Latest news with #ThomTillis
Yahoo
15 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Democrats got a top Senate recruit in North Carolina. Now they're trying to find more
Democrats landed the biggest recruiting win of the 2026 midterm elections to date when former North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper launched his Senate run Monday, boosting party hopes of winning the seat opened by retiring Republican Sen. Thom Tillis. They are looking for several more wins just like it to have a chance of flipping four Republican-held seats and going after a goal that seemed far out of reach earlier this cycle: taking the Senate majority next fall. The Senate recruiting landscape has been a mixed bag for both parties with uncertainty over President Donald Trump's popularity, the role he'll play in Republican primaries, and questions about the political futures of several high-profile figures — both incumbents and potential candidates — hanging over the early stages of the election cycle. Democrats hope they can run strong candidates in Maine and GOP-friendly states like Iowa and Texas. They also have to defend seats in four potentially competitive states: Georgia, where Sen. Jon Ossoff is up for reelection, and Michigan, Minnesota and New Hampshire, where the party's incumbents are all retiring. In New Hampshire, Rep. Chris Pappas, another top Democratic recruit, is running for Senate, while on the Republican side, former Gov. Chris Sununu passed on the race. In Georgia, popular Republican Gov. Brian Kemp passed on a Senate race in a break for Ossoff. And in Maine, Democrats are hoping Gov. Janet Mills will challenge longtime Republican Sen. Susan Collins. But Democrats are trying to resolve conflicts in other races on the board and prevent drawn-out primaries that could hurt their chances next November. 'Governor Cooper is a formidable candidate who will flip North Carolina's Senate seat, and his announcement is the latest indication that the Republicans' Senate majority is at risk in 2026,' Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and his Senate campaign chief, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, said in a statement to CNN. Discord in Michigan Michigan's open Senate race is the one that most worries national Democrats, according to half a dozen lawmakers, senior aides and strategists. Republicans are largely uniting behind former Rep. Mike Rogers, the party's losing nominee in the 2024 Senate race. Rogers got a boost in recent days when Rep. Bill Huizenga passed on a Senate run, a decision that followed a push from Trump and other Republicans to defend a potentially competitive House seat in western Michigan, a source familiar with the matter said. Rogers' supporters argue that he now has advantages that he didn't when he lost last year to then-Rep. Elissa Slotkin, including a primary field free of other major contenders and stronger early fundraising. Democrats are facing a competitive primary that includes three well-known contenders: Rep. Haley Stevens, state Sen. Mallory McMorrow and progressive former gubernatorial candidate Abdul El-Sayed. Several of the Democratic sources CNN spoke to said Schumer and his team have privately signaled they believe Stevens is the strongest general election candidate. In another nod to Stevens' Democratic establishment support, she earned an endorsement from former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi earlier this summer. And two people involved in Michigan politics said Gillibrand has privately encouraged donors to support Stevens. A spokesperson for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee declined to comment on Gillibrand's behalf, but offered an upbeat statement that Democrats would hold the seat next November. 'Republicans have not won a Senate race in Michigan in 30 years — and 2026 will be no different with failed candidate Mike Rogers on the ballot,' spokesperson Maeve Coyle said in a statement. Democrats there have also been surprised by the strong fundraising power of El-Sayed — backed by independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders — who has been urging his party to take a more aggressive stance on Trump. Democrats in the state are still hoping they can unite behind a candidate before next August's primary. But there have been some hurdles, including interpersonal disputes between Slotkin and other major players in the state, including Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. They also fear that the state's race for governor won't help either: Mike Duggan, the popular Detroit mayor, has decided to run as an independent, potentially splintering the Democratic base and raising questions about what that could mean for Michigan's Senate and House races. 'I don't think people understand how dysfunctional the Senate race is,' one Michigan Democrat told CNN of the bruising three-way primary. 'If we don't pull people together, we are screwed.' Trying to push Democrats into other races in Texas Texas is a red state, but Republicans face an increasingly bitter primary battle between Sen. John Cornyn and his conservative challenger, MAGA-aligned state Attorney General Ken Paxton — one that intensified with the news that Paxton's wife, state Sen. Angela Paxton, had filed for divorce. National Republicans believe that Cornyn is in trouble, and pro-Cornyn groups are already spending heavily this summer in a bid to demonstrate he can keep pace with Paxton in polls. A third potential candidate, Rep. Wesley Hunt, has not ruled out a bid and has been spending small sums on advertising, with more expected in the coming weeks. Another Republican often mentioned as a possible contender, Rep. Ronny Jackson, is one of Trump's closest allies in Texas. But two people familiar with discussions about Jackson's future said he is expected to remain in the House and one said he is interested in a Trump administration role in the future. Democrats believe Paxton would be a weaker general election candidate if he wins the Republican primary. But they could face a messy primary of their own. Former Rep. Colin Allred, the party's losing nominee in the 2024 Senate race, has already launched his campaign, with his supporters pointing to how he outran Kamala Harris in key parts of the state last November. Beto O'Rourke, who lost the 2018 Senate race and the 2022 governor's race, is also considering a run and is hitting the road like a candidate. He held 16 town halls across the state in May, June and July, including 12 in Republican-held congressional districts. And other Democrats are also considering Senate runs. Some officials and donors have sought to steer potential Senate candidates into other races, urging state Rep. James Talarico to run for governor and US Rep. Joaquin Castro to run for attorney general, three people familiar with the matter said. However, it's not clear that Talarico or Castro are moving toward those races themselves. Talarico told CNN last week he is 'certainly thinking about' running for higher office, and will make decisions about his political future after Texas' special legislative session, which began last week and can last no more than 30 days. 'Once that's over, I am going to look at how I can best serve, and that includes the US Senate,' Talarico said. 'I'm not taking anything off the table right now.' Castro and his office did not respond to CNN's request for comment. He testified in a Texas legislative hearing last week, opposing a GOP push during the special session to redraw the state's congressional lines. Castro told state lawmakers they are 'being used by the White House and Donald Trump.' O'Rourke's political action committee has hosted events with many of the Texas Democrats weighing statewide runs. Talarico, Castro, Rep. Jasmine Crockett and others spoke at a rally Friday in Austin. In late June, O'Rourke, Talarico and Castro all participated in a similar town hall in San Antonio hosted by O'Rourke's group. Other Democratic hopes in Ohio and Iowa Uncertainty looms over two other states Democrats hope to target: Ohio and Iowa. The party's hopes of defeating Ohio Republican Sen. Jon Husted — who was appointed by Gov. Mike DeWine in January to fill the seat formerly held by Vice President JD Vance — largely depend on whether former Sen. Sherrod Brown, who lost his reelection bid in 2024, attempts a comeback. Iowa is also a question mark, with operatives buzzing for months over rumors that Republican Sen. Joni Ernst — who faced backlash after dismissing concerns about Medicaid funding cuts by telling a crowd that 'we are all going to die' — could retire. 'There's always all kinds of chitter-chatter everywhere, but I have a lot left to do in the United States Senate, so I am not slowing down any time soon. We'll have an announcement this fall,' Ernst told Radio Iowa this month. However, Republicans have a deep bench in the red state. Many within the party believe Rep. Ashley Hinson would be the favorite in a primary to replace Ernst. The still-growing Democratic field in Iowa already includes state Rep. J.D. Scholten, state Sen. Zach Wahls and Knoxville Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Nathan Sage. Another likely long shot for Democrats is Alaska, where Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan is up for reelection. Democrats are waiting for a decision from former Rep. Mary Peltola, who lost her House seat to GOP Rep. Nick Begich last year but is viewed as perhaps the only Democrat who could turn that Senate race into a competitive one. CNN's Ed Lavandera contributed to this report.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Former North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper running for Senate
Former North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper announced he's running for Senate Monday, in a bid to succeed retiring GOP Sen. Thom Tillis, who was up for reelection in 2026 and recently said he'd retire at the end of his term. In a video post, Cooper, a Democrat, portrayed his campaign as a fight to save the middle class. "Today, for too many Americans, the middle class feels like a distant dream," he said in the video. "Meanwhile the biggest corporations and the richest Americans have grabbed unimaginable wealth at your expense. It's time for that to change." He warned that the country is now "facing a moment as fragile as any I can remember," and said the next election would "determine if we even have a middle class in America." The former governor said that he'd have preferred to stay and serve in North Carolina, but felt he had to run for Senate because of the decisions D.C. politicians have made to increase the national debt and cut health care and programs to help the poor "just to give tax breaks to billionaires." Earlier this month, Congress passed the massive spending measure known as the "big beautiful bill," which extends President Trump's 2017 tax cuts, increases border security, defense and energy production spending and is paid for in part by significant cuts to health care and nutrition programs. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that it will add $3.4 trillion to federal deficits over the next 10 years and leave millions without health insurance, though Republicans and the White House dispute those forecasts. Cooper was a two-term governor who unseated the Republican incumbent, Pat McCrory, and previously served nearly four terms as state attorney general. He was the longest-serving state attorney general in North Carolina's history. "I want to serve as your next United States Senator, because, even now, I still believe our best days are ahead," Cooper said. Republican National Committee chairman Michael Whatley is also expected to announce a bid for Tilllis' Senate seat in the coming days. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee Chair Kirsten Gillibrand welcomed Cooper to the race, saying in a joint statement that he's "a formidable candidate who will flip North Carolina's Senate seat, and his announcement is the latest indication that the Republicans' Senate majority is at risk in 2026." "The Wizard of Oz" as you've never seen it before Extreme heat scorches the East Concern grows over increased threats against U.S. lawmakers
CBS News
a day ago
- Politics
- CBS News
Former North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper running for Senate
Former North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper announced he's running for Senate Monday, in a bid to succeed retiring GOP Sen. Thom Tillis, who was up for reelection in 2026 and recently said he'd retire at the end of his term. In a video post, Cooper, a Democrat, portrayed his campaign as a fight to save the middle class. "Today, for too many Americans, the middle class feels like a distant dream," he said in the video. "Meanwhile the biggest corporations and the richest Americans have grabbed unimaginable wealth at your expense. It's time for that to change." He warned that the country is now "facing a moment as fragile as any I can remember," and said the next election would "determine if we even have a middle class in America." The former governor said that he'd have preferred to stay and serve in North Carolina, but felt he had to run for Senate because of the decisions D.C. politicians have made to increase the national debt and cut health care and programs to help the poor "just to give tax breaks to billionaires." Earlier this month, Congress passed the massive spending measure known as the "big beautiful bill," which extends President Trump's 2017 tax cuts, increases border security, defense and energy production spending and is paid for in part by significant cuts to health care and nutrition programs. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that it will add $3.4 trillion to federal deficits over the next 10 years and leave millions without health insurance, though Republicans and the White House dispute those forecasts. Cooper was a two-term governor who unseated the Republican incumbent, Pat McCrory, and previously served nearly four terms as state attorney general. He was the longest-serving state attorney general in North Carolina's history. "I want to serve as your next United States Senator, because, even now, I still believe our best days are ahead," Cooper said. Republican National Committee chairman Michael Whatley is also expected to announce a bid for Tilllis' Senate seat in the coming days. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee Chair Kirsten Gillibrand welcomed Cooper to the race, saying in a joint statement that he's "a formidable candidate who will flip North Carolina's Senate seat, and his announcement is the latest indication that the Republicans' Senate majority is at risk in 2026."
Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Pentagon dysfunction leads to awkward new questions about Pete Hegseth
Six months ago, Pete Hegseth's nomination to lead the Defense Department was very nearly defeated. Three Senate Republicans had decided to reject the scandal-plagued former Fox News host, and if they were joined by one more GOP member, Donald Trump's choice to lead the Pentagon would've failed. Sen. Thom Tillis was poised to be that fourth Republican vote — right until the North Carolina caved under partisan pressure the day before the vote. After Tillis announced that he'd retire at the end of his current term, the senator felt freer to speak his mind, and he said earlier this month that Hegseth appeared 'out of his depth' in his Cabinet position. The GOP lawmaker is hardly the only one who's noticed. The New York Times reported late last week on the growing tensions between the beleaguered secretary and U.S. military leaders, noting that Hegseth's 'insistence on absolute loyalty, backed with repeated threats of polygraphs,' has contributed to 'uncertainty and mistrust' that is undermining the armed forces' readiness and effectiveness. By some accounts, the secretary doesn't appear to be overly popular with the White House, either. The Washington Post reported: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's use of polygraph tests to search for people leaking information to the news media was stopped at the direction of the White House after a senior adviser to Hegseth raised alarm to senior officials there about being targeted, U.S. officials and others familiar with the matter said. According to the Post's reporting, which has not been independently verified by MSNBC or NBC News, Hegseth and his team had already carried out several polygraph tests, prompting complaints from Patrick Weaver, one of the secretary's senior advisers. But Weaver didn't just take his concerns to Hegseth — he went over Hegseth's head and complained to the White House, which intervened and ended the secretary's tactics. The Post's report comes a month after NBC News reported that the Defense Department has struggled to fill key vacancies in Pentagon offices in part because 'the White House has rejected some people Hegseth wants to hire.' And about a week ago, Politico reported that Hegseth backed Army Lt. Gen. Richard Angle to serve as the new director of the National Security Agency and head of U.S. Cyber Command, but the White House balked at the secretary's choice. In recent months, there have been a great many questions about whether Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is actually making decisions at his department, with Democratic Sen. Patty Murray of Washington suggesting during one recent hearing that RFK Jr. might not be the one 'making decisions' at HHS. The more we're confronted with related reporting about Hegseth, the more similar questions come to the fore about who's calling the shots at the Pentagon. This article was originally published on
Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Former North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper announces run for Senate in a win for Democrats
WASHINGTON - Roy Cooper announced he will run for an open U.S. Senate seat in North Carolina, a big win for Democrats who had been eyeing the former two-term governor as their best chance of flipping the swing state seat in the 2026 midterms. Cooper, 68, is joining what is expected to be a competitive race to succeed Republican Sen. Thom Tillis, who said he will not seek reelection. President Donald Trump has already weighed in on the race, endorsing Republican National Committee chair Michael Whatley - who has yet to announce his candidacy - in a social media post. In a video shared on X July 28, Cooper said that he 'never really wanted to go to Washington," before adding: 'But these are not ordinary times. Cooper served as the North Carolina governor from 2017 to 2025, during which he expanded Medicaid coverage in the state, raised teacher pay and worked to address climate change. He previously served in the state's legislature and as North Carolina's attorney general. After Cooper's announcement, the National Republican Senatorial Committee, the main campaigm arm for Senate Republicans, quickly released an ad criticizing him as a 'wreck.' 'There are people you trust in the driver's seat. Roy Cooper isn't one of them,' the narrator of the ad says, knocking his decision to implement COVID-19 lockdowns and veto a bill restricting transgender athletes from participating in girls' sports, among other issues. Though former Democratic Rep. Wiley Nickel of North Carolina announced a Senate run in April, numerous news reports indicate he is deciding whether to suspend his campaign. Democrats have had mixed success in North Carolina. The party last won a Senate election in North Carolina during the the 2008 cycle, when Kay Hagan defeated then-incumbent Republican Elizabeth Dole. That's also the last time a Democratic presidential nominee won the state when Barack Obama defeated John McCain en route to capturing the White House. Hagan, meantime, lost her reelection bid to Tillis in the 2014 election. Republicans currently hold a 53-47 majority in the Senate. The North Carolina Senate race will be closely watched as Democrats seek to regain control of the upper chamber and try to block Trump's second-term agenda from advancing. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Democrat Roy Cooper jumps into race for North Carolina Senate seat
