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U.S. Eyes Potential Second Round Of In-Person Talks With Iran; Rising Gas Prices Dominate Midterm Campaign Trail; Scott Brown's NH Senate Bid Comes In Tough Year For GOP; Cook Political Report Moves Four Senate Races Toward Dems; Midterms Battlefield Map Opens New Opportunities For Dems; Growing List Of Prominent Trump Antagonists Running For Congress. Aired 12:30-1p ET

Aired April 14, 2026 - 12:30   ET

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

[12:30:00]

CLARISSA WARD, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: -- try to take advantage of the one week left on the clock of this ceasefire and make sure that the two sides get together to try once again to hash out a deal. As CNN's been reporting, the apparent sticking point came after the U.S. demanded a pause in the enrichment of uranium for 20 years. The Iranians countered with five years. The U.S. said no, and that's where the talks ended.

So we're seeing a lot of activity, particularly from regional actors, Egypt, Turkey, Pakistan, all of them very keen to try to capitalize on these seven remaining days of this ceasefire and get them back to the table. I just wanted to talk as well, Dana, about that blockade on the Strait of Hormuz. U.S. CENTCOM coming out today and saying that no ship has managed to cross that blockade, which is interesting because earlier in the day, Kepler, which is a firm that monitors global shipping, had said that, in fact, nine ships have managed to cross the Strait of Hormuz.

That may be a difference in terms of what constitutes the blockade versus where the Strait of Hormuz is. We don't exactly know. But U.S. CENTCOM also went on to say that there are 10,000 U.S. servicemen and women involved in enforcing this blockade. They said that six ships had tried to cross the blockade, but that they had successfully been turned around, Dana.

DANA BASH, CNN ANCHOR: Fascinating. Thank you so much, Clarissa. Always good to have you on.

Coming up, Republicans without President Trump's endorsement face long odds in Republican primaries. I'm going to speak to one candidate who says he can beat them. Former Senator Scott Brown will be here next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:36:25]

BASH: With rising energy prices and global instability, the war in Iran is very likely to help shape the midterm elections. Joining me now is someone running for New Hampshire's open Senate seat. Scott Brown is former Republican senator from Massachusetts and also former U.S. ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa during President Trump's first term.

Thank you so much for being here, Senator/Ambassador. It's nice to nice to see you again.

SCOTT BROWN (R), NEW HAMPSHIRE SENATE CANDIDATE: Thank you.

BASH: So you are running against somebody who President Trump endorsed in the Republican primaries, John Sununu, who knew from one of New Hampshire's most prominent political families. My question is, even if you beat John Sununu in the primary, this is likely to be a really tough year for Republicans. What are you hearing from voters that make you believe you can win?

BROWN: Well, every year is a tough year for Republicans, especially someone like me. I've run quite a few times. I've only lost twice. And, Dana, then you were there in 2010. I had no support from the NRC or anyone else. And you were there walking around I remember down the Cape when you were expecting and we had thousands of people.

And I'll tell you what, the energy feels just like that. The amount of support we're getting from the grassroots and others really matters here in New Hampshire. And if you recall, it's funny. I reflect back. I remember Marco Rubio when I won. I went down and helped him run in Florida.

And the same people from D.C. said, you know, no, you got to let Governor Chris do it. And he's like, no, no way. He didn't have that support initially. And he ended up looking at him now. He's a great guy. He's running basically almost everything in D.C. And so it can happen. I believe it's going to happen again.

And if I thought John could win this thing, I would get out. But that's not the case. We see it every day, not only with the amount of support we're getting, the grassroots, the military, people that voted for me when I stopped the Democrat supermajority, when Kennedy died, people that voted for me when I barely lost to Jeanne Shaheen.

So, you know, and it's been fun. And I really enjoy getting out there as we've talked about a few times.

BASH: I want to move on to the issues in this race. But I just -- you remember this far better than I. When you run and it was -- when you won, rather, it was a remarkable win in 2010. You were running with the wind at Republicans' back. I mean, the referendum was on the current President, as it usually is. That was President Obama. And the issue was health care. Now the tables are turned.

BROWN: Well, a little different. Don't forget, Massachusetts hadn't elected a Republican for almost 50 years. And Martha Coakley, a two- time winner of the attorney general, she was already picking up the drapes. So, yes, while Obamacare was an issue, it wasn't --

BASH: Yes. BROWN: -- the only issue with the fact that there was no representation down there as a Republican. And it's very similar here. We have four people who are Democrats and they don't represent the interests of the people of New Hampshire. So, yes, listen, there's always challenges. But do you not do it? Do you just say, oh, geez, you know, it's going to be hard?

Listen, everything's hard. And the people in New Hampshire are having a hard time right now on a whole host of things. And respectfully, if I didn't think I could add with my expertise and qualifications the ability to be a problem solver and make things better, I wouldn't be running.

BASH: Well, let's --

BROWN: But I am.

BASH: And let's talk about one of the things that you're running on and the issue that is dominating every conversation, and that is the affordability crisis. The war in Iran is definitely impacting gas prices, causing them to go higher. Mortgage rates are higher. These are all big issues in the state where you're running in New Hampshire. Housing costs are rising more than voters' incomes.

What is one concrete policy that you say that you'll push in Washington if you're elected?

[12:40:09]

BROWN: Well, first of all, I agree with your earlier guest. The fact that the messaging with the administration's been terrible right from the get go. You know, the President's great and doing an amazing job solving world conflicts. But gas was down. Inflation was down. Egg prices, a lot of other prices were down, but they weren't messaging it properly.

So that's the first thing. And respectfully, gas prices are about the same and maybe even a little lower than when Joe Biden was in charge, and there was no conflict in Iran. So what I've been telling people is I agree with them wholeheartedly.

The biggest challenge we have in New Hampshire is energy prices. And the fact that the President has made it better for people and shipping companies to come into our area without that delay and that taxation and others is fantastic. But we have a real problem here that's why we're looking at Seabrook putting another nuclear power plant where the other one is.

This is permitted for that. Obviously, housing. I've been working on that stuff for decades, understand the issue, want to be part of the solution. I thought the bill that was recently passed to prohibit corporations. Buying swaths of homes is a great first step. And I look forward to being part of that solution.

BASH: You said that the President needs to be focused more on affordability and on his messaging. Can you talk a little bit more about that? What do you want him to do more of? And is it really just the messaging or is it also the underlying policies, which, I mean, he argued and his administration argued were getting better, that the economy was getting better? That was stymied by the war in Iran.

BROWN: Yes, listen, it was getting better. I mean, that's a fact. We all know it was getting better. And yes, but bottom line is you and I -- I mean, I've been in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Israel, Dubai, Jordan, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, worked with ambassadors as a senator, worked with them as an ambassador, understand the region. And at what point do you say enough Iran, you know, stop being exporting terrorism around the region and the world, Hamas, Israel --

BASH: So you support what the U.S. is doing, what the President is doing in Iran?

BROWN: Yes, I supported them getting rid of the nuclear facilities. I support what he's doing by getting and neutralizing that big bully so that amazing region can flourish. And I support the -- what they're doing right now to force them to come to the table.

He's given them a knowledge branch. In consideration of us stopping, you know, basically annihilating your military, you need to open up the street. And once again, you see the hemming and hawing that they're not doing and sticking to the word. So I believe our allies, European allies, Japan, Singapore, South Korea need to step up and do their jobs too, because this affects them more than it affects us.

BASH: One final question. If you were placing a bet, which outcome looks more certain right now? You winning the Republican primary or a Celtics title?

BROWN: Well, I tell you, I have to reflect back, but I think the Patriots, Red Sox, and the Celtics won titles pretty close to when I got elected. But listen, I love the Celtics. I loved the other day watching all the subs play and then beat the other team that was --

BASH: You're not answering the question, Senator.

BROWN: Yes, listen, you know me. I've been -- I was down 41 points in won by seven. Nothing's easy. I'm running against, as you said, apparently a political dynasty. Well, people don't like dynasties. They don't like monarch -- monarchies, and I'm working my tail off.

And you can go to scottbrown.com and help and learn more. And this series isn't over. I didn't realize the election was tomorrow. It's five months away. It's like a 70-degree day here, and people are finally starting to pay attention. So it's going to be fun and it's going to be a battle.

BASH: I'm guessing the Patriots dynasty is one that you're probably OK with.

Senator, thank you so much --

BROWN: I've been a season (ph) ticket holder for decades, so yes, I love that one. BASH: Senator, thank you for being here. Appreciate it.

BROWN: Bye-bye.

BASH: Up next, Democrats face a steep hill to win back the Senate, but the odds are improving. We're going to show you how some of the races that everybody is keeping an eye on that will determine the balance of power just moved into the Democrats' favor.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:48:35]

BASH: Election Day is just 29 Tuesdays away, and Democrats have four more reasons to dream of retaking the Senate in November. The Cook Political Report is shifting its ratings for four states toward Democrats. One, that Democrats must hold. Georgia now leans Democrat, according to Cook.

Two, they think they can flip. North Carolina now leans Democrat. Ohio is a toss up. And Nebraska is now on the map, shifting from solid Republican to likely Republican. The Cornhusker state is still a big stretch for Democrats, but apparently, it looks like, as of this moment, not totally out of reach.

Tia?

TIA MITCHELL, WASHINGTON BUREAU CHIEF, ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION: Yes. I mean, I was just in Georgia last week, and I attended the Democratic Party of Georgia's big annual Carter-Lewis fundraising dinner. Jon Ossoff was one of the keynote speakers. It was a sold-out crowd. They are fired up.

We had that special election runoff last week in Georgia. Democrats overperformed. It was still a red seat, but the Democratic candidate got really close. And what the party leaders believe that that enthusiasm that Democrats have, while Republicans, because of their frustrations with Trump and Republican officials, both in Georgia and in Washington, they think that's making their people less enthusiastic about showing up, which makes it even harder for Republicans to win statewide against a popular incumbent like John Ossoff.

[12:50:07]

And I think these kind of headwinds, we've been talking about it all hour, you know, the gas prices, the war, the muddled messaging, the fights, quite frankly, the memes making the President look like a religious figure. It's turning a lot of the Republican base off, and it's making it harder for Republicans to feel like they can rely on the same voters that helped them win in 2024.

BASH: Let's just stay with Ossoff for a second. And you talked about being at -- I know you were here. Let's play a little bit of what he said over the weekend.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JON OSSOFF (D), GEORGIA: In Donald Trump's America, the rich get tax cuts, the well-connected get stock tips, and everybody else makes sacrifices. But Americans have seen through this scam, and it's up to Georgia Democrats to end it.

Are you ready to win, Georgia Democrats?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TAMARA KEITH, HOST, "NPR POLITICS PODCAST": He has come a long way in public life and has become a much better speaker and has become very good at delivering pithy lines that other Democrats may want to copy. The -- he's been going viral several times. I will say in North Carolina, and this gets at something where their -- he -- Roy Cooper, the Democratic candidate, is a former governor, popular former governor.

I've been talking, again, as part of the Swing Voter Project to a lot of people who voted for President Trump. They've voted for Democrats in the past. All of these people who voted for Trump in 2024, who I've been interviewing for my series, they're all like, oh, yes, Roy Cooper. I can vote for Roy Cooper.

He is a palatable Democrat for these voters that I've been talking to. Obviously, not scientifically significant data there, but he is the candidate the Democrats wanted, and that's why.

BASH: Yes. And -- go ahead.

DAVID CHALIAN, CNN POLITICAL DIRECTOR: Sorry. I was just going to say, I think it's important, as you went through all those moves --

BASH: Yes.

CHALIAN: -- that also the Cook Political Report stated that it is still more likely than not that the Senate stays in --

BASH: Yes.

CHALIAN: -- Republican control, even with those moves, because I just think it's important to understand how difficult the map is and the way to think about it -- sorry. Go ahead.

BASH: And that's exactly what I was going to do. Thank goodness you're here.

Let's pull up the full map.

CHALIAN: OK.

BASH: Go for it.

CHALIAN: Perfect. So I'm just saying, I think the best way for folks to think about the map that I think puts in sort of clear relief why this is such a tough road for Democrats, even in a very advantageous year. They've got to hold Georgia. So we just discussed that Ossoff may be on track to do that. And they've got to hold -- you were just talking to Scott Brown in New Hampshire on the Republican side, hold New Hampshire, hold Michigan. They have a competitive Democratic primary there.

Minnesota, I don't think, is really all that much of a battleground state anymore for this cycle. That's their hold, but they still need a net gain of four.

BASH: That's a lot.

CHALIAN: And so where do you look? So you listen to Tamara. You look at a place like North Carolina that's open. Maybe that's where they go to get a net gain.

Maine, Susan Collins is the only Republican in the state that Harris won that's up for reelection. Maybe that's a place they go. Obviously, there's a primary there on the Democratic side. So where do you go next? Ohio.

BASH: Ohio.

CHALIAN: You mentioned the move of Cook. So then what's next? That's three. So they got Maine, North Carolina, and Ohio.

BASH: Iowa?

CHALIAN: OK, well, now you're talking about really red turf.

BASH: I know.

CHALIAN: And so, you're looking at a place like Iowa or Alaska.

BASH: And Texas is like the Democrats' white whale.

CHALIAN: Exactly. So this is still, even with all the metrics, very advantageous for the Democrats. The battle for Senate control, you really do need to look at state by state as you try to figure out how Democrats are going to get a net gain of four. I'm not saying it's out of reach --

BASH: Yes.

CHALIAN: -- and it's clearly more in reach today than it was three months ago. And if the President's numbers continue to go down and gas prices continue to go up, I would imagine it'll be more within reach.

BASH: Speaking out about who is on the ballot, up next, we're going to talk about another member of the Trump resistance who wants a seat in Congress. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:58:58]

BASH: Another prominent Trump antagonist is launching a campaign for Congress. Olivia Troye, a Homeland Security adviser to then-Vice President Mike Pence, left the White House in 2020 and became an outspoken critic of President Trump, especially his response to the pandemic.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OLIVIA TROYE, HOMELAND SECURITY ADVISER TO THEN-VICE PRESIDENT MIKE PENCE: The evil I saw in that White House was staggering.

In 2020, I finally said enough, and they came for me. Kash Patel, Stephen Miller, even Trump himself.

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I don't know her. I never met her.

TROYE: They sent MAGA after me, tried to bankrupt me, threatened to kill me. They thought they could silence me.

They obviously don't know me very well.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BASH: Troye is part of a growing list of, quote unquote, "resistance figures" running for office as Democrats. Jack Smith's deputy, JP Cooney, is running for the same seat. George Conway is also running. Ex-Capitol Police Officer Harry Dunn is running again. Fired FBI Agent David Sundberg, they're all running for the House.

Alexander Vindman, who was a key witness in President Trump's first impeachment, is running for Senate in Florida. And this is not an exhaustive list.

CHALIAN: Yes, it's an interesting collection of people, no doubt. And more than three certainly makes a trend to look at here. These are people who were from their positions of service inside some of the institutions that came under a lot of stress in Trump one and the years thereafter.

My question is, so you -- they are utilizing their fame a little bit, but my question is, will it meet the voters where they are right now? If this -- it's like the thrust of the democracy piece, and is that going to be the thing in 2026? And I think that'll be a question for these candidates to answer on the trail.

BASH: So true. Thank you all. Appreciate it.

Thank you for joining Inside Politics. CNN News Central starts right now.