Gov. Kevin Stitt is hosting the nation's governors this week in his home state of Oklahoma.
The head of the National Governors Association sat down with AP to talk about a dust-up with President Donald Trump, warned against efforts to federalize elections, and expressed concern that a mammoth federal government has contributed to the country's tense political climate.
Plus, Democrats grapple with "defund the police" baggage, Trump approval on Iran, Washington bureau chief Anna Johnson's weekly picks and what's on my reading list headed into the weekend. |
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Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt delivers his State of the State address at the Oklahoma State Capitol in Oklahoma City, Feb. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Nick Oxford) |
Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt has thoughts about toning down political fights. Here's what he says — By Steven Sloan
The last time Stitt hosted the nation's governors, it didn't go so well.
The annual gathering of state leaders in Washington in February was overshadowed by a fight with Trump, who refused to allow two governors — both Democrats — to attend a White House meeting. As head of the National Governors Association, Stitt successfully pressed Trump to reverse course but got an earful in the process. Trump, who carried each of Oklahoma's 77 counties in 2024, blasted Stitt as a "RINO,” meaning Republican in name only, and criticized the term-limited governor's performance in office.
Stitt is again hosting his colleagues this weekend, this time on his home turf in Oklahoma City as he turns over leadership of the National Governors Association to Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, a Democrat and one of the governors Trump had sought to exclude.
"All I simply said was, hey, we can’t call this a National Governors Association meeting if you’re not going to have all the governors there. And so to President Donald Trump’s credit, he said, and I think he was getting bad information from staff at the time, but yes, we talked and all the governors were invited to the business meeting," Stitt said, asked how it goes when Republicans disagree with Trump. "He excluded a couple governors to the dinner. But that’s all I basically said. I didn’t want to get on the bad side of the president. But we have a good working relationship."
Read more of Sloan's one-on-one with Stitt in Oklahoma City. |
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Democratic candidates grapple with 'defund the police' baggage |
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Francesca Hong talks during a primary debate in Milwaukee, Tuesday, July 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh) |
Democratic candidates grapple with past stances on defunding the police ahead of key midterm races — By Matt Brown, Anthony Izaguirre and Scott Bauer
Just months before the midterm elections, Democrats hope to convince voters that lawlessness under Trump’s administration is the biggest threat to their rights and pocketbooks. But the party’s past debates over crime and safety threaten to undermine that pitch.
Across the country, Democratic candidates are grappling with their previous positions calling to “defund the police” — a prominent demand during the protests that followed George Floyd's death — by either reimagining public safety services altogether or redirecting some police departments’ funds to other social programs. Now, they are facing tough questions about their past positions. Democratic leaders fear that the outlier opinions favoring police defunding may again tarnish the party's brand and sink its chances of gaining ground in Congress, governor's mansions and statehouses nationwide. Read more by Brown, Izaguirre and Bauer about where this conundrum is playing out. |
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The latest AP-NORC Poll: Trump approval declines slightly on Iran |
President Donald Trump and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, salute as a U.S. Army carry team moves a transfer case containing the remains of Pvt. Isabella Gonzales of Carrollton, Texas, Wednesday, July 22, 2026, at Dover Air Force Base, Del. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke) |
How views on Trump’s handling of Iran have shifted, according to a new AP-NORC poll — By Linley Sanders and Mike Catalini Most Americans say the war in Iran has not been worth fighting, and Trump’s approval rating on Iran has fallen slightly since last month, according to a new AP-NORC poll. The results are a stark repudiation of the Republican president's approach to the conflict, which has dragged on far longer than he originally predicted.
About two-thirds of U.S. adults say the war with Iran, which began Feb. 28, has not been worthwhile, according to the new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. That includes the vast majority of Democrats and independents, as well as about 37% of Republicans.
The poll was conducted July 23-27, as the U.S. and Iran paused attacks following a nearly two-week escalation in the war. During the escalation, the U.S. targeted Iranian military and commercial sites while Iran attacked U.S. military facilities in the Middle East, resulting in additional deaths of American service members. Since the war began, 18 U.S. service members have been killed, but the Trump administration has sought to revise those numbers.
The survey reinforces how unpopular the Iran war has become at home, a potential problem for congressional Republicans up for reelection in November who have defended Trump’s military actions. Read more from Sanders and Catalini on the new Iran war polling.
View the AP-NORC Polling tracker. |
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People hold Haitian flags and signs during a rally in support of immigrants living in the United States with temporary protected status, or TPS, Thursday, July 9, 2026, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull) |
Immigration crackdown threatens Haitian caregivers and the seniors who rely on them — By Matt Sedensky and Gisela Salomon
— We try whenever possible to tell the stories beyond the headlines and focus on the impact policies have on people. Matt and Gisela’s story looking at how the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown threatens caregivers from Haiti and the senior citizens who rely on them does just that. US-Iran conflict enters new phase as Saudi Arabia helps hit proxies and diplomacy stalls again — By Farnoush Amiri, Matthew Lee, Aamer Madhani and Konstantin Toropin
— We also try to explain what is happening during confusing and complex moments like the ongoing fighting between the U.S. and Iran, even if we don't know all the answers. This story is a good example of that, by Farnoush, Matt, Aamer and Konstantin. A new media ecosystem is taking root on the left, reshaping Democratic politics — By Ali Swenson
— Ali does a great job delving into the new media ecosystem on the left that is reshaping and influencing Democratic politics. |
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Political book club: What's on Meg Kinnard's reading list? |
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