Latest news with #D-N.C.
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
At Pittsboro town hall, US Rep. Valerie Foushee warns of 'constitutional crisis' facing America
Rep. Valerie Foushee (D-N.C.) speaks to voters at the historic Chatham County Courthouse. (Photo: Brandon Kingdollar/NC Newsline) North Carolina Congresswoman Valerie Foushee (D-NC4) condemned the Trump administration at a Pittsboro town hall Tuesday evening for carrying out a 'campaign to undermine the very foundations of our democracy.' Foushee was joined by fellow Democrats, Rep. Robert T. Reives II, the minority leader of the state House of Representatives, and Karen Howard, the chair of the Chatham County Board of Commissioners, at a gathering that brought around 100 of their constituents to the historic Chatham County Courthouse for a little over an hour. Unlike high profile town halls held by Republicans around the U.S., Foushee's event drew a largely friendly, if anxious, crowd. Questions focused on steps she and other Democrats were taking to resist the Trump administration's cuts to funding for education, scientific research, and social services. Foushee spent most of the event taking aim at President Donald Trump and the Republican-controlled Congress, condemning efforts to 'target our rights, gut governmental protections, defund public education, criminalize immigrants and asylum seekers, weaken worker protections, and slash social safety net programs.' 'What we are currently facing is truly unprecedented. The stakes are high, and the urgency is real. This is a moment where we all need to show up, speak out, and stand together,' Foushee said. 'The American people cannot afford this extreme agenda, and frankly, our democracy cannot afford this extreme agenda either. Our country is facing a constitutional crisis, one that demands urgent action.' She added that she was particularly concerned by threats to the legitimacy of elections, telling the audience that 'nothing hurt more' in the first 100 days than the House passage of the SAVE Act — a measure to require proof of citizenship at polling places that voting rights advocacy groups warn could disenfranchise millions of legal voters. Foushee invoked the ongoing legal challenge by losing state Supreme Court candidate Jefferson Griffin as another attack on election integrity. 'We have to protect the right to vote because we know what is coming forward to some make sure that some folk are not given access to the ballot box,' Foushee said. 'We have to stand up against those types of legislation.' Among the audience members who spoke was a teacher at the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics who asked what he should tell the aspiring scientists in his classes amid the administration's broad cuts to research and education. In response, Rep. Reives said these efforts are evidence that Republican officials and their donors are 'scared to death of an educated populace,' and that it's critical to stay focused on the importance of education amid attempts to distract from those issues in the coming years. 'There's one group of people in the entire country who are trying to stop everybody else from achieving an American dream, and that are the wealthy billionaires that have taken over your government,' Reives said. 'Somehow, they have convinced themselves that, God help us, if you get an education, if you're healthy and you get a chance to work, that somehow they're going to lose that billion dollars before they die.' Howard, the county commission chair, said the most important thing attendees of the town hall could do is act as 'ambassadors' to their friends and neighbors so that they fully understand the consequences of the election. She invited the NCSSM teacher to bring her letters from his class about what education opportunities mean to them that she can deliver in an upcoming meeting with U.S. Senators Thom Tillis and Ted Budd. 'We need to broaden our tent, and we need to start reaching out to people that can hear us,' Howard said. 'Every single person in every single audience that you ever sit in has somebody that will listen to them, someone who believes them, someone who trusts them.' Reives cited the ongoing tribulations surrounding Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth as proof that just a few lawmakers willing to resist Trump could make a substantial difference, noting that Tillis cast the deciding vote that allowed him to be confirmed. 'Could you have gotten a better secretary?' he asked, drawing laughter from the town hall audience. After the event, Durham resident Joe English said his respect for Reives was 'greatly improved' after hearing him speak so emphatically about democracy and the crises facing the U.S. 'To see the three of them interplay was phenomenal. This is what I needed,' English said. He said while he would have liked to see more attendance, it was good to see Foushee holding an in-person discussion with constituents — adding that he was pleased when she did not attend Trump's inauguration as a show of defiance. Gary Simpson and Connie McAdams, local activists and members of Pittsboro Presbyterian Church, said they had tried to meet with Tillis earlier in the day but could only speak to a staffer in his office. Though they didn't know about Foushee's town hall in advance, they were able to get in at the last minute. 'I just applaud Valerie Foushee for doing this and giving people a chance to interact with her, and I appreciate her listening and trying to answer those hard questions,' McAdams said. 'Everything is tough, and I appreciate her working as hard as she can in tough circumstances to make things better for all of us.' Foushee's take-home message was that while she and other Democrats can vote against the Trump administration's agenda, it's up to engaged citizens to vote out officials supporting his initiatives and to convince the people in their lives to do the same — a call to action that drew applause throughout the historic courtroom. 'Don't be surprised when that person does exactly what he said he would do. Nothing should surprise you except how quickly he was able to do it,' Foushee said. 'What you can do is to change the faces of the folks in the spaces that determine the future of this generation and the next generation and generations to come.'
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Former Democratic Rep. Wiley Nickel challenging Tillis in NC
Former Rep. Wiley Nickel (D-N.C.) is running for Senate to try to unseat North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis (R) next year in the Tar Heel State, he announced Wednesday. Nickel, who previously represented North Carolina's 13th Congressional District in the House for one term, is the first Democrat to get in the race. Tillis's seat will be a top target for Democrats to flip in 2026. Nickel made the announcement in a post on the social platform X, saying President Trump is 'shredding our Constitution and tanking our economy.' 'Thom Tillis lacks the courage to stand up to him — I'll be damned if I'm going to sit on the sidelines,' Nickel said. 'I'm running to fight for a better future for North Carolinians.' Nickel was first elected to the House in 2022 but chose not to run for reelection last year after the Republican-led North Carolina Legislature revised the state's district map and made the 13th District considerably more friendly to Republican candidates. Nickel argued the GOP 'rigged the system' in its favor. 'Extreme Republicans knew they couldn't beat him at the ballot box, so they redrew the maps so that he couldn't run again,' Nickel's campaign website reads. 'But Wiley has never been one to back down from a fight. He's running for Senate to continue the work he started in Congress: protecting social security and Medicaid, fighting inflation, and working with members of both parties to lower the cost of living for North Carolina families.' Nickel's decision is not a surprise, as he hinted as early as his decision not to run for another House term that he may seek Tillis's seat. Nickel may face competition for the Democratic nomination if former North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper (D) chooses to run for the seat as he has expressed interest in doing. Cooper was a popular two-term governor of the state who won his elections even as Trump carried his state in the presidential races, and Democrats have expressed enthusiasm about the prospect of him running. In the video announcing his candidacy, Nickel called Tillis a 'rubber stamp' for Trump and said the state needs a 'fighter.' He mentioned his background working in the Obama White House, starting a business in North Carolina and running for state Senate to advocate for abortion rights, voting rights and better pay for teachers. He noted that he won a tough House race in 2022 and worked on affordable housing, health care and ending gerrymandering. 'This is a moment for a new generation of leadership with a fresh vision and the courage to fight for what's right,' Nickel said. Senate Republicans' campaign arm slammed Nickel in a statement as a 'far-left radical.' 'He's so out-of-touch he chose to retire instead of facing voters in a tough election year, and he will be rejected by North Carolina voters in 2026,' said spokesperson Joanna Rodriguez. North Carolina will be one of Democrats' two main targets for flipping next year along with Maine, where Sen. Susan Collins (R) is up for reelection. The nonpartisan election handicapper Cook Political Report rates the North Carolina race as 'lean Republican.' Updated: 2:44 p.m. ET Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
09-04-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Former Democratic Rep. Wiley Nickel challenging Tillis in NC
Former Rep. Wiley Nickel (D-N.C.) is running for Senate to try to unseat North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis (R) next year in the battleground state, he announced Wednesday. Nickel, who previously represented North Carolina's 13 th Congressional District in the House for one term, is the first Democrat to get in the race. Tillis's seat will be a top target for Democrats to flip in 2026. Nickel made the announcement in a post on the social platform X, saying that President Trump is 'shredding our Constitution and tanking our economy.' 'Thom Tillis lacks the courage to stand up to him — I'll be damned if I'm going to sit on the sidelines,' Nickel said. 'I'm running to fight for a better future for North Carolinians.' Nickel was first elected to the House in 2022 but chose not to run for reelection last year after the Republican-led North Carolina legislature revised the state's district map and made the district considerably more friendly to Republican candidates. Nickel argued the GOP 'rigged the system' in their favor. 'Extreme Republicans knew they couldn't beat him at the ballot box, so they redrew the maps so that he couldn't run again,' Nickel's campaign website states. 'But Wiley has never been one to back down from a fight. He's running for Senate to continue the work he started in Congress: protecting social security and Medicaid, fighting inflation, and working with members of both parties to lower the cost of living for North Carolina families.' Nickel's decision is not a surprise, as he hinted as early as his decision not to run for another House term that he may seek Tillis's seat. Nickel may face competition for the Democratic nomination if former North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper (D) chooses to run for the seat as he has expressed interest in doing. Cooper was a popular two-term governor of the state who won his elections even as Trump carried his state in the presidential races, and Democrats have expressed enthusiasm about the prospect of him running. In his video announcing his candidacy, Nickel called Tillis a 'rubber stamp' for Trump and said the state needs a 'fighter.' He mentioned his background working in the Obama White House, starting a business in North Carolina and running for state Senate to advocate for abortion rights, voting rights and better pay for teachers. He noted that he won a tough House race in 2022 and worked on affordable housing, health care and ending gerrymandering. 'This is a moment for a new generation of leadership with a fresh vision and the courage to fight for what's right,' Nickel said. North Carolina will be one of Democrats' two main targets for flipping next year along with Maine, with Sen. Susan Collins (R) up for reelection. The nonpartisan election handicapper Cook Political Report rates the North Carolina race as 'lean Republican.'
Axios
09-04-2025
- Politics
- Axios
Former N.C. Rep. Wiley Nickel launching U.S. Senate bid
Former Rep. Wiley Nickel (D-N.C.) is launching his bid for U.S. Senate on Wednesday morning, the ex-congressman told Axios. Why it matters: It could set up a contested Democratic primary ahead of what is expected to be one of the most hard-fought Senate elections in 2026. Democrats are hoping to finally knock off Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), and some have looked to former Gov. Roy Cooper as the ideal candidate to do it. Tillis himself is facing a handful of longshot right-wing primary challengers, with others mulling whether to enter the race. What to watch: Nickel's official launch is scheduled for 10am ET, he told Axios.
The Hill
08-04-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
With Duke player in mind, NC reps push Rubio on South Sudanese visa order
Two North Carolina Democrats are pushing Secretary of State Marco Rubio to reverse his order on South Sudanese visas with a Duke University basketball player in mind. Reps. Deborah Ross and Valerie Foushee (D-N.C.) are calling for the reversal of Rubio's order, which sought to revoke all visas held by South Sudanese passport holders. 'The South Sudanese visa holders in the United States are not foreign enemies, nor are they responsible for any disagreement you and President Trump may have with the transnational government of South Sudan,' the congresswoman wrote to Rubio. 'These are members of our communities, students pursuing an education, athletes hoping to compete at the highest levels, workers contributing to our economy, and families who sought safety and refuge in our country.' The North Carolina Democrats noted that the state is home to a significant South Sudanese community, including the 'Lost Boys of Sudan,' who were driven from their homes amid a 1980s civil war. Rubio's order came as Duke basketball player Khaman Maluach played in the NCAA Final Four tournament. Malauch was born in South Sudan and grew up as a refugee in Uganda. He played for South Sudan's Olympic basketball team last year before attending Duke as a first-year student. Now, under Rubio's order, he may face deportation, The News and Observer reported. Rubio announced over the weekend that the U.S. would be revoking visas for South Sudanese passport holders because the country's traditional government did not accept citizens who were deported from the U.S. The secretary said the U.S. would be willing to 'review these actions' once South Sudan is in 'full cooperation,' arguing the country was taking advantage of the U.S. 'Enforcing our nation's immigration laws is critically important to the national security and public safety of the United States,' Rubio said. 'Every country must accept the return of its citizens in a timely manner when another country, including the United States, seeks to remove them.' South Sudan, which is in East Africa, is one of the world's poorest countries. It is also one of the newest, declaring independence in 2011. Tensions have risen in recent weeks in the country and the United Nation's Secretary-General António Guterres warned the country was falling into a crisis.
