VOLUME 10 ISSUE 21 | THURSDAY, JULY 17, 2025
NSJONLINE.COM
GARY D. ROBERTSON / AP PHOTO
Looking for options State Rep. John Bell (R-Wayne), pictured in February, far right, at the Legislative Office Building in Raleigh, said he wouldn’t rule out a run for U.S. Senate.
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Davis eyeing ’26 run for Tillis’ Senate seat
BRIEF this week
Jackson joins other states in suing over school funding East Providence, R.I. More than 20 states, including North Carolina, sued President Donald Trump’s administration Monday over billions of dollars in frozen education funding for after-school care, summer programs and more. Some of the withheld money funds after-school and summer programming at Boys & Girls Clubs, the YMCA or public schools, attended by 1.4 million children and teenagers nationwide. Congress set aside money for the programs, but the Trump administration recently froze the funding. The lawsuit alleges withholding the money violates the Constitution and several federal laws. In North Carolina, about 40 schools are already in session, so the state is already trying to figure out ways to keep programs going, using state and local money, along with some federal money that has not expired. North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson said smaller, rural school districts would be most severely impacted. The freeze could also lead to approximately 1,000 teachers and staff being laid off, Jackson said.
Trump threatens Russia with tariffs Washington, D.C. President Donald Trump on Monday threatened Russia with steep tariffs and announced a rejuvenated pipeline for American weapons to reach Ukraine, hardening his stance toward Moscow after months of frustration about unsuccessful negotiations for ending the war. Trump said he would implement “severe tariffs” unless a peace deal is reached within 50 days.
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N.C. House Rep. John Bell confirmed he’s been asked about running, while Democrats wait on Roy Cooper’s decision
Stein vetoes 3 more bills, brings total to 14 The governor signed nine other pieces of legislation into law By Makiya Seminera The Associated Press RALEIGH — Democratic Gov. Josh Stein cleared his last week of the deluge of bills passed to him from the North Carolina General Assembly last month, three of which he vetoed.
Stein topped off his veto total at 14 for this year’s legislative session. One of the vetoes prolongs the extensive battle between the governor’s office and GOP-controlled legislature over gun laws — an issue Republican lawmakers prioritized when they came to Raleigh. Now that all of Stein’s vetoes have been returned to the Legislative Building, possible veto See STEIN, page A3
By A.P. Dillon North State Journal RALEIGH — North Carolina Congressman Don Davis (D-Snow Hill) is exploring getting into the 2026 North Carolina U.S. Senate race following Republican Sen. Thom Tillis’ announcement that he will not seek reelection. The news was first reported by Politico on July 7 and confirmed by Davis’ campaign manager, Hannah Spengler, in a post on X. “Can confirm,” Spengler wrote in response to a post by Politico reporter Nicholas Wu citing Spengler as saying Davis is “looking at all options and not ruling anything out.” Davis first ran for North Carolina’s 1st Congressional District seat in 2022 and
‘Great American State Fair’ in Trump’s plans for 2026 The administration is planning for the country’s 250th anniversary By A.P. Dillon North State Journal RALEIGH — President Donald Trump announced plans for a “Great American State Fair” as part of America’s 250th anniversary celebrations in 2026. In a fact sheet released by the White House, Trump said a “Great American State Fair” will begin in Iowa and travel around the country throughout the year before coming to the National Mall for a festival next July. “This will be a unifying, patriotic, family-friendly event that will feature exhibits from all 50 states and
attract visitors from around the world,” the fact sheet says. “Over the next year, state and county fairs will be part of the Great American State Fair and feature America 250 programming.” The fair will be hosted through a partnership between the White House Task Force on Celebrating America’s 250th Birthday and the America 250 Commission. America 250 festivities will also include high school athletes from around the country participating in “Patriot Games,” which will be led by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. According to the fact sheet, the Patriot Games will be a “nationally televised See FAIR, page A3
“Exactly one year from tomorrow, we will celebrate the 250th anniversary of America’s founding with a birthday party the likes of which you have never seen before.” President Donald Trump
DAVID YEAZELL / AP PHOTO
Rep. Don Davis (D-N.C.), pictured speaking at an October campaign rally at East Carolina in Greenville, is exploring running for the U.S. Senate seat that will be vacated by Sen. Thom Tillis next year. won reelection in 2024. Before running for Congress, Davis served in the state Senate representing District 5 from 2013-22. Over the past two years, See DAVIS, page A2