McCrory: Federal spending, immigration prompted his return to politics

Governor McRoy is always good to see you

We thank you for joining us

You said this morning you're the best man for the

job and acknowledged the challenge you will face even within

your own party

What was the tipping point for you to get back

into politics I think it was standing on the sidelines

and watching the uncontrolled spending especially by the new biden

administration that's putting so much debt on future generations

And I'm concerned that future generations because of this debt

aren't going to have the same quality of life that

we so much enjoy right here in north Carolina and

then the the border crisis and pretending that it's not

a crisis

And as governor and as a mayor I had to

deal with illegal immigration and the impact it had on

our education system or social service system or health care

system and our criminal justice system and it's coming to

north Carolina even more

And believe me we're going to feel the impact of

not having a sound immigration policy especially at the southern

border

I mean right now the biden policies we might as

well like open up Raleigh and charlotte airports and not

have customs anymore and just let people walk through

I mean that's the same thing

That's the border right here in charlotte and of course

the and and Raleigh uh the Wilmington ports of border

too

But the whole southern crisis is coming to north Carolina

and it's already here and we're going to feel the

impact

So that was probably the tipping point

And and then the last was the infrastructure bill you

know me uh I know infrastructure better

Anyone

I did the light rail line in Raleigh I mean

in charlotte and I did a lot of new highways

in north Carolina as governor

And infrastructure is one of my most serious issues in

America like Eisenhower dealt with

and I used to talk about that often

But this infrastructure plan is so full of pork and

so little infrastructure and a lot of pork at the

expense of future generations

That really was the tipping point to

And I know this subject better than anybody that's even

considering running in the Democratic or Republican party

I'm I'm simply the best for this job to represent

all of north Carolina and no one knows of any

of the candidates being discussed knows north Carolina like I

do from the coast all the way to the mountains

You mentioned uh of course you did serve as governor

You were mayor of charlotte for a long time

You've been an executive at a very high level to

be a part of the legislative process is totally different

How do you think you can make that transition should

you win Well I was kind of that way

I was a City council member for six years to

and that's more of a legislative position

But the fact of the matter is we don't have

enough people in the legislature who have actually led in

the executive branch and know the pressures of the executive

branch

For example Right before my 2016 election I had to

make the tough call

And I think courageous call to call the National Guard

to Charlotte during the anarchy

And a lot of anarchists were in charlotte destroying uh

my city

And as governor I had the courage to call the

National Guard and deal with it and stop the destruction

which we're now seeing throughout the rest of the nation

So I understand from a leadership standpoint and probably the

only one who would who's currently on the hill what

it means to call the National Guard and to ride

with the police and understand police and the pressure that

they have will also you know I used to meet

with neighborhood leaders all the time and understand the dynamics

of the pressures of neighborhood and crime and drugs and

health care and uh public health and addiction

I get it

And we need more people from outside D

C

Who actually get it

And starting out of the City Council

It was really a great decision as a young 32

year old at the time that we need in D

C

people who understand the grassroots not just inside the beltline

Hi governor of the Republican Party as you know admits

to being at a pivotal point in this post trump

White House

He won north Carolina both in 2016 2020

Are you looking for an endorsement from him I hope

to have discussions with him

I always had good relationships with him because I liked

his policies

His policies on immigration

His Middle East policy is Iran policy is his tax

policy

I was in total agreement with

Probably the only thing I disagreed with republicans and especially

now democrats is the incredible debt that we're putting on

the shoulders of future generations that aren't even here with

us today

And and I'm going to be a public official

Like I was as governor who inherited a $2 billion

debt and turn that debt into a surplus by making

tough decisions which Governor cooper is now enjoying

The decisions that the tough decisions that I had to

make

That drew a lot of protests And enjoying probably a

$4 billion dollar surplus because I made the tough decisions

were not making the tough decisions in Washington that we

need to be Washington's going the wrong direction right now

Now more than ever

And uh that's my goal is to bring a north

Carolina voice to Washington D

C

One more thing you have name recognition statewide and nationally

senate races are notoriously costly

They can get messy

The Democratic Party already quick to associate your term as

governor With House Bill two and the fallout

How do you plan to move past that You know

I think they need to move on

Like I have you know they they are the ones

who initially brought the whole issue up in charlotte and

even the people in charlotte have moved on

I've moved on

I think it's time for the Democratic Party to move

on and and stop this cancel culture and identity politics

which is having a terrible impact on democracy and expression

and coming together and discuss complex issues and treating people

based upon their character and their soul in their heart

and nothing else

And that's the way all of us should be treated

And uh I don't know why the Democratic Party is

the one that keeps revisiting this

We've moved on and we're exactly where we should be

And I actually proposed that many years ago as governor

who signed uh some very strong ordinances without regard in

which we all should be treated fairly

By the way

I want to go on the record today

I don't know how many candidates are going to be

running for the Republican nomination but you're invited to debate

right here at W

R

E

L

And we'll find a way to do it man

You're so you're so tough on me

I'll be there either way

You see the nation that we want to have you

back for the for the Senate race

I've been very transparent and uh visible more than some

existing politicians in north Carolina and I'll continue that transparency

yep

Former Governor Pat McCrory officially announcing today as plans to

run for the U

S

Senate

Thanks for taking the time to talk with us

Good luck

Thank you very much David