GASTONIA, N.C.— President Donald Trump leaned heavily into law and order as he worked to build support for the Republican candidate in a North Carolina race that could decide which party controls the Senate for the back half of his second term.Speaking at an airport rally Wednesday, Trump said Democrats coddle criminals, peppering his hourlong speech with graphic details of violent crimes that he said are an outgrowth of Democratic policies.He used visual aids to draw visceral reactions aimed at stoking antipathy to the Democratic candidate, former North Carolina Gov.
Roy Cooper.At one point, an oversize video screen displayed mug shots of unnamed criminal suspects.
The Republican running against Cooper, Michael Whatley, will make the streets safer, Trump said.Whatley needs Trump to help turn out the MAGA base in his Senate race.Anna Moneymaker / Getty Images“You can either vote for Roy Cooper to set loose criminals who rape and murder your children and your population, or you can vote for Michael Whatley to protect and defend your children and your population,” Trump said.One of the speakers who preceded Trump was Todd Blanche, the U.S.attorney general.
It’s a break from tradition for the attorney general to appear at partisan political rallies, but Trump has eroded some of the post-Watergate norms that sought to insulate the nation’s top law enforcement officer from politics.Trump’s trip to North Carolina is his third since December in support of Whatley’s campaign.
A lot rides on the outcome.The North Carolina seat is now held by Republican Thom Tillis, a Trump critic who is retiring.Democrats must net four seats in the November elections to capture the Senate majority.
Cooper was leading Whatley by 11 percentage points in the latest Elon University poll of likely voters.That makes North Carolina ripe for a potential Democratic pickup.Trump’s trip to North Carolina is his third for Whatley’s campaign since December.Brendan Smialowski / AFP...