Donald Trump Criticizes Roy Cooper on Columbus Day

President Donald Trump marked Columbus Day with a post on Truth Social attacking North Carolina Democratic Senate candidate and former Governor Roy Cooper. Trump claimed that Cooper had freed 83 murderers during the COVID-19 pandemic, including 51 serving life sentences, and alleged that 25 of those individuals went on to commit murder after their release. Trump stated, "There has never been a Governor with such a bad record on Crime, and there never will be!" FactCheck.org reported that the 51 inmates were already eligible for parole under a prison settlement, and Cooper's campaign indicated that law enforcement officials and parole officers made the release decisions, not Cooper personally. Trump compared the situation to the 1988 presidential campaign, referencing the case of Willie Horton, although his account of the Horton case was inaccurate. Cooper is currently ahead in polls against Republican candidate Michael Whatley for the Senate seat being vacated by retiring Senator Thom Tillis. Recent polling indicates Cooper has a lead of 49.9 percent to Whatley's 40.9 percent. If elected, Cooper would be the first Democrat to win a Senate seat in North Carolina since 2008. Republicans are focusing on crime as a central issue in the race, attempting to portray Cooper as too lenient on public safety. Trump has joined this effort, accusing Cooper of making North Carolina notorious for violent crime. Cooper's campaign has highlighted his record as the state's attorney general and his collaboration with Republicans on law enforcement issues. Polls suggest a challenging environment for Republicans in North Carolina and other states ahead of the November midterms, with Democrats leading in several key races.