cooper might look.
"She's an open-borders, pro-DEI, radical leftist who put America last in Congress and would do the same if she's elected as governor," Whatley said of Spanberger.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
13 minutes ago
- USA Today
Trump's EPA to repeal finding that climate pollution endangers human health
WASHINGTON - The Environmental Protection Agency will rescind the long-standing finding that greenhouse gas emissions endanger human health, as well as tailpipe emission standards for vehicles, setting off what it describes as the largest deregulatory action in U.S. history. Republican President Donald Trump's pick to run the EPA Lee Zeldin announced the agency's plan to rescind the "endangerment finding" on the Ruthless podcast on Tuesday, saying it will save Americans money and unravel two decades of regulation aimed at reducing carbon dioxide, methane and other greenhouse gases from cars, power plants, oil production and other sources. In 2009, the EPA under former Democratic President Barack Obama issued a finding that emissions from new motor vehicles contribute to pollution and endanger public health and welfare. It was upheld in several legal challenges and underpinned subsequent greenhouse gas regulations. "With regard to the endangerment finding, they'll say carbon dioxide is a pollutant and that's the end of it. They'll never acknowledge any type of benefit or need for carbon dioxide," Zeldin told the podcast. "It's important to note, and they don't, how important it is for the planet." Reuters reported last week that the EPA plans to repeal all greenhouse gas emission standards for light-duty, medium-duty, and heavy-duty vehicles and engines in the coming days after it removes the scientific finding that justified those rules, according to a summary. It is also expected to justify rescinding the endangerment finding by casting doubt on the scientific record used to make the finding, saying that "developments cast significant doubt on the reliability of the findings," the summary seen by Reuters says. The U.S. Supreme Court, in its landmark Massachusetts v. EPA case in 2007, said the EPA has authority under the Clean Air Act to regulate greenhouse gas emissions and required the agency to make a scientific finding on whether they endanger public health. If finalized, this action will devastate the EPA's ability to carry out its primary authority to limit climate pollution under the federal Clean Air Act. Environmental activists immediately condemned the announcement. 'As if any doubt remained, the Trump Administration has formalized climate denial as the official policy of the United States government," said Sierra Club Acting Executive Director Loren Blackford in a statement. "If approved, rescinding the endangerment finding would strike a decisive blow to the EPA's authority to limit deadly greenhouse gas emissions and protect our people and our planet from the very worst of the climate crisis. Nearly every single day we see increased incidents of extreme weather, record heatwaves, deadly floods and droughts all threatening our lives and communities—all of which are the undeniable result of greenhouse gas emissions. 'The Trump administration is again taking a sledgehammer to the very foundation of our government and settled law, and doing so only to the benefit of corporate polluters while we pay the price." Zeldin said he will make the formal announcement on Tuesday afternoon in Indiana. Contributing: Ben Adler
The Hill
13 minutes ago
- The Hill
Airlines urge senators to reject bill limiting facial recognition
A group representing several major airlines alongside travel companies and airports are opposing a Senate bill that would require the Transportation and Security Administration (TSA) to generally use manual ID verification at security checkpoints instead of facial recognition. The bill, introduced by Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), would broadly restrict TSA's ability to use biometrics and facial recognition, carving out a few exemptions for the agency's Precheck and other Trusted Traveler programs. Passengers may still opt-in to the use of facial recognition at the checkpoint. In a letter to Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) on Monday, the air industry groups said the law was a 'step backward' and that facial recognition technology made security screenings far more efficient. 'The future of seamless and secure travel relies on the appropriate use of this technology to ensure security effectiveness and operational efficiency as daily travel volume continues to rise,' they wrote. 'We are concerned that the vague and confusing exceptions to this blanket ban will have major consequences for the identity verification process, screening operations, and trusted traveler enrollment programs.' Cruz and Cantwell are their parties' highest-ranking members of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, which is scheduled to mark up the bill on Wednesday. In addition to limiting the use of facial recognition, Merkley's bill would also require TSA to delete most images collected at checkpoints within 24 hours of a passenger's departure. Travelers going through a TSA checkpoint are generally able to opt out of facial recognition, the agency says. Merkley has argued that the agency's enforcement is inconsistent, posting on social media in February about his difficulties navigating the policy at Reagan International Airport. 'This is big government coming to take away your privacy, trying to set up a national surveillance system,' the Oregon Democrat said in February. The airlines, however, warned that restricting the use of facial recognition could slow down security and divert TSA's resources toward maintaining officer staffing, rather than focusing on automated innovations. The group also said it felt it had been insufficiently consulted on the legislation, 'despite the major impact the bill would have on aviation security, airports, airlines, travelers, and technology companies.' The bill has gathered bipartisan support. In addition to Merkley, Sens. John Kennedy (R-La.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Steve Daines (R-Mont.) have signed on as cosponsors. The legislation, which was first introduced in May, comes as the Trump administration has rolled back TSA's longstanding policy of requiring travelers to take off their shoes at checkpoints.
The Hill
13 minutes ago
- The Hill
Maxwell demands immunity after subpoena from House Oversight Committee
An attorney for Ghislaine Maxwell said she would only speak with the House Oversight Committee if granted immunity — an idea the panel swiftly rejected. The panel last week subpoenaed Maxwell, an associate of Jeffrey Epstein, compelling her testimony amid demands on the Trump administration to release files from the financier who killed himself while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. Maxwell's attorney, David Oscar Marcus, noted that she has filed an appeal before the Supreme Court and her testimony to the committee could jeopardize efforts to overturn her 2021 conviction for sex trafficking children. 'As you know, Ms. Maxwell is actively pursuing post-conviction relief— both in a pending petition before the United States Supreme Court and in a forthcoming habeas petition. Any testimony she provides now could compromise her constitutional rights, prejudice her legal claims, and potentially taint a future jury pool,' Marcus wrote. 'Public reports—including your own statements—indicate that the Committee intends to question Ms. Maxwell in prison and without a grant of immunity. Those are non-starters. Ms. Maxwell cannot risk further criminal exposure in a politically charged environment without formal immunity.' A spokeswoman for the committee immediately ruled out any grant of immunity. 'The Oversight Committee will respond to Ms. Maxwell's attorney soon, but it will not consider granting congressional immunity for her testimony,' committee spokesperson Jessica Collins said in a statement. Marcus had said Maxwell would testify 'if a fair and safe path forward can be established.' Beyond a grant of immunity, Marcus also asked for questions to be shared in advance and for any deposition to take place after the Supreme Court weighs Maxwell's petition. 'To prepare adequately for any congressional deposition—and to ensure accuracy and fairness—we would require the Committee's questions in advance. This is essential not only to allow for meaningful preparation, but also to identify the relevant documentation from millions of pages that could corroborate her responses,' he wrote. The letter then made an indirect reference to a possible pardon, something Marcus has said he has not yet sought from Trump. 'Of course, in the alternative, if Ms. Maxwell were to receive clemency, she would be willing—and eager—to testify openly and honestly, in public, before Congress in Washington, D.C.,' Marcus wrote. House Oversight Democrats had backed the move from Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) earlier this month to subpoena Maxwell. 'Oversight Democrats just unanimously voted to subpoena Ghislaine Maxwell, Jeffrey Epstein's partner,' House Oversight Democrats wrote on the social platform X after the vote. 'This is progress. We will not stop fighting until the Epstein Files are released. Trump and Bondi must stop blocking the American people from the truth.' Epstein ran with high-powered figures, including those in politics as well as President Trump. The Wall Street Journal reported that Attorney General Pam Bondi has told Trump that he is referenced in the Epstein files. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche last week flew to Tallahassee, Fla., where Maxwell is serving her 20-year sentence, undertaking two days of questioning with her. 'This Department of Justice does not shy away from uncomfortable truths, nor from the responsibility to pursue justice wherever the facts may lead,' he said ahead of the meetings.
