Rep. Ted Budd, a member of the House Freedom Caucus, won the tight Senate race in North Carolina, ending Democrats’ repeated attempts to win a seat in the Tar Heel State. Democrats had hoped Cheri Beasley, a former state supreme court judge, would become the state’s first Black senator. Budd’s defeat of Beasley is the latest setback for a party that has spent hundreds of millions of dollars in North Carolina since 2008 — without having won the Senate or the presidency as a result.
Budd, a supporter of former president Donald Trump, is one of the most extreme members of the House. His victory represents a significant move to the right from the seat’s outgoing Republican senator, Richard Burr, who supported the former president’s conviction during his second impeachment trial. Just two years after President Joe Biden narrowly lost the state of North Carolina to Donald Trump, it’s also a concerning indicator for Democrats’ upcoming efforts there.
Although there is still a chance for both parties to win control of the Senate, the GOP’s chances of doing so have diminished. Dems’ control of the House remains precarious. View all of the Senate election outcomes. All results from the House election.
We stopped a GOP supermajority tonight when North Carolinians voted for balance and progress. I’ll continue to work with this legislature to support a growing economy, more clean energy, better health care and strong public schools. – RC
— Governor Roy Cooper (@NC_Governor) November 9, 2022
Georgia, Nevada, Arizona, and Wisconsin are four crucial states that will determine which party controls the Senate. Moreover, there are 10 races that will influence how many Americans may receive abortions. Thom Tillis, the only Republican senator from the state who was re-elected in 2020 despite a sex scandal and a stronger-than-expected Trump showing, has built a reputation as a bipartisan deal-maker.
In his winning address, Budd thanked Tillis for all he had “done for our state” and expressed his eagerness to work with him in the United States. Senate and do great things for both our nation and state. In this midterm election cycle, national Democrats gave Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and a few other states’ Senate campaigns priority above North Carolina, still hurt by that defeat. State Democrats, however, urged the party to send as many resources as possible since polls indicated a close contest in the closing stages.
Budd’s support for abortion restrictions and his connections to Trump, particularly his vote against the certification of the 2020 election, were the focus of Beasley’s attacks on Budd during the campaign. But it wasn’t sufficient. While receiving a crucial lift from Trump on the campaign tour, Budd continued to attack Beasley and Democrats on crime, immigration, and inflation.
🚨North Carolina, polls are OPEN!
Head to https://t.co/h2Txjst6nq to find your polling location, and make sure to get out to vote by 7:30 PM! pic.twitter.com/CodPyKV1Q9
— Cheri Beasley (@CheriBeasleyNC) November 8, 2022
“Mr. At a rally with Trump in Wilmington, Budd said, “President, I also can declare that we’re ready to halt the Biden-Beasley agenda and make America great again. In a series of tweets on election day, he urged people to cast ballots while also sharing his travels around North Carolina to meet with voters.
I met with people who are prepared to halt the Biden/Beasley plan in a few more stops, Budd tweeted. “North Carolina, you still have plenty of time to cast your ballot! ” Unlike the majority of Republicans running for the Senate in tight contests, Budd frequently emphasized his support for abortion restrictions. He joined Sen.
Lindsey Graham co-sponsoring a bill that would outlaw abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy, with the exception of cases of rape, incest, and threats to the health of the mother. Prior to many women being aware of their pregnancy, at roughly six weeks into it, when heart activity is detected, he supported legislation that would outlaw abortions.
In their October argument, Budd refrained from describing the structure of his own abortion legislation. As opposed to this, he stated that he has “always been about safeguarding the life of the mother” and “wants[s] to rescue as many unborn lives as possible.”