The North Carolina General Assembly overrode Gov. Josh Stein&#8217;s veto to ban state funding of transgender medical procedures for minors.
&#8220;No State funds may be used, directly or indirectly, for the performance of or in furtherance of surgical gender transition procedures, or to provide puberty-blocking drugs or cross-sex hormones to a minor, or to support the administration of any governmental health plan or government-offered insurance policy offering surgical gender transition procedures, puberty-blocking drugs, or cross-sex hormones to a minor,&#8221; the law says.
The ban also ends transgender medical procedures for prisoners incarcerated in the state prison system.
The legislation was part of H.B. 805, which also states that there are only two sexes, defines &#8220;female&#8221; and &#8220;male,&#8221; restricts pornographic content to prevent exploitation of women and minors, and gives parents more control in schools and libraries.
Conservative activist Riley Gaines celebrated the bill&#8217;s passing on social media.
&#8220;NC legislature just overrode Gov Stein&#8217;s veto of HB 805,&#8221; she said. &#8220;BOOM.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
NC legislature just overrode Gov Stein&#8217;s veto of HB 805.
This bill: 
&#8211; defines &#8220;woman&#8221; &amp; &#8220;man&#8221; 
&#8211; restricts pornographic content 
&#8211; prohibits state funding for chemical/surgical castration for minors and prisoners 
&#8211; gives parents more control in schools
BOOM👏🏼 <a href="https://t.co/Yb4lWETEF2">pic.twitter.com/Yb4lWETEF2</a>
— Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) <a href="https://twitter.com/Riley_Gaines_/status/1950219969163125073?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 29, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Stein vetoed multiple bills in early July, including H.B. 805, calling them &#8220;mean-spirited.&#8221;
&#8220;At a time when teachers, law enforcement, and state employees need pay raises and people need shorter lines at the DMV, the legislature failed to pass a budget and, instead, wants to distract us by stoking culture wars that further divide us,&#8221; Stein said. &#8220;These mean-spirited bills would marginalize vulnerable people and also undermine the quality of public services and public education.&#8221;
Stein is a Democrat, but Republicans hold a majority in the state House and Senate. Despite being one seat short of a supermajority in the House, Republicans were able to override Stein&#8217;s veto of multiple bills thanks to Democrats breaking with their party.
Another override was H.B. 318, the Criminal Illegal Alien Enforcement Act.
&#8220;This commonsense law requires sheriffs to check immigration status when someone is charged with a serious crime — and if they&#8217;re here illegally, they must be turned over to [Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)],&#8221; Majority Leader Brenden Jones said on social media.
A few bills passed the Senate override, but are waiting on votes in the House, CBS17 <a href="https://www.cbs17.com/news/capitol-report/slew-of-bills-become-law-in-north-carolina-as-veto-overrides-pass-senate-and-house/">reported</a>. They include bills banning diversity, equity, and inclusion programs in higher and public education; a bill requiring cooperation with ICE; and a bill allowing individuals over 18 to carry a gun without a concealed carry permit. It is unclear if those bills will clear the supermajority threshold in the House.

Latino voters in the swing state of North Carolina

North Carolina Lawmakers Override Dem Gov’s Veto, Ban State Funding For Trans Procedures On Minors

North Carolina

Prisons

Social Issues

Transgender

U.S.

Former North Carolina Democratic Governor Roy Cooper jumped into what many predict will be the most competitive race of the 2026 midterms on Monday, announcing his campaign for the U.S. Senate in a video posted to social media.
&#8220;I never really wanted to go to Washington … but these are not ordinary times,&#8221; the former governor said. “I thought on it and prayed about it, and I’ve decided: I want to serve as your next United States senator, because even now, I still believe our best days are ahead of us.”
Cooper&#8217;s entry comes after incumbent GOP Senator Thom Tillis <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tillis-buckles-to-trump-threat-wont-seek-reelection">announced</a> last month he wouldn&#8217;t seek reelection following President Trump&#8217;s public attacks on his vote opposing a motion to advance the Big, Beautiful Bill, which was signed into law on July 4.
Cooper, who served as North Carolina&#8217;s governor from 2017 to 2025, enters the race as a formidable candidate — a two-term governor who won statewide elections in 2016 and 2020, while Trump carried North Carolina, according to POLITICO.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
I have thought on it and prayed about it, and I have decided: I am running to be the next U.S. Senator from North Carolina. <a href="https://t.co/jXvuioO1T0">pic.twitter.com/jXvuioO1T0</a>
— Roy Cooper (@RoyCooperNC) <a href="https://twitter.com/RoyCooperNC/status/1949801503801155964?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 28, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The former governor&#8217;s announcement, combined with Tillis&#8217; exit, has bolstered Democrats&#8217; otherwise slim chances of retaking control of the Senate, where Republicans currently maintain a 53-47 majority.
Cook Political Report <a href="https://www.cookpolitical.com/ratings/senate-race-ratings">rates</a> North Carolina as Democrats&#8217; only &#8220;toss-up&#8221; pickup opportunity, while listing Susan Collins&#8217; Maine seat as &#8220;Lean Republican.&#8221; Republicans have their own &#8220;toss-up&#8221; chances in Democrat-held seats in Georgia and Michigan — both states Trump carried in 2024 — meaning Democrats are likely to hold just 49 seats even in their best-case scenario.
Cooper brings a proven ability to appeal to swing voters and donors that Democrats desperately need, but also an extreme record that has drawn <a href="https://www.newsobserver.com/news/politics-government/article311488761.html">criticism</a> from conservatives.
During his tenure, he vetoed multiple Republican-backed bills, including legislation banning trans surgery for minors and a bill requiring sheriffs to cooperate with ICE. His handling of COVID-19 restrictions sparked controversy, with many Republican lawmakers accusing him of government overreach.
Republicans quickly dismissed Cooper, with the National Republican Senatorial Committee branding him a &#8220;Democrat lapdog.&#8221;
&#8220;North Carolina wants a senator who will champion working families, safety, and American values, not an incompetent, far-left career politician like Cooper who will wreck everything they care about,&#8221; <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2025/07/28/roy-cooper-north-carolina-senate-campaign-00479710">said</a> NRSC communications director Joanna Rodriguez, per POLITICO.
Republican National Committee Chair Michael Whatley is expected to announce his bid in the coming days, although he has already <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-endorses-two-america-first-candidates-in-battle-for-senate-control">received</a> an endorsement from President Trump.
Lara Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/lara-trump-steps-aside-clearing-path-for-rnc-chairmans-senate-bid">cleared</a> the path for Whatley&#8217;s candidacy, announcing last week she would not seek the seat. Whatley previously served as the North Carolina Republican Party chairman before assuming leadership of the RNC under President Trump.

2024 Democratic National Convention: Day 4

Leftist Former Gov Roy Cooper Runs For Senate, Turning North Carolina Into 2026’s Key Battleground

2026 Midterms

Abortion

Elections

Politics

Senate

President Donald Trump made endorsements for two critical Senate seats on Thursday in high-profile races that are expected to draw a lot of attention. 
In a Truth Social post, Trump told his followers to support Republican National Committee Chair Michael Whatley in representing North Carolina in the U.S. Senate. While Whatley hasn’t officially announced a campaign, it is widely expected that he will jump into the race in the coming days. 
“Mike would make an unbelievable Senator from North Carolina. He is fantastic at everything he does, and he was certainly great at the RNC where, in the Presidential Election, we won every Swing State, the Popular Vote, and the Electoral College by a landslide! But I have a mission for my friends in North Carolina, and that is to get Michael Whatley to run for the U.S. Senate. He is STRONG on the Border, stopping Crime, supporting our Military/Veterans, cutting Taxes, and saving our always under siege Second Amendment,” Trump posted. 
“I need him in Washington, and I need him representing YOU!” Trump added. “So, should Michael Whatley run for the Senate, please let this notification represent my Complete and Total Endorsement. HE WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!”
The North Carolina seat became open after GOP Senator Thom Tillis announced he would not seek re-election after he opposed Trump’s signature spending package and the president threatened to support a primary challenger. Lara Trump, the president’s daughter-in-law and a Fox News host, had been floated as a potential candidate for the seat, but she <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/lara-trump-steps-aside-clearing-path-for-rnc-chairmans-senate-bid" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> on Thursday that she would not launch a campaign. 
On the Democratic side, former Governor Roy Cooper is expected to launch a campaign on Monday, aiming to flip the seat. 
Trump also endorsed former Florida Republican Party chair and state Senator Joe Gruter to head up the RNC if Whatley runs for U.S. Senate. 
Former Congressman Mike Rogers also earned Trump’s backing in Michigan’s U.S. Senate race. Rogers narrowly lost a previous Senate election in 2024 to Elise Slotkin, but is running again after Democrat Sen. Gary Peters announced his upcoming retirement. Trump praised Rogers as an “America First Patriot.”
“From the U.S. Army to Congress, Mike has served our Nation with distinction, and will bring that same Fighting Spirit to the U.S. Senate,” Trump said on Truth Social. “As your next Senator, Mike will work tirelessly to Grow our Economy, Cut Taxes and Regulations, Promote MADE IN THE U.S.A., Unleash American Energy DOMINANCE by keeping the price of Gasoline, Oil, and all forms of Energy VERY LOW (CHEAP!), Help Secure our now VERY Secure (Record Setting!) Southern Border, Support our Incredible Military/Veterans, and Defend our always under siege Second Amendment.”
Rep. Bill Huizenga (R-MI), who had been considering a Senate run, announced Thursday that he would not enter the race. Huizenga, who reportedly spoke to Trump last week, did receive the president’s endorsement for his congressional seat. He is up for re-election in November 2026.

US-POLITICS-TECHNOLOGY-AI

Trump Endorses Two ‘America First’ Candidates In Battle For Senate Control

Donald Trump

Michael Whatley

Michigan

Republican National Committee (RNC)

Thom Tillis

U.S. Senate

Lara Trump, daughter-in-law of the president, has opted against running for retiring Sen. Thom Tillis’s North Carolina seat, clearing the way for Republican National Committee chair Michael Whatley&#8217;s candidacy.
Whatley is expected to announce his bid to replace Tillis within the next 10 days, according to <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2025/07/24/whatley-senate-north-carolina-trump-00473419">Politico</a>. Trump, who served as co-chair with Whatley over the RNC last year, is expected to back Whatley and keep her weekend show on Fox News.
&#8220;After much consideration and heartfelt discussions with my family, friends, and supporters, I have decided not to pursue the United States Senate seat in North Carolina at this time,&#8221; Trump posted to X on Thursday morning. &#8220;While I am not running in this election, my passion for Making America Great Again burns brightly, and I look forward to the future, wherever that leads.&#8221;
Tillis announced his intention to leave the U.S. Senate after voting against the One Big, Beautiful Bill, putting him at odds with President Donald Trump.
Before heading the RNC, Whatley led the Republican Party in North Carolina and is thought to have a solid understanding of the state’s electorate, as well as relationships with key power brokers and donors.
The president is expected to name his pick to replace Whatley at the RNC around the time the current RNC chief announces his bid for the Senate.
Whatley will likely face ​​former two-term North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, who top Democrats have recruited to run for Tillis’s seat. Cooper is expected to announce his bid for the U.S. Senate next week, according to <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/24/us/politics/michael-whatley-north-carolina-senate.html">The New York Times</a>.
Whatley earned the approval of the president during the 2020 election, when Whatley mobilized an army of poll watchers to keep tabs on election processes in North Carolina. The president won the state by slim margins in 2020 and 2024.
The president endorsed Whatley to head the RNC and replace former chairwoman Ronna Romney McDaniel, who had fallen out of favor with the president amid questions over her record of success leading the Republican Party. RNC members approved Whatley as the party’s head in early 2024.
Lara Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/lara-trump-stepping-down-from-co-chair-role-at-rnc">stepped down</a> from the RNC in December amid speculation that she wanted to replace former Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, who joined the president’s cabinet as Secretary of State. Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis later tapped his former state attorney general, Sen. Ashley Moody, to fill the seat.

Lara Trump, Michael Whatley

Lara Trump Steps Aside, Clearing Path For RNC Chairman’s Senate Bid

Lara Trump Bows Out Of Senate Run, Clearing Way For RNC Chairman

Lara Trump

Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) said on Sunday that he will not seek reelection in 2026 less than 24 hours after President Donald Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-whacks-at-tillis-with-primary-threat-for-voting-against-big-beautiful-bill" target="_blank" rel="noopener">threatened</a> to support a primary challenge against the lawmaker following his vote against the &#8220;One Big, Beautiful Bill.&#8221;
The announcement marks a turnaround as Tillis had <a href="https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/campaigns/congressional/3257243/thom-tillis-begins-rough-path-2026-reelection/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">indicated</a> in December of last year that he was pursuing a third term in the upper chamber.
&#8220;In Washington over the last few years, it&#8217;s become increasingly evident that leaders who are willing to embrace bipartisanship, compromise, and demonstrate independent thinking are becoming an endangered species,&#8221; Tillis said in a <a href="https://x.com/frankthorp/status/1939375244831228256" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a>.
He added later, &#8220;As many of my colleagues have noticed over the last year, and at times even joked about, I haven&#8217;t exactly been excited about running for another term. That is true since the choice is between spending another six years navigating political theatre and partisan gridlock in Washington or spending that time with the love of my life Susan, our two children, three beautiful grandchildren, and the rest of our extended family back home. It&#8217;s not a hard choice, and I will not be seeking re-election.&#8221;
Tillis was one of two Republican senators who voted against a motion to proceed with debate on the &#8220;One Big, Beautiful Bill&#8221; on Saturday evening. He did so while raising concerns about the legislation&#8217;s proposed Medicaid cuts. Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) was the other GOP lawmaker.
Ultimately the bill <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trumps-big-beautiful-bill-clears-key-senate-hurdle" target="_blank" rel="noopener">passed</a> through the procedural hurdle, but not before Trump took aim at Tillis on his Truth Social account.
&#8220;Numerous people have come forward wanting to run in the Primary against &#8216;Senator Thom&#8217; Tillis,&#8221; Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114764184133829613" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. &#8220;I will be meeting with them over the coming weeks, looking for someone who will properly represent the Great People of North Carolina and, so importantly, the United States of America. Thank you for your attention to this matter!&#8221;
Among other things he said, Trump declared, &#8220;I can’t believe that the Great People of North Carolina, a State that I love and won all three times, and a State that I just brought back with money, blood, sweat, and tears, from the recent tragic floods, when Sleepy Joe Biden let them DROWN, right up until the end of that Administration, without doing anything — I was given an A+ Rating for the job we did in bringing it back, and Tillis, despite being a Republican, was MISSING IN ACTION — North Carolina will not allow one of their Senators to GRANDSTAND in order to get some publicity for himself, for a possible, but very difficult Re-Election.&#8221;
With his statement, Tillis indicated that he plans to finish out the rest of his term before retiring from Congress.
&#8220;I still look forward to continuing to serve North Carolina over the next 18 months,&#8221; Tillis said. &#8220;I look forward to solely focusing on producing meaningful results without the distraction of raising money or campaigning for another election. I look forward to having the pure freedom to call the balls and strikes as I see fit and representing the great people of North Carolina to the best of my ability.&#8221;
Trump has also <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/not-maga-trump-vows-to-help-crush-massie-in-primary-after-iran-strike-criticism" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pushed</a> for a primary challenge against Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY), who voted against the &#8220;One Big, Beautiful Bill&#8221; and criticized the recent U.S. military strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.

Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC)

Tillis Buckles To Trump Threat, Won’t Seek Reelection

Congress

Election

President Donald Trump threatened on Saturday evening to support a primary challenger to Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) after the lawmaker voted against moving ahead with the &#8220;One Big, Beautiful Bill.&#8221;
The legislation, which is working its way through Congress through the reconciliation process, was stuck in limbo when Trump criticized Tillis. It has since passed that procedural hurdle.
&#8220;Numerous people have come forward wanting to run in the Primary against &#8216;Senator Thom&#8217; Tillis,&#8221; Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114764184133829613" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in a post on Truth Social. &#8220;I will be meeting with them over the coming weeks, looking for someone who will properly represent the Great People of North Carolina and, so importantly, the United States of America. Thank you for your attention to this matter!&#8221;
Tillis, who is up for re-election in 2026 midterm elections, announced earlier that he could not support the &#8220;One Big, Beautiful Bill&#8221; in its current form after the Senate made changes to the legislation since it passed through the House a little more than a month ago.
<a class="c-link" href="https://get.dailywire.com/freedom/?utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial&amp;utm_campaign=freedom&amp;utm_content=freedomeditorial" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://get.dailywire.com/freedom/?utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial&amp;utm_campaign=freedom&amp;utm_content=freedomeditorial" data-sk="tooltip_parent">JULY 4 SALE: Get Six Months Of DW+ Free</a>
&#8220;I will always do what is in the best interest of North Carolina, even when that puts me at odds with my own party. When Senate leaders of my party presented this bill, I did what every American should expect from their U.S. Senator: I worked to gather the facts and comprehensively analyze what the impact would be on the people I swore an oath to represent,&#8221; Tillis said a <a href="https://www.tillis.senate.gov/2025/6/tillis-statement-on-senate-reconciliation-vote" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a>. &#8220;It would result in tens of billions of dollars in lost funding for North Carolina, including our hospitals and rural communities.&#8221;
&#8220;This will force the state to make painful decisions like eliminating Medicaid coverage for hundreds of thousands in the expansion population, and even reducing critical services for those in the traditional Medicaid population. We can and must do better than this. The Senate should return to the House’s Medicaid approach. That plan includes commonsense reforms to address waste, fraud, and abuse, and implements work requirements for some able-bodied adults to ensure taxpayer-funded benefits are going to our most vulnerable neighbors,&#8221; he added. &#8220;There is a lot for North Carolinians to love about the rest of the One Big Beautiful Bill, including extending the historic Trump Tax Cuts, increasing the child tax credit, providing historic funding for border security, and ending wasteful spending. We can and must accomplish this without hurting our rural communities and hospitals, and without jeopardizing access to care for hundreds of thousands of North Carolinians who need it the most.&#8221;
Although Sens. Rand Paul (R-KY) and Ron Johnson (R-WI) had also opposed proceeding with consideration of the bill along with the Democrats, Trump singled out Tillis liked he <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/not-maga-trump-vows-to-help-crush-massie-in-primary-after-iran-strike-criticism" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recently did</a> with Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) for criticizing the U.S. military strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. Johnson eventually came around changed his vote and the Senate was allowed to <a href="https://x.com/CraigCaplan/status/1939159925386510819" target="_blank" rel="noopener">press ahead</a> with the legislation. A final vote could happen in the upper chamber over the next few days.
&#8220;Looks like Senator Thom Tillis, as usual, wants to tell the Nation that he’s giving them a 68% Tax Increase, as opposed to the Biggest Tax Cut in American History! At the same time, he is unable to understand the importance of a Debt Extension, which Republicans gave to the Democrats just prior to the November 5th Election, because of its significance, and how important it was for the future of the U.S.A. Sadly, the Democrat Politicians probably won’t reciprocate on a Debt Extension because they’re nasty people who actually hate our Country. Tillis is also willing to throw the very important Tobacco Industry in North Carolina, &#8216;out the window,&#8217; for reasons nobody seems to understand. He loves China made windmills that will cost a fortune, ruin the landscape, and produce the most expensive Energy on Earth,&#8221; Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114764131885531801" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in another Truth Social post.
&#8220;I can’t believe that the Great People of North Carolina, a State that I love and won all three times, and a State that I just brought back with money, blood, sweat, and tears, from the recent tragic floods, when Sleepy Joe Biden let them DROWN, right up until the end of that Administration, without doing anything — I was given an A+ Rating for the job we did in bringing it back, and Tillis, despite being a Republican, was MISSING IN ACTION — North Carolina will not allow one of their Senators to GRANDSTAND in order to get some publicity for himself, for a possible, but very difficult Re-Election,&#8221; Trump continued. &#8220;America wants Reduced Taxes, including NO TAX ON TIPS, NO TAX ON OVERTIME, AND NO TAX ON SOCIAL SECURITY, Interest Deductions on Cars, Border Security, a Strong Military, and a Bill which is GREAT for our Farmers, Manufacturers and, Employment, in general. Thom Tillis is making a BIG MISTAKE for America, and the Wonderful People of North Carolina!&#8221;

President Donald Trump

Trump Whacks At Tillis With Primary Threat For Voting Against ‘Big, Beautiful Bill’

Spending Bill

A Democrat lawmaker in North Carolina is facing blowback over a photo she posted to social media depicting a beheaded President Donald Trump.
State Rep. Julie von Haefen published a video over the weekend showing a number of images from a &#8220;No Kings&#8221; protest in Raleigh, including one of a woman holding up a sign with a guillotine and a message that read, &#8220;In these difficult times some cuts may be necessary.&#8221; On one end hung what appeared to be Trump&#8217;s head with a powdered wig. A man&#8217;s head with a swastika emblazoned on the forehead hung from the other side.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Wow this is sick. North Carolina State Rep Julie von Haefen (D) posted a photo from the “no kings” protest which calls for Trump to be beheaded‼️ <a href="https://twitter.com/FBI?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FBI</a> <a href="https://t.co/ETn7O6e8cu">pic.twitter.com/ETn7O6e8cu</a>
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) <a href="https://twitter.com/libsoftiktok/status/1934099871557976378?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 15, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The Libs of TikTok account on X shared a screen grab of the violent image, calling it <a href="https://x.com/libsoftiktok/status/1934099871557976378" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&#8220;sick&#8221;</a> and tagging the FBI. Von Haefen <a href="https://x.com/libsoftiktok/status/1934269780397338734" target="_blank" rel="noopener">deleted</a> her X account and Libs of TikTok noted the lawmaker reposted her video on Facebook, but edited to remove the execution-themed photo.
Von Haefen later released a statement.
&#8220;Yesterday, I posted a video on social media containing crowd photos from the No Kings protest in Raleigh. One of the images of a protestor holding a sign was inappropriate, and I later edited the video to remove the photo,&#8221; she said on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/juliefornc/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Facebook</a>.
Von Haefen also made reference to the shootings in Minnesota in which House Democrat leader Melissa Hortman and her husband were killed and another lawmaker and his wife were injured. A suspect, Vance Boelter, has been <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/authorities-catch-suspected-minnesota-assassin" target="_blank" rel="noopener">apprehended</a> by authorities and could face the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/06/16/us/minnesota-shootings" target="_blank" rel="noopener">death penalty</a> if convicted on murder charges.
&#8220;Let me be clear: I condemn political violence in all forms,&#8221; von Haefen claimed. &#8220;My focus remains on bringing people together and fighting for the values that matter to North Carolinians. Like so many, I was horrified by the violence in Minnesota. There is no place for that kind of extremism in our democracy, no matter the target, no matter the party.&#8221;
Still, a number of Republican lawmakers expressed their disgust with von Haefen.
&#8220;Political violence is not okay — the Left should stop encouraging it,&#8221; <a href="https://x.com/RepMarkHarrisNC/status/1934329543206093034" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> Rep. Mark Harris (R-NC).
North Carolina&#8217;s Speaker of the House Destin Hall said in a <a href="https://x.com/libsoftiktok/status/1934371481313808412" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a> that he was &#8220;examining next steps with our legislative attorneys to ensure this behavior does not continue&#8221; in response to von Haefen&#8217;s actions.
&#8220;On the same weekend that a gunman in Minnesota targeted state lawmakers in an act of political violence, and after two attempted assassinations of President Trump within the past year, Representative von Haefen (D-Wake) shared an image of a ‘protest sign’ that glorifies violence against her political opponents- including President Donald Trump,&#8221; Hall said. &#8220;Her disgraceful behavior fails to meet the standards expected from House members and sets a dangerous precedent in an already volatile political climate.&#8221;
The North Carolina GOP <a href="https://x.com/libsoftiktok/status/1934643461090627700" target="_blank" rel="noopener">called</a> for von Haefen to <a href="https://x.com/NCGOP/status/1934277389812724165" target="_blank" rel="noopener">resign</a>.
Back in 2017, comedian Kathy Griffin <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/election-night-kathy-griffin-retweets-infamous-pic-of-her-with-trumps-severed-head" target="_blank" rel="noopener">posed</a> for a photo while she held a mock severed Trump head, a move that led to a firestorm of criticism.

State Representative Julie Von Haefen

‘Sick’: Democrat Under Fire Over Beheaded Trump Photo

General

Protests

The crowd of U.S. Army soldiers at North Carolina&#8217;s Fort Bragg roared their response to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth as he trashed the &#8220;woke garbage&#8221; that he&#8217;s promised to root out and remove from the American military.
Hegseth, fresh off his testimony before the House Appropriations Committee earlier in the day on Tuesday, joined President Donald Trump at Fort Bragg to honor the U.S. Army&#8217;s 250th birthday. Hegseth repeated some of the same priorities and goals he&#8217;d laid out on Capitol Hill — and the soldiers voiced their apparent approval in loud cheers.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
. <a href="https://twitter.com/SecDef?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecDef</a> &#8220;Standards, accountability, readiness, training, war fighting, lethality.
We’re not a college or university.
We’re not interested in your WOKE GARBAGE or your POLITCIAL CORRECTNESS.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/HHxcwaxm5D">pic.twitter.com/HHxcwaxm5D</a>
— DOD Rapid Response (@DODResponse) <a href="https://twitter.com/DODResponse/status/1932535880113393960?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 10, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;So at the Defense Department, we&#8217;re doing three critical things at [President Trump&#8217;s] direction,&#8221; Hegseth began. &#8220;Number one, we&#8217;re restoring the Warrior Ethos.&#8221;
A few shouts could be heard from the crowd: &#8220;Yeah!!&#8221;
<a href="https://get.dailywire.com/gift/?utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=wisepops&amp;utm_campaign=dad&amp;utm_content=fathersdaygiftpopups" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gift Dad an All Access Membership. Use code DAD40 at checkout to save 40%!</a>
&#8220;We&#8217;re getting back to basics,&#8221; Hegseth said, laughing a little at the outbursts, and then louder cheers followed.
&#8220;Standards, accountability, readiness, training, war fighting, lethality. We’re not a college or university. We’re not interested in your woke garbage or your political correctness,&#8221; he said &#8212; and the crowd erupted in wild cheers and applause.
President Trump also spoke to the troops — and got a few laughs himself when he mocked former President Joe Biden for changing the name of the base.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
. <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> &#8220;It’s a beautiful sight to be with you in a place called Fort Bragg.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/bf8NgT4MK2">pic.twitter.com/bf8NgT4MK2</a>
— DOD Rapid Response (@DODResponse) <a href="https://twitter.com/DODResponse/status/1932538609636376884?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 10, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;It’s a beautiful sight to be with you in a place called Fort &#8230; Bragg,&#8221; Trump said, his tone dropping as he emphasized the last word, prompting raucous cheers and applause.
&#8220;Can you believe they changed that name in the last administration for a little bit?&#8221; Trump asked when the cheers died down, and loud boos from the crowd quickly followed. &#8220;But we — we&#8217;ll forget all about that, won&#8217;t we? We&#8217;re gonna forget all about it.&#8221;

President Trump Visits Fort Bragg To Honor U.S. Forces

Hegseth Trashes ‘Woke Garbage’ In Fort Bragg Speech, And Soldiers Roar Their Response

Joe Biden

Military

U.S. Army

Editor’s note: This is the sixth and final installment of a six-part series by pollster Brent Buchanan on the politics of the American South. In the last installment, Buchanan took a close look at Georgia to tell the story of the South’s political crossroads. Today, he offers suggestions for how Republicans can achieve political victory in the South.
We hope you enjoy.
—
It’s easy to oversimplify American politics. But when it comes to our collective understanding of regionality, it really is as simple as North, East, South, and West.
Engrained in the minds across generations, defined by mighty rivers and a brutal Civil War, the South — more than any other region — is more politically consequential than it ever has been. For most of modern American history, the “Solid South” was a real thing that helped Democrats win the White House and the presidency.
Today, it is a myth.
The real story of America’s South, as you’ve been reading in this <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/author/brent-buchanan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">six-part series</a>, is the story of an emerging patchwork of political intricacies and growing political dominance. Our exclusive analysis of the South shows 10 distinct regions transcending state lines and traditional constructs, showing vulnerabilities and opportunities for both parties – but more for Republicans — if they can capitalize before Democrats find a rudder and sales pitch.
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-929707" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/Full-Map-2.jpeg" alt="" width="670" height="407" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/Full-Map-2.jpeg 670w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/Full-Map-2-300x182.jpeg 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 670px) 100vw, 670px" /></div>
State lines determine the borders for how we’ll count votes, but voters and their stances on key issues of the day don’t adhere to state lines. How well each party understands and adapts to the South’s regional realities will determine the balance of power for the 2026 midterm elections and the rest of Donald Trump’s presidency.
To culminate this deep analysis of aggregated demographic variables, survey responses, and trends in everything from education, income, gender, age, and partisanship, we offer four things Republicans should focus on to achieve political victory in the South.
<h3>Base Fortress Regions With GOP Ceilings</h3>
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-929697" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/DixieBigSkyTrumpianH-mapsx3.png" alt="" width="785" height="409" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/DixieBigSkyTrumpianH-mapsx3.png 785w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/DixieBigSkyTrumpianH-mapsx3-300x156.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/DixieBigSkyTrumpianH-mapsx3-768x400.png 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 785px) 100vw, 785px" /></div>
Pollsters and political operatives felt the tremors of America’s massive political realignment before most of the mainstream media caught on, but by now it’s common knowledge that Trump’s emergence as the central figure of political life was the catalyst of a growing Diploma Divide.
But Trump reflects an electorate whose political preferences began changing even before he came down that golden escalator.
While this realignment has happened nationally, it’s most prominent and evident in the South. For the Republican Party, three main regions anchor its new political advantage. What we’ve dubbed Dixieland, Big Sky South, and the Trumpian Highlands serve as base fortresses from diploma-divide-driven gains from Democrats — but offer little to no room for growth. In 2024, Trump’s ballot shares were 71% in Dixieland, 70% in the Big Sky South, and 75% in the Trumpian Highlands.
“This is about as good as it’s going to get for the GOP in these New South buttresses,” said Nicholas Valdiviez, Cygnal’s Sampling Lead for this project. “These three strongholds are reliable for Republicans, but it’s unreasonable to expect they can deliver more than they already have.”
So what? As we’ve seen in previous cycles, it can be easy to try and offset lagging performance in harder-to-get voter groups by surging turnout in reliable regions like these. But the GOP’s focus should be on keeping turnout and engagement at these levels — which won’t be easy as these areas aren’t growing as much as other Southern regions less friendly to Republicans. There’s more peril in the ceilings of these fortresses if voters are unenthused and stay home.
<h3>Wild Cards &amp; Volatility: Regions That Could Flip</h3>
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-929705" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/TexMexCondoCoal-mapsx2.png" alt="" width="767" height="295" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/TexMexCondoCoal-mapsx2.png 767w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/TexMexCondoCoal-mapsx2-300x115.png 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 767px) 100vw, 767px" /></div>
If you’ve followed this series, you know the only states we called out as standalone fixtures in the still uncertain political future of the South were <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/hold-what-the-peach-states-political-patchworks-mean-for-2026?author=Brent+Buchanan&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=What+The+Peach+State%E2%80%99s+Political+Patchworks+Mean+For+2026%C2%A0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Georgia</a> and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/bbq-politics-how-north-carolinas-sauce-divide-mirrors-voting-behavior?author=Brent+Buchanan&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=1&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=BBQ+Politics%3F+How+North+Carolina%E2%80%99s+Sauce+Divide+Mirrors+Its+Voting+Behavior%C2%A0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">North Carolina.</a> Beyond the regions we’ve identified as the TexMex Nexus and Coastal Condo Coalition, those are the two states with the highest volatility and uncertainty heading into the midterm elections.
North Carolina’s split personality in politics is mirrored by its split choice in barbeque sauces, while Georgia’s newish designation as a swing state is defined by a seeming disappearance of the traditional Black Belt and regional creep from the stronghold of the Trumpian Highlands. Both states are incredibly consequential to party control in Washington — but they’re not the only volatile areas we’re watching.
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-929699" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/CoastalCondoCoal-map1.png" alt="" width="484" height="383" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/CoastalCondoCoal-map1.png 484w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/CoastalCondoCoal-map1-300x237.png 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 484px) 100vw, 484px" /></div>
First, let’s look at the Coastal Condo Coalition, centered in Florida&#8217;s densely urbanized southern tip. It is one of the most demographically and economically unique regions in the South. Traditionally a Democratic stronghold (Democrats lead 45% to 32% in registration), this region has seen notable Republican gains since 2016, culminating in a 6.6% swing toward the GOP in 2024. This is its best performance in years, nearly flipping the partisan split to 49-51.
Then, let’s look at the TexMex Nexus. This region spans heavily Hispanic areas along the Texas border, and in scattered urban centers, it has been one of the most politically dynamic zones in our Southern analysis. After holding steady at a near 50-50 partisan split in 2012, this region took a sharp left turn in 2016, moving 10 points toward the Democrats — double the next largest leftward shift in the South. That trend continued into 2020 with another 4-point Democratic gain, making it seem like a prime target for Democrats as their registration advantage grew to 53% over the GOP’s 39%.
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-929701" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/TexMexNexus-map1.png" alt="" width="514" height="383" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/TexMexNexus-map1.png 514w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/TexMexNexus-map1-300x224.png 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 514px) 100vw, 514px" /></div>
But 2024 brought a dramatic reversal, as the Tex-Mex Nexus saw the second-largest rightward swing of any region, moving 9 points toward Republicans and ending at a D+5 margin — a five-point improvement for the GOP compared to 2016. This shift was powered by significant Republican gains among Latino voters, particularly men, and by a focus on economic and border issues that resonated locally.
So what? With popular Governor Brian Kemp out of contention for the Georgia Senate race, the state remains in flux alongside its northern swing state counterpart, North Carolina. Factor in the fact that neither the Coastal Condo Coalition nor the TexMex Nexus is on lock for the GOP, and you have the four biggest wild cards in the South.
<h3>Stagnation &amp; Gridlock in the “Sweet” Burbs and Faux South</h3>
So, now we’ve got the Republican strongholds identified and the wild cards laid out — but that’s only half the picture. Vast swaths of the South are in political gridlock where even the sheer force of personality from someone like Trump has managed to crack — or break. These are the regions we’ve labeled the Sweet Tea Suburbs and the Faux South. While old voting patterns seem to be fading, these regions remain “stuck zones,” political wastelands where entrenchment and razor-thin margins offer no clear advantage to either party.
“These are not battlegrounds in the traditional sense,” Valdiviez says. “Rather they are stagnant bogs who have more impact on their urban cores and outlying mixing zones of other regions and therefore should be pursued nice-to-have incremental gains rather than outright winnable. The catch is these areas are political fronts that if left unattended could wind up being potential wild cards.”
So what? With so much talk of massive realignments and sweeping partisan shifts, both in strongholds and wild cards, these doldrums are different, and should be approached differently. The GOP’s only hope is to nibble around the edges of these regions with dynamic quality candidates and a message more akin to hometowns than the machinations of Washington, D.C.
<h3>Growth Regions: The GOP’s Next Frontier</h3>
Now for the fun part: the opportunities for Republicans in the South. If you’ve been following along so far, it’s a bit of a rollercoaster to say the least, but here are the three regions we think will comprise the next frontier for Republicans.
The Soulful South stands out among them, but not because of the 58% Republican ballot share or because Georgia’s Black Belt is now less visible in our regional analysis. Rather, the Soulful South stands out because it has been <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-end-of-democratic-assumptions-how-minority-voters-are-reshaping-southern-politics?author=Brent+Buchanan&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=3&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=The+End+of+Democratic+Assumptions%3A+How+Minority+Voters+Are+Reshaping+Southern+Politics" target="_blank" rel="noopener">trending rightward</a> since 2012.
The fact that Democrats take these voters for granted — combined with the connection forged by Trump’s candidacy — has made the Soulful South a budding ground of opportunity for Republicans going forward. Overconfidence here is perilous, but with Democrats without a message or a messenger that resonates with this predominantly black region, our analysis shows more to gain for Republicans than to lose. They should keep their foot on the gas here.
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-929703" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/SoulfulSouth-map1.png" alt="" width="455" height="361" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/SoulfulSouth-map1.png 455w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/SoulfulSouth-map1-300x238.png 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 455px) 100vw, 455px" /></div>
Our proprietary naming conventions and analysis also identify the Republican Resettlers and Big Hat Bloc regions as prime opportunities. The Republican Resettlers region, fueled by an influx of newcomers from liberal states seeking communities with conservative governance (you heard that right), has shown some of the most consistent rightward movement in the South, swinging eight points further right by 2024 to reach an R+17 margin. As migration trends continue, especially along the Georgia and Florida coasts, this bloc is poised to expand its influence and deliver reliable support for Republican candidates.
Similarly, the Big Hat Bloc, which experienced setbacks during the early Trump years, has rebounded with record Republican margins in 2024. This region’s mix of cultural conservatism and economic focus makes it fertile ground for further Republican consolidation, especially if the party can maintain strong turnout and continue to address local priorities — much like those strongholds we addressed earlier.
With both regions trending right and absorbing new, like-minded residents, the GOP’s prospects for midterm gains are strong, provided they stay focused on localized outreach and avoid complacency in data, spending, and messaging.
So what? This is where Republicans should surge their efforts with non-college educated, non-white voters, and even those <a href="https://cygn.al/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Cygnal-Election-2024-Focus-Group_Analysis.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ticked-off, young, working class, and diverse</a> voters within these regions. These are new constituencies for the GOP, and now is the time to further build out these inroads and lock in the gains for the post-Trump era.
<h3>Conclusion: The States and Their Shapes</h3>
As Americans, we know the regionality of our nation inherently, and we understand that state lines can be pesky and a bit funny. We also know those lines serve a multitude of purposes, chief among them governance and counting votes. With that in mind, it only makes sense to examine the South from our <a href="https://www.cygn.al/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/10-Regions-of-the-American-South-1.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">distinct regional perspective, noting</a> that Texas and Florida alone are projected to gain eight new congressional seats by 2030, with other Southern states like Georgia, Tennessee, and North Carolina also on the rise.
This shift comes at the expense of traditional blue state strongholds in the Midwest, fundamentally redrawing the map of political opportunity in America. The parties that best understand these new Southern realities — where regional identities like we’ve defined here, not state lines, drive turnout and loyalty — will tip the upper hand for 2026 and the next decade.
But here’s the catch: like the Democrats before them, Republicans can’t afford to treat the South as a monolith or rely on pre-Trump playbooks.
The story of the South today is one of ceilings, wild cards, gridlock, and growth. The lesson for Republican campaigns, operatives, and strategists is as clear as it is urgent: the old assumptions are dead, and the new map of power is regional, dynamic, and deeply local. The party that can surge turnout in fortress regions, lock in gains in growth zones, nibble at the edges of gridlocked suburbs, and win the battle for the wild cards will be the party that defines the next era of American politics.

Vice President JD Vance Tours Nucor Steel Berkeley In South Carolina

The South’s Next Act: Wild Cards In 2026 And Beyond 

Georgia

Republican Party

Southern States

The Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against North Carolina and its elections board on Tuesday over its maintenance of voter rolls.
The Justice Department’s lawsuit says that the North Carolina State Board of Elections violated federal election law and risked the integrity of its voter rolls. Voters in the state were allowed to register without providing identification, such as a driver’s license, in violation of the Help America Vote Act (HAVA), according to the suit.
“Defendants have failed to maintain accurate lists in North Carolina’s computerized statewide voter registration in violation of Section 303(a)(5) of HAVA and the sacred trust that the people of the State of North Carolina have put in them to ensure the fairness and integrity of elections for Federal office in the state, necessitating this litigation,” the <a href="https://www.justice.gov/crt/media/1401636/dl" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lawsuit</a> says.
President Donald Trump signed an <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/03/preserving-and-protecting-the-integrity-of-american-elections/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">executive order</a> in March directing the Justice Department to vigorously enforce federal election laws.
“Above all, elections must be honest and worthy of the public trust. That requires voting methods that produce a voter-verifiable paper record allowing voters to efficiently check their votes to protect against fraud or mistake. Election-integrity standards must be modified accordingly. It is the policy of my Administration to enforce Federal law and to protect the integrity of our election process,” the order states.
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The Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice is responsible for enforcing the president’s directive on election integrity. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, who heads the Civil Rights Division, said in a <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-files-help-america-vote-act-lawsuit-against-north-carolina-inaccurate" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a>: “Accurate voter registration rolls are critical to ensure that elections in North Carolina are conducted fairly, accurately, and without fraud.”
“The Department of Justice will not hesitate to file suit against jurisdictions that maintain inaccurate voter registration rolls in violation of federal voting laws,” Dhillon added.
Sam Hayes, the executive director of the North Carolina elections board, acknowledged shortcomings in the state’s voter registration process.
“I was only recently notified of this action by the United States Department of Justice. We are still reviewing the complaint, but the failure to collect the information required by HAVA has been well documented. Rest assured that I am committed to bringing North Carolina into compliance with federal law,” Hayes told <a href="https://www.cbs17.com/news/north-carolina-news/department-of-justice-suing-north-carolina-for-inaccurate-voter-list/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CBS17</a>.

Harmeet Dhillon

DOJ: North Carolina Violated ‘Sacred Trust’ With Faulty Election Rolls

Civil Rights Division

Department of Justice

The Department of Education opened up an investigation on Thursday into Western Carolina University over reports that it housed a male alongside a female and retaliated against a student after she complained about the presence of a male in a female locker room.
The Education Department&#8217;s Office of Civil Rights announced that it had initiated a Title IX investigation into Western Carolina University over allegations that the university &#8220;has openly refused to comply with Title IX and to ensure sex-separated intimate spaces in federally funded institutions of higher education.&#8221; The announcement comes one day after the group Speech First <a href="https://speechfirst.org/news/foia-records-show-western-carolina-universitys-defiant-response-to-trump-administration-policies-on-gender/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">published</a> communications from the university showing that it was not planning on making changes in response to President Donald Trump&#8217;s executive order to keep men who identify as women out of female spaces.
“WCU’s reported contempt for federal anti-discrimination laws and indifference to, and retaliation against, girls who have spoken up about males invading their intimate spaces is simply unacceptable,” Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Craig Trainor <a href="https://www.ed.gov/about/news/press-release/us-department-of-educations-office-civil-rights-launches-title-ix-investigation-western-carolina-university">said</a>. “The Trump-McMahon Department of Education will continue to deploy every lawful means to eradicate this wholly unnecessary and egregious violation of women and girls’ civil rights.”
In response to the investigation, the university said that it was compliant with all federal regulations.
&#8220;Western Carolina University is compliant with all current state and federal regulations and will continue to adjust any necessary campus policies and practices to remain in compliance with future changes,&#8221; the university told The Daily Wire. &#8220;At this time, we have no further comment regarding this matter.&#8221;
The probe comes one day after documents posted by Speech First and first <a href="https://www.nationalreview.com/news/western-carolina-university-refusing-to-comply-with-trump-order-protecting-womens-spaces-emails-show/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> on by National Review show the school&#8217;s chief compliance officer stating that the university is &#8220;not making changes based&#8221; on Trump&#8217;s executive order called &#8220;Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government.&#8221;
Another one of the components of the Education Department&#8217;s investigation is that the university launched a Title IX investigation into former student Payton McNabb after she complained about the presence of a male in a dress in a woman&#8217;s bathroom. While McNabb was later cleared of any wrongdoing, her lawyer <a href="https://www.thecollegefix.com/student-payton-mcnabb-wins-title-ix-case-over-trans-bathroom-dispute/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stated</a> that the university had encouraged the complaint to be filed against her.
&#8220;In addition to my experience discovering a male in the women’s restroom on campus, men who self-identify as transgender are entering other women’s intimate spaces like restrooms, dorm rooms and locker rooms,&#8221; McNabb said Thursday. &#8220;Female college students will not sit idly by as men take over our spaces. I’m thankful to have an administration that will stand up for us.”
The department&#8217;s action was praised by Nicole Neily, the acting executive director of Speech First.
“Actions speak louder than words, and the Department of Education’s commitment to protecting women and girls is second to none,&#8221; Neily said. &#8220;This investigation sends a clear message to colleges and universities across the country: compliance with the law is not voluntary.”

Education Secretary Linda McMahon Visits “Fox & Friends”

Another University Facing Probe Over Defiance Of Trump Executive Orders

Civil Rights

Department of Education

Education

Title IX

Editor’s note: This is the fourth installment of a six-part series by pollster Brent Buchanan on the politics of the American South. Last week, Buchanan broke down the unique features and critical importance of the Southern suburbs. Today, he takes a close look at North Carolina.
We hope you enjoy.
It might sound like a stretch to think voting behavior and political divides in one of the South’s most consequential swing states could be explained by barbecue sauce.
But that’s exactly what we found in North Carolina.
In both barbecue sauce and politics, North Carolina’s “split personality” is rooted in centuries-old settlement patterns and evolving demographics. Barbecue here is a source of pride, and, like taste preferences nationally, voters in the Tar Heel State — or, shall we say, the Sauce State — are divided.
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-914211" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Image-4-29-25-at-9.55%E2%80%AFAM.jpeg" alt="" width="658" height="356" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Image-4-29-25-at-9.55%E2%80%AFAM.jpeg 658w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Image-4-29-25-at-9.55%E2%80%AFAM-300x162.jpeg 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 658px) 100vw, 658px" /></div>
The so-called &#8220;barbecue boundary&#8221; is more than a culinary cleave; it reflects the state’s foundational divisions. Western North Carolina, settled predominantly by German and Moravian immigrants, developed the Lexington style of barbecue with tomato-based sauces.
Then there’s Eastern North Carolina, settled earlier by English and Scots-Irish immigrants, known for their whole-hog barbecue and vinegar-based sauces. These regional distinctions mirror broader cultural and political divides, with the western &#8220;Trumpian Highlands&#8221; standing apart from the more moderate &#8220;Faux South&#8221; and gridlocked “Sweet Tea Suburbs&#8221; of the east.
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-914209" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/DW-PART-IV-NC-Full-Map-1024x428.png" alt="" width="1024" height="428" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/DW-PART-IV-NC-Full-Map-1024x428.png 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/DW-PART-IV-NC-Full-Map-300x126.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/DW-PART-IV-NC-Full-Map-768x321.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/DW-PART-IV-NC-Full-Map-1536x643.png 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/DW-PART-IV-NC-Full-Map.png 1551w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></div>
Our analysis shows a political patchwork of those Trumpian Highlands in the west reflecting the deep-red, Appalachian-rooted strongholds that have surged rightward in recent years, and the Faux South in the east, which is a concentration of moderate, Mid-Atlantic-influenced counties shaped by trade routes rather than mountain and lowland plantation culture. Mixed in are the modern Sweet Tea Suburbs, encompassing the politically gridlocked, middle-class communities ringing cities like Raleigh and Charlotte.
“The Tar Heel State’s battleground status is primarily driven by their voters in the Trumpian Highlands,” said Nicholas Valdiviez, Cygnal’s Sampling Lead, who spearheaded this project. “The turnout differentials are even more galvanizing where we saw those areas jumping 14% for Republicans from 2012 to 2016, and falling 16% for Democrats in this same time, which is a whopping 31% delta in turnout between parties leading into Trump’s first term.”
By 2024, the Republican margin in the Trumpian Highlands reached 74-26, rivaling the deepest red regions anywhere in the South. However, keep in mind this region was among the hardest hit by Hurricane Helene and while they may have been trending Republican in recent years, President Joe Biden’s woeful (putting it mildly) response could have added fuel to voters’ enthusiasm for Trump.
These numbers still suggest a partisan ceiling in the western part of the state, excluding more liberal pockets like Asheville and Charlotte, meaning the GOP’s continued dominance here will depend on sustaining enthusiasm among rural voters, especially as the state’s population centers continue to grow and attract out-of-state liberals. Without the magnetism of Trump atop the ticket, Republicans can’t bank on the lovers of Lexington BBQ to deliver a statewide win.
Meanwhile, on the eastern side of the barbecue boundary, the Faux South region — with its Mid-Atlantic heritage and more moderate political leanings — tells a different story. The region as a whole saw Republicans peak in 2016, winning 52% of the vote, but then saw the steepest decline of any southern region from 2016 to 2020, with only a mild recovery. North Carolina was a latecomer to the larger trend in 2024, showing a five-point spread favoring Republicans.
Then, from 2020 to 2024, the Faux South shifted three points to the right, signaling that even in historically challenging areas, the GOP is capable of making incremental gains and keeping them. But it is the region’s volatility that makes it a true wild card — one that could swing statewide outcomes if either party finds the highly attractive candidates, compelling messages, and a solid mobilization strategy.
As we <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/beyond-the-swing-why-southern-suburbs-refuse-to-budge?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Brent+Buchanan&amp;category=Original&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=Beyond+The+Swing%3A+Why+Southern+Suburbs+Refuse+To+Budge%C2%A0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">mentioned,</a> the Sweet Tea Suburbs surrounding North Carolina’s major cities are politically gridlocked, with little movement since 2008. Turnout and margins are often determined by local issues and demographic changes from transplant residents.
“Though Republicans don’t control the governor’s mansion, they do hold both Senate seats and a majority of House seats,” said Valdiviez. “But if both sides of the barbecue boundary, Lexington and Eastern-style, continue to grow in population — especially in the ‘burbs — things could make the politics more precarious for Republicans.”
Valdiviez is right: things could get dicey for Republicans, but only if they fail to connect with middle-class voters’ day-to-day concerns in the same way Democrats have.
But things look different if Republicans make those more moderate Democrats in North Carolina distance themselves from or defend the radical voices of Bernie Sanders and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/chris-cuomo-blasts-80-20-loser-ocasio-cortez-warns-dems-not-to-pick-her-in-2028?author=Virginia+Kruta&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=3&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+News&amp;rowType=Vertical+Carousel&amp;title=Chris+Cuomo+Blasts+%E2%80%9980-20+Loser%E2%80%99+Ocasio-Cortez%2C+Warns+Dems+Not+To+Pick+Her+In+2028" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AOC</a>, who now lift the party’s mantle. Just because the suburbs’ inelasticity is inherently left-leaning does not mean those ardent Leftists won’t alienate independent voters in the same way they did in 2024, turning North Carolina to Republicans.
North Carolina’s electoral map is a lot like its barbecue boundary: divided, fiercely proud of its local identity, and resistant to one-size-fits-all solutions. It requires a nuanced understanding of each region’s history, culture, and evolving priorities. And just like BBQ in North Carolina, if you bring the wrong sauce in the wrong region, you’re going to be asked politely to leave.
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-914213" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/DW-Part-IV-BBQ-v2-1024x408.png" alt="" width="1024" height="408" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/DW-Part-IV-BBQ-v2-1024x408.png 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/DW-Part-IV-BBQ-v2-300x120.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/DW-Part-IV-BBQ-v2-768x306.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/DW-Part-IV-BBQ-v2.png 1177w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></div>
COMING UP NEXT: Like North Carolina, all eyes are on Georgia, especially as <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/stacey-abrams-linked-group-received-2b-from-biden-admin-slush-fund-doge-finds?author=Ashe+Schow&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Stacey+Abrams-Linked+Group+Received+%242B+From+Biden+Admin+Slush+Fund%2C+DOGE+Finds" target="_blank" rel="noopener">revelations</a> about Stacey Abrams’ shady political machine during the Biden years and Republicans look to unseat the swing state’s vulnerable Democrat Senator, John Ossoff. 
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-914215" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Full-Map-1.jpeg" alt="" width="670" height="407" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Full-Map-1.jpeg 670w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Full-Map-1-300x182.jpeg 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 670px) 100vw, 670px" /></div>
ABOUT THE MAP: Amid America’s massive political realignment, mostly ushered in by President Donald Trump’s MAGA movement, the South is more consequential than anywhere else. It is responsible for more than a third of Senate seats, the equivalent of an entire <a href="https://www.senate.gov/senators/Class_II.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">class</a> of Senators up for reelection in any cycle, and it accounts for 193 electoral votes, more than half the needed amount to win a presidential election.
By breaking the South into distinct regions, we can better understand the layered realities on the ground. We named each of the South’s regions out of necessity, not novelty. This regional lens reveals patterns and divides that state lines alone obscure, allowing for a more accurate and intelligible analysis of the South’s electoral dynamics.
This large-scale project aggregates voter trends in areas like education, income, gender, age, and partisanship – and even some of our own recent polling data. So far, we’ve analyzed everything from the realignment of its <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-end-of-democratic-assumptions-how-minority-voters-are-reshaping-southern-politics?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Brent+Buchanan&amp;category=News+and+Analysis&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=The+End+of+Democratic+Assumptions%3A+How+Minority+Voters+Are+Reshaping+Southern+Politics" target="_blank" rel="noopener">minority voters</a>, the stagnation of its <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/beyond-the-swing-why-southern-suburbs-refuse-to-budge?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Brent+Buchanan&amp;category=Original&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=Beyond+The+Swing%3A+Why+Southern+Suburbs+Refuse+To+Budge%C2%A0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">suburbs</a>, and the necessity to call out its unique regions, which transcend state lines and better <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-rise-of-the-south-is-not-what-you-think-why-it-holds-the-keys-to-political-control" target="_blank" rel="noopener">define</a> its implications on national elections.

Manufacturing losses swing voters in 2 N.C. counties

BBQ Politics? How North Carolina’s Sauce Divide Mirrors Its Voting Behavior 

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