Roy Cooper entrance gives Democrats hope more Senate recruiting wins are on the way
Speculation surrounding a possible Cooper bid hit a fever pitch in recent weeks after Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) announced that he would not be running for reelection.
Cooper made the news official on Monday morning, becoming the biggest recruiting win of the 2026 cycle to date for either side and marking an opening salvo for a party that has struggled throughout the year to respond to President Trump.
'It's big,' said Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.), who ran the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) during the 2022 and 2024 cycles. 'It's a huge win. We're confident he's going to win. He is without question the strongest Democrat that could possibly run in that seat.'
The two-term governor has held high favorable ratings in the Tar Heel State throughout his two terms and at the end of his tenure in Raleigh. He has also won all six of his statewide bids, which Democrats are quick to note.
The race is shaping up to be Cooper versus Michael Whatley, the chairman of the Republican National Committee and former North Carolina GOP chair. Trump endorsed Whatley after his daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, decided against a run.
But Cooper's entrance also resonates outside North Carolina for Democrats, as they attempt to grab the steering wheel of a cycle that historically could move in their direction.
Polls are already indicating that Democrats have the upper hand on messaging over the GOP's 'big, beautiful bill' — which Tillis notably voted against shortly after he announced his retirement.
'It's a real winnable seat for us, and I think it's the first of many really good signs in this electorate,' said Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) about Cooper's entrance. 'Democrats are seeing a lot of really good candidates starting to step in and I think there's a lot of possibility.'
Cooper's announcement could also make mark on Democrats' recruitment efforts in other key states.
With North Carolina settled, attention now shifts to New England as Democrats try to nudge Maine Gov. Janet Mills (D) toward challenging Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine).
Mills has given few outward signs that she is itching to run against Collins, who is expected to seek a sixth term in office. But Democrats widely believe Cooper's decision to take the plunge only increases the chances that Mills will do the same.
Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) told The Hill that he is 'optimistic' that Mills will follow Cooper's lead.
'I'm hopeful,' said Kelly, who was once himself a top Democratic recruit.
Democrats are also quick to note that the two are friends, stemming from their parallel gubernatorial tenures.
'I think it shows that he believes that it's going to be a good Democratic year. I know that helps,' Peters said. 'Candidates who have a desire to serve in the Senate — if you're a Democrat, this next year would be the time to run.'
But while Democrats are riding a Cooper-induced high, ultimately winning back the Senate majority in 2026 remains a difficult row to hoe.
To flip the upper chamber, Democrats need to win back four seats next year — and that involves a lot of things breaking in their way.
Collins remains a major speed bump for any Democrats, especially after she handily dispatched with her general election opponent in 2020 despite trailing in polling throughout most of the cycle. But recent difficulties are raising hopes on the left that she may retire altogether.
That would easily be the biggest recruiting loss for the GOP, which already saw Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R) decide against a Senate bid in the Peach State earlier this year.
On top of the North Carolina and Maine contests, the minority party also needs to flip two additional seats, with Texas, Ohio and Iowa — three solidly red states — fronting that list.
Former Rep. Colin Allred (D-Texas), who lost to Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) in 2024, is the leading Democratic candidate in the Lone Star State, where Democrats are praying that state Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) can defeat Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) in an already-nasty primary.
As for Ohio, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and other Democratic leaders are lobbying hard for former Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), who was defeated in 2024 after three terms in the Senate, to run against Sen. Jon Husted (R-Ohio), who was appointed to replace Vice President Vance. Brown is debating whether to run for the upper chamber or seek the governor's mansion.
Finally, questions are swirling around whether Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) will call it quits after two terms. Iowa state Sen. Zach Wahls (D) and state Rep. J.D. Scholten (D) have both launched campaigns on the Democratic side.
Nabbing the requisite amount of seats is considered a significant reach at this point.
'I tell folks who've never worked on or run a campaign that there's just a constellation of factors that go into who wins and loses, and you're only in control … of a handful of those factors,' said John LaBombard, a former top aide to former Sens. Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.) and Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) and a Democratic strategist with ROKK Solutions. 'You kind of always need the stars to align to win a competitive race.
'Then you really need something more approaching a miracle to flip control of a chamber, and in our case … I think we might need something on par of two miracles to get us across the finish line,' LaBombard said. 'I am still pretty skeptical that that's possible.'
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28 minutes ago
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US support for Israel's actions in Gaza drops, as Democratic opposition grows and MAGA movement splits
The Middle East Israel-Hamas war Donald TrumpFacebookTweetLink Follow Americans' support for Israel's military actions in Gaza is dropping rapidly, prompting pro-Israel Democrats and some of President Donald Trump's long-time allies to warn that the country could permanently damage its standing in the United States. A Gallup poll released this week found that just 32% of US adults support Israel's military actions in Gaza — a record low since the war was launched in response to Hamas' October 7, 2023, terror attack. The poll also found the strongest partisan split yet: Support among those who identify themselves as Republicans remained strong, at 71%. But just 8% of Democrats and 25% of independents say they back Israel's military actions. In perhaps the most ominous long-term sign for backers of Israel, the poll found just 9% support for its actions among those age 18-34 of all political parties. The shift in public opinion has crucial implications for both parties: Some key members of Trump's MAGA movement are vocally questioning whether the United States should keep supporting Israel, while plummeting backing for the country among Democrats will likely impact the party's primaries in key races in 2026 and 2028. The collapse in American support for Israel is part of a global trend. The United Kingdom said this week it would recognize a Palestinian state before the United Nations General Assembly unless Israel takes major steps to end the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The announcement followed France's decision to do so. United Nations agencies are warning that 'time is running out to mount a full-scale humanitarian response' in the besieged Gaza Strip. Data show that more than one in three people (39%) are now going days at a time without eating, the UN's World Food Programme said in a statement Wednesday, adding that over 500,000 people — almost a quarter of Gaza's population — 'are enduring famine-like conditions.' Rep. Brad Sherman, a California Democrat who co-chairs the bipartisan Congressional Israel Allies Caucus, told CNN that Israel is losing the battle for worldwide public opinion. He said Israel's military faces serious challenges in Gaza, where Hamas is willing to incur massive civilian casualties 'to undermine Israel's position in the world,' but said its objectives 'have to be balanced against each other.' 'Israel has to determine, what are its military objectives, and what casualties is it willing to incur to realize that national security includes your image around the world,' Sherman said. 'You can't get everything you want, and your worldwide image is important.' Within the GOP, fissures over Israel's actions came into public view after Trump on Monday disputed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's weekend assertion that there is 'no starvation in Gaza.' 'That's real starvation stuff,' Trump said. 'I see it, and you can't fake that. So, we're going to be even more involved.' Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a prominent figure in Trump's 'Make America Great Again' movement, appeared to become the first Republican in Congress to describe the crisis in Gaza as a 'genocide' with a Monday night social media post. 'It's the most truthful and easiest thing to say that Oct 7th in Israel was horrific and all hostages must be returned, but so is the genocide, humanitarian crisis, and starvation happening in Gaza,' Greene said. Her comment came in a longer post criticizing Florida GOP Rep. Randy Fine, a staunch supporter of Israel. Fine told CNN that 'those who claim that Israel is engaged in genocide are either antisemites or idiots or both.' 'If Israel had wanted to commit a genocide in Gaza, they had the ability to do it. And it would have been done 18 months ago, and it would have been over in two days,' he said. 'Israel has the capability to kill everyone in Gaza, but they haven't. … Hundreds and hundreds of Israeli soldiers have died in order to minimize the deaths of Gaza Arabs.' He argued that Israel should stop putting its own soldiers at risk 'to minimize the deaths of the enemy.' Fine added: 'Israel needs to stop worrying about what the rest of the world thinks and take care of business. Political opinion does not win wars.' While many Republicans still agree with Fine, Steve Bannon, the former Trump chief strategist, said Tuesday on his podcast that there is 'very little support for Israel' within Trump's MAGA movement among those under age 30. 'And now, even people who support Israel are sitting there going, what in the hell's going on here?' Bannon said. Inside the Democratic Party, the issue of support for Israel proved to be a difficult one in 2024 for President Joe Biden and then his replacement atop the ballot, Vice President Kamala Harris, particularly in the battleground state of Michigan. That state, with its large Arab-American population, will host a competitive Senate contest in 2026. And Democrats who hope to run for president in 2028 will surely be pushed on their Israel policies in primaries across the country. Progressive Pennsylvania Rep. Summer Lee, who was one of six members of Congress to support a recent Greene amendment to strip $500 million in funding for Israel's missile defense systems from a defense appropriations bill, said in a statement that, 'The United States has a responsibility to demand a permanent ceasefire, stop funding and supplying the bombs being dropped, and call for unconditional humanitarian aid to enter Gaza immediately. It is good policy, good politics, and the right thing to do.' More establishment figures in liberal media have also sharpened their criticism of Israel in recent days — offering a preview of what could become a significant long-term shift in the party. The former aides to President Barack Obama who host the 'Pod Save America' podcast argued this week that Democratic candidates should stop supporting military aid for Israel. 'There has to be a total mindset change in the Democratic Party,' co-host Tommy Vietor, a former Obama National Security Council staffer, said. 'When the war ends, we are not going back to the pre-October 7 status quo. It's not where the party is. It's not where the world is.' Eric Fingerhut, the president and chief executive officer of the Jewish Federations of North America and a former Ohio Democratic congressman, said the Gallup findings numbers reflect 'overwhelmingly negative media coverage of the war.' 'There's no question that we are in a very partisan moment in America, and that that is an overlay on how people react to the situation in Israel and in the war in Gaza,' Fingerhut said. CNN's Nadeen Ebrahim and Ibrahim Dahman contributed to this report.
CNN
an hour ago
- CNN
US support for Israel's actions in Gaza drops, as Democratic opposition grows and MAGA movement splits
Americans' support for Israel's military actions in Gaza is dropping rapidly, prompting pro-Israel Democrats and some of President Donald Trump's long-time allies to warn that the country could permanently damage its standing in the United States. A Gallup poll released this week found that just 32% of US adults support Israel's military actions in Gaza — a record low since the war was launched in response to Hamas' October 7, 2023, terror attack. The poll also found the strongest partisan split yet: Support among those who identify themselves as Republicans remained strong, at 71%. But just 8% of Democrats and 25% of independents say they back Israel's military actions. In perhaps the most ominous long-term sign for backers of Israel, the poll found just 9% support for its actions among those age 18-34 of all political parties. The shift in public opinion has crucial implications for both parties: Some key members of Trump's MAGA movement are vocally questioning whether the United States should keep supporting Israel, while plummeting backing for the country among Democrats will likely impact the party's primaries in key races in 2026 and 2028. The collapse in American support for Israel is part of a global trend. The United Kingdom said this week it would recognize a Palestinian state before the United Nations General Assembly unless Israel takes major steps to end the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The announcement followed France's decision to do so. United Nations agencies are warning that 'time is running out to mount a full-scale humanitarian response' in the besieged Gaza Strip. Data show that more than one in three people (39%) are now going days at a time without eating, the UN's World Food Programme said in a statement Wednesday, adding that over 500,000 people — almost a quarter of Gaza's population — 'are enduring famine-like conditions.' Rep. Brad Sherman, a California Democrat who co-chairs the bipartisan Congressional Israel Allies Caucus, told CNN that Israel is losing the battle for worldwide public opinion. He said Israel's military faces serious challenges in Gaza, where Hamas is willing to incur massive civilian casualties 'to undermine Israel's position in the world,' but said its objectives 'have to be balanced against each other.' 'Israel has to determine, what are its military objectives, and what casualties is it willing to incur to realize that national security includes your image around the world,' Sherman said. 'You can't get everything you want, and your worldwide image is important.' Within the GOP, fissures over Israel's actions came into public view after Trump on Monday disputed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's weekend assertion that there is 'no starvation in Gaza.' 'That's real starvation stuff,' Trump said. 'I see it, and you can't fake that. So, we're going to be even more involved.' Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a prominent figure in Trump's 'Make America Great Again' movement, appeared to become the first Republican in Congress to describe the crisis in Gaza as a 'genocide' with a Monday night social media post. 'It's the most truthful and easiest thing to say that Oct 7th in Israel was horrific and all hostages must be returned, but so is the genocide, humanitarian crisis, and starvation happening in Gaza,' Greene said. Her comment came in a longer post criticizing Florida GOP Rep. Randy Fine, a staunch supporter of Israel. Fine told CNN that 'those who claim that Israel is engaged in genocide are either antisemites or idiots or both.' 'If Israel had wanted to commit a genocide in Gaza, they had the ability to do it. And it would have been done 18 months ago, and it would have been over in two days,' he said. 'Israel has the capability to kill everyone in Gaza, but they haven't. … Hundreds and hundreds of Israeli soldiers have died in order to minimize the deaths of Gaza Arabs.' He argued that Israel should stop putting its own soldiers at risk 'to minimize the deaths of the enemy.' Fine added: 'Israel needs to stop worrying about what the rest of the world thinks and take care of business. Political opinion does not win wars.' While many Republicans still agree with Fine, Steve Bannon, the former Trump chief strategist, said Tuesday on his podcast that there is 'very little support for Israel' within Trump's MAGA movement among those under age 30. 'And now, even people who support Israel are sitting there going, what in the hell's going on here?' Bannon said. Inside the Democratic Party, the issue of support for Israel proved to be a difficult one in 2024 for President Joe Biden and then his replacement atop the ballot, Vice President Kamala Harris, particularly in the battleground state of Michigan. That state, with its large Arab-American population, will host a competitive Senate contest in 2026. And Democrats who hope to run for president in 2028 will surely be pushed on their Israel policies in primaries across the country. Progressive Pennsylvania Rep. Summer Lee, who was one of six members of Congress to support a recent Greene amendment to strip $500 million in funding for Israel's missile defense systems from a defense appropriations bill, said in a statement that, 'The United States has a responsibility to demand a permanent ceasefire, stop funding and supplying the bombs being dropped, and call for unconditional humanitarian aid to enter Gaza immediately. It is good policy, good politics, and the right thing to do.' More establishment figures in liberal media have also sharpened their criticism of Israel in recent days — offering a preview of what could become a significant long-term shift in the party. The former aides to President Barack Obama who host the 'Pod Save America' podcast argued this week that Democratic candidates should stop supporting military aid for Israel. 'There has to be a total mindset change in the Democratic Party,' co-host Tommy Vietor, a former Obama National Security Council staffer, said. 'When the war ends, we are not going back to the pre-October 7 status quo. It's not where the party is. It's not where the world is.' Eric Fingerhut, the president and chief executive officer of the Jewish Federations of North America and a former Ohio Democratic congressman, said the Gallup findings numbers reflect 'overwhelmingly negative media coverage of the war.' 'There's no question that we are in a very partisan moment in America, and that that is an overlay on how people react to the situation in Israel and in the war in Gaza,' Fingerhut said. CNN's Nadeen Ebrahim and Ibrahim Dahman contributed to this report.
Washington Post
an hour ago
- Washington Post
Democrats sue Trump administration over access to immigration facilities
Twelve House Democrats on Wednesday filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration over what they say are illegal actions to limit in-person congressional oversight visits to federal immigration detention facilities. The lawmakers say in the complaint that they each 'attempted to obtain information about conditions at a DHS [Department of Homeland Security] facility used to detain or otherwise house noncitizens … by visiting a facility in person, or by giving DHS notice of imminent plans to do so, for the purpose of conducting realtime oversight of that facility.' Each attempted visit was blocked by the administration, according to the complaint. The administration now requires a minimum seven-day advance notice to schedule a visit to the facilities 'absent authorization by the secretary of DHS,' and 'deems certain DHS facilities, including [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] field offices, off-limits for congressional oversight even when they are used for detention,' according to the complaint. The Democrats allege that the new restrictions on lawmakers' access are unlawful. DHS Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement that the members of Congress suing the administration 'could have just scheduled a tour.' She also sought to tie the visits to 'a surge in assaults, disruptions and obstructions to enforcement' aimed at ICE officers, saying that some of those disruptive actions have been made by members of Congress. The legal effort follows attempts by members of the party to access the growing number of sites used in President Donald Trump's sweeping nationwide immigration crackdown, visits that have led to confrontations and the indictment of one Democratic member of Congress. It marks an escalation in a political battle over an issue that polls suggest has started to sour for the president. Immigration arrests have risen substantially across the country as the administration has tried to deliver on Trump's campaign promise to carry out the largest deportation operation in U.S. history. Amid reports of overcrowding and poor conditions in some facilities, Democratic lawmakers attempting to access some sites have often been denied entry. In June, a federal grand jury indicted Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-New Jersey) for allegedly interfering with law enforcement during a confrontation outside an immigration detention center in Newark. Newark Mayor Ras Baraka (D) was arrested and charged with trespassing after that May attempt to visit the facility with a Democratic congressional delegation that included McIver. Days after McIver's indictment, the Department of Homeland Security issued a new policy limiting congressional lawmakers' access to ICE facilities, a move that Democrats criticized as a violation of their right to conduct oversight. Wednesday's lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, names ICE and its acting director, Todd Lyons, as well as DHS and its secretary, Kristi L. Noem, as defendants. The plaintiffs are Reps. Joe Neguse and Jason Crow of Colorado; Dan Goldman and Adriano Espaillat of New York; Bennie G. Thompson (Mississippi); Jamie Raskin (Maryland); Veronica Escobar (Texas); and Robert Garcia, Lou Correa, Jimmy Gomez, Raul Ruiz and Norma J. Torres of California. In their lawsuit, the Congress members said they were especially worried about people being held inside field offices. 'As the number of arrested and detained individuals grows beyond the capacity of existing ICE detention facilities, DHS has resorted to using ICE field offices to detain or otherwise house noncitizens,' the complaint says. 'The conditions of confinement at field offices are of particular concern because field offices are not designed nor set up to be facilities in which individuals are detained or housed.' House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-New York), in a statement Wednesday, called the litigation a 'first-of-its-kind lawsuit asserting our constitutional responsibility to serve as a check-and-balance on the executive branch and its weaponization of immigration enforcement.' Congressional access to facilities was also an issue during Trump's first term, as Democrats denounced the administration's family separation policy. In their lawsuit, the Democrats reference a 1985 opinion by the Office of Legal Counsel — the lead legal corps within the executive branch — that 'it is beyond dispute that Congress may conduct investigations in order to obtain facts pertinent to possible legislation and in order to evaluate the effectiveness of current laws.' Since the family separation crisis, the lawmakers note, Congress had adopted statutory provisions each year providing that no funds appropriated to DHS may be used to prevent a member of Congress 'from entering, for the purpose of conducting oversight, any facility operated by or for the Department of Homeland Security used to detain or otherwise house aliens.' Other local officials have been arrested while trying to observe or intervene in the increasing number of immigration arrests at courthouses, including New York City Comptroller and mayoral candidate Brad Lander. In another high-profile incident, Sen. Alex Padilla (D-California) was forcefully removed, forced to the ground and handcuffed last month after attempting to ask Noem a question. The incidents — which Democrats call demands for transparency and Republicans call publicity stunts — come amid a broader pushback against the administration's immigration crackdown, including nationwide protests. A Gallup poll conducted in June found Americans dislike Trump's handling of immigration by a wide margin. Sixty-two percent gave him negative marks on how he has managed the issue, while 35 percent graded him positively.
