On Friday night, President Donald Trump addressed supporters in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, marking the beginning of his campaign efforts for the state's upcoming midterm elections. During his speech, he strongly criticized Democratic Senate candidate Roy Cooper, labeling him as part of the "radical left."
Political Attacks and Endorsements
Trump praised Republican candidate Michael Whatley, calling him "phenomenal" and urging voters to support him. "People were sitting in the mud, but I helped rebuild your state, and I didn't get any help from the Democrats," Trump said. "Not your governor, not your man who's running for Senate against Michael Whatley — who's phenomenal."
He also referenced the death of Iryna Zarutska, a Ukrainian refugee in Charlotte, blaming Cooper for policies that led to her assailant's release. "He's radical left, you don't want him. He doesn't represent you. Look at the crime — look at what's going on with all the crime here," Trump said. "You gotta get Michael Whatley. It's gonna be so important, he was so great."
Economic Claims and Criticism
In his remarks, Trump focused on the economy, taking credit for job growth in North Carolina and blaming former President Joe Biden for inflation. "They're the ones, of course, that caused the highest inflation in the history of our country, which led to the highest prices in the history of our country," Trump said. "I inherited the mess."
He later joked about media fact-checking, adjusting his statement to say inflation was the worst in 48 years, not in history. Government data showed inflation dropped from 3% in September to 2.7% in November, but economists attributed the decline to shutdown-related distortions.
Campaign Responses and Voter Sentiments
In response, Jordan Monaghan, a spokesperson for the Cooper campaign, defended Cooper's record. "Roy Cooper is the only candidate who spent his career prosecuting violent criminals and keeping thousands of them behind bars as attorney general, and signing tough on crime laws and stricter pretrial release bail policy as governor," Monaghan said.
Whatley also spoke at the event, criticizing Cooper's policies. "This is a man who over the course of his career has fought harder for criminals than he did victims," Whatley said. "We don't need to reimagine law enforcement. We need to back the blue, and we need to enforce the law."
Supporters at the rally expressed mixed feelings. Chuck Herring, a voter from Wilson, said, "I don't really know a lot about him other than I probably will vote for him." Wayne Lucas, a Trump supporter from Nash County, shared a personal anecdote about Cooper from their school days, noting his height advantage in Little League baseball.
Other Political Targets
Trump also targeted Rep. Don Davis (D-N.C.), accusing him of betraying North Carolina by supporting Biden's policies. "Don Davis voted against no tax on overtime. He voted against no tax on tips, and he voted for the largest tax increase in American history," he said.
Despite not endorsing any Republican candidates for the nomination to face Davis, Trump acknowledged several contenders at the rally, including Laurie Buckhout, whom he praised for her work in his administration.
