*By Jacqueline Corba*
Political spectators are readying themselves for a midterm fight to the finish, but Gov. John Carney of Delaware thinks they would do well to focus on the issues ー not just winning the race.
"It seems like we get bogged down in the politics of our own teams," Carney said of the divisive state of politics during an interview with Cheddar Monday. "It gets in the way of improving things that are important."
With midterm elections roughly two weeks away, President Trump's approval rating has jumped to 47 percent, according to a recent poll by [NBC and the Wall Street Journal](https://www.wsj.com/articles/interest-in-midterms-surges-boosting-trump-approval-rating-1540126920).
Carney said Democrats have a real opportunity across the nation to take back either the House or Senate and secure governorships that are currently red. Carney served three terms in House from 2011 to 2017.
But it's still unclear whether the midterm "wave" will appear blue or red.
According to a recent report by [FiveThirtyEight](https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/senate-and-governor-races-are-diverging-sharply-in-some-states/), there could be an increasing number of split-ticket votes next month.
"I think Democrats are well-positioned in several states," Carney said.
He then shifted the responsibility back to his fellow governors.
"Governors have to focus on what is happening in their state," he said.
President Trump recently [floated](https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/21/business/trump-tax-cut-republicans.html) a new round of tax cuts for the middle-class ー perhaps in a last-ditch effort to lure undecideds.
For full interview [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/delaware-gov-john-carney-on-midterms-trade-wars-and-lotto).
Ukrainians defied pressure from Moscow with a national show of flag-waving unity Wednesday, while the West warned that it saw no sign of a promised pullback of Russian troops.
The families of nine victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School have agreed to a $73 million settlement of a lawsuit against the maker of the rifle used to kill 20 first-graders and six educators in 2012.
Russian President Vladimir Putin says that he welcomes a security dialogue with the West as his military reported pulling back some of its troops near Ukraine.
The megadrought bedeviling the American West got even drier last year and is becoming the deepest dry spell in more than 1,200 years.
As we celebrate Black History Month, Cheddar is highlighting prominent Black Americans who are carving their own historic paths and trailblazing in their fields. Today we feature poet and activist Amanda Gorman.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau invoked emergency powers Monday to quell the protests by truck drivers and others who have paralyzed Ottawa and blocked border crossings in anger over the country’s COVID-19 restrictions.
Families and gun control advocates are pressing President Joe Biden to do more to address gun violence.
The Biden administration on Friday escalated its dire warnings about a possible Russian invasion of Ukraine, saying it could take place within days, even as diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis continued.
Two Democrats on the Senate Intelligence Committee say the CIA has a secret, undisclosed data repository that includes information collected about Americans.
As we celebrate Black History Month, Cheddar is highlighting prominent Black Americans who are carving their own historic paths and trailblazing in their fields. Today we feature New York Attorney General Letitia James.
