While North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis launched his 2026 reelection campaign with a fundraiser at the Carolina Country Club, more than 100 protesters gathered outside,
Cuts made to the crucial department have created longer wait times, delayed benefits, and propped up unnecessary barriers for those who need to access the benefits they earned, particularly the nine in 10 Americans over the age of 65 and millions of people with disabilities who rely on it.
“What that means is the person nominated to run Medicare believes it’s acceptable not to contribute to Social Security and Medicare like nurses and firefighters do with every paycheck,” said Sen. Ron Wyden.
Democrats in the North Carolina legislature are attempting to raise the state’s minimum wage which has not been increased in over 15 years. Representatives Allison Dahl (D-District 11), Aisha Dew (D-District 111), Bryan Cohn (D-District 32), and Marcia Morey (D-District 30) filed House Bill 353, titled the “Fair Minimum Wage Act”, would not just raise the minimum wage once but continue to raise it as time goes on.
The theme of Stein’s speech was “North Carolina Strong,” a motto the newly elected governor has used to rally North Carolinians who are in the midst of a hurricane rebuild, rising costs, and deep federal funding cuts. He recognized several honored guests from across the state, leaders in fields such as education and law enforcement that Stein believes have embodied his view of “North Carolina Strong.”
“Losing this support is devastating, not merely because of the financial setback, but because it directly affects an essential lifeline connecting agriculture, regional economic well-being, and the health of WNC families,” Claire Neal, CEO of MANNA FoodBank, told Asheville Citizen-Times.
Days after the Trump administration announced plans to cut funding and jobs from the Department of Veterans Affairs, veterans across the country joined together to rally against the attack on the crucial federal agency. According to PBS, these cuts come at a time when veterans’ healthcare needs are increasing, hundreds of VA centers are facing staff shortages, and approximately 400,000 veterans are uninsured.
The Senate held votes on two major pieces of legislation in the North Carolina General Assembly. Senate Bill 58, entitled AG/Restrict Challenge to Presidential EOs, would prohibit North Carolina’s Attorney General Jeff Jackson from participating in any legal action that would invalidate an executive order from Trump.
The North Carolina Senate voted along party lines to ban Attorney General Jeff Jackson from suing the president over any executive orders — a surprise vote announced only moments ahead of time.
“Protecting North Carolinians’ health care access is critically important,” said Stein. “I am proud of our state’s bipartisan work to expand Medicaid, and I call on that same bipartisan spirit in Congress to stand up and protect Medicaid so we can continue to provide critical care across our state.”