RALEIGH, N.C. — U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly told more than 250 people at a Raleigh town hall Sunday that North Carolina voters play a critical role in helping Democrats take back Congress in 2026, arguing that Republican President Donald Trump “doesn’t care about America’s veterans or its citizens.”
“I wish my colleagues on the other side of the aisle would grow a spine and stand up,” the Arizona Democrat said to thunderous applause, urging voters to hold their leaders accountable.
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Kelly noted that while some Republicans are privately sympathetic, few are willing to challenge the president. “They will not speak out against the president, and that’s because they are, I would say, generally, more afraid of the president than they are afraid of their constituents,” he said.
The standing-room-only event, hosted by state Attorney General Jeff Jackson and the North Carolina Democratic Party, covered topics including next year’s midterm elections, gun control, and growing political and economic tensions with China.
Kelly, a former U.S. Navy combat pilot and astronaut, carried a similar message to Asheville on Saturday and will join Mecklenburg County residents for a Labor Day parade in Charlotte on Monday alongside his wife, former U.S. Rep. Gabby Giffords.
Democrats Push to Retake Congress
Kelly emphasized the significance of the 2026 elections, where North Carolinians will help elect multiple U.S. House members and a new senator. He voiced support for former Gov. Roy Cooper, who is running to replace Republican Sen. Thom Tillis.
“We have a second Trump administration that has gotten completely off the rails and is in totally uncharted territory, and doesn’t care at all about ethics or the rule of law or our institutions or our relationships with our allies,” Kelly said, adding that Trump’s policies are causing “significant damage.”
Kelly also criticized Trump’s push to eliminate mail-in ballots, noting it could disenfranchise military veterans serving overseas. “They risk their lives in defense of this country. They have as much of a right as anybody to have their vote counted,” he said.
Despite the challenges, Kelly stressed optimism: “For every one of you, there are thousands and thousands of people across this country ready to fight for our rights and our future, the future of our kids and our grandkids and service members and retired folks and young people who are trying to get an education and a start in life.”
VA Job Cuts Draw Criticism
Sunday’s event also focused on veterans and their families, with discussions about federal cuts to the Department of Veterans Affairs. Attorney General Jeff Jackson criticized Trump’s plan to cut more than 75,000 VA jobs, later scaled back to 30,000.
VA Secretary Doug Collins said many roles would be eliminated through a hiring freeze and attrition, with no direct impact on veterans’ care. However, Kelly and Jackson warned that demand for services is rising due to more female veterans seeking care and broader eligibility under the PACT Act.
“This would be a major hit to North Carolina from an employment standpoint, but more significantly from a treatment standpoint,” Jackson said. About 350,000 North Carolina veterans currently receive services, and roughly 17,000 people work in VA facilities statewide.
Kelly added that cuts would reverse improvements made over the past decade and accused the administration of shifting resources to fund “a big, giant tax cut to the wealthiest Americans.”
Jackson also criticized Trump’s move to end collective bargaining agreements for thousands of VA employees. The North Carolina attorney general’s office filed a brief Saturday supporting a lawsuit challenging the August order.
Kelly argued that Trump “doesn’t understand service or sacrifice,” saying, “He just doesn’t understand us. He doesn’t understand sacrifice to this nation and sacrifice before self. Certainly, he doesn’t even understand the ultimate sacrifice that so many veterans have made across the history of this great nation.”
Pushing for Change in North Carolina
Among the attendees was Bernardine Donato, a U.S. Navy and Air National Guard veteran with 24 years of service, who brought her service dog, Orleans. She said she hoped to hear strategies for how Democrats could compete despite Republican control of the legislature and the State Board of Elections.
“It’s really frustrating right now that a lot of us feel like, what are the Democrats really doing? And why are they not standing up more?” Donato said, praising Kelly and Jackson for “standing up for us” and raising awareness about the challenges veterans face.
After the event, Kelly encouraged North Carolinians to push for passage of the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, which would give the federal government greater authority to combat voter discrimination. The bill was introduced earlier this year in the House and in the Senate on July 29.
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