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Clinton Turns Down Ballot, Talks Racial Divides in North Carolina

During a stump speech riff about the American dream, Clinton accused Trump of wanting to 'eliminate people' from seeking that opportunity.
Image: Hillary Clinton
Hillary Clinton at a rally Friday at Cuyahoga Community College in Cleveland.Andrew Harnik / AP

RALEIGH, N.C. — Hillary Clinton on Sunday continued to turn her attention to down-ballot races, praising Democratic Senate candidate Deborah Ross and slamming her opponent for supporting the Republican nominee.

"Deborah has never been afraid to stand up to Donald Trump. She knows that he is wrong for America. She knows that people of courage and principles need to come together to reject his dangerous and divisive agenda," Clinton said of Ross's contest against Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C.

Clinton also pledged to do "everything I can" to help elect Attorney General Roy Cooper as the next governor of the Tar Heel State, saying "you will not find a more dedicated fighter" for kids and schools.

The Democratic nominee, who is campaigning in the state with five "Mothers of the Movement," began the day with a stop at Union Baptist Church in Durham before heading east.

"They are committed to justice, equality, freedom and opportunity but they're also committed to love," she said of Geneva Reed Veal, Maria Hamilton, Lucia McBath, Sybrina Fulton and Gwen Carr, whose children were each killed by gun violence or in law enforcement incidents.

Related: Tim Kaine: Election Not Over, Been a 'Season of Surprises'

In a subtle nod to her opponent, Clinton admitted that following the commandment of "love thy neighbor as yourself" can be "hard" for her sometimes.

But, in an attempt to look past next month's election, Clinton also called for working with people "we don't agree with" in order to actually accomplish goals.

She called Trump out specifically for "fanning the flames of resentment and division" with his rhetoric and said his plan to fix racial divides with "law and order" is not feasible. "As if systemic racism didn't exist," she added.

In Raleigh, Clinton also talked about criminal justice reform. She called the mothers "some of the most remarkable people that I know."

"Their hearts were broken, as any mother's heart would be," Clinton said, but they have "the fierce sense of urgency to try do what they can to help us meet the challenges we face in our country."

During an otherwise typical stump speech riff about the American dream, Clinton accused Trump of wanting to "kind of eliminate people" from seeking that opportunity.

"I think the American dream is big enough for everybody," she argued. "I don't understand folks like my opponent who want to eliminate people from the American dream."

As she has all week, Clinton ripped the real estate mogul for his refusal to say he will accept next month's election results, calling it just "one of the horrifying things he said" at the third and final presidential debate.

Noting how many countries she visited as secretary of state, Clinton said a "peaceful transfer of power is one of the things that makes America, America" and, taking a jab at her opponent's slogan, "one of the things that makes America already great!"