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MAGA Friendly Candidates Advance To Runoff After Ousting Incumbent Bill Cassidy; Georgia Voters Pick Senate And Governor Candidates On Tuesday; Trump Says "Clock Is Ticking" For Iran; Deadly Drone Attacks In Russia Reported; At Least 8 Injured When Car Plows Through Sidewalk In Italian City; Democrat Eye Ohio On Path To Retake Senate; Sherrod Brown Running In Ohio; Sen. Jon Husted (R-OH) Interview; Church Attendance Rebounding. Aired 4-5p ET
Aired May 17, 2026 - 16:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[16:00:00]
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: This weekend, Louisiana's Bill Casssidy faced Trump's wrath for his vote to convict the president in his last impeachment trial. A pair of MAGA friendly candidates, Congresswoman Julia Letlow and State Treasurer John Fleming, edged out the two-term senator. Both Letlow and Fleming will advance to a June runoff after neither secured a majority of votes.
Cassidy, who shied away from directly criticizing Trump during his reelection bid, took a thinly veiled swipes at the president in his concession speech last night.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. BILL CASSIDY (R-LA): Leadership should be steady, not erratic, thoughtful, not impulsive. Insults only bother me if they come from somebody of character and integrity.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
CASSIDY: And I find that people of character and integrity don't spend their time attacking people on the internet.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: After Cassidy's defeat, Trump is now setting his sights on another political foe, Republican Congressman Thomas Massie. Massie, a frequent thorn in the president's side, says he is unfazed by Trump's attacks ahead of his primary this Tuesday.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. THOMAS MASSIE (R-KY): I'm the one they haven't been able to bully, so they're putting all the brunt, the force on me. But you can tell that I'm ahead in the polls and they're desperate. That's why they're sending the secretary of war to my district tomorrow. That's why the president is losing sleep and tweeting about this.
(END VIDEO CLIP) WHITFIELD: All right, let's go live now to CNN's Alayna Treene at the White House.
Alayna, Cassidy's loss is a big warning sign for any Republicans who have provoked Trump. What is the president saying today?
ALAYNA TREENE, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Yes. Look, I think obviously he's taking a victory lap over seeing Cassidy lose out in the primary, which is now, of course, headed to a runoff between Congressman Julia Letlow, who the president had endorsed in this race, but also another very, you know, MAGA Republican, the state's treasurer, John Fleming.
And I think you're right, I think this is a warning sign to Massie. Of course, they are two different candidates. These are two entirely different races, one for a Senate seat in Louisiana, the other Congress seat -- a congressional seat in Kentucky. But look, I do think what Cassidy's race show is that when you incur the wrath of President Trump, and also, I should note, many of his top officials who are with him now in the West Wing, when you get on the wrong side of that, they will do a lot to try and force you out and kind of kill your political career.
And when I say the people around the president, I'd note that a lot of the people who are with Trump now in the White House, his closest advisers, who surround him in the West Wing, they are the same people who helped get him reelected in 2024, but also many of the same people who have been with him from the beginning. And I note that specifically because for Cassidy, his kind of original sin was voting to convict President Donald Trump back in 2021, in the impeachment vote following the attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6th, 2021.
And so, look, Cassidy faced an uphill battle, and we're going to have to see now what this means for Massie as well. Something that's also been interesting about Massie is that the president is not just targeting his sights on him, and this has been a fight between the president and many of his advisers and Massie for several months now. But recently, the interesting thing over this weekend was now the president is also turning some of his fire on those Republicans who have been supporting him in this.
Specifically, we saw him call out Congresswoman Lauren Boebert, congresswoman from Colorado. She has been very much a MAGA supporter of the president. She's been a close ally of his. But one vote she did do against him was voting for the Epstein files to be released in full. That, of course, was Thomas Massie's bill that he had -- that Congress passed back in December. All to say, we're going to have to see how Tuesday goes as well.
But I do think this was a sign that this party, more than ever, really is the party of Trump. An endorsement from him and a, you know, direct attack from him really goes a long way in these types of races.
WHITFIELD: All right. Alayna Treene, at the White House, thanks so much. All right. With me now to talk more about all of this and other
political news is Tia Mitchell. She is the Washington bureau chief for the "Atlanta Journal-Constitution."
Tia, great to see you.
TIA MITCHELL, WASHINGTON BUREAU CHIEF, ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION: Good to see you.
WHITFIELD: All right. So this was quite the shakeup. I mean, Trump did get his revenge in Louisiana. So what is the impact of this primary loss for other incumbents in the GOP?
MITCHELL: Yes. I think it's teaching incumbents that you cannot cross Trump at all. You have to do what he perceives as loyal, 100 percent of the time because the minute you get out of line, he will go after you and he can be very successful in taking you out if he puts his sights on you. I think we have to be clear, Cassidy voted to confirm all of these Trump nominees.
[16:05:05]
He supported Trump's reelection. Even though he did vote to impeach Trump, he did not turn completely on Trump and said he was doing everything he could to help Trump be successful in this second term. Yet still, Trump targeted him because of that impeachment vote.
WHITFIELD: Yes, he had the -- Trump had the memory of an elephant on that one, even though he got all that support, as you just mentioned. So House Speaker Mike Johnson, who represents the state of Louisiana, had this to say about Trump's impact on Cassidy's defeat.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. MIKE JOHNSON (R-LA): It's true that President Trump has a huge influence in our state, as he does still across the country. And you see that over and over in all these elections. It's the most powerful endorsement in the history of politics. And it continues to be shown.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: So Trump is now setting his sights on GOP Congressman Thomas Massie of Kentucky. He's also threatening to endorse a challenger to his longtime supporter, Lauren Boebert, for campaigning for Massie. So what kind of message is Trump sending to Republicans on this revenge tour like he's not finished?
MITCHELL: Yes, I think he -- I think he's emboldened, quite frankly. He was very successful in taking out those Indiana Republican senators who stood in the way of redistricting. He's now been successful with Cassidy. Quite frankly, in a year where Republicans have not had a lot of success, they can point to where they are successful is when Trump weighs in and says, this is what I want to happen.
And I think there are plenty of Republican candidates and incumbents that are looking at this and saying, hey, I got to stick with Trump, even if in my heart of hearts, I don't agree with everything he does, they don't feel like they can speak out. As a matter of fact, they feel like if they do speak out, if they do vote their conscience, they'll be punished.
WHITFIELD: They're going to be punished.
MITCHELL: I don't know if that's the way to keep a democracy going, but quite frankly, that is what our Republican Party is today. It's all about loyalty to Trump.
WHITFIELD: Let's shift gears now to Georgia, where voters will be heading to the polls this Tuesday to pick candidates for the U.S. House, Senate and governor's races. In the governor's race, a billionaire with no political experience has flooded the airwaves with ads, and that is shaking up the Republican battle to replace outgoing Governor Brian Kemp.
So just here's a little sample of some of the ads.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Creeping Rick Jackson and big baby Bert Jones are too busy slinging mud at each other to care about you.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In politics, some makeovers are only skin deep. Meet Rick Jackson. Before the primary he made a few changes. A new look, a new story.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're incredibly grateful for his leadership and his friendship and his knowledge. Thank you again, Rick, for all that you do for Georgia.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: When you see Bert's new attack ads, remember, he doesn't believe them either.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: And those are the mild ones actually. Trump has not endorsed billionaire Rick Jackson, and he apparently is kind of leading in some of the polling. So what are you watching when it comes to this race on Tuesday?
MITCHELL: So this race Trump has endorsed Bert Jones, but that was before Rick Jackson was even, you know, he was not even part of the conversation in this governor's race. But Rick Jackson has one thing, well, the big thing going for Rick Jackson is all of the money. He has spent over $80 million on ads, on --
WHITFIELD: I mean, sometimes you see them back to back.
MITCHELL: Mailers.
WHITFIELD: Sometimes you see three in a row.
MITCHELL: Yes. So he's throwing all this money at it. This election is coming down -- Bert Jones had a lot of money, but he didn't have Rick Jackson money. But they have drowned out many other candidates in the race who neither one of them had the millions that Jackson or Jones had. I think it's going to cause us to, again, think about the money in politics and whether someone who can just spend, spend, spend. Is that the way to get to our best?
WHITFIELD: Yes.
MITCHELL: When we're thinking about a leader of our state? But those are conversations that maybe we'll have after the fact. That's not to say that Rick Jackson is not a good person.
WHITFIELD: Right.
MITCHELL: But money definitely is what has propelled him to the front of the pack.
WHITFIELD: Well, it is something to talk about. But then I wonder, does that get the attention of the voters? I mean, yes, they're seeing them. Maybe they're -- these ads, maybe they're entertaining. Maybe in some cases it's a little bit revealing, but is it influential?
MITCHELL: Well, I think in a crowded primary it is because what we've seen AJC polling, so many voters were undecided. They don't know a lot about the candidates. Bert Jones was lieutenant governor. But, you know, if you're not a political junkie, maybe you're not as familiar. Again, Rick Jackson was a health care executive.
Brad Raffensperger probably had some of the highest name recognition, but in ways that probably don't help him in a Republican primary because he stood up to Donald Trump. And that doesn't necessarily help you in a Republican primary.
So I do think in a runoff, people will pay more attention and the money will be less important. But still, it puts you, again, you talked about these relentless ads.
[16:10:01]
It puts you in top of mind. It puts you in front of people in ways that, you know, are hard to measure.
WHITFIELD: The idea. All right. Then there's the U.S. Senate race. Trump has not endorsed a GOP candidate in that race to take on incumbent Democrat Senator Jon Ossoff, but Brian Kemp, the outgoing governor, has endorsed Derek Dooley, which will be a real test of his political clout.
MITCHELL: Absolutely.
WHITFIELD: Won't it?
MITCHELL: Absolutely. Because Derek Dooley, quite frankly, he has a famous last name because his dad was this renowned Georgia football coach. But he himself doesn't have any political experience, wasn't particularly politically active, particularly when it comes to, you know, the current Republican Party being champions for Donald Trump. That wasn't what he was doing before he ran for Senate.
Can Kemp's endorsement -- and not just Kemp making the endorsement, he has campaigned alongside Derek Dooley for months. They are, you know, they're a package deal in a lot of ways. You don't see Derek Dooley often without Governor Kemp. Is that enough to propel Derek Dooley at least to the runoff? That's the big question.
WHITFIELD: Wow. Lots of questions. We will get some answers. Maybe some of those answers right on Tuesday or shortly thereafter.
Tia Mitchell, always great to see you. Thank you so much.
MITCHELL: Thank you.
WHITFIELD: All right. Still ahead, diplomacy or military strikes? CNN has just learned that President Trump spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu today, as the world waits to see what the next move is as it pertains to Iran. And Ebola outbreak, it's escalating. What prompted the World Health Organization to declare it a public health emergency of international concern? The latest next.
You're in the CNN NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[16:16:24]
WHITFIELD: All right. New today, President Trump is issuing a new warning to Iran, saying in a social media post that, quote, "The clock is ticking." The comment comes shortly after a spokesman for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told CNN that he held a phone call with President Trump. A source is also telling CNN that President Trump is planning to meet with his national security team early this week to discuss options regarding Iran.
CNN's Oren Liebermann has more from Jerusalem.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN JERUSALEM BUREAU CHIEF: It seems President Donald Trump is growing tired of the progress, or lack thereof, in negotiations between the U.S. and Iran. We had expected that there wouldn't really be movement as Trump made his trip to China to meet President Xi Jinping. That's not surprising. But now that he's back in the U.S., that impatience, that need to see some sort of progress here is once again very clear.
Trump posted on his social media, "For Iran, the clock is ticking and they better get moving fast or there won't be anything left of them. Time is of the essence, President DJT."
Trump has been reluctant to restart military strikes on Iran. We have seen him nearing that point, but unwilling so far to pull the trigger. And yet it seems that Trump is growing very impatient with the lack of progress in the negotiations that, frankly, aren't happening and that he may be edging towards that decision. We'll wait and see here to see what decision he makes there.
Pakistan tried to open up a window for diplomacy. Their interior minister was in Tehran over the weekend, meeting with the Iranian president as well as the chief negotiator and speaker of parliament, Mohammad Ghalibaf. But it's unclear that there was really any progress made and the gaps between the U.S. and Iran very much appear like they are too great to quickly bridge. And certainly with the speed that Trump wants to see them closed and wants to see an agreement here that still remains, at least from our perspective right now, incredibly unlikely.
Iranian state media and semiofficial state media said that their message was that it's the U.S. presence in the region that's leading to instability. That's not exactly a message that gives you a feeling that there's about to be progress in negotiations. Meanwhile, we continue to see fighting between Israel and Hezbollah even after Trump and the White House announced a 45-day extension of the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire back on Friday.
The Israeli military said that Hezbollah, the Iranian proxy in Lebanon, has launched more than 200 projectiles. That is rockets and drones over the course of the weekend. Israel, for its part, has issued more evacuation warnings and carried out more strikes in southern Lebanon. So even though the U.S. announced an extension of the ceasefire, it's very difficult to see anything that looks like a ceasefire on the ground.
Oren Liebermann, CNN, in Jerusalem.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: All right, Oren, thank you so much.
All right. Russian state media says a Ukrainian drone killed at least three people near Moscow overnight. The TASS News Agency says more than 500 drones rained down around the Russian capital, and the largest attacks in more than a year. Images show damaged homes, fires and debris near Moscow's main airport. The attack reportedly left at least 12 people injured.
And this video posted to social media reportedly shows one of the drones flying near Moscow.
CNN's Anna Cooban has more on the drone attacks that come days after a deadly Russian assault inside Ukraine.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANNA COOBAN, CNN BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS CORRESPONDENT: Ukraine's massive attack on Moscow last night involved over 500 drones fired towards the Russian capital. That's according to Russian state media agency TASS. And TASS says that this was the largest attack on Moscow in over a year. This comes a few days after over Wednesday and Thursday we saw a huge bombardment of Russian drones and missiles towards Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine.
[16:20:07]
At least 25 people died, according to Ukrainian authorities. This attack involved over 1500 drones and over 50 missiles. Now it paints a stark picture from where we were a little over a week ago, when there was a limited three-day ceasefire agreed between the two sides, an agreement to exchange prisoners and comments from Putin that suggested that he believed the war was nearing its conclusion.
But quite clearly, with huge attacks over the past few days, it seems that the war is very much raging on. Now, zooming out, it's important to note that Ukraine had some recent successes, or at least Russia has been stalling in its territorial gains. Last month, for the first time since August 2024, Ukraine managed to liberate more territory than Russia was able to seize. However, it is still a deadly war that's raging on.
Last year, according to the U.N., marked the deadliest year for Ukrainian civilians since 2022, which is the year the war started. And Russia still controls around a fifth of Ukrainian territory.
Anna Cooban, CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: All right. The Ebola outbreak in Congo and Uganda is now a global health emergency. That's the word from the World Health Organization after at least 80 deaths are suspected to be connected to the virus. There currently is no approved vaccine or treatment, and officials are warning that the true scale of the outbreak may be larger than what has been detected so far. Humanitarian organizations are preparing to launch large scale responses to contain the outbreak as quickly as possible.
And police are investigating a horrific incident in Italy, where a car plowed through a sidewalk full of people, and then the driver allegedly went on a stabbing attack.
CNN's Barbie Latza Nadeau has the story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BARBIE LATZA NADEAU, CNN CORRESPONDENT: A 31-year-old man has been detained under investigations after ramming his car into a crowd of people before stabbing at those who tried to stop him in the northern Italian city of Modena Saturday afternoon. The second generation Italian injured seven people when he plowed through a busy street at high speed, pinning one woman against a building which led to the double amputation of her legs. An eighth man was injured when he and three others pulled the driver from the car.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): I forced it open. I opened the door, the car door. The suspect left the car and while I was trying to help the woman whose legs had been amputated, he ran away. So I chased him. A fight broke out. I was stabbed twice, once in the heart and once in the head. I managed to dodge one of the two and during the other one I grabbed his wrist and blocked him. UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): I threw myself into Togate
(PH). In fact, he swerved, crashed into the shop windows of Dolores, smashing them, and severed the legs of a woman who was standing there. He crushed her right against the shop window.
LATZA NADEAU: On Saturday, Italian President Sergio Mattarella and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni visited the injured in local hospitals and hailed the four men who stopped the driver as heroes. An investigation into the driver's motives is underway, but authorities say he had recently been under mental health treatment.
Barbie Latza Nadeau, CNN, Rome.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: Also happening right now, hundreds are gathered at an all- day prayer event at the National Mall in the nation's capital. Is religion back in fashion in America? That's the question being asked in a new CNN article. The author joins us live next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[16:27:55]
WHITFIELD: All right. Welcome back.
With the U.S. Senate up for grabs in the upcoming 2026 midterms, Democrats will need to turn some red states blue if they hope to take back control. In the key state of Ohio the Democrats are banking on former senator Sherrod Brown to reverse their fortunes, hopefully pulling off an upset after losing his last Senate race.
CNN's Manu Raju caught up with Brown on the campaign trail in Ohio to learn more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SHERROD BROWN (D), OHIO SENATE CANDIDATE: Thank you.
MANU RAJU, CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): After enduring a painful defeat less than two years ago.
BROWN: Tonight I'm sad.
RAJU (voice-over): Sherrod Brown seemed to be closing the book on a career that began with a run for the statehouse in 1974, and ended after three terms in the United States Senate.
BROWN: The last thing I did in the Senate, the last night in the Senate, my last night in December of, well, I thought it was my last night. There are going to be more nights now.
RAJU (voice-over): Now the veteran Democrat is trying to pull off a rare feat, winning back his Senate seat after losing in the previous cycle. And he's trying to do it in Ohio, a state now dominated by the GOP, in a bid to unseat a Republican Senator Jon Husted who was appointed to fill Vice President J.D. Vance's seat.
BROWN: It's a more conservative state. I've won federal elections in the state almost every time.
RAJU: Shifted more, right?
BROWN: Well, it's -- that's your analysis.
RAJU: You don't think so?
BROWN: Say what you want. I don't know if I think so. What I know is what I hear around this state. And people want someone that will fight for them, and they know I will.
RAJU (voice-over): To retake the Senate, Democrats have to win, not just in purple states, but flip seats in red states like Ohio, which no Democratic presidential candidate has carried since Barack Obama in 2012, and where there are no statewide Democratic officeholders.
Are you concerned that that could be a steep hill for Sherrod Brown to climb?
MARK MORLEY, OHIO VOTER: I believe that it's certainly a concern. I believe that he's got the momentum building. But, yes, I'm concerned about that.
RAJU (voice-over): Speaking to CNN in Delaware County, a suburban battleground that has leaned Republican, Brown defended his decision to run again at the age of 73 and after serving in public office for half a century.
[16:30:11]
RAJU (on camera): You've been -- first ran in 1974. You won an Ohio -- seat in the Ohio legislature. That's more than 50 years ago. You're 73 years old. Does your party want fresh blood post Joe Biden?
SHERROD BROWN (D), OHIO SENATE CANDIDATE: Well, I travel the state. People want somebody that will fight back. They want somebody that's willing to call out Jon Husted. They want somebody to call -- to stand up to Wall Street and the big banks and the utility companies and the drug companies. And they know I'll do that.
RAJU (voice-over): As big money is poised to flood the airwaves, including nearly $80 million from a leading GOP outside group, Democrats believe backlash over the economy and soaring gas prices will help overcome Ohio's conservative tilt.
BROWN: On one thing after another, he's so out of touch.
RAJU: But many voters are not sold on either candidate.
LOU BOYLE, OHIO VOTER: I think affordability is a big concern for the vast majority of Americans.
RAJU (on camera): So, you're truly undecided. BOYLE: I am, yes. I think a lot of us are, at this point.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And I'm not enamored with both of the candidates.
RAJU (voice-over): Another unusual aspect of Brown's bid while Husted is a sitting senator, the 58-year-old former lieutenant governor lacks the name recognition of his Democratic challenger. That has Husted introducing himself to voters with ads like this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JON HUSTED (R), OHIO SENATE CANDIDATE: I started my life in a foster home. I tell young people, where you start in life, doesn't limit your future.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
RAJU: While attacking Brown's tenure in office.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Liberal Senator Sherrod Brown spent 32 long years in Washington.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
RAJU: Brown is trying to define the appointed senator in another way to tie him to the Jeffrey Epstein scandal.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Jon Husted, who's he really working for?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
RAJU: In his first ads, Brown is spotlighting big campaign contributions given to Husted over the years from Les Wexner, a billionaire who was Epstein's primary financial benefactor. Though not implicated in any of Epstein's sex crimes, Husted's campaign says it has donated, quote, "all available funds from Wexner to charity."
But Brown is attacking Husted for voting against a Democratic plan last fall to release the Epstein files, though Husted and the full senate backed the release of the files about two months later.
(on camera): But he later voted to -- supported releasing the files with the rest of the Senate.
BROWN: Well, when there was no real vote -- you know -- you know better than that. You know that it was not a real --
RAJU: He could have rejected if he wanted.
BROWN: No, no, no. You know better than that. The fact is, when it was a real vote in the Senate, when it was debated and there was arguments on both -- were arguments on both sides, he voted to keep the close -- the files closed only weeks after he had gotten a maximum contribution from that -- from that co-conspirator.
RAJU (voice-over): But Brown's campaign has received some money from Wexner's wife, Abigail. Along with former treasury secretary, Larry Summers, who, himself, has faced scrutiny over his ties to Epstein.
(on camera): Will you donate that money to charity?
BROWN: They're not -- they're not tied in any way the way the coconspirator is tied in. And then, he voted to close the files.
RAJU: Right. So, it sounds like you don't see a need to return that money from --
(CROSSTALK)
BROWN: I don't see them -- I think that it's not -- it's not real reporting to make those comparisons.
RAJU (voice-over): Husted's campaign said he was not available for an interview. But CNN caught up with him on Capitol Hill.
RAJU (on camera): I was talking to Sherrod Brown last week. He really went after your votes on not to check Trump's power on Iran, to not check on tariffs, and also against that Democratic bill to release the Epstein files last fall. Do you stand by your votes on those issues?
HUSTED: Well, he well knows that I voted to release Epstein files. That's why we have all that information. The problem is he was such a failure for 32 years. And so, the only thing that he has to offer is to try to point fingers at others. And he's been quite a failure.
RAJU: You said -- on Iran, you said the war was going better than expected. But gas prices continue to be very high. Is it worth it for your constituents to pay that kind of money?
(voice-over): On the trail, Brown is attacking Husted for saying this to the "Dayton Daily News" back in March about the Iran War.
HUSTED: It is obviously going much better than anyone thought it would.
RAJU: CNN later caught up with Husted again.
(on camera): Senator, on the war, you had previously said it's going better than expected. But a lot of your constituents are paying more for that (?).
HUSTED: That's not what I -- that's not the context in which I --
RAJU: What did you mean?
HUSTED: -- was discussing that (?). I was talking about the military conflict, of course, when we had hit 13,000 sites and destroyed Iran's capability to create war with long-range missiles and degrading their ability to have nuclear weapons. We certainly all benefit in a world without a nuclear Iran. [16:35:02]
RAJU: Was it worth paying higher gas prices for your constituents for all of this?
HUSTED: I don't want my constituents to pay higher prices for anything. That's why we passed the working family tax cut plan.
But there's no doubt that gas prices are too high right now, and we need to take action to make sure that we are trying to make life more affordable.
RAJU (voice-over): CNN tried to ask Husted about Brown's new attack ads.
(on camera): A new ad out today --
HUSTED: Thank you.
RAJU: -- going after (INAUDIBLE.) Can you explain your relationship with (ph), because he did contribute a lot to your campaign and they're going after you on it. Can you talk about that at all?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE.)
RAJU (voice-over): In this campaign, the GOP plans to use a playbook similar to the one executed by Republican Bernie Moreno, who took down the Democrat in 2024.
SEN. BERNIE MORENO (R), OHIO: Sherrod Brown is the absolute perfect political cicada. This is a guy who comes out of the ground and pretends he's this moderate, working-class American. And then, comes here to Washington, D.C. and he's a hard-core liberal.
RAJU: But Brown is showing caution.
(on camera): Since you left Washington, there are some issues in which your party has grown increasingly to the left on, abolishing ICE and stopping arms sales to Israel. Do you support either of those?
BROWN: I don't -- I'm not paying enough attention to know what votes are coming up.
RAJU: Abolishing ICE. Do you support abolishing ICE?
BROWN: I don't -- I'm not close enough to make those decisions, at this point. I'm -- I think for sure we need rules around ICE.
RAJU (voice-over): But if Brown does win, it could be without the seniority he spent years building, including chairing the powerful Senate banking committee.
(on camera): But if you go back, won't you be a freshman?
BROWN: We'll see.
RAJU: Will you -- will you -- will you get your chairmanship back?
BROWN: We'll see, won't we?
RAJU: You -- has Chuck Schumer made any commitments to you?
BROWN: No promises.
RAJU: No promises to be chairman again, huh? And will you support him to become leader?
BROWN: I don't know. I'm not -- I'm not doing punditry.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: Manu Raju, thank you so much.
All right, it's a historic weekend for one Georgia college, as it celebrates not one but seven valedictorians. You'll hear from the Spelman Seven next.
[16:37:04]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: All right, crowds are gathering today on the National Mall in the nation's capital for a day-long prayer event. The White House- backed celebration dubbed Rededicate 250, a national jubilee of prayer, praise and thanksgiving, is funded through a mix of taxpayer dollars and private donations.
Here's what some people we spoke to at the event had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KARL LANDGREN, CAME FROM NORTH CAROLINA: My understanding is that this event is partly paid for by private donations and some by taxpayer funds. So, a debate can be had about that, as to whether that's legitimate expenditure.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Curious what you think.
VICKY KANAGA, CAME FROM MASSACHUSETTS: He has put so much money in himself. And I think things are tainted and not always painted correctly.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So, you have no issue with taxpayer dollars being used for this?
KANAGA: I'm not going to -- I'm not going to comment on that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: This prayer event comes as the Trump Administration is under fire by critics who say government officials are injecting their own version of Christianity into politics. And now, a new study from the Hartford Institute for Religion Research reveals how more Americans are heading back to the church. And, for the first time in 25 years, the numbers for in-person worship are increasing.
Joining me right now for more perspective on all this is Senior Writer for CNN Digital John Blake. John, you know, your report that today's event, this Rededicate 250, actually mirrors somewhat of a national trend, meaning there is more vitality in the interest of going to church or religion.
JOHN BLAKE, CNN SENIOR WRITER AND AUTHOR: Yes, it stunned researchers. Because for the first time in 25 years, people started going to church more. It's not just churches, but synagogues, temples and all that.
And this is a trend that shocked people. Because you could go back to the 1960s, and the number of people going to churches just has been steadily declining. But something happened within the last five years that made those numbers go up for the first time.
WHITFIELD: So, after the pandemic.
BLAKE: Yes, they rebounded. And because when the pandemic hit, it really shuttered a lot of churches. So, something happened that made those numbers go up.
And I think what happened in -- what's happening in D.C., it's kind of like a reflection of it to a certain extent.
WHITFIELD: So, there's that event taking place today. Right now, we're looking at the, you know, House speaker, Mike Johnson, who's there at, you know, the podium.
But we're also seeing more instances, if you will, of the intersection of religion and politics. Hegseth and politics, his -- you know, his comments during press conferences and beyond. Trump's Doral statue blessing.
BLAKE: Right.
WHITFIELD: And then, he's had this spat with Pope Leo, --
BLAKE: Right.
WHITFIELD: -- -- which is very confusing, too, under the whole umbrella of, you know, Christianity.
What is going on here, in your view?
BLAKE: I think what you're seeing is that there's a certain kind of movement called white Christian nationalism. It's been around for centuries in this country. It's mutated, become certain things.
But white Christian nationalism has never had this access to political power. It now has it with President Trump. And so, throughout his administration, you have people who kind of subscribe to these beliefs. And because of that, it's now front and center. He's pushing this.
We've always had presidents who will kind of talk about their faith. Remember Jimmy Carter?
WHITFIELD: It was a big deal to see them go to church.
BLAKE: Right, right.
WHITFIELD: Sure. And we saw that.
BLAKE: But they did not push --
[16:40:00]
WHITFIELD: Jimmy Carter, John F. Kennedy.
BLAKE: Right. And (INAUDIBLE.)
WHITFIELD: Joseph Biden.
BLAKE: Right, right. But no one has ever pushed explicitly this Christian nationalism. And that's what President Trump is doing, as well as members of his administration.
WHITFIELD: And is it paying off?
BLAKE: It's pro -- it's paying -- it's paying off among some of his followers, white evangelicals are still his most steadfast supporters.
But the thing about this movement is it's politically powerful but it's not popular. Most Americans still reject this belief (?). Most Americans don't want Christianity to be declared the official religion of the country.
WHITFIELD: So, it might be alienating --
BLAKE: Yes.
WHITFIELD: -- many as well.
So, you know, in your story, you also visited an Atlanta-area church. And you discovered, you know, a congregation that is experiencing something similar to many others across the country, sort of a rebound.
BLAKE: Yes.
WHITFIELD: And that pandemic had a lot to do with it, too, or that experience.
BLAKE: It did because I went to this church, and, in 2021, they had nine members. They had $450 in the bank and they were on the verge of closing. And now, like five years or later, they've rebounded.
And what happened to them, happened to a lot of churches. These churches had to adapt or they would die. So, they were more open to change. They were more willing to embrace technology.
And people started going to church more but, also, they started giving more money. They started getting more involved in the community. They were more open to change.
WHITFIELD: And when you say technology, meaning, like, they have more remote services.
BLAKE: More remote services, live streaming, electronic giving. They've -- people -- churches found out when you have electronic giving, people will give a lot more than passing the plate.
WHITFIELD: Yes, all I want to give just a dollar or two. That way, they may give $20 or $200.
BLAKE: Correct.
WHITFIELD: Right.
BLAKE: And even if they're not there, they're giving money to the church. So, they were forced to adapt or they would really perish. And they have -- most of those churches have.
WHITFIELD: Fascinating. All right, it's a really interesting read. Thank you so much, John Blake.
BLAKE: Thank you.
WHITFIELD: All of your stories are always very fascinating.
BLAKE: Thank you.
WHITFIELD: But this one really, you know, is so relevant today. Thank you so much.
BLAKE: Thank you.
WHITFIELD: All right. And, of course, you can read John's full piece on CNN.com. More news after this.
[16:47:01]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: All right. Today marks the continuation of an incredible journey for a group of young women who have each taken different paths to a matching level of academic success. The class of 2026 at Spelman College has not one but seven valedictorians.
Each one completed their studies at the historically black women's college with a different major. But they all earn the same GPA, a perfect 4.00, on this weekend's.
First of all, CNN's Victor Blackwell sat down with the Spelman Seven to discuss their amazing achievement.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ALYSSA RICHARDSON, HONOR STUDENT, SPELMAN COLLEGE: Hello, everyone. My name is Alyssa Richardson. I'm an honor student, presidential scholar, biochemistry major.
CORI'ANNA WHITE, HONOR STUDENT, SPELMAN COLLEGE: My name is Cori'Anna White. I'm a graduating senior honor student, major in political science, minoring in Spanish.
ALEXIS RENAE SIMS, HONOR STUDENT, SPELMAN COLLEGE: Renae Sims. I'm a graduating senior, a philosophy and political science double major.
NIA-SARAI PERRY, HONOR STUDENT, SPELMAN COLLEGE: Nia-Sarai Perry. I'm a graduating senior, philosophy major.
AIYANNA RINGO, HONOR STUDENT, SPELMAN COLLEGE: Aiyanna Ringo. A sociology major with a minor with a (INAUDIBLE) minor.
MARIAMA DIALLO, HONOR STUDENT, SPELMAN COLLEGE: And I'm Mariama Diallo, a graduating documentary filmmaking and psychology double major.
SOPHIA DAVIS, HONOR STUDENT, SPELMAN COLLEGE: I'm Sophia Davis. I'm a sociology and anthropology major.
PERRY: This moment feels very surreal. I think it was something that was written exactly how it's supposed to be. My sister, Cori'anna, she said something very powerful in our first interview. She said, seven is the number of completion. And I feel like that is just so perfect.
WHITE: It brings me back to a biblical meaning. And I think about how God created the earth in six days. And on the seventh day, he rested.
SIMS: It's been a long, long journey for me, personally, getting here to graduation.
DAVIS: It was so late at night. There was nobody awake for me to tell. So, I called my mom super late and luckily she was awake. And we had a conversation about it, and she was so happy for me.
RICHARDSON: I actually lit up. I was very excited about it.
VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN ANCHOR: What does this image mean right now in our country?
DIALLO: For young women to see women that are thriving, and that are educated, and that are showing that, yes, you know, we can do this.
RINGO: We can always overcome and be excellent. And that's what some (?) women do.
PERRY: That my dream is to be a corporate attorney.
WHITE: I'll be going to Columbia Law and starting in the fall of 2026.
DIALLO: To get my master's and fill my MBA and my MFA. RINGO: I'll (?) be working as a paralegal.
SIMS: A word that I would use to describe how I feel about the future is just pure hope.
RINGO: I would say grateful and empowered.
WHITE: First, blessed. Second, fulfilled.
PERRY: We are only just going to continue to break down walls and break down barriers.
RICHARDSON: I love these girls so much. And it's just really been a ride and we're going to be sisters for life.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
[16:54:17]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: As "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert" comes to an end, we look at what this moment means for satire. Will this be the last we hear from Stephen Colbert?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SOPHIA MCCLENNEN, AUTHOR, "COLBERT'S AMERICA: SATIRE AND DEMOCRACY": Early satire was often cartoons. They're what are today's memes? We have examples of the join or die cartoon. Ben Franklin tried to make it very clear what would be the point of fighting for independence. Then, we have great examples from New York.
JORDON CARLOS, COMEDIAN AND WRITER: William Tweed basically ran New York City Tammany Hall. And so, what Thomas Nast did was he made a series of cartoons. One image of Tweed is, like, he's a -- his head is a sack of money. And he's showing the bloat of gluttony and corruption.
MCCLENNEN: The nast (?) cartoons manage to communicate to the public information about boss Tweed in ways that literal, serious journalism can't.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: The CNN flash doc, "The Last Laugh: Stephen Colbert," airs tonight at 8:00 Eastern on CNN and the CNN app.
[17:00:04]
WHITFIELD: All right, thank you so much for joining me this weekend. I'm Fredricka Whitfield.
