Politics, Parties, Candidates
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N.C. Republican Party: Report - Roy Cooper Evacuated From Governor's Mansion While Publicly Praising Rioters
RALEIGH, North Carolina, May 15 -- The North Carolina Republican Party posted the following news release on May 13, 2026:
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REPORT: Roy Cooper evacuated from Governor's Mansion while publicly praising rioters
Yesterday, North State Journal reported in detail the hypocrisy of Roy Cooper's public praise and private actions when downtown Raleigh burned for multiple nights.
The evacuation
Former members of law enforcement told NSJ that sometime between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. on May 31, Cooper and his family were evacuated from the mansion via a side portico entrance.
The Coopers were taken to
... Show Full Article
RALEIGH, North Carolina, May 15 -- The North Carolina Republican Party posted the following news release on May 13, 2026:
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REPORT: Roy Cooper evacuated from Governor's Mansion while publicly praising rioters
Yesterday, North State Journal reported in detail the hypocrisy of Roy Cooper's public praise and private actions when downtown Raleigh burned for multiple nights.
The evacuation
Former members of law enforcement told NSJ that sometime between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. on May 31, Cooper and his family were evacuated from the mansion via a side portico entrance.
The Coopers were taken tothe Emergency Management Operations Center (EMOC) located outside the 440 Beltline on Gold Star Drive, just off Blue Ridge Road, about 61/2 miles from the Executive Mansion.
One former officer said a team was tasked with following Cooper's motorcade to the EMOC and, once there, the team turned around and went back to aid Raleigh Police. The officer also said Cooper "had to know what was going on" in downtown Raleigh because key leadership for various law enforcement agencies were also at the EMOC.
Attempts to gain access to records of Cooper's movements that night, such as travel logs, memos and emails related to that evacuation, have failed, with the NCSHP refusing to release any documentation.
"If any logs had existed, we would treat them as sensitive public security information under NCGS 132-1.7 and therefore not consider those documents to be a public record," a public information officer for the NCSHP said in an email. It is the same response NSJ received when making a similar inquiry in 2020.
Additionally, NSJ sought other official records, including emails and relevant documents, from Cooper's tenure. However, the State Archives of North Carolina claims Cooper's papers are not yet in their possession nearly a year and a half after leaving office.
Between 500 and 1,000 people were estimated to have gathered in the downtown Raleigh area on May 30, 2020, to protest, and skirmishes with police began by early that evening.
Earlier that day, at 2:51 p.m., Cooper -- who is currently campaigning against Republican Michael Whatley to succeed Thom Tillis in the U.S. Senate -- issued a signed post on social media about Floyd, signing it "-RC."
"George Floyd and so many others should be alive right now. People are angry, frustrated and sad, and I am too. If we don't force our communities toward accountability and action then we haven't learned anything," Cooper wrote. "The protests around the country offer a space for people to make their voices heard, but they must happen without violence and further loss of life. It's time we have the difficult conversations needed to stamp out racism and end these unjust killings. - RC."
Cooper wasn't heard from again until nearly 10 hours later when he issued a statement on social media.
"I am in continuing contact with Emergency Management leaders about violence occurring in some of our cities," Cooper posted. "Frustrating that planned peaceful protests about real systemic racism are marred. I am grateful for those seeking justice peacefully. - RC"
A former officer confirmed to NSJ that protesters had approached the area of the governor's mansion on the night of May 31 and were observed throwing objects, including water bottles and bricks.
Former NCSHP members on duty that night said they were ordered to split off from assisting Raleigh Police and were diverted on foot to intervene at the Executive Mansion because the law enforcement presence at the mansion was "worried they were going to be overrun."
Officers also told NSJ they were deployed to assist Raleigh Police and restocked the police who had "expended most of their munitions."
Another former NCSHP member said during those two nights in May, they deployed more chemical munitions than in the department's history, which goes back to 1929. That officer confirmed shots were fired at them near the Capitol building, calling the scene "absolute chaos."
Marching with protesters
It is unclear exactly when Cooper returned to the Executive Mansion from the EMOC, but he was next seen in person on June 1 prior to rioting returning to the streets of Raleigh for a third night.
That afternoon, Cooper, in violation of his own executive orders on masking and social distancing, marched in front of the Executive Mansion alongside Black Lives Matter protesters. He was seen with his mask off, raising a fist and waving, as he walked from one of the gated entrances of the mansion to the other, flanked by members of his security detail.
One former law enforcement officer said Cooper's march put officers in danger.
"(Cooper) decided to come out of the mansion, putting his detail at risk, our guys at risk, because he wanted to show he was a man of the people," the officer told NSJ.
That officer also said it was a "photo op" for the cameras to see him "with his mask off in all his smirking glory" outside the governor's mansion.
Prior to his June 1 news briefing and his solidarity march with the protesters, Cooper allegedly met privately with protest organizers, one of which was Conrad James of Living Ultra-Violet.
James has a criminal record in Wake County of 13 arrests going back to 2012, six of which occurred after the 2020 protest. Those include an arrest for felony incitement to riot 20 days after allegedly meeting with Cooper.
Records show James was charged with felony incitement of a riot two more times, in October 2021 and February 2023. James' Facebook profile as of May says he now lives in Anchorage, Alaska.
NCGOP Chairman Jason Simmons said of the report, "The hypocrisy of Roy Cooper on full display while Raleigh burned. He doesn't care about the safety of North Carolinians and hid behind his taxpayer-funded security when it got too close to his front door. Our law enforcement deserves better in the U.S. Senate."
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Original text here: https://www.nc.gop/report_roy_cooper_evacuated_from_governor_s_mansion_while_publicly_praising_rioters
Mich. Democratic Party: Michigan Advance - "Rogers' Campaign Faith Coalition Has Two Ties to a Church Upended by Child Sex Crimes"
LANSING, Michigan, May 15 -- The Michigan Democratic Party issued the following news release on May 14, 2026:
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Michigan Advance: "Rogers' campaign faith coalition has two ties to a church upended by child sex crimes"
According to a new report by Michigan Advance, GOP Senate candidate Mike Rogers once again refused to address his senior campaign leaders' "ties to a church upended by child sex crimes."
On Tuesday, the Midland Daily News first reported Brian Ford appears to still be on Mike Rogers' senior campaign leadership team, despite his "ties to [a] Midland County church, where three
... Show Full Article
LANSING, Michigan, May 15 -- The Michigan Democratic Party issued the following news release on May 14, 2026:
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Michigan Advance: "Rogers' campaign faith coalition has two ties to a church upended by child sex crimes"
According to a new report by Michigan Advance, GOP Senate candidate Mike Rogers once again refused to address his senior campaign leaders' "ties to a church upended by child sex crimes."
On Tuesday, the Midland Daily News first reported Brian Ford appears to still be on Mike Rogers' senior campaign leadership team, despite his "ties to [a] Midland County church, where threeleaders over the past two years were convicted of sex crimes involving children."
When asked about Ford on Wednesday, the Advance reported that Rogers' campaign "did not address [Ford's] continued role," ignoring growing concerns from former church members who say Rogers "elevated leaders connected to the sexual abuse scandal."
Read more:
Michigan Advance (https://michiganadvance.com/2026/05/13/rogers-campaign-faith-coalition-has-two-ties-to-a-church-upended-by-child-sex-crimes/): Rogers' campaign faith coalition has two ties to a church upended by child sex crimes
* The scandal brewing at Mark Barclay's Living Word Church -- which includes three ministers being convicted and sentenced for criminal sexual conduct with minors -- now has two connections with the campaign of Republican U.S. Senate candidate Mike Rogers.
* Rogers, of White Lake, appointed Tim Cross and Brian Ford in November to his faith coalition, which comprises a senior leadership team within his campaign [...] Both Cross and Ford are lead pastors at the Muskegon and Ludington branches, respectively, of Mark Barclay Ministries, including his Living Word Church franchise.
* The branch of Living Word Church in Midland became the source of controversy and criminal allegations when three of its ministers were accused of sexually abusing children.
* Cross has since resigned from the faith coalition, later telling WJRT-TV that he apologized for not believing the victims when they initially came forward.
* When asked about Ford, campaign spokesperson Alyssa Brouillet sent a statement to Michigan Advance that did not address his continued role [...] A request for comment was sent to Ford, but was not returned.
* Additionally, two former members of Living Word Church in Midland, Dana and Dan Stahl, wrote a letter to Rogers' campaign urging the candidate to cut ties with Cross and Ford. The letter insists that Barclay used his televangelist platform "to call the victims liars and manipulate and intimidate his followers."
* The Stahls went on to write that Ford supported Barclay and Randolph throughout the trial, with Ford attending some of the court dates.
* "Ford kept James Randolph on his own church board during the conviction/trial process," the Stahls said. "Awareness is our strongest act of advocacy for survivors.
* The Midland Daily News was the latest publication to draw a line between Ford, Living Word and the Rogers campaign, prompting a response from Michigan Democratic Party spokesperson Joey Hannum that said Michigan voters deserve answers from Rogers as it relates to his faith coalition.
* "At a time when people are looking for accountability from their leaders -- especially when the safety of children is involved -- Rogers has instead chosen silence and complacency," Hannum said. "This is unacceptable for a candidate for the U.S. Senate, and it shows Rogers is wildly out of step with Michiganders' values."
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Original text here: https://michigandems.com/michigan-advance-rogers-campaign-faith-coalition-has-two-ties-to-a-church-upended-by-child-sex-crimes/
Mich. Democratic Party: Grocery Prices Up As Trump Says Let Them Eat Cake
LANSING, Michigan, May 15 -- The Michigan Democratic Party issued the following statement on May 14, 2026:
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Grocery Prices Up As Trump Says Let Them Eat Cake
In response to reports that grocery prices have jumped more over the past month than in several years, Michigan Democratic Party Chair Curtis Hertel released the following statement:
"The price of bread, milk, vegetables, and nearly everything is up. What does Donald Trump expect Americans to eat? His bullshit? It shouldn't surprise us that a billionaire doesn't 'think' about Americans struggling to feed themselves and their families.
... Show Full Article
LANSING, Michigan, May 15 -- The Michigan Democratic Party issued the following statement on May 14, 2026:
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Grocery Prices Up As Trump Says Let Them Eat Cake
In response to reports that grocery prices have jumped more over the past month than in several years, Michigan Democratic Party Chair Curtis Hertel released the following statement:
"The price of bread, milk, vegetables, and nearly everything is up. What does Donald Trump expect Americans to eat? His bullshit? It shouldn't surprise us that a billionaire doesn't 'think' about Americans struggling to feed themselves and their families.
"Trump's attack on working families is a multi-headed beast. His war of choice with Iran is pushing towards an energy crisis that makes everything that requires energy more expensive. And as the cost of food rises, he is gutting food security programs, leaving at least three millions hungry -- so far. To twist the knife, Republicans jacked up the price of healthcare for millions, leaving many unable to afford it.
"At every turn, Donald Trump and Republicans are raising costs for working families. Rather than protecting their constituents, Michigan Republicans vote against their interests."
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Original text here: https://michigandems.com/grocery-prices-up-as-trump-says-let-them-eat-cake/
Mich. Democratic Party: Barrett-Backed Bill Threatens Veterans' Healthcare
LANSING, Michigan, May 15 -- The Michigan Democratic Party issued the following news release on May 14, 2026:
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Barrett-Backed Bill Threatens Veterans' Healthcare
WLNS reported today that Rep. Tom Barrett is a lead co-sponsor of H.R. 143, which could "codify the DOGE approach into law, establishing a legal path for an administration to cut services, including VA health care."
The bill could "put more than $100 billion in annual VA medical funding on a three-year countdown clock," threatening programs that provide veterans' health care - including parts of the PACT Act. In response, Michigan
... Show Full Article
LANSING, Michigan, May 15 -- The Michigan Democratic Party issued the following news release on May 14, 2026:
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Barrett-Backed Bill Threatens Veterans' Healthcare
WLNS reported today that Rep. Tom Barrett is a lead co-sponsor of H.R. 143, which could "codify the DOGE approach into law, establishing a legal path for an administration to cut services, including VA health care."
The bill could "put more than $100 billion in annual VA medical funding on a three-year countdown clock," threatening programs that provide veterans' health care - including parts of the PACT Act. In response, MichiganDemocratic Party Chair Curtis Hertel released the following statement:
"After serving our nation, the last thing our veterans should have to worry about is whether their healthcare will be protected. Amid Trump's attacks on healthcare, Rep. Barrett should be focused on ensuring veterans' access to care, not threatening it."
Read more from WLNS (https://www.wlns.com/news/politics/veterans-healthcare-funding-threatened/):
* Rep. Tom Barrett is defending his co-sponsorship of a bill that would put more than $100 billion in annual VA medical funding on a three-year countdown clock, pushing back sharply against critics when asked whether the measure could threaten veterans' healthcare.
* At the center of programs under expired authorizations is the Veterans' Health Care Eligibility Reform Act of 1996, the law underpinning VA medical services...That money funds primary care, mental health services, specialty care and the hospital infrastructure that serves more than 9 million enrolled veterans nationwide.
* A second program under the CBO's report is Section 702(c) of the PACT Act, which authorized VA medical facility lease funds for fiscal year 2023.
* Democratic critics argue that H.R. 143 would codify the DOGE approach into law, establishing a legal path for an administration to cut services, including VA health care, if Congress fails to reauthorize programs in time.
* U.S. Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colo., a former U.S. Army officer who completed three tours in Iraq, criticized Barrett's bill, arguing it "betrays" veterans. "Tom Barrett already voted to cut healthcare for Michiganders to justify tax breaks for billionaires," said Crow. "We made a promise to our veterans, and this bill betrays that promise. Michigan vets deserve better from their leaders than proposals that'll put their care on the chopping block."
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Original text here: https://michigandems.com/barrett-backed-bill-threatens-veterans-healthcare/
Mich. Democratic Party: Another New Poll - Duggan Sinks Further, Even As His Allies Burn Money
LANSING, Michigan, May 15 -- The Michigan Democratic Party issued the following news release on May 13, 2026:
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ANOTHER NEW POLL: Duggan Sinks Further, Even As His Allies Burn Money
Trump is deeply unpopular in Michigan; two-thirds of voters say costs have risen because of Trump
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A new poll today from Mitchell Research and MIRS News shows MAGA-funded gubernatorial candidate Mike Duggan stuck in a distant third place--the second poll this week showing Duggan's campaign struggling, even as Duggan's wealthy allies have poured $14 million into the race so far.
In the Mitchell/MIRS poll,
... Show Full Article
LANSING, Michigan, May 15 -- The Michigan Democratic Party issued the following news release on May 13, 2026:
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ANOTHER NEW POLL: Duggan Sinks Further, Even As His Allies Burn Money
Trump is deeply unpopular in Michigan; two-thirds of voters say costs have risen because of Trump
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A new poll today from Mitchell Research and MIRS News shows MAGA-funded gubernatorial candidate Mike Duggan stuck in a distant third place--the second poll this week showing Duggan's campaign struggling, even as Duggan's wealthy allies have poured $14 million into the race so far.
In the Mitchell/MIRS poll,Duggan is hovering in the low-teens across three different scenarios, and pollster Steve Mitchell notes that "Duggan has clearly lost 3% or 4% since our last survey in November and seems to be less of a force than he was earlier in the campaign." Last month, a poll from the Institute for Public Policy and Social Research at Michigan State University also showed Duggan locked in third place with no movement.
This is the second poll this week that shows Duggan's campaign is clearly in crisis. The pro-Duggan Detroit Regional Chamber released a poll on Tuesday showing him in third place--and notably hurting the Republican candidate more than the Democratic candidate. Duggan's son/campaign manager even told him that the recent polling is an indicator that it's "time to come home."
The new Mitchell poll is also terrible news for all of the GOP candidates for governor as it shows Donald Trump deeply underwater in Michigan with a 56% disapproval rating, and among independent voters, Trump's approval stands at just 34%. Two-thirds of voters say that prices have risen because of Trump and his disapproval rating on the Iran war stands at 58%. Republican candidates for governor Perry Johnson, John James, and Mike Cox are currently locked in a bitter and expensive primary where they're each begging for Trump's endorsement.
"Poll after poll shows that Mike Duggan's campaign has zero path to victory and that Michigan Republicans are in serious trouble as they all support Trump's disastrous policies. Duggan's corporate allies have spent $14 million propping him up, but his campaign has gone exactly nowhere as he's cashed MAGA checks and refused to call out Trump," said Michigan Democratic Party spokesperson Derrick Honeyman. "Overall, the two new polls make one thing clear: no amount of massive spending from Mike Duggan's allies or the clown car of the GOP primary can stop Michigan voters from electing another Democratic governor who will lower costs and stand up to Trump."
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Original text here: https://michigandems.com/another-new-poll-duggan-sinks-further-even-as-his-allies-burn-money/
Mich. Democratic Party: "Time to Come Home" - Mike Duggan's Road Trip to Nowhere Not Going Well
LANSING, Michigan, May 15 -- The Michigan Democratic Party issued the following news release on May 13, 2026:
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"Time to Come Home:" Mike Duggan's Road Trip to Nowhere Not Going Well
As Duggan has gallivanted around the state, Detroit has been grappling with his dirty dirt scandal
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MAGA-funded Mike Duggan's campaign for governor is in trouble--but don't just take our word for it, take it from Duggan's own son and campaign manager.
On Wednesday, Duggan's allies at the Detroit Regional Chamber released a new poll showing Duggan "losing ground" and stuck in a distant third place, even
... Show Full Article
LANSING, Michigan, May 15 -- The Michigan Democratic Party issued the following news release on May 13, 2026:
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"Time to Come Home:" Mike Duggan's Road Trip to Nowhere Not Going Well
As Duggan has gallivanted around the state, Detroit has been grappling with his dirty dirt scandal
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MAGA-funded Mike Duggan's campaign for governor is in trouble--but don't just take our word for it, take it from Duggan's own son and campaign manager.
On Wednesday, Duggan's allies at the Detroit Regional Chamber released a new poll showing Duggan "losing ground" and stuck in a distant third place, evenas a pro-Duggan dark money group has spent approximately $14 million attempting to boost his campaign. Duggan has collapsed among Democratic voters, and he's now hurting Republicans more than Democrats.
At an event on Wednesday night, Duggan acknowledged the brutal new poll and said that his son/campaign manager told him it's an indicator that it's "time to come home," according to Gongwer News Service.
Duggan's campaign strategy has left many "scratching their heads" as he's been "echoing conservative rhetoric," attacked Democrats, and even complained about Rick Snyder's harmful policies being repealed. Duggan has defended Trump's cuts to Medicaid, deflected questions about Trump's toxic tax law and his campaign is being funded by MAGA donors and prominent Republicans.
Back home in Detroit, Duggan's dirty dirt scandal is now under FBI investigation and continuing to grow in scope and cost to taxpayers. Journalist Tom Perkins noted earlier this year that Duggan was now "skating out of town, leaving these pits full of toxic waste next to people."
"Mike Duggan's campaign is a self-serving ego trip on a road to nowhere, and with his campaign in crisis, Duggan's own son and campaign manager is telling him that it's time to come home," said Michigan Democratic Party spokesperson Derrick Honeyman. "The more voters learn the truth about Mike Duggan's record of taking MAGA cash, bowing down to Trump, and leaving poisonous dirt strewn across Detroit, the more his poll numbers drop."
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Original text here: https://michigandems.com/time-to-come-home-mike-duggans-road-trip-to-nowhere-not-going-well/
Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee: Trump Admits He Doesn't Think About Americans' Financial Situation & GOP Senate Candidates Are Proving They Don't Either
WASHINGTON, May 15 -- The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee posted the following news release:
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Trump Admits He Doesn't Think About Americans' Financial Situation & GOP Senate Candidates Are Proving They Don't Either
As families in Senate battleground states across the country struggle with rising costs across the board, surging inflation, gas price spikes in every single state, and a worsening and more costly health care crisis, Donald Trump made clear that Republicans "don't think about Americans' financial situation at all."
Republican Senate candidates have clearly been following
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, May 15 -- The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee posted the following news release:
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Trump Admits He Doesn't Think About Americans' Financial Situation & GOP Senate Candidates Are Proving They Don't Either
As families in Senate battleground states across the country struggle with rising costs across the board, surging inflation, gas price spikes in every single state, and a worsening and more costly health care crisis, Donald Trump made clear that Republicans "don't think about Americans' financial situation at all."
Republican Senate candidates have clearly been followingTrump's lead, dismissing Americans' affordability concerns and even blaming working people for their own financial hardship, telling voters that they will be "fine," calling spiking prices "a small price to pay," and encouraging them to "be patriots" as Senate Republicans plow ahead with a plan to spend $1 billion in taxpayer money on Donald Trump's gilded White House ballroom while working families are paying more at the gas pump, at the grocery store, and for health care.
Here's what Republican Senate Candidates really think about Americans' financial struggles:
* Alaska GOP Senate Candidate DAN SULLIVAN claimed the economy is headed in the "right direction" as rural Alaskans face prices of up to $10 a gallon for fuel.
* Georgia GOP Senate Candidate BUDDY CARTER dismissed tariff price hikes as just "short-term pain."
* Michigan GOP Senate Candidate MIKE ROGERS responded to a Michigander concerned with rising gas prices by saying, "... We're going to be fine. We got plenty of oil." He also previously mocked concerns over rising costs, saying "Oh my gosh, coffee went up, you know, horror" and that there is "no [appreciative] inflation, as a matter of fact it's down [...] and that means working families, not paying more."
* Minnesota GOP Senate Candidate MICHELE TAFOYA told Minnesotans that they should keep "a stiff upper lip," "take one less trip to Starbucks," and "just try to be patriots" about spiking gas prices.
* Mississippi GOP Senate Candidate CINDY HYDE-SMITH told Mississippians who can't afford the rising costs of beef that they had "so many proteins to choose from, and all commodities go through peaks and valleys...."
* North Carolina GOP Senate Candidate MICHAEL WHATLEY told voters to "take a look at what's happening with the economy. President Trump campaigned on bringing down gasoline prices, grocery prices, and housing prices. How are we doing?"
* Ohio GOP Senate Candidate JON HUSTED told struggling Ohioans that they are "not very experienced at navigating the real world" and said they need to "learn how to budget." He argued that the solution to the affordability crisis is to "earn more," and said that Ohioans' work ethic is "broken."
* Texas GOP Senate Candidate JOHN CORNYN said that rising gas prices were "a small price to pay" and that "if the American people understood, they would certainly agree."
* Iowa GOP Senate Candidate ASHLEY HINSON claimed that "Iowans are earning more [and] paying less after Trump's return" - meanwhile, Iowa hospitals are closing, and farmers face their "toughest times since the 1980s crisis," and paying more for fertilizer.
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Original text here: https://www.dscc.org/article/trump-admits-he-doesnt-think-about-americans-financial-situation-gop-senate-candidates-are-proving-they-dont-either/
