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Iowa, Maine & Georgia Candidates Spar in Senate Debates; Michigan Dem Hopes to Succeed Term-Limited Gretchen Whitmer; Trade War With Canada Becomes Big Issue in Neighboring Michigan. Aired 12:30-1p ET

Aired October 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]

MARIANNA SOTOMAYOR, CAPITOL HILL CORRESPONDENT, PUCK: -- not being close to MAGA or Trump, not being completely tied. And as much as Democrats have tried to land that argument, it doesn't always stick. In other words, she might have a better chance of keeping her seat than Ashley Hinson, who does have a voting record of constantly voting with the Republican Party and backing Trump. And that is the difficulty that even Mike Collins in Georgia faces, right?

DANA BASH, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT AND ANCHOR OF 'INSIDE POLITICS': Speaking of Mike Collins in Georgia, this is a race that has, you know, fallen off the competitive map, and it's because Jon Ossoff is doing quite well, the incumbent Democrat.

So, one of the questions we want to play here that he got in that debate last night was about 2028.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GREG BLUESTEIN, CHIEF POLITICAL REPORTER, THE ATLANTA JOURNAL- CONSTITUTION: Will you pledge right now tonight to serve your full six-year term if you win?

SEN. JON OSSOFF, (D-GA): Yes, I will. I have zero interest in running for president. I'm not running for president. I'm running for re- election to the Senate.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BASH: You've heard versions of that answer for many years in many different ways. Jamie, parse that one.

JAMIE GANGEL, CNN SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT: That to me was a hell of a lot stronger than never say never. I mean, he said yes, that he would take the pledge. I do think it's interesting, if you saw the Georgia debate last night and you watched the main debate with Troy Jackson, you know, some of these candidates have to be thankful for their opponents. They're just not as good candidates.

When we saw Susan Collins there, Troy Jackson is sort of reading his answers, looking up and down, very, you know, reads differently than Susan Collins just speaking directly to the camera.

BASH: All right. Don't go anywhere.

Coming up, Michigan is a swing state that hasn't elected consecutive Democratic governors in more than 60 years. Well, Jocelyn Benson wants to change that. She'll be here next.

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[12:36:12]

BASH: Michigan is the center of the political universe in pretty much every presidential election and this year, it's once again drawing the eyes of the entire nation in one of the most crucial Senate races of the midterm cycle, but the state's governor's race could also make history.

Michigan Democrat Secretary of State, Jocelyn Benson is taking on GOP Congressman, John James to succeed term-limited Governor, Gretchen Whitmer. If James wins, he would be the state's first black governor. If Benson wins, it would be the first time in more than 60 years Michigan elected consecutive Democratic governors.

Secretary Benson joins me now. Thank you so much for being here. You well know that President Trump won Michigan twice in the last ten years. Two years ago, he won by 80,000 votes and he did it in large part by making inroads with Independents. About a third of voters in your state call themselves Independents, at least did in 2024. What do you say to voters who may have supported President Trump two years ago and now are trying to figure out who to vote for, for governor?

JOCELYN BENSON, (D) MICHIGAN GOVERNOR CANDIDATE: Yeah. Well, thanks for having me. And look, in 2024, Donald Trump made a lot of promises to the people of Michigan. Promises to lower costs, promises to make life more affordable and then he failed to deliver on those promises. And not only that, here we are in 2026 and we're seeing not just failure to deliver, but also costs going up on just about everything.

If it's the reckless war in Iran, it is causing our gas prices to increase. The reckless tariffs with Canada that he and my opponent, John James, both support, those have driven up costs on Michiganders and Michigan households more than any other state in the nation, and people of Michigan are feeling that.

We see our prices go up at the gas pump, at the grocery store, everywhere else, our electricity bills and people are looking for leaders who will actually deliver results. I've done that as Secretary of State, reforming our office to actually save people time and money and that track record, that results oriented record is ultimately what people are looking for in elections like this.

BASH: You mentioned your opponent for Governor, John James. I spoke with him last week. Here's one of the things he said to me.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) REP. JOHN JAMES, (R) MICHIGAN GOVERNOR CANDIDATE: The Democrat Party in Michigan is not the party of our parents. The Jewish Attorney General in the state of Michigan didn't even attend her own Democrat Convention because she feared for her own personal safety. That is what's happening in the Democrat Party in the state of Michigan and Abdul El-Sayed is the leader of that type of extremism that's catching hold.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BASH: Now, he is running against you and not Abdul El-Sayed, but what do you make of those comments about your party in Michigan?

BENSON: Yeah, our party is the party of the Voting Rights Act. We are the party of the Civil Rights Act, the party of Medicaid, Medicare. The party that does big transformational things and actually drives down costs for the people. And my opponent, when he went to Washington, he did not fight for people. He fought for the highest bidder and did whatever Donald Trump asked, raising costs on all of us, voting three times to increase health care costs on the people of Michigan, supporting tariffs that have taxed Michiganders more than any other state, and voting six times to support a war in Iran that have directly impacted gas prices in Michigan.

So what people are looking for in Michigan right now and what Democrats are unified around delivering are lowering costs, increasing wages, growing our economy and frankly, ending the type of corruption at the federal level that has got us here.

I talk a lot about how government's kind of at the federal level showing up everywhere we don't want it and nowhere where we actually need it. But here in Michigan, Democrats are united around showing up for people, actually delivering results, lowering costs, increasing wages and making life better for everyone.

BASH: I was just -- I mentioned to you, I was just on the ground there in Michigan last week.

[12:40:00]

It's very clear you are doing much better in the polls in your race than El-Sayed is in his race for Senate. What do you say to voters who are all in for you, but not sure about him?

BENSON: Well again, I look at results. Who is actually going to build the team, the coalition, to get things done for the people of Michigan? And if you look at Democrats up and down the ticket, including our state House, our state Senate candidates, our congressional candidates, our ticket is full of Democrats who are focused on getting things done, and getting things done that people really want. More money in your pockets, more money in our wages, costs going down on health care, housing, electricity, child care.

And so we're all talking about those ways in which we're going to make sure government works better for the people of Michigan. And I encourage all voters to look at the records of the leaders who are running, and knowing that my record speaks for itself. I've worked as Secretary of State to not just make life more affordable, but also take on a president of the United States who's shown, through his corrupt and cruel policies, that he doesn't care about us.

He doesn't care about making our lives better. Democrats do, and that's what we're fighting for.

BASH: So the question was about the Senate race, which obviously could tip the balance of power here in Washington. You talked about the whole ticket, but didn't specifically talk about Abdul El-Sayed.

BENSON: Yeah, I mean Democrats across Michigan, we've got a lot of shared goals, and we know we need to work together to accomplish them. And so that's what you're seeing.

I will work with anyone who is committed to actually driving down costs and improving people's lives here in Michigan, and I've made that clear throughout our campaign. And we've built a true coalition, a diverse coalition of leaders on this ticket, that represent those same values.

I'm focused on making sure here in Michigan, we are committing and delivering that message to all voters, that we're working together to drive down costs, and that we all understand what's at stake for working families, and we share a commitment to making life more affordable and expanding opportunities for everyone.

Whether you're running for U.S. Senate, for Congress, for State House, for State Senate, for Governor, we're committed to that work, to making life more affordable and expanding opportunities for all. And I'm proud to continue to put that message before voters in these last three weeks heading to Election Day.

BASH: You mentioned tariffs. If you are elected governor, you don't have the ability to determine federal tariffs on goods, but you will have to deal with the impact on Michiganders. Michigan does about $80 billion in trade a year with Canada. You don't have the best relationship with President Trump, which you know is understandable, given the fact that you're on the other side of the aisle.

Would you be able to work with him to try to lower the trade wars burden on Michiganders?

BENSON: Yeah, I mean my job as governor will be to fight for and represent the people of Michigan, on all sides, in every county. And that's what I've done as Secretary of State. I'll always stand up to anyone who tries to interfere with our rights, our freedoms, abuse their authority, as we've seen on the federal level, to dampen our ability to hold elected officials accountable.

But I also know that growing our economy, increasing access to well- paying jobs, is critical to ensuring everyone in Michigan can thrive. And I will work with the president and anyone else who is committed to those same goals. However, the president has to recognize that the tariffs he's imposed in this war with Canada has hurt Michiganders more than any other state. Households are paying $6,400 more as a result of these tariffs.

BASH: Yeah.

BENSON: So as governor, I'll also work to negotiate agreements with Canada, subnational agreements, that can carve out exceptions to these tariff wars to help protect Michiganders. And I hope the president would support that work.

BASH: Michigan Secretary of State and candidate for Governor, Jocelyn Benson, thank you so much for being here. Appreciate it.

BENSON: Thanks for having me. And folks can go to JocelynBenson.com to get involved and help us out.

BASH: OK, thank you.

And up next, Carolina Blue kickoff. Will it kick off? The Blue Wave on election night. John King went to the Tar Heel State and talked with voters.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAYOR ABBY NORTON, HOT SPRINGS, NORTH CAROLINA: There are going to be people out there who think I'm just totally crazy, but no, I don't think it's going to affect the way we live and the way that we work.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

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[12:48:31]

BASH: On election night, North Carolina will be one of the first tests of a Democratic blue wave. Both parties have pulled some ad money out of the state. As Republicans lose hope, the battleground Senate race could actually flip.

But how real is the Democratic momentum? John King went to North Carolina.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN KING, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT & ANCHOR OF "ALL OVER THE MAP" (voice-over): Up before the sun, a crisp fall morning wrapped in a thick blanket of fog.

ROBERT RUSSELL, NORTH CAROLINA VOTER: Baby!

KING (voice-over): Robert Russell breaks the silence.

RUSSELL: Baby!

KING (voice-over): A wake-up call in Appalachia.

RUSSELL: We'll be in business here in a couple of minutes. KING (voice-over): It takes a bit, but then remarkable precision. The goats emerge from the hillside, wander down, and lineup.

KING: They come at their pace, right?

(LAUGH)

RUSSELL: That's pretty much it. So they wake up, and the first thing they want to do is eat.

KING (voice-over): Milking comes first on Russell's long list of daily chores.

KING: Oh, sorry.

KING (voice-over): Busy, but patient with a novice.

KING: Yep. She says new guy. There we go.

(LAUGH)

RUSSELL: OK, now you're good.

KING: All right.

KING (voice-over): Pigs to feed, chickens to check on, and, yes, baby goats to break up the chores with some morning joy.

50 acres, days that run 19 hours, a small farm barely breaking even.

RUSSELL: Yeah, from the outside, that's a life that you would never want to live. But, I mean, I can tell you that in 10 years, I've never had a single moment when I've regretted taking this step.

[12:50:00]

KING (voice-over): Leicester is Western North Carolina. The Blue Ridge Mountains. Rugged. Rural. Republican. Yet this fall, full of these, perhaps another awake-up call.

Roy Cooper is the Democrat now favored to flip a Republican Senate seat. Jamie Ager, a farmer and a Democrat hoping to flip a deep red house seat. Russell is an Independent, tired of rising prices, tired of broken promises.

RUSSELL: No. I'm not particularly happy. You know, I think that -- that a lot of stuff that -- that was implied or promised has kind of been backtracked, walked back, and that's you know, that's frustrating.

KING: Like what?

RUSSELL: No wars. That's a big one.

KING (voice-over): Inclined to vote for change but not sure yet, not sure because he doubts even giant change in Washington will help him. RUSSELL: The government is not interested and is not set up to help small farmers. I don't have any hope that -- that any -- there's going to be any possible change in Washington that's going to affect and benefit me.

KING (voice-over): That's a recurring theme of our travels here and in many rural communities where people feel forgotten.

Abby Norton is the Mayor of tiny Hot Springs, population 600, not a politician she insists, not one who believes replacing Republicans with Democrats in Congress will change much.

NORTON: There are going to be people out there who think I'm just totally crazy, but no, I don't think it's going to affect the way we live and the way that we work.

KING (voice-over): This is Marshall, about 15 miles upriver from Hot Springs, the floodwaters here rose 27 feet.

KOREY HAMPTON, NORTH CAROLINA VOTER: Ready to start the adventure?

KING: I'm ready. I am ready. I am excited. It's a beautiful day.

KING (voice-over): Korey Hampton's outdoor adventure business offers rafting, rappelling, zip lining and bike tours through the spectacular countryside. The floodwaters changed the path of the French Broad River, homes alongside it are still being rebuilt. It was not a good summer.

HAMPTON: It's hard to know how much of that is still storm related and how much of that is because people aren't sure if they should spend money to, you know, go out to eat or to go on a family vacation.

KING (voice-over): Hampton and good friend, Josh Koprus (ph) are Democrats. They know they're outnumbered here. Trump won 61 percent of the vote in Madison County. But both believe eight months of a war the president said would be over in weeks is changing minds here.

HAMPTON: A direct impact of the war is that fuel costs more and I don't have a way around using fuel. I live in a -- live and run a business in a rural town that's 30, 45 minutes from where my guests are and my locations where we go on outdoor adventures are 45, an hour plus out into, you know, the remote wilderness.

KING (voice-over): This isn't the only North Carolina House race critical to the balance of power in Washington. A second is 400 miles east along North Carolina's Atlantic Coast.

KING: It's a big late campaign question because the president's poll numbers are simply so bad. A Democrats going to have a good midterm election night or is there a big blue wave brewing? Well, where I'm standing right now will be a big part of the answer.

This is North Carolina's 1st congressional district. Democrat Don Davis is the incumbent. Back in 2024, Congressman Davis narrowly won reelection. But at the same time, President Trump carried his district by three points. So Don Davis was going to be a top Republican target this year anyway, but then North Carolina Republicans redrew the lines. They took away from the district several predominantly black Democratic counties and they added a handful of Republican counties, like this one.

Under the new lines, President Trump would have carried the district by 11 points. So by that new math, in 2026, Congressman Davis should be toast, right?

KING (voice-over): Laurie Buckhout as the Republican candidate. Nick McFerran bought this gun shop in Morehead City 10 years ago, says business is pretty good. His politics could not be clearer.

KING: What is it you like about him?

NICK MCFERRAN, NORTH CAROLINA VOTER: What's not to like about him? I think he's straightforward. I like what he does.

KING (voice-over): He's confident Republicans will turn out and flip the House seat.

MCFERRAN: Constantly, people talk about the election.

KING: But the question is, could she win?

(CROSSTALK)

MCFERRAN: I think, definitely, she will win.

KING (voice-over): Morehead City is in Carteret County. Trump won 71 percent here two years ago. Local Democrats though insist that even here, the midterm mood is change.

LISA HOLMAN, 1ST VICE CHAIR, CARTERET COUNTY DEMOCRATS: We're going to roll it blue. People are angry. They're ready for a change.

KING (voice-over): Remember, looks can be deceiving a roomful of excited Democrats on a weeknight is impressive, yes, but the math around here in recent years is pretty lopsided, in favor of the other party.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (Inaudible) time is now to get involved.

KING (voice-over): But it is worth listening, among those on hand are several local candidates who suddenly think maybe they can flip seats in the Republican legislature. Lisa Holman is in charge of getting out the vote for them and for Congressman Davis, all insist the fall mood here is very different from the spring.

[12:55:00]

HOLMAN: I just talked to several people on the phone bank today, and they go, I cannot wait to get to the polls. I cannot wait. We weren't seeing and hearing that back in May initially. It was like, yeah, no. And so blue wave, yeah, I really am feeling the blue wave. KING (voice-over): Be skeptical, especially when it comes to this House race. But North Carolina hugging the Atlantic Coast has two big pluses. One, it's gorgeous. And on election night, it gives us a giant early test of the midterm blue wave debate.

John King, CNN, Morehead City, North Carolina.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BASH: It is gorgeous, and we will all be watching very closely what happens in North Carolina early on election night.

Thanks to John and thank you for joining "Insight Politics." "CNN News Central" starts after a quick break.

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