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Rep. Greg Stanton (D-AZ) is Interviewed about Democratic Primaries; Polls on What Americans Think about Climate Issues; Navy Scraps Deal with Blue Angels Outfitter. Aired 9:30-10a ET

Aired August 12, 2026 - 09:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

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[09:31:06]

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: All right, the breaking news out of Wisconsin this morning, a big upset. Democratic socialist Francesca Hong has lost the Democratic gubernatorial primary there to David Crowley. There you can see it. The election results for you right on the screen there. David Crowley won by about 3,200 votes, or at least 3,200 votes ahead right now.

Now, we just learned that Francesca Hong called David Crowley to concede this race. So, the phone call has been placed. One of the big questions remaining is, can the party come together in that state to move forward toward the general election? We are expecting to hear from the winner of that primary, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, very shortly. So, stand by for that.

With us now is Congressman Greg Stanton, a Democrat from Arizona.

Congressman, good to see you.

So, another maybe surprising result as we march through these Democratic primaries. As you sit here on this Wednesday morning, what have you learned? What are Democratic voters saying around the country?

REP. GREG STANTON (D-AZ): Well, I'm not sure it's so surprising that a well-respected county executive would win the primary for governor of Wisconsin. What it may say is the pollsters got it wrong, just like the pollsters got it wrong in Michigan recently as well in that Michigan Senate race. So, we're going to have to figure out how to fix our polling in America. But the fact that David Crowley, a very well- respected county executive, winning is not a surprise.

BERMAN: Are there limits to what voters will accept with the progressive movement, Democratic socialists and the like?

STANTON: Well, I just think, in that case, in Wisconsin, you had someone with a proven record. He was an experienced leader, a trusted leader in that community. And I think that's what the voters responded to.

Look, regardless of what -- where you fall on the political spectrum, you've got to explain to voters why you're -- what you're going to do when you get elected, how you're going to get it done, and use your experience to show that you know how to get it done. David Crowley had that -- had that story to tell, and I'm not sure his opponent did.

BERMAN: One other race that, you know, not closer to home geographically, but has to do with the House of Representatives, where you work, which is that Connecticut incumbent John Larson, who's been in Congress since 1999, he lost in a Democratic primary there to Luke Bronin. There it is. You can see Luke Bronin really just crushed him in the primary for that, the first Democratic House district in Connecticut. I think he's the seventh Democratic incumbent to lose in a primary. You were primaried. You won your primary. But why are so many incumbents falling?

STANTON: Well, the case in Connecticut -- first off, John Larson is a legend of public service in Connecticut, and he has served that community well. This was more of a generational change. Luke Bronin is a very well-respected former mayor of Hartford. I'm a former mayor of Phoenix. Mayors tend to be popular candidates when you run for office because you've been able to show your passion, show what you want to get done in a non-partisan environment. And Luke Bronin was a very well-respected leader in Hartford. And so, I don't think that was an ideological race.

BERMAN: No.

STANTON: It was just more of a generational change.

But we respect John Larson. He's been outstanding service.

What I do want to point out in the Midwest, where we started, is that, you know, I'm chair of the new Dem Action Fund. We're trying to get moderates elected in the most competitive seats, including in districts that Trump had won. And we did it last night.

Jake Johnson in Minnesota, a high school teacher, he won in a very competitive district. He's going to win that seat. Rebecca Cooke in Wisconsin as well. She is -- she's going to beat an incumbent member of Congress. That's how we're going to win the general election.

So, the big news on election night is going to be Democrats winning the majority in the House of Representatives. And I know there's a lot of media about the ideological fight.

BERMAN: Yes.

STANTON: But the truth is, we're putting the right candidates in the right positions to win. And that's how we're going to win the majority this year.

[09:35:02]

BERMAN: I didn't mean to suggest that what happened in Connecticut was ideological, by the way. Absolutely it does appear to be generational, the desire for generational change. How much of that are you seeing around the country, especially in some of these races you're talking about in the Midwest?

STANTON: Well, look, I think the voters are saying they want people who are going to fight against Trump and the impact that Trump's policies had on increasing cost of living, affordability is the number one issue in this upcoming race. And if people want to see whether you're a far left Democrat, a moderate Democrat, a more conservative Democrat, do you have the fight to take it to Trump because we have to lower health care costs, and we have to lower costs on everyday goods by eliminating these tariffs. Gas prices is up for American families, working class families around the country. We have to fight to end this, this war in Iran, this war of choice that Trump has made. There's a direct line between increasing prices on the American people, the unaffordability of life in America, and Trump policies. And I think voters are saying they want the toughest fighters in this critical fight across the country.

BERMAN: You mentioned you used to be a mayor yourself. You're also a former working lawyer. You've done a lot of lawyering, you know, in public and privately in your life.

The Department of Justice put out a memo yesterday that has to deal with the idea of executive privilege going forward. And people look at this and say they might have done it to preempt Democrats taking over control of Congress when you might have subpoena power in just a few months. And they say, "the need for presidential confidentiality applies to communications with private advisors just as it does with government officials." Essentially saying, you know, if the president talks to someone about an issue, that person isn't an elected official, isn't an appointed official, isn't a confirmed official, just, you know, maybe a businessman, maybe a friend, if that person is giving them advice, that is privileged information. How do you feel about that as someone who might have subpoena power in just a few months?

STANTON: Look, Donald Trump is an authoritarian. He's tried to take power away from Congress. Power that belongs to Congress. Our founding fathers set up our government of equal branches, separation of powers. Sadly and tragically, for the last few years, Republicans have just rolled over and not defended their role in our constitutional system as members of Congress. They just rolled over and let the president take that power.

The president may assume, because of that, that he has this greater power. He does not. And we are going to win the majority. We're going to reestablish checks and balances in this country. Yes, we will have subpoena power, and we will use that very effectively to reestablish the constitutional norms in this country. The president is not an authoritarian. That's not what our country is. So, despite what his lawyers may be saying, we're certainly going to -- we're going to challenge that, as we should, because that's what the American people want. They want what -- our government to be run the way our founding fathers wanted it to be run, not in this authoritarian way that President Trump is trying to do in this country.

BERMAN: Congressman Greg Stanton, all the way from Arizona this morning. Thanks for getting up for us. I really appreciate it. All right, this morning, Marine veteran -- a Marine veteran is back in

the U.S. after being freed from detention in Russia. What we know about how he was released.

And Spotify lays out their plans for how they will label accounts that appear to be A.I. generated.

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[09:42:56]

BERMAN: All right, we learned that July 2026 was the hottest month on record in the United States. Very hot. Causing a whole lot of problems. So, the question is, will that become a political issue? How much do people care about that? How much do people care about climate change? Is it something they will vote on?

CNN chief data analyst Harry Enten is here.

Wow.

HARRY ENTEN, CNN CHIEF DATA ANALYST: Wow.

BERMAN: It was hot.

ENTEN: Very.

BERMAN: So, is that going to drive decisions from voters?

ENTEN: You know, I was schviting a lot in the month of July, although granted, you know, I schvitz a lot all the time. But the bottom line, when it comes to voters is, simply put, they don't care. They don't care.

I mean, just look at -- look at these numbers. OK, top issue in midterm vote. You can list up to three issues. The economy, not surprisingly, comes in at number one at 54 percent. Immigration, 28 percent.

Look where climate change is. It's tied for 14th. Tied for 14th. All the way down here at three percent. Johnny, I'm not the greatest mathematician in the world, but I sure as heck know that 54 percent is a whole heck of a lot higher than three percent. So, despite the climate being so warm in the month of July, the hottest month on record here in the United States of America, the voters, simply put, do not say that climate change is going to be an issue in which they vote upon in the midterm elections.

BERMAN: And how much people are concerned has been changing over time.

ENTEN: Yes. I mean, this is, I think, the other thing, which is, you know, how much concern is there when it comes over time. And you see this three percent here. And you can see these slides right here. Say climate change is a very big problem. In 2016, it was 40 percent. It was 40 percent. Look where we are in 2026. It's 39 percent. It's 39 percent. Now. Johnny B., you know, you're talking about change. Where the

change we have seen is partisanship, right? And what we can see is, Republicans, more so than anybody else, have been shifting away from the idea that climate change is a top issue for them. Take a look at this. The least important issue for Republicans, it's just at 14 percent in terms of saying that climate change is a very big problem. So, we're seeing a large partizan split. But when it comes together, Democrats are going in one direction, Republicans are going in another direction.

[09:45:02]

But when you put those two together, the bottom line is, we're only talking about two in five Americans, both now and ten years ago, saying that climate change is a very big problem.

BERMAN: This is an all New York accent hit I'm noticing this time.

ENTEN: Yes.

BERMAN: You're leaning into that.

ENTEN: I'm leaning into it.

BERMAN: Because it was hot in July in New York.

ENTEN: Bronx. Yes.

BERMAN: So, to what extent do people blame, you know, human activity for this?

ENTEN: So, you see this 40 percent. You see this 39 percent. Now I really am leaning into the New York accent.

BERMAN: Yes.

ENTEN: Say it's humans causing the earth to warm. Look at this. In 2016 it was 45 percent. Now it's 48 percent. Again, no real shift that's going on here as opposed to saying there's no warming or it's natural.

BERMAN: And in terms of what the prediction markets are saying about how hot it will be this year.

ENTEN: It's going to be hot, Johnny B. Some like it hot. Look at this. OK. Chance that 2026 will be the world's hottest year. Look at that. In July 12th, about a month ago, it was 24 percent. Now 65 percent in the Kalshi prediction markets. So,, quite hot indeed. But Americans, simply put, they don't care about climate change.

BERMAN: We're going to go look for that "r" in the word percent to see if we can find it by tomorrow.

Harry Enten, thank you very much.

ENTEN: Thank you. BERMAN: A lot of news this morning. We'll be right back.

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[09:50:40]

SIDNER: It's the end of an era for a small Florida business that's been outfitting the legendary Blue Angels for almost 50 years. According to the "Stars and Stripes," the Navy scrapped its deal with The Sewing Box earlier this year. The tailoring shop is just minutes from the Blue Angels' home base in Pensacola, Florida. But instead, the Navy is switching to the Virginia-based Akilah International. A contract that ends up being worth almost double what they have been paying The Sewing Box since 2008. And now there's a big question, what happens to the ceremonial suit design? We've reached out to the U.S. Navy and the Blue Angels for comment. We have not yet heard back.

But today, joining me now is Miss Candy Whitehurst and her husband, Ronnie, the owners of The Sewing Box, and their newly hired attorney, Joe Zarzaur.

Thank you all for being here.

Miss Whitehurst, I want to start with you. Do you have any idea why -- you are right across the street -- why they took away your contract after all these decades of work that you've done for the Blue Angels, who were clearly happy with it?

CANDY WHITEHURST, CO-OWNER, "THE SEWING BOX": I have no idea. They never said anything to me, as if they didn't want me. And I have text messages where the guys were saying, oh, this is the best suit I ever had, right before I found out. Oh, it fits so perfect. I mean, I can go -- I can just show you (INAUDIBLE) and tell you stories where they was just in here praising me. So, why they took this initiative, I do not know.

But I just wish they would have had a conversation with me beforehand. And if you had a problem, I felt like they should have came to me because I was loyal to them, as me and my husband, as this business, we was loyal to them and we did everything we could to please them. So, I just don't know where the downfall went, except for maybe with the little confrontation with one of the officers. But other than that, I have no idea. And even him, himself, which is the SUPO (ph), he even was just in here praising me. So, I do not understand.

But I would love to get people to understand this part. What they are doing -- it's the different in manufacturing and custom. Manufacturing is small, medium, large, extra large, double x. Custom is totally built just for that person's body. I have --

SIDNER: I see all of them. Yes.

C. WHITEHURST: I have these patterns that we make just for them. Nobody else can wear this, but Brandon Wilkins. This is his pattern. It belongs to him. So, I just don't believe, Virginia, you can go in his -- that shop at any time and see a special pattern drawn up just for that person.

SIDNER: Just for -- yes.

C. WHITEHURST: So --

SIDNER: And that's important because of what they -- what they do and that the speeds that they go. Everything needs to fit just right, as I understand it.

C. WHITEHURST: Yes.

SIDNER: I just want to ask the both of you, you and your husband, what this is going to mean, what this loss is going to mean for your shop, but also for the community there near the base who relied on you for good, honest work.

C. WHITEHURST: It's going to -- it's -- right now, I must say, the city of Pensacola and around the country, everybody have been so supportive of my family. But the city of Pensacola, they have stood with me because they don't understand. I hire four extra people where that money is generating back into our city.

SIDNER: Yes.

C. WHITEHURST: And the way we care so much about them and the way we support them here in Pensacola, I would have never thought they would do this. Not only to me, but to our city.

[09:55:01]

SIDNER: To your community.

C. WHITEHURST: And it just --

SIDNER: I want to --

C. WHITEHURST: It's heart wrenching (ph). And I do get a little emotional, so, bear with me (ph).

SIDNER: I know it. And I'm sorry.

RONNIE WHITEHURST, CO-OWNER, "THE SEWING BOX": Yes, I'd like to make a comment.

SIDNER: Sure.

R. WHITEHURST: When you say Blue Angels, you think -- yes, I would like to make a comment. When you say Blue Angels, you think excitement. You think joy. They bring joy to the city. They bring joy to kids' hearts. Even my wife, I think sometimes she loves the Blues more than she loves me with the amount of hours that she spend here getting this blue uniform perfect. But she brings joy to the Blue Angels.

So, the Blue Angels is about family. But somehow the Blue Angels and The Sewing Box, well, let's say this, The Sewing Box family has been relieved from family of the Blue Angels. And we just want clarity.

SIDNER: Yes, I know it's hard. And I see the tears forming in your eyes. And I'm so sorry, Miss Whitehurst, that this is so painful for you and your employees and your husband and all the work you've done for half a century.

I do want to quickly, we've got about 30 seconds or less, Joe, to your attorney. We know that the president has given no contract bids to people he knows, like the ones for the company who did the botched Reflecting Pool work. Do you have an answer as to why the government decided to pay so much more for a product that they were getting for about half the price, which was -- ultimately would have saved taxpayers money?

JOE ZARZAUR, CANDY WHITEHURST'S ATTORNEY: All I can tell you is this. First, let me start by saying that Pensacola is the Blue Angels, right? You can't do any kind of search online and look up anything about Pensacola without seeing the Blue Angels. And all of us love the Blue Angels.

And so, I think this is more about a supply officer got a little bit sideways with The Sewing Box over one particular uniform and decided they were going to do something to The Sewing Box. And I don't think politics has anything to do with it, to be honest. I think this has to do with the a supply officer deciding he's going to take it out, his frustration about one particular uniform, he's going to take it out on 40 years plus of a business relationship.

And it's more like a divorce for us because we're married to the Blue Angels in Pensacola. They are -- they are part of who we are. And to take -- to rip that out from us and to send it off to some other state that has nothing -- no connection to the Blue Angels --

SIDNER: Yes.

ZARZAUR: Is devastating to our, in my opinion, to our business community and to The Sewing Box. So, we're going to do everything in our power to see if we can undo this.

SIDNER: All right. Joe, thank you so much. We are running out of time.

ZARZAUR: Yes.

SIDNER: I know you're going to do that, and we'll be watching and we'll stay in touch with you. Thank you to the Whitehursts. We really appreciate you talking to us. And I'm sorry you got so emotional this morning. Have a -- try to have a better day today. Thank you so much.

All right, thank you for joining us. This is CNN NEWS CENTRAL. "SIT ROOM," up next.

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