Republican Ted Budd defeats Cheri Beasley in North Carolina U.S. Senate Race
The race was one of several nationwide expected to determine which party would control what is now a 50-50 Senate.
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Republican U.S. Rep. Ted Budd won North Carolina’s open Senate seat on Tuesday, defeating Cheri Beasley while extending a losing streak for state Democrats seeking a spot in that chamber.
Budd, a three-term congressman, will succeed retiring GOP Sen. Richard Burr, who entered the Senate in 2005.
As a candidate endorsed by Donald Trump and ready to embrace the former president’s support, Budd will provide a stronger hardline, conservative voice in the Senate than Burr, who voted in 2021 to convict Trump at his impeachment trial related to the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.
Thank you to the people of North Carolina,” said Ted Budd. “Amy Kate and I are humbled and honored you have selected me to serve you as North Carolina’s next US Senator. Campaigning in all 100 counties across our state, I’ve seen first-hand folks suffering under Joe Biden’s economic policies that are crushing family budgets. Biden and his allies want more from you and I want more for you.”
Beasley, a former chief justice of the state Supreme Court attempting to be the state’s first Black senator, fell short despite having a significant fundraising advantage over Budd’s campaign. But national Republicans came to Budd’s defense with a large wave of spending attacking her judicial record and support for President Joe Biden’s policies.
Election Results
Beasley’s defeat means Democrats have now lost eight of the state’s nine Senate elections this century; their only victory coming in 2008. While North Carolina statewide elections are usually closely divided affairs, Democrats have won all but one gubernatorial election since 1992.
Also Read: Democrat Jeff Jackson wins new North Carolina U.S. House District 14 race
Budd, 51, grew up in Davie County and previously worked in the family’s janitorial and landscaping business. He and his father also created a company to invest in agricultural businesses. Today he owns a gun store and range.
Budd had never run for public office in 2016 when he won a 17-candidate Republican primary for the 13th Congressional District seat and later the general election.
While she ended up losing a bid for a full eight-year term as chief justice in 2020 by just 401 votes from 5.4 million votes cast, her competitiveness in a tough year for Democrats in the state made her a potential Senate candidate.
Libertarian Shannon Bray and Green Party candidate Matthew Hoh also were on Tuesday’s Senate ballot.
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