Latest news with #NorthCarolinaDemocraticParty
NBC News
6 days ago
- Politics
- NBC News
Former Gov. Roy Cooper plans to enter North Carolina Senate race
Former North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper is planning to launch a run for Senate, according to two sources familiar with his plans, handing Democrats a top candidate in a state that will be central to the fight for the majority. Axios, which broke the news of Cooper's expected bid, reported that he is expected to officially enter the race next week, according to multiple sources. Morgan Jackson, Cooper's top political advisor, would not confirm Cooper's plans but said that the former governor would share more about his plans in the coming days. Cooper is also listed as a speaker at the North Carolina Democratic Party's 'Unity Dinner' on Saturday. Democrats have long touted Cooper, 68, as a formidable candidate, given his record of winning statewide races in the perennial battleground state. 'North Carolina is one of the most competitive races in the country and Roy Cooper would be a force to be reckoned with if he enters the field,' said Lauren French, a spokesperson for Senate Majority PAC, a Democratic super PAC aligned with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. Former Democratic Rep. Wiley Nickel launched a Senate bid in April, but it's not clear if he'll stay in the race if Cooper jumps in. Nickel told Spectrum News, 'We'll cross that bridge when we get there,' when asked about the prospect that Cooper could run for Senate. Cooper was first elected governor in 2016 after serving four terms as the state's attorney general. He defeated the Republican governor at the time, Pat McCrory, by around 10,000 votes even as President Donald Trump won the state by nearly 4 points. Cooper won a second term in 2020 by 4 points while Trump again carried North Carolina by 1 point. Term limits barred Cooper from running for a third term last year. Democrats all but have to win North Carolina to have any hope of netting the four seats they need to take control of the Senate next year, with Republicans defending a 53-47 majority. North Carolina and Maine are Democrats' two best pickup opportunities, with former Vice President Kamala Harris carrying Maine last year and losing North Carolina by 3 percentage points. After those two states, Democrats would have to flip two more that Trump won by double digits, while also holding onto their own seats in competitive states. The Republican field in North Carolina is in flux after Sen. Thom Tillis' surprise announcement that he would not seek re-election. Tillis had drawn Trump's ire for opposing the party's sweeping tax and spending bill, warning that cuts to Medicaid would harm North Carolinians. Republicans are watching to see if Lara Trump — the president's daughter-in-law, former Republican National Committee co-chair and current Fox News host — could run for the seat. She recently told NBC News that she plans to decide on a Senate campaign by Thanksgiving, noting the decision is especially weighty because of her young family. Other potential GOP candidates include current RNC chair Michael Whatley, who previously led the state party in North Carolina, as well as Republican Reps. Pat Harrigan and Greg Murphy.
Newsweek
22-07-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
Roy Cooper's Chances of Flipping North Carolina's GOP Senate Seat—Polls
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. A new poll of North Carolina voters showed that former Governor Roy Cooper, a Democrat, would be tied with a generic Republican in the state's 2026 Senate race. Matt Mercer, communications director for the North Carolina GOP, told Newsweek the poll "confirms former Gov. Roy Cooper can't run away from his record of failures in North Carolina." Mallory Payne, spokesperson for the North Carolina Democratic Party, told Newsweek the Republican candidate will have to "answer for gutting health care for more than 650,000 North Carolinians." Why It Matters North Carolina, a state that has delivered Republicans' narrow victories in recent federal elections, is expected to be home to one of the most competitive Senate races in 2026 as Democrats hope to flip a handful of seats in Congress's upper chamber. Incumbent Republican Senator Thom Tillis is not running for reelection, leaving the competitive seat open next November. Historically, the party in the White House loses seats in the midterms, so Democrats view North Carolina as a top flip opportunity as they face a potentially challenging Senate map. Democrats are hoping Cooper, who was fairly popular in the state during his tenure in the governorship, will jump into the race and bolster their chances of winning. But the new poll from co/efficient suggests the race could be competitive even with a Cooper candidacy. What to Know The poll asked respondents about who they would support between Cooper and a Republican candidate, without asking questions on specific matchups. It found that 48 percent would support both Cooper and the Republican, with 4 percent remaining undecided. On the other hand, Cooper held a lead in a hypothetical matchup against Tillis. It found that if Tillis decided to run, he would have 31 percent of the vote, while Cooper received 49 percent support; 20 percent were undecided, according to the poll. Former North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper speaks in Raleigh, North Carolina on June 28, 2024. Former North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper speaks in Raleigh, North Carolina on June 28, poll surveyed 694 likely voters from July 10 to July 14, 2025, and had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.71 percentage points. Steven Greene, a professor of political science at North Carolina State University, told Newsweek confirms the race will be competitive. "Cooper is a popular former governor with a good brand. I think if Cooper chooses to run, you would have to consider him a slight favorite (this really is a baseline 50-50 race) to win. If Cooper does not run, I think Jeff Jackson is a very strong candidate, but he lacks the statewide name recognition and support that Cooper has," he said. Jackson, the state's Democratic attorney general, has said he would support Cooper if he chooses to run in an interview with WRAL earlier in July. The Democratic candidate, whether it's Cooper or another candidate, will need to get "across that plurality where they just keep narrowly falling short," and President Donald Trump's approval rating could key, he said. "We are pretty close to a 50-50 state, but one in which Republican Senate candidates keep narrowly winning closely-contested races. I think the key for the Democratic candidate is just how much the political environment may have turned against President Trump in 2026. If inflation is a problem and Trump's approval has fallen into the 30's, a Democrat would be the favorite," he said. North Carolina was a key battleground in 2024, but Trump still narrowly carried it with 51 percent of the vote, compared to former Vice President Kamala Harris' 47.8 percent. Democrats have made federal races competitive but have come up short in recent years, though Republicans have struggled in gubernatorial elections. A Change Research/Carolina Forward poll from earlier this year showed Cooper with a lead over Tillis before he opted against running. Forty-six percent of respondents said they planned to back Cooper, while 44 percent said they were inclined to support Tillis. That poll surveyed 867 likely voters from March 31 to April 4, 2025. What People Are Saying Mallory Payne, spokesperson for the North Carolina Democratic Party, told Newsweek: "The GOP's toxic Medicaid cuts will be at the forefront of the U.S. Senate race in 2026, especially after Thom Tillis chose to retire rather than have to run on a plan that will devastate North Carolina families. No matter who jumps into the GOP primary, they will have to answer for gutting health care for more than 650,000 North Carolinians – and voters will hold them accountable at the ballot box and flip this seat next November." Matt Mercer, communications director for the North Carolina GOP, told Newsweek: "This poll confirms former Gov. Roy Cooper can't run away from his record of failures in North Carolina. A 40-year career politician isn't what voters are looking for from their next U.S. Senator. Worse for Cooper, this race will be a referendum on his handling of hurricane response in eastern and western North Carolina. We look forward to holding this seat and continuing to work with President Trump for America First policies that benefit North Carolina families." Steven Greene, a professor of political science at North Carolina State University, told Newsweek: "If the economy is doing pretty well and Trump's approval remains in the mid-40's, that's a much tougher environment for the Democrat. Obviously, this national context will very much affect the Republican nominee as well. The additional interesting issue on that side is will the Republicans be able to nominate the most electable general election candidate, or will their primary saddle them with a less electable figure. We have seen Republicans lose many winnable Senate races in the past 10-15 years due to extreme candidates winning primaries." What Happens Next Both Democratic and Republican candidates could announce in the coming months. Currently, the Cook Political Report classifies the race as a pure toss up.
Boston Globe
15-07-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
Ready or not, here comes the 2028 presidential campaign
She insisted she was simply supporting Pappas, who is running to replace retiring Senator Jeanne Shaheen. Advertisement But her presence there pointed to a larger, albeit quiet truth: the 2028 campaign has essentially begun. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Senator Amy Klobuchar, a Minnesota Democrat, visited Badger, a skin care product company in Gilsum, N.H., with Representative Chris Pappas, a New Hampshire Democrat running for senator, on July 11. Holly Ramer/Associated Press Last Tuesday, California Governor Gavin Newsom launched a Meanwhile, Vice President JD Vance was across the country in San Diego, making the rounds The following day, Arizona Senator Ruben Gallego announced Advertisement That same afternoon Klobuchar was in Keene, it was announced that Illinois Governor JB Pritzker would headline the North Carolina Democratic Party's annual dinner, another move in a key swing state. He already spoke at a similar event in New Hampshire earlier this year. Six months into Donald Trump's second term, he's enjoying a high point. He just signed a sweeping tax cut into law ahead of his self-imposed July 4 deadline. He's pressured NATO countries to boost defense spending. And he's continuing to rack up wins in court, like Monday's ruling from the Supreme Court that he could But beneath the surface, a campaign to replace him is already taking shape. The 2028 election could feature the largest field of candidates in American history. That's why hopefuls are already trekking to early primary states and cozying up to donors, they know that in a crowded race, early attention is critical. Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear has also begun to make moves toward a more national profile. He'll travel to South Carolina to speak at an AFL-CIO conference in Greenville, then to a Democratic event along the coast. Asked on NBC's Meet the Press whether he's considering a run, Beshear said: 'We'll see... I will not leave a broken country to my kids or to anyone else's.' Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin greeted people during the grand opening ceremony of the first Buc-ee's location on the East Coast on June 30 in Mount Crawford, Va. Chip Somodevilla/Getty As for the Republicans, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin will be in Iowa this week and in South Carolina next month to both headline events for local Republican parties. Texas Republican Representative Wesley Hunt, and former US secretary of state Mike Pompeo visited New Hampshire in June. Kentucky Senator Rand Paul was also supposed to appear in the state in late June, but the event was postponed due to Senate votes. Advertisement Not wanting to be overshadowed by other states, a group of New Hampshire Democrats announced Monday they're launching a town hall series featuring potential 2028 contenders. The effort, backed by longtime Democratic figures Jim Demers (an early backer of Barack Obama) and Billy Shaheen (Senator Shaheen's husband), will kick off next month with Representative Ro Khanna of California in Manchester. Of course, all of this is unfolding more than a year before the 2026 midterms, which can be a vehicle for potential presidential candidates to curry favor. Democrats haven't even filled out slates for major gubernatorial or congressional contests across the country. Still, none of that is slowing the race ahead. James Pindell is a Globe political reporter who reports and analyzes American politics, especially in New England.
Yomiuri Shimbun
13-07-2025
- Politics
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Democratic Fissure over Israel Hits a Moderate Swing State
Democrats in North Carolina are engaged in a bitter fight after the state party condemned Israel for 'apartheid rule,' exposing an internal rift in a moderate swing state that is festering nationally and could complicate the party's plans for the 2026 midterm elections. The narrow approval of a strongly worded party resolution late last month calling for an arms embargo on the U.S. ally comes after two other state parties adopted similar measures and Democratic voters in New York chose a longtime critic of Israel as their nominee for mayor. A crowded Senate primary in Michigan, where many Democrats withheld their votes to protest Israel policy during last year's presidential primary, could open another avenue for the party's disputes to emerge. The disparate places where the debate is flaring – Southern and Midwestern states as well as deep-blue coastal cities – reveal a deepening tension between the party's base and its elected leaders. Some are warning that the intractable foreign policy issue threatens to distract the party from developing a coherent message about the economy and other issues that connect with the largest swath of voters. 'Any time Democrats are dealing with this issue, they're not working on electing other Democrats,' said Amy Block DeLoach, a vice president of the Jewish caucus of the North Carolina Democratic Party. 'It's a problem.' The state party's executive committee passed the resolution June 28, the same weekend Sen. Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina) broke with President Donald Trump on his tax and immigration bill and announced he would not run for a third term. Democrats seized on the announcement but didn't put as much attention on it as they otherwise might have because they were still squabbling with one another over the Israel resolution. Trump has offered near-unconditional support to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his right-wing government, claiming last year that any Jewish person who votes for Democrats 'hates their religion,' while using a broad fight against antisemitism to clamp down on universities and protesters. Internal Democratic divisions over Israel hampered party unity and depressed young voter enthusiasm during last year's presidential campaign as Israel struck back at Hamas for its surprise attack on Oct. 7, 2023. Critics of Israel occupied college campuses across the United States. Demonstrators heckled Democratic candidates. Activists called for Democrats to cast protest votes during the presidential primaries. In Michigan, more than 100,000 Democrats – 13 percent of primary voters – declared themselves 'uncommitted' in the state's presidential primary to signal their displeasure with President Joe Biden's policy on Israel. Trump went on to win Michigan and every other battleground state. Democrats' differences over Israel have continued to smolder. They ignited last month as some Democrats expressed dismay that their party nominated Zohran Mamdani for mayor of New York. Mamdani, who is Muslim, declined to condemn the slogan 'globalize the intifada,' which some Jews view as a call to violence against them and many Palestinians see as support for their struggle for a homeland. Critics have called such language particularly troubling after Jews were attacked in D.C., Boulder and elsewhere. Republicans have had their own intraparty fights over Israel and the United States' role on the world stage, particularly after Trump authorized the bombing of Iran last month. Trump announced a ceasefire between Israel and Iran soon afterward and hosted Netanyahu at the White House this week as he sought a ceasefire in Gaza. In a March poll by the Pew Research Center, 53 percent of U.S. adults expressed an unfavorable opinion of Israel, up from 42 percent in March 2022, before the conflict began. Democrats had a worse view of Israel than Republicans, with 69 percent of Democrats expressing an unfavorable opinion compared with 37 percent of Republicans. Democrats in a May survey by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs gave Israel an average rating of 41 on a 100-point scale, an 11-point decline since 2022 and the lowest rating in 47 years of polling. More than two-thirds of Democrats said the United States should not take a side in the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians, 20 percent said it should take the Palestinians' side and 10 percent said it should take Israel's side. Reem Subei, who heads the Arab caucus of the North Carolina Democratic Party, said she pushed for the arms embargo resolution because it is not only morally correct but also sound politics. 'We see this as an issue that is uniting and bringing in more voters to the Democratic Party,' Subei said. 'This vote here at [the] North Carolina Democratic Party is an invitation to those that have walked away from the party or have walked away from voting altogether in the past election.' Halie Soifer, CEO of the Jewish Democratic Council of America, disputed such claims, noting that Reps. Jamaal Bowman (D-New York) and Cori Bush (D-Missouri) lost their primaries last year to candidates who backed Israel. Soifer's group supported their opponents, as did the super PAC of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. 'It's actually this resolution that is more the outlier than anything else,' Soifer said of the North Carolina measure. At least two other state parties have passed resolutions similar to North Carolina's, though in more measured tones. The Wisconsin Democratic Party adopted one last month that said its base is 'overwhelmingly supportive of restricting weapons to Israel.' The Washington State Democratic Party approved one last year that called on the state's congressional delegation to demand that military assistance to Israel fully comply with a law that bars aid to countries that violate human rights. The resolution in North Carolina said the state party supports 'an immediate embargo on all military aid, weapons shipments and military logistical support to Israel' that should remain in place until Amnesty International and other rights groups 'certify that Israel is no longer engaged in apartheid rule.' Supporters said the party's executive committee approved it 161-151; opponents said they believed there were three more votes against the measure but acknowledged it had passed by a small margin. The resolution is nonbinding, and opponents said its only effect was to put the Democrats' infighting on display. Democratic candidates and officeholders won't change their positions on Israel, and the resolution takes energy from campaigning against Republicans, said former congresswoman Kathy Manning (D-North Carolina), chair of the Democratic Majority for Israel. Supporters of the resolution need to reflect on what happened when opponents of aid to Israel gained momentum during Michigan's presidential primary, she said. 'The end result in part is Donald Trump won the state of Michigan,' Manning said. 'And how are people feeling about that? Republicans, meanwhile, are reveling in the Democrats' divisions and painting them as opposing the United States' chief ally in the Middle East. 'The radical Left continues to drive misguided anti-Israel and America Last policies,' Matt Mercer, a spokesman for the North Carolina Republican Party, said in a statement. North Carolina's Senate race is viewed as one of Democrats' best opportunities for picking up a seat next year, and Democrats have been energized by Tillis' decision to retire. Former congressman Wiley Nickel entered the Democratic primary in April, and party members are waiting to see whether former governor Roy Cooper also gets in the race. Nickel called the party resolution 'extreme' and said cutting off defensive weapons to Israel would amount to a 'death sentence for thousands.' In the House, Nickel voted for a bipartisan aid package for Israel and against a Republican one, and said he takes a nuanced view on U.S. policy there. 'If I were in the U.S. Senate right now, with what I see from Netanyahu and Trump, I would be hard-pressed to vote for some offensive weapons to Israel,' he said. Cooper, who has won five statewide elections, would be the instant front-runner in the Democratic primary, and Nickel said he would have to decide whether to stay in the race if Cooper got in. Cooper, who declined to comment, has not had to take a detailed position on Israel because he hasn't served in Congress, and the party could avoid a messy primary clash over Israel if he clears the field. That may not be true in Michigan, where four Democrats are vying for the nomination to replace Sen. Gary Peters (D), who is retiring. The candidates include Rep. Haley Stevens, a longtime champion of Israel, and Abdul El-Sayed, the former health director of Wayne County who has described Israel's actions in Gaza as genocide. Before the Senate primaries play out, Mamdani will stand for election this fall in New York's general election. That will offer a test of how his views on Israel play in an overwhelmingly Democratic city with the largest Jewish population in the world outside of Israel. Mamdani received the most primary votes for mayor in the city's history, but party leaders did not rally around him. Instead, several moderate Democrats came out against him. Rep. Laura Gillen (D-New York) called Mamdani 'too extreme to lead New York City' on X. Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-New York), who had endorsed former New York governor Andrew M. Cuomo in the mayor's race, said he had 'serious concerns' about Mamdani. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-New York) told a popular New York City radio host that some of her constituents were 'alarmed' by some of Mamdani's statements, 'particularly references to global jihad.' She later apologized for mischaracterizing his comments. Supporters of the North Carolina resolution said Democrats in Congress were out of touch with ordinary voters. Young voters are taking a fresh look at the party because of the resolution, said Mark Bochkis, who belongs to a group of Jewish progressives in the state party that backs the resolution. 'The danger,' he said, 'is in the party not recognizing where its electorate is going.'
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Tensions rise, NC protests grow against ICE activity
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) – Community organizers plan to hold additional anti-Trump Administration demonstrations across North Carolina, partly in response to immigration raids and . Several advocacy organizations in Charlotte met Monday in Uptown to rally against ICE raids. Dozens of attendees from the airport workers' union 32BJ SEIU, Housing Justice Coalition CLT, and other groups called for the release of David Huerta from federal detention. Huerta, a California labor leader, was arrested while protesting outside a business where ICE agents were investigating. He was released from custody on a $50,000 bond and now faces charges of Rallies are scheduled in Charlotte, Monroe, Concord, Waxhaw and Rock Hill for Saturday, June 14 in connection with the national . The event was planned in early May, before the activity in Los Angeles, . The organization noted working with a coalition of partners to declare Flag Day a 'Nationwide Day of Defiance.' The date also lines up with the U.S. Army's celebration of its 250th year, and President Donald Trump's 79th birthday. Organizers in Charlotte said the interest in the event has increased in the past several weeks, prompting them to move the rally to They plan to have a series of speakers and a 1.4-mile march. Groups in Raleigh intend to gather outside the Capitol building on Tuesday as lawmakers discuss legislation to strengthen enforcement efforts. would compel local law enforcement agents to verify any detainee's immigration status and notify Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agents if the person is not a documented citizen. NC Republicans push forward two immigration enforcement bills Advocates with the North Carolina Democratic Party told Queen City News' reporting partner in Raleigh that they're calling for an end to ICE raids nationwide. 'It's no longer deportation, right? That is a system,' said Anderson Clayton, chair of the North Carolina Democratic Party. 'What we're seeing right now is people being kidnapped, honestly, across the country, people being taken from their homes, their communities, people being racially targeted and profiled across the country right now.' U.S. Representative Alma Adams (NC-12) expressed similar sentiments in a statement Monday, denouncing the president's decision to deploy National Guardsmen to Los Angeles. 'This decision was fueled by the president's ego, not by what was best for the people of Los Angeles, and we cannot let him continue to weaponize the executive branch against our communities,' Adams said. 'Republicans in Congress should join Democrats in standing up for our citizens and reining in the executive overreach from the White House.' , along with U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, to commemorate the 250th Army anniversary. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
