00:00I also want to take a moment to share my deepest condolences to the family and
00:06loved ones of our military members who were killed in the Iran War. But if you
00:13want change in Washington, do you? This campaign is for you. I'm running for
00:21farmers like Jeanette and Joyce in Mount Olive who are struggling to afford what
00:26they need to grow their crops. Seeing equipment cost spike and watching their
00:32bottom line evaporate because of the tariffs. And I want to thank everybody who
00:38ran in this primary. It takes serious courage and passion to step up and get
00:46involved and run for office and serve and I look forward to working with all of
00:51you during this crucial campaign for our state and country. Now I also want to
00:57take a moment to share my deepest condolences to the family and loved ones
01:03of our military members who were killed in the Iran War. Our brave men and women in
01:11uniform put their lives on the line to keep our country safe and I am deeply
01:17grateful to them and their families. So guys, we know we've got our work here and
01:27it's just beginning. We have a long way to go until November. Hey, but if you want
01:35change in Washington, do you? This campaign is for you. If you want to toss out the DC
01:46insiders, do you? This campaign is for you. You know, if you just think things cost too
01:56much, do you? This campaign is for you. I've never been in a race that this crucial for
02:06the people of North Carolina and for our country and I need all of you to get this
02:11job done. Let me tell you why I'm running. I'm running for the hard-working parent
02:17who's tired of seeing higher costs at the grocery store and scared that the
02:22family won't be able to make ends meet. I'm running for farmers like Jeanette and
02:27Joyce in Mount Olive who are struggling to afford what they need to grow their crops,
02:33seeing equipment costs spike and watching their bottom line evaporate because of the
02:40tariffs. I'm running for Meredith in Winston-Salem and her daughter Vivian who
02:47might lose her medical treatment because of right-wing attacks on health care. I'm
02:53running because I love North Carolina and things just should not be this hard for
02:59the people who live here. It is time for a change. Now, you know, I didn't plan to go to
03:07Washington. All of my public service has been here in North Carolina because this
03:12is where I wanted to serve, right here at home. But these are not ordinary times.
03:19Everyday people are being left behind and we see the chaos that's coming out of
03:24Washington only making it worse. The cost of groceries, childcare, utilities, rent,
03:31equipment, healthcare, skyrocketing. Just overnight, we saw the price of gas spike.
03:38Yet another burden on working families. Meanwhile, the DC insiders are making sure that the wealthiest
03:46among us are getting further ahead all at your expense and it's not right. I knew that I needed to
03:54run for
03:54this Senate seat because Washington DC is broken and North Carolinians are struggling
04:01because of it. As I thought about running, on Sundays I would sit in church and I kept
04:09coming back to a passage in the book of Luke. To whom much is given, much is required. A lot
04:18has been
04:18given to me. A lot's been required. I thought about my life growing up in eastern North Carolina.
04:25My public school teacher mom, my hard-working dad, my work on the farm every summer until I went to
04:32college,
04:33the amazing public school education that I got in Nash County, my Sunday school classes that I taught for decades,
04:40and most importantly, my wonderful wife and my three fantastic daughters. Boy, have I been blessed.
04:50And it was amazing to wake up every morning for years and lead the state that I love, both as
04:58Attorney General
04:58and your governor. I'm proud of what we accomplished together. Not only better jobs and more health care, but
05:05investments in teacher pay, child care, early childhood education, prosecuting violent criminals, taking
05:13on child predators, and keeping communities safe. And of course, after years of fighting for it, making
05:21health care more affordable for hundreds of thousands of working North Carolinians by expanding Medicaid.
05:34But now, a new challenge awaits. I'll take that same problem-solving to Washington that I used here
05:43in North Carolina to focus on what matters. My opponent, who just won his primary tonight, is an out-of
05:51-touch
05:51D.C. insider and big oil lobbyist who's only looking out for himself and his well-connected friends in
05:59Washington. He has pushed schemes that raise health care costs, make communities less safe, and make life
06:10harder and more expensive for working families. How out of touch is Michael Watley? While your costs go up,
06:19Michael Watley says prices are down. When your local law enforcement needs more funding to make
06:26communities safe, Michael Watley supports doge cuts that take money away from them. When you wish you could
06:35afford your health care premium, Michael Watley celebrates a bill that makes it cost even more. It's
06:43dead wrong, and it's got to change. Let me tell you who I'll be. I'll be a strong,
06:50independent senator who will work with this president when I can and stand up to him when the people need
06:58me too. I will always, always put the people of North Carolina first, before politics, before party. The
07:10people of North Carolina will be my total focus as I serve in the United States Senate. I'll work with
07:17anyone,
07:17anywhere, from any party, to help make our state better and to make stuff cost less.
07:27Because, really, what's the point of holding office if you aren't focused every day on how to get
07:33something done for the working people who need it? There is no doubt about it. We have a long and
07:41difficult
07:41road ahead. But even during these tough times, those of you who know me know this is true, I am
07:48filled
07:49with hope. We have a real opportunity here to return our government in Washington to the people where it
07:57belongs. Together, with the help of everybody here and those watching at home, we will lower costs for
08:06working families and win this seat in the United States Senate.
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