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N.C. Republican Party: Michael Whatley Slams Roy Cooper's Soft-on-Crime Agenda and Record of Raising Costs at Republican Midterm Convention
RALEIGH, North Carolina, Sept. 10 -- The North Carolina Republican Party issued the following news release on Sept. 9, 2026:
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Michael Whatley Slams Roy Cooper's Soft-on-Crime Agenda and Record of Raising Costs at Republican Midterm Convention
DALLAS - Today, at the RNC Midterm Convention Michael Whatley spoke about how Roy Cooper allowed healthcare premiums to rise 183%, to the highest in the nation, as well as Cooper's soft-on-crime record releasing over 4,000 hardened criminals who went on to kill 25 innocent North Carolinians.
Excerpts of Whatley's remarks as prepared for delivery:
"Ladies
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RALEIGH, North Carolina, Sept. 10 -- The North Carolina Republican Party issued the following news release on Sept. 9, 2026:
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Michael Whatley Slams Roy Cooper's Soft-on-Crime Agenda and Record of Raising Costs at Republican Midterm Convention
DALLAS - Today, at the RNC Midterm Convention Michael Whatley spoke about how Roy Cooper allowed healthcare premiums to rise 183%, to the highest in the nation, as well as Cooper's soft-on-crime record releasing over 4,000 hardened criminals who went on to kill 25 innocent North Carolinians.
Excerpts of Whatley's remarks as prepared for delivery:
"Ladiesand Gentlemen, and Republicans from across North Carolina...and the nation. It is an honor to stand here today as your nominee for the United States Senate from the great state of North Carolina.
"With the November election just 55 days away, let's talk about what Republicans have accomplished for working families and what radical Democrats have stood against.
"Under President Trump's leadership, Republicans passed the Working Families Tax Cuts... and put thousands of dollars back into the hands of families and our seniors.
"My opponent, Roy Cooper, has said he opposes this bill... and the tax relief it has provided North Carolina families - an average of $5,700 per household. He wants you to pay MORE taxes.
"Republicans also passed the Rural Health Transformation Program, providing billions for rural healthcare across the nation, including over $200 million for North Carolina.
"Roy Cooper opposed this too. Which is outrageous because Cooper killed many rural healthcare facilities, forcing North Carolinians to travel large distances to receive the care they need.
"Republicans will not stand for this. We support our rural communities
across North Carolina and as your next senator I will ALWAYS have their backs.
"Through TrumpRX and reinstating Most Favored Nation Status, Republicans have helped Americans to get their prescription drugs at the lowest possible cost.
"This has saved everyday Americans over $700 million in less than one year.
"Democrats like Roy Cooper opposed this too...
"Under Roy Cooper's reign, North Carolina became the most expensive state in the nation for healthcare costs.
"Under his watch, health care companies raised insurance premiums 183%, hurting our families' bottom lines... as they already struggle to make ends meet thanks to Democrat's reckless spending and record- setting inflation.
"Not surprisingly, Cooper has accepted $400,000 from them in financial contributions.
"Folks, this is the radical Democrat's playbook.
"To raise costs on our families.
"To impose a reckless tax and spend agenda.
"To release violent criminals from prison, like Roy Cooper did in North Carolina.
"Cooper setup a revolving door, that put criminals back on the streets again, and again, and again . . .
"And released 4,200 hardened criminals from our prisons. And what did they do?
"2200 of them have been rearrested - more than half - including 99 for rape or sexual assault. More than 600 for violent felonies. And 25 went on to commitmurder.
"Including DeCarlos Brown Jr., who last year boarded a light rail car in Charlotte and brutally murdered a Ukrainian refugee named Iryna Zarutska in cold blood.
"That monster should have never been on the streets.
"That monster should have never been on that light rail car.
"And Iryna Zarutska should be alive today.
"Her blood is on his hands.
"Hundreds of families across North Carolina have been shattered because of Roy Cooper's reckless actions.
"There will be 25 open seats at the dinner table forever because of Roy Cooper. When it comes to keeping our kids and communities safe, Cooper was the worst governor in the history of North Carolina.
"The American Dream... and families across our nation are under assault thanks to the radical, extreme policies of Democrats like Roy Cooper.
"I have been able to live the American Dream in North Carolina, and as North Carolina's next Senator... I will fight every day to ensure that Dream stays alive for every one of our kids and our grandkids.
"But that requires us to fight.
"I will fight for our families,
"I will fight for every North Carolina community,
"I will fight for our way of life, and fight to keep Democrats' radical, extreme far left agenda out of the Senate.
"As the next Senator for North Carolina, I will always fight for our values, and I will fight for you.
"Thank you."
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Original text here: https://www.nc.gop/michael_whatley_slams_roy_cooper_s_soft_on_crime_agenda_and_record_of_raising_costs_at_republican_midterm_convention
Democratic Governors Association: Slick Rick Jackson Dogged by New Scandal and Continued GOP Disunity
WASHINGTON, Sept. 10 -- The Democratic Governors Association posted the following news on Sept. 8, 2026:
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Slick Rick Jackson Dogged by New Scandal and Continued GOP Disunity
Facing fresh scrutiny of his business scandals and a deeply divided Republican party, Slick Rick Jackson is floundering as Georgia's gubernatorial race hits the final sprint.
New reporting on Labor Day from The Daily Beast exposed Jackson Nurse Professionals for paying "nearly $2 million to nursing staff after being accused of failing to pay overtime and other wages owed." It's the latest revelation about how Slick
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WASHINGTON, Sept. 10 -- The Democratic Governors Association posted the following news on Sept. 8, 2026:
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Slick Rick Jackson Dogged by New Scandal and Continued GOP Disunity
Facing fresh scrutiny of his business scandals and a deeply divided Republican party, Slick Rick Jackson is floundering as Georgia's gubernatorial race hits the final sprint.
New reporting on Labor Day from The Daily Beast exposed Jackson Nurse Professionals for paying "nearly $2 million to nursing staff after being accused of failing to pay overtime and other wages owed." It's the latest revelation about how SlickRick rigs the system for himself - at the expense of everyone. A few weeks ago, CNN reported that Jackson's Avant Healthcare Professionals settled a $3 million class action lawsuit over allegations of trafficking nurses.
The scandal comes as NBC highlights how Georgia Republicans continue to have a "unity problem" and are struggling to "build a winning coalition" to elect Jackson, with Lt. Governor Burt Jones, Jackson's primary opponent, repeatedly refusing to endorse Jackson after a bruising and litigious primary. One Republican operative even compared trying to unify Georgia Republicans to putting Humpty Dumpty back together.
Read more about Jackson's campaign setbacks:
The Daily Beast (https://www.thedailybeast.com/maga-billionaire-rick-jacksons-ugly-business-baggage-exposed/): MAGA Billionaire's Ugly Business Baggage Exposed
* A MAGA billionaire vowing to create record jobs if he becomes Georgia's next governor has come under fire over multi-million-dollar payments his companies made to settle claims that they exploited workers and breached labor laws.
* Health executive-turned-Republican gubernatorial candidate Rick Jackson has pitched himself as someone who can boost jobs and the economy, with Donald Trump even attributing his electoral success so far to his business acumen and MAGA views.
* "Congratulations to Rick Jackson, who very successfully campaigned on being 'TRUMP', and won," the president said after Jackson won his GOP primary run-off in June.
* "He will be your next Governor of Georgia. Can't wait!"
* But documents show that at least two companies within Jackson's health empire agreed to class action settlements over claims they failed to properly pay thousands of workers.
* The Daily Beast can reveal that one of those companies agreed to pay nearly $2 million to nursing staff after being accused of failing to pay overtime and other wages owed.
* Last month, CNN also revealed that another Jackson Healthcare company agreed to a $3 million settlement against foreign-born nurses who accused it of exploiting the very immigrant workers it recruited to the U.S.
* But the gubernatorial race between Jackson and former Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms is much tighter, raising the stakes in a state that has not elected a Democrat governor since 1998.
* Jackson's campaign depicts him as a "conservative outsider" who went from a modest upbringing to become a healthcare titan with his Jackson Healthcare empire.
* In a post on X, Jackson also vowed to "create more jobs than have ever been created in the history of Georgia". He also said that he would bring "business solutions to Georgia just like President Trump has for the United States--with a Southern tone."
* "I have built a $3 billion business without any outside financial help, and when you know how to do stuff like that, you can do a lot of things to solve problems, and that's what I plan to do all over the state," he said in April.
* But in 2022, Jackson Nurse Professionals, a travel nursing staffing company that is part of Jackson Healthcare, agreed to settle a 2017 class action from workers accusing the company of failing to properly pay their overtime, bonuses, and wages owed when they left their jobs.
* The settlement of almost $2 million covered about 300 workers. A separate $3 million settlement involving another subsidiary, Avante Healthcare Professionals, covered more than 5,000 current and former international workers.
* It is also not the first time the MAGA billionaire has come under scrutiny.
* In June, a bombshell recording captured him apparently agreeing that women should have to "prove" they were raped in order to qualify for an abortion.
* The recording was made at a campaign event and showed the healthcare executive discussing abortion with a voter who objected to exceptions for pregnancies resulting from rape. But his campaign pushed back strongly on characterizations of the comments, accusing critics of distorting his position.
NBC (https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2026-election/republicans-struggle-unite-georgias-key-races-bruising-primaries-rcna595579): Republicans struggle to unite in Georgia's key races after bruising primaries
* Republicans appear to have a unity problem in Georgia.
* In both of the battleground state's marquee contests this fall, Republican power brokers have yet to fully rally around either of their nominees, Rep. Mike Collins for Senate and billionaire Rick Jackson for governor, months after they emerged from bruising primaries. It stands in stark contrast to the Democrats, who have coalesced quickly behind Sen. Jon Ossoff and gubernatorial candidate Keisha Lance Bottoms.
* The dynamic has sparked concerns within the GOP, less than 60 days from Election Day, that its statewide candidates will struggle to build a winning coalition amid a broader political environment that is presenting headwinds for the party.
* More than 11 weeks since that mid-June runoff, Jones has not endorsed Jackson, a political newcomer who spent tens of millions of his own money on his way to winning the nomination. Kemp has not explicitly endorsed Collins, saying only that he will be "supporting the Republican ticket this fall." And while Collins and Jackson are now both backed by Trump, they have yet to appear together on the campaign trail.
* "It's always hard to put Humpty Dumpty back together after a primary," said veteran Georgia Republican operative Chip Lake, who worked for an independent committee that supported Jones in the gubernatorial primary. "Does it seem like it's harder this cycle? Yes."
* In the race for governor, Jones has continually refused to commit to supporting Jackson, saying over the summer that his former opponent had "alienated" a huge chunk of the conservative and grassroots constituencies of the GOP in the state.
* Their primary battle featured multiple lawsuits against one another. Jones' family's gas company sued Jackson for defamation in June, seeking $100 million in damages, while Jackson sued Jones twice -- including another defamation suit.
* The blood between the two Republicans remains so bad that Trump has tried to intervene. The president offered Jones an appointment as the ambassador to Germany in exchange for endorsing Jackson, a Trump adviser familiar with the situation told NBC News. Jones hasn't accepted the offer, the adviser said. News of that offer was first reported by NOTUS.
* Jackson and Jones did meet in person in recent weeks at Trump's urging, according to another person familiar with that meeting. That person described the meeting as "cordial," but "there was no breakthrough" in reaching a peace between the two men.
* Still, Lake said that Republican divisions in the state are substantial -- and possibly beyond repair.
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Original text here: https://democraticgovernors.org/updates/slick-rick-jackson-dogged-by-new-scandal-and-continued-gop-disunity/
Democratic Governors Association: In Maine, Bobby Charles' Sister Endorses Hannah Pingree for Governor
WASHINGTON, Sept. 10 -- The Democratic Governors Association posted the following news on Sept. 9, 2026:
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In Maine, Bobby Charles' Sister Endorses Hannah Pingree for Governor
Today, in a new op-ed in the Portland Press Herald, Republican nominee Bobby Charles' sister, Anita Charles, endorsed Hannah Pingree for Governor. In the deeply personal piece, Anita said she "cannot support my brother's campaign for governor" because of his anti-choice positions, his agenda that would hurt public schools, his relationship with convicted criminal Dennis Hastert, and his divisive and polarizing campaign.
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WASHINGTON, Sept. 10 -- The Democratic Governors Association posted the following news on Sept. 9, 2026:
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In Maine, Bobby Charles' Sister Endorses Hannah Pingree for Governor
Today, in a new op-ed in the Portland Press Herald, Republican nominee Bobby Charles' sister, Anita Charles, endorsed Hannah Pingree for Governor. In the deeply personal piece, Anita said she "cannot support my brother's campaign for governor" because of his anti-choice positions, his agenda that would hurt public schools, his relationship with convicted criminal Dennis Hastert, and his divisive and polarizing campaign.In the op-ed, Charles says her brother's campaign does not reflect the values she was taught growing up.
Read excerpts from the op-ed below:
Portland Press Herald (https://www.pressherald.com/2026/09/09/im-bobby-charles-sister-im-voting-for-hannah-pingree-opinion/): I'm Bobby Charles' sister. I'm voting for Hannah Pingree. | Opinion
* My mother taught me and my brother, Bobby Charles, that how we treat other people matters.
* She taught us to be compassionate, not to name-call or judge people by their race, gender, religion, country of origin or who they love. She taught us that differences do not diminish us, and that we have a responsibility to treat others with dignity. Those lessons shaped my entire life, as well as my career.
* They are also the reason I cannot support my brother's campaign for governor.
* The values my mother raised us with are not the values his campaign represents today. Bobby's rhetoric and campaign platform contradict those values.
* In my career, I've been a lifelong educator and a teacher of teachers-to-be. I have lived in Maine since I was 7, aside from two early-career years away. I have been married for 35 years to a man who grew up here, and we have raised five children in this state. Maine is my home, through and through. The same cannot be said for my brother.
* Bobby and I have never agreed politically. For most of our adult lives, we have managed those differences with civility. But as divisive rhetoric has become central to his campaign, I can no longer remain silent. It shows up in how he talks about our schools, our vulnerable communities and about women's healthcare.
* I know education the way a heart surgeon knows the heart. Maine's schools face real challenges, and we should have honest conversations about them. But those conversations require more than pointing to a single standardized test score.
* I do not believe Bobby has set foot in a public school since he was 18. He has not witnessed what Maine educators do every day, yet he speaks with false certainty about what is wrong with our schools. He's a D.C. lobbyist who spent more than 30 years in Washington.
* I am also troubled by the way Bobby talks about people who are different from him. Maine communities are stronger because of the people who make them up. We do not all look alike, worship alike, love alike or experience the world in the same way. That diversity is part of what makes Maine strong. Unfortunately, Bobby campaigns against groups that include members of our own extended family.
* But there is one issue I cannot discuss without speaking from the deepest part of my own experience: sexual assault.
* Bobby was a close friend and colleague of former House Speaker Dennis Hastert from 1995 to 1999. He praised Hastert and benefited from their relationship as he built his career in Washington. Hastert later admitted to sexually abusing children and was convicted of illegally paying hush money to conceal that abuse. Bobby has never publicly renounced that association.
* That is difficult for me to understand because my own childhood was marked by sexual violence. Someone who was part of our lives for more than a decade was a pedophile who repeatedly assaulted me. My brother has known what happened to me for 50 years.
* Under the anti-choice positions Bobby holds today, even in cases of rape, I would not have been able to make a decision about my own body should that have become necessary. This isn't a debate I'm observing from a distance; it's about my childhood. And it's about my ongoing health and well-being as a woman.
* I am speaking now because silence would betray the values my mother taught us and the values I have spent my life passing on to others.
* Maine deserves leadership rooted in empathy, dignity, intellectual honesty and respect for every person who calls this state home. That person is not Bobby. That is why I cannot, in good conscience, support my brother's campaign for governor. I'm casting my vote for Hannah Pingree.
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Original text here: https://democraticgovernors.org/updates/in-maine-bobby-charles-sister-endorses-hannah-pingree-for-governor/
DNC: Trump Takes Pay-to-Play Politics to New Lows
WASHINGTON, Sept. 10 -- The Democratic National Committee posted the following news release on Sept. 9, 2026:
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Trump Takes Pay-to-Play Politics to New Lows
Donald Trump's presidency has been defined by rampant corruption and lucrative self-dealing as he and his family have used his office to enrich themselves and line the pockets of their rich elite donors.
The campaign finance reports of Trump's super PAC, MAGA Inc., revealed how various companies that donated to MAGA Inc. were subsequently awarded massive federal contracts or favorable actions from the administration. A subsidiary owned
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WASHINGTON, Sept. 10 -- The Democratic National Committee posted the following news release on Sept. 9, 2026:
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Trump Takes Pay-to-Play Politics to New Lows
Donald Trump's presidency has been defined by rampant corruption and lucrative self-dealing as he and his family have used his office to enrich themselves and line the pockets of their rich elite donors.
The campaign finance reports of Trump's super PAC, MAGA Inc., revealed how various companies that donated to MAGA Inc. were subsequently awarded massive federal contracts or favorable actions from the administration. A subsidiary ownedby the private prison company GEO Group donated more than $1.4 million to Trump's super PAC after the Trump administration awarded the company at least $165 million in federal contracts to operate ICE detention centers.
Trump's sons, Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, have similarly appeared to leverage their positions to further their business ventures and help companies in which they invested or joined. The head of the defense contracting firm Hadrian -- which is backed by Trump Jr.'s investment firm 1789 Capital -- donated nearly $450,000 to Republicans just months after winning a $900 million contract from the federal government. The same month, executives from Trump Jr.'s firm -- whose invested companies have received numerous government contracts -- donated a combined $300,000 to the Republican National Committee. The administration has similarly funneled hundreds of millions of dollars into companies linked to Trump's children, including at least four portfolio companies of 1789 Capital.
Trump has also paused investigations or dropped lawsuits into companies and billionaires who have enriched his family and businesses, including securities fraud cases and investigations into crypto billionaires who infused over $1 billion into Trump-owned crypto ventures. Since returning to office, Trump has pardoned more than 70 convicted fraudsters, including those who would be expectedly targeted by JD Vance's "anti-fraud" task force. Trump's pardoning of these fraudsters has potentially cost American taxpayers and their victims hundreds of millions of dollars in unpaid fines and restitution.
Just this week, new reporting revealed that Trump gave $45,000 in cash gifts to three aides, including Natalie Harp, potentially violating federal ethics codes.
In response, DNC Rapid Response Director Kendall Witmer released the following statement:
"Donald Trump has used the presidency as his personal ATM every chance he gets. While working families break the bank to afford gas, groceries, and medicine, Trump and his administration have leveraged their taxpayer-funded government positions to enrich themselves and hand out favors to his ultra-rich friends. Americans are sick and tired of Trump and his inner circle using their public office to make an extra buck, while they do nothing to lower costs for working families."
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Original text here: https://democrats.org/trump-takes-pay-to-play-politics-to-new-lows/
DNC: Global Oil Prices Hit $100 a Barrel for First Time Since July
WASHINGTON, Sept. 10 -- The Democratic National Committee posted the following news release on Sept. 9, 2026:
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Global Oil Prices Hit $100 a Barrel for First Time Since July
As Donald Trump and Republicans gather for their so-called midterm convention in Dallas today, the global oil price hit $100 a barrel for the first time since July.
Trump, JD Vance, and Republicans led America into a war with Iran that continues to drag toward the seven-month mark with no end in sight. Everyday Americans have already spent an additional $72 billion on gas since Trump's war began -- approximately $604
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WASHINGTON, Sept. 10 -- The Democratic National Committee posted the following news release on Sept. 9, 2026:
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Global Oil Prices Hit $100 a Barrel for First Time Since July
As Donald Trump and Republicans gather for their so-called midterm convention in Dallas today, the global oil price hit $100 a barrel for the first time since July.
Trump, JD Vance, and Republicans led America into a war with Iran that continues to drag toward the seven-month mark with no end in sight. Everyday Americans have already spent an additional $72 billion on gas since Trump's war began -- approximately $604per household.
Earlier this year, Trump admitted he doesn't consider Americans' financial situations "even a little bit," and said he will "never apologize" for prices increasing as a result of his war with Iran.
In response, DNC Rapid Response Director Kendall Witmer released the following statement:
"As Donald Trump and his Republicans kick off their dog-and-pony show, everyday Americans are grappling with gas prices that just keep getting more expensive. Instead of providing any relief to working families, or fixing the mess they created, Republicans are focused on inflating Trump's ego. Voters will remember who is fighting to lower costs come November."
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Original text here: https://democrats.org/new-global-oil-prices-hit-100-a-barrel-for-first-time-since-july/
DNC Congratulates Helena Foulkes on Winning Rhode Island's Democratic Primary for Governor
WASHINGTON, Sept. 10 -- The Democratic National Committee posted the following news release:
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DNC Congratulates Helena Foulkes on Winning Rhode Island's Democratic Primary for Governor
The DNC congratulates Helena Foulkes on winning Rhode Island's Democratic primary for governor. Voters throughout the state turned out to support candidates who are focused on lowering costs and making life more affordable.
In response to Helena Foulkes' victory, DNC Chair Ken Martin released the following statement:
"As a businesswoman, community leader, and lifelong Rhode Islander, Helena Foulkes has
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WASHINGTON, Sept. 10 -- The Democratic National Committee posted the following news release:
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DNC Congratulates Helena Foulkes on Winning Rhode Island's Democratic Primary for Governor
The DNC congratulates Helena Foulkes on winning Rhode Island's Democratic primary for governor. Voters throughout the state turned out to support candidates who are focused on lowering costs and making life more affordable.
In response to Helena Foulkes' victory, DNC Chair Ken Martin released the following statement:
"As a businesswoman, community leader, and lifelong Rhode Islander, Helena Foulkes hasa proven track record of bringing people together to solve problems for working families. She has the experience and common-sense vision necessary to tackle the affordability crisis, lower costs, and deliver for communities across the state. As governor, Helena will expand access to healthcare, improve public education, make housing and childcare more affordable, lower utility bills, create good-paying jobs, and support small businesses. The DNC is ready to help mobilize voters to elect candidates like her who will improve the lives of all Rhode Islanders."
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Original text here: https://democrats.org/dnc-congratulates-helena-foulkes-on-winning-rhode-islands-democratic-primary-for-governor/
DGA Chair Gov. Andy Beshear Statement on Rhode Island Democratic Primary Results
WASHINGTON, Sept. 10 -- The Democratic Governors Association posted the following news on Sept. 9, 2026:
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DGA Chair Gov. Andy Beshear Statement on Rhode Island Democratic Primary Results
DGA Chair Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear released the following statement on Helena Foulkes securing the Democratic nomination for governor in Rhode Island:
"This was a hard-fought primary and the DGA congratulates Helena Foulkes on becoming the Democratic governor nominee in Rhode Island. Helena is a deeply experienced, compassionate leader who knows how to take care of people and get results - and will be
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WASHINGTON, Sept. 10 -- The Democratic Governors Association posted the following news on Sept. 9, 2026:
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DGA Chair Gov. Andy Beshear Statement on Rhode Island Democratic Primary Results
DGA Chair Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear released the following statement on Helena Foulkes securing the Democratic nomination for governor in Rhode Island:
"This was a hard-fought primary and the DGA congratulates Helena Foulkes on becoming the Democratic governor nominee in Rhode Island. Helena is a deeply experienced, compassionate leader who knows how to take care of people and get results - and will bean outstanding governor for the Ocean State. On day one, Helena will hit the ground running to make Rhode Island more affordable, grow the state's economy, fight back against Trump's attacks, and move her state forward. We look forward to working with Helena and we are confident that she will win in November.
"I also want to thank Governor Dan McKee for his decades of public service to the people of Rhode Island. From coaching his town's basketball team to leading his state, Gov. McKee has always been an exemplary public servant dedicated to making Rhode Island a better place for kids and families. He has been a trusted and valued colleague to me and my fellow Democratic governors, and there's no doubt he'll finish out his term by continuing to deliver for working families."
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Original text here: https://democraticgovernors.org/updates/dga-chair-gov-andy-beshear-statement-on-rhode-island-democratic-primary-results/
