Summary
North Carolina is considered a true swing state in the 2020 presidential election and Senate race because of its changing demographics and swing suburban voters outside of cities like Raleigh, Durham and Charlotte. Senate races in North Carolina are often razor-thin; Thom Tillis won his seat in 2014 by just 46,000 votes — or a single percentage point.
As Tillis closely aligns himself with Trump, Democrats aren’t just planning to seize on Tillis’s record in the US Senate, they are also delving into his tenure leading the North Carolina state House, where he opposed Medicaid expansion and was part of a Republican effort to reduce the state’s unemployment benefits — two things now hurting North Carolina residents out of work. Cal Cunningham, an Iraq War veteran, will likely make the race about Trump as much as possible. Republicans say the state is still fundamentally red.
What are the odds? Cook Political Report and Sabato’s Crystal Ball both rate this a toss-up.
Vox by Elle Nielsen on June 11, 2020
OnAir Post: North Carolina – US Senate 2020 Election
News
Raleigh News & Observer , – November 4, 2020
Late Tuesday night, Sen. Thom Tillis stepped to the stage in front of cheering supporters in Mooresville, ready to declare victory in his reelection bid.
“Sweet,” he said.
Tillis, a North Carolina Republican, leads Democratic challenger Cal Cunningham by about 96,000 votes in their U.S. Senate race, according to unofficial results from the state board. Cunningham has not conceded, and The Associated Press has not called the race.
But Tillis, who thought he was getting a concession call from Cunningham before stepping to the stage, didn’t wait.
Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Democratic challenger Lt. Col. Cal Cunningham discuss coronavirus, racial justice, and health care reform.
WASHINGTON (Gray DC) – North Carolina’s nail-biter of a senate race may determine which party controls the country’s future. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) and his Democratic challenger Lt. Col. Cal Cunningham digitally connected with the Gray D.C. Bureau to discuss the issues behind their campaigns.
Sen. Thom Tillis said the latest round of Coronavirus relief should target the unemployed, those with childcare needs, and struggling businesses, as well as state and local governments destabilized by the pandemic. “How can we get resources to them, how can we get it to families that are still struggling because they were impacted by COVID,” said Tillis.
Reuters , – October 13, 2020
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Democratic U.S. Senate challenger Cal Cunningham appears to lead Republican Senator Thom Tillis in North Carolina, while Democratic Senator Gary Peters of Michigan is ahead of his Republican challenger, businessman John James, a Reuters/Ipsos poll showed on Tuesday.
There are about 10 competitive U.S. Senate races this year, eight with vulnerable Republican incumbents and two with vulnerable Democrats. To have a majority in the Senate, Democrats need to pick up three seats if the party wins the White House, which gives the vice president a tie-breaking vote, and four if not.
Democrat Cal Cunningham has apologized for an extramarital affair that was disclosed a month before the election for a crucial seat.
Democrats have a clear shot at taking back the Senate majority next month. But if they fall short, Cal Cunningham may shoulder the blame.
President Donald Trump is sagging nearly everywhere that matters and is placing more and more Senate races in the firing line for a Democratic takeover. But suddenly, Cunningham has clouded over what should be a fairly obvious Democratic path to victory that runs straight through North Carolina.
The Democratic nominee’s infidelity and reluctance to address it fully is now a cudgel for endangered Republican Sen. Thom Tillis. Tillis’ fortunes were dimming just a week ago, as Cunningham reported eye-popping fundraising numbers on top of a monthslong lead in public and private polling.
Business Insider, – September 18, 2020
- Former State Senator Cal Cunningham is challenging GOP Sen. Thom Tillis in North Carolina in one of the most highly-watched Senate races of 2020.
- Tillis, who was first elected in the Republican wave year of 2014, is up for a tough re-election battle in 2020.
- Cunningham posted impressive fundraising numbers in his campaign and has led with Tillis with substantial margins in recent polls of the state, with Tillis running behind President Trump.
Inside Climate News, – September 14, 2020
At a Glance:
- Republican incumbent Sen. Thom Tillis, a long-time fossil fuel promoter who once denied climate science, now says he favors “market-based solutions.”
- The GOP so feared running against Democrat Cal Cunningham, an Army vet, that it spent $3 million on a failed stealth effort to knock him out of the primary.
- Expect the candidates to spar over protection of North Carolina’s coast from intense storms and offshore drilling.
News & Observer, – September 1, 2020
The fight features attacks from the candidates and outside groups that have reduced three complicated budget and tax bills to campaign slogans. We looked into what those laws did and what role Cunningham and Tillis played. Here’s what we found.
The News & Observer, – July 6, 2020
“Our campaign is so grateful to the thousands of North Carolinians lending their support to this campaign, showing that people across the state are ready to elect Cal and put this seat back to work to protect their health care and take on corruption in Washington,” Cunningham campaign manager Devan Barber said in a statement.
At the end of March, Tillis had raised $11.7 million total and had $6.4 million cash on hand. Cunningham had raised $7.7 million and had $3.0 million cash on hand. Cunningham raised $4.4 million in the first quarter of 2020, while Tillis raised $2.1 million.
Cunningham’s campaign said it would report having $6.6 million cash on hand in its federal report. Cunningham has not held an in-person fundraiser since the coronavirus pandemic led to closures in North Carolina in March.
Change Research, June 26-28, 2020: Cunningham -51% vs. Tillis – 41%
East Carolina University, June 24-26, 2020: Cunningham – 41% vs. Tillis – 41%
More poll results in article
Northwest Progressive Institute – June 19, 2020
As important as throwing Donald Trump out of the Oval Office is this coming November, the epic quest for the presidency is not the Democratic Party’s only priority for 2020. The Republican grip on the U.S. Senate for the past six years has crippled efforts towards enacting progressive legislation, and if a future President Biden wants to implement any part of his agenda, the Democrats need to win back the smaller chamber of Congress.
According to political analysts, practically every path the Democrats have towards a Senate majority runs through North Carolina.
As one Democratic strategist put it: “If one party does well here, then it bodes well for how they’re doing nationally.” The Republican and Democratic establishments both seem to agree with this assessment; the Senate race in the Tar Heel State is the most expensive in the country, with both parties pouring unprecedented quantities of cash into winning over North Carolinian voters.
Charlotte Observer, – July 1, 2020
The Affordable Care Act, passed in 2010 and at the center of most national election cycles since, will again be a prominent issue in the 2020 election as new Supreme Court arguments over the fate of the health care law could be held in the weeks before Election Day.
In North Carolina, where the fight over the law’s Medicaid expansion provision remains a key dispute between the the state’s Democratic governor and its Republican-led legislature, Democrat Cal Cunningham has positioned himself as a defender of the law and proponent of Medicaid expansion in his race against Republican Sen. Thom Tillis.
Tillis, who previously served as speaker of the House in North Carolina, has been a vocal critic of the Affordable Care Act and used his opposition to the law to help unseat Sen. Kay Hagan in 2014.
“Just one year ago this week, give or take, he was still proudly saying that he was the speaker who made it illegal for the governor to expand Medicaid, and then he has voted repeatedly to repeal the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid expansion is one of the key pieces of that important law,” Cunningham said in a video interview with McClatchy on Thursday.
US Senate nominees in North Carolina accept 3 debate hosts
June 6, 2020
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina’s two major-party U.S. Senate candidates are now in agreement on three debate hosts leading to their November election.
Campaign officials for Republican incumbent Thom Tillis and Democratic nominee Cal Cunningham confirmed separately this week that they accepted debate invitations from Spectrum News, WRAL-TV and the Nexstar stations covering North Carolina.
Details on those debates haven’t been settled, including dates. Tillis campaign spokesperson Andrew Romeo said Tillis also wants another debate with Cunningham in July or August.
Tillis is a former state House speaker seeking a second term in the Senate. Cunningham served briefly in the legislature and ran unsuccessfully for the Senate 10 years ago. Both candidates won their respective primaries in March. Libertarian and Constitution party candidates also are on the fall ballot.
The News & Observer – December 9, 2019 (02:45)
About
Party primary elections were held on March 3, 2020.
Thom Tillis, current Republican incumbent and former speaker of the North Carolina state House, won more than 78% of the vote. Paul Wright, Larry Holmquist and Sharon Y. Hudson each had between 7% and 8%..
Cal Cunningham, a member of the Army Reserves, lawyer, and a former state senator, won 57% of the vote. State Sen. Erica Smith, a high school teacher and engineer from Northampton County, won less than 35%.
The 2020 United States Senate election in North Carolina will be held on November 3, 2020.
Thom Tillis
Current Position: US Senator for North Carolina
Affiliation: Republican
Candidate: 2020 US Senator
North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis is committed to preserving the American Dream for younger generations and supports commonsense policies that will generate economic growth and opportunities for working families.
Public Service
Fueled by a desire to make a difference in his local community, Thom’s involvement in public service began by serving as the PTA president of his daughter’s high school and as a member of the Town of Cornelius Board of Commissioners. In 2006, he was elected to the North Carolina House of Representatives and was selected by his peers to serve as Speaker of the House from 2011 to 2014. As Speaker, Thom played an instrumental role in enacting job-creating policies and reforming North Carolina’s tax and regulatory codes. Thom was elected as U.S. Senator in 2014 and he has focused on pragmatic solutions and delivering results for North Carolina.
For more information about Thom Tillis, see his post.
Cal Cunningham
Current Position: Other
Affiliation: Democrat
Candidate: 2020 US Senator for North Carolina
Cal Cunningham is an Army veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan, business leader, and former legislator who served as Vice Chairman of the Governor’s Crime Commission. He is running to serve as North Carolina’s next United States Senator.
At the age of 27, Cal was elected one of the state’s youngest State Senators, representing Davidson, Rowan, and Iredell Counties. Over the course of his term in the legislature, Cal fought for smaller class sizes, higher teacher pay, and investments in early childhood education and our university and community college system. Cal was also a leading advocate for landmark clean air legislation, land preservation, and campaign finance reform.
For more information, see Cal Cunningham’s post.
Issues
Civil Rights
CAL CUNNINGHAM
Protecting and Expanding Voting Rights
The right for citizens to make their voices heard at the ballot box is fundamental to our democracy, and Cal will work to protect and expand the right to vote so that all eligible, law-abiding citizens can participate in our elections.
Cal supports efforts to expand access to voting and prevent voter suppression, like restoring the Voting Rights Act, extending early voting, and making it easier to register to vote by enacting reforms like automatic voter registration and making Election Day a federal holiday. He will also oppose efforts that restrict the right to vote, like unnecessarily purging voters from the rolls.
Cal is endorsed by the Voter Protection Project because of his commitment to making sure every eligible North Carolinian has the right to cast a ballot.
THOM TILLIS
N/A
Equal Rights
CAL CUNNINGHAM
Protecting and Expanding Voting Rights
Cal believes that the story of North Carolina belongs to all of us. The story of North Carolina is still being written, and we must make the next chapter as one that fairly includes everyone, no matter who they are, who they love, or the color of their skin.
For Cal, that means standing with the LGBTQI community and communities of color in the fight against regressive policies. Cal supports advancing the long-overdue passage of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), passing the Equality Act to protect LGBTQI North Carolinians from discrimination in housing and the workplace, reforming our criminal justice system, and restoring the Voting Rights Act so that our elected representatives reflect the will of the people.
Cal also believes we need vigorous enforcement of our nation’s civil rights laws to tear down the vestiges of discrimination and open the doors of opportunity to all North Carolinians.
THOM TILLIS
N/A
Governance
CAL CUNNINGHAM
Reforming Broken Washington
Cal believes that political corruption in Washington is a fundamental barrier to progress for our state and country.
As North Carolina’s next Senator, Cal will fight for campaign finance reform, fair maps, independent redistricting, and a political system that empowers voters to make their voices heard. Cal has pledged not to accept any corporate PAC money, and he supports overturning the Supreme Court’s disastrous Citizens United decision that has allowed unlimited dark money to pour into our elections. He also believes the Senate should reform the filibuster rule that is too often abused by Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to promote gridlock and stop votes on important legislation that would help North Carolina’s hardworking families. Cal has personally pledged never to become a lobbyist after serving in the Senate and believes we need to end that revolving door.
Cal is proud to have been endorsed by End Citizens United and the Voter Protection Project because of his strong support for fixing our democracy and getting big money out of politics.
THOM TILLIS
N/A
Agriculture
CAL CUNNINGHAM
N/A
THOM TILLIS
Agriculture & Rural Prosperity
Agriculture is North Carolina’s largest industry and a cornerstone of rural North Carolina, creating an economic impact of more than $87 billion each year and supporting 686,000 jobs across the state. Thom has been a leader in ensuring North Carolina agriculture’s continued success, working to create real, commonsense solutions for the challenges our farmers and rural communities face every day.
Creating Opportunities & Investments in Rural NC:
Thom secured language in the 2018 Farm Bill establishing the creation of the Rural Innovation Stronger Economy Grant Program to invest in local efforts to launch new companies and create new jobs in rural America.
Providing Relief to Farmers:
When farmers in North Carolina and across the country were reeling from low commodity prices and natural disasters, Thom worked with his colleagues to introduce bipartisan legislation making it easier for family farmers to reorganize debts when facing bankruptcy. The bipartisan legislation was codified into law in 2017. The measure rectifies a 2012 Supreme Court ruling on a previous bankruptcy reform law that ignored Congress’ express goal of helping family farmers.
Finding Solutions for Rural NC’s Labor Challenges:
Labor shortages continue to handicap North Carolina farmers and seafood processors. Thom has worked on reforms to both the H-2A and H-2B temporary worker visa programs to allow farmers and small businesses access to a reliable source of temporary, legal workers.
Environment
CAL CUNNINGHAM
Taking on Climate Change & Protecting North Carolina’s Environment
North Carolina has seen the effects of climate change firsthand through the historic storms and flooding that have ravaged our state — which is why Cal knows this is one of the most urgent issues facing us. He believes that in order to combat this crisis, we need to invest in a clean energy economy that will create good-paying jobs, reduce carbon pollution, and make North Carolina a leader. Solar energy is already spreading across this state, providing good-paying jobs for our workers and economic investment in rural areas. North Carolina has the research facilities to design the next generation solar panels and the manufacturing base to lead on solar energy and Cal intends to help that happen.
North Carolina has also seen coal ash spills, drinking water tainted by GenX, and rapid loss of open space, and Cal believes we need to do more to protect North Carolina’s environment and natural resources. As a State Senator, Cal helped pass landmark clean air legislation that reduced harmful pollutants from coal-fired power plants by over 80%, and key land preservation legislation. In the private sector, Cal has helped lead an award-winning environmental company that works with communities to reduce waste and boost recycling.
Cal is proud to have been endorsed by the League of Conservation Voters, who recognize his strong commitment to fighting climate change and building a clean energy economy.
THOM TILLIS
Climate & Conservation
From mountains to beaches, North Carolina is home to some of the country’s most beautiful landscapes. Thom has worked to ensure our state’s resources are utilized to their potential while preserving them for use and enjoyment of future generations. Thom believes a key to this effort will be addressing climate change through market-based solutions that foster innovation and drive economic growth.
Promoting Clean and Renewable Energy:
Thom has been a longtime supporter of the solar industry, which supports 7,621 jobs, provides nearly $7 million in economic impact, and powers more than 530,000 homes across the state.
During his time in the North Carolina General Assembly, Thom worked to negotiate a 12.5% renewable portfolio standard for the state. This was an important step that allowed North Carolina to become a leader in renewable energy with tangible goals for integrating new technologies in the grid. North Carolina now serves as an example for other states wishing to diversify their energy infrastructure, increase resiliency, and reduce costs to rate payers by integrating renewable energy generation sources. …
Protecting Our National Parks from Federal Negligence:
North Carolina is home to the most visited National Park in the country, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Thom has worked to craft legislation to help address the staggering issues at the National Park Service, joining his colleagues to introduce the bipartisan National Park Restoration Act, which uses revenues from energy production on federal lands to help pay for the over $11 billion maintenance backlog at our national parks. …
Education
CAL CUNNINGHAM
Improving Education
The quality of our children’s education shouldn’t depend on where they grow up, their family circumstances, their race, their wealth, or a disability, and Cal believes that public education—and the investments we make in our children through schools—should be an engine of opportunity for all North Carolinians.
Cal will fight to pay teachers what they deserve, to develop, respect, and strengthen the profession, and to recruit, train, and retain the best educators for our students. This means doing more to make sure the profession is reflective of the diversity of the students and families it serves, with particular emphasis on recruiting African American and Latinx people into the profession.
Cal also knows how critical it is that our students have the support they need to pursue their dreams, and Cal supports a national strategy to invest in opportunity through public schools including by fully funding Title I and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, to provide schools the resources they need to succeed and close significant funding gaps between districts. In addition, rural districts need stable and reliable funding to deliver supplemental support services to meet their special needs. Cal also supports investment in specialized instructional support personnel — the counselors, psychologists, and other professionals—who address children’s unique academic and developmental needs, so every child can thrive in school.
Thom Tillis
As the former PTA President of his daughter’s public high school, Thom understands the importance of providing educational opportunities for all students. He also understands the importance of empowering teachers and parents – not federal bureaucrats – to play a large decision-making role at the local level. Thom has advocated for reforms making it easier for parents to engage in their children’s education and removing burdensome roadblocks on educators and local school districts. As the product of both community colleges and public universities, Thom has also focused on supporting North Carolina’s community college and public university systems.
Strengthening Career and Technical Education and Job Training in a Changing 21st Century Economy:
Thom was a strong supporter of the bipartisan Strengthening Career and Technical Education (CTE) for the 21st Century Act. The enacted law encourages states, schools, and local CTE providers to update education and job training to meet the needs of local economies. North Carolina will have greater authority to take their unique needs into account and set its own CTE goals, taking Washington control out of the equation.
Health Care
CAL CUNNINGHAM
Lower Cost, Accessible Health Care
One of the most frequent issues Cal hears about as he travels across the state is the urgent need to improve access and bring down the cost of health care for families – and that is exactly what he will fight for in the U.S. Senate. North Carolinians continue to struggle with the rising cost of premiums, co-pays, and prescription drugs, and there are still more than 1 million people in our state without any coverage at all.
Cal knows our health care system isn’t perfect and there are real issues Congress needs to work together to fix. In the Senate, Cal will fight to strengthen and extend coverage under the Affordable Care Act, expand Medicaid in North Carolina, create a public health insurance option, support rural hospitals, address doctor shortages, support life-saving research to prevent and treat diseases like cancer and HIV/AIDS, and ensure no one loses their employer-sponsored coverage who wants to keep it. Cal will also work to lower the cost of prescription drugs through efforts like allowing Medicare to negotiate directly with pharmaceutical companies.
Cal will oppose any effort in Washington to cut Medicare benefits, and he will stand up against the politicians and special interests that want to repeal the Affordable Care Act, gut protections for people who have a pre-existing medical condition, and allow big insurance companies to impose what the AARP calls an “age tax” on older North Carolinians that could cost them thousands of dollars more. In the Senate, Cal will also do everything he can to stop the dangerous lawsuit pushed forward by Washington Republicans that would dismantle the Affordable Care Act and its protections.
Thom Tillis
Thom has focused on health care reforms to ensure North Carolina families have access to affordable and quality health care choices. Thom has also worked on real bipartisan solutions to combat drug addiction and advance medical research and innovation.
Combatting the Nation’s Opioid Addiction Crisis:
Thom has worked across the aisle on solutions to counter North Carolina’s growing opioid addiction epidemic. In 2016 alone, 1,505 North Carolinians died from opioid-related overdoses, more than the number who died from automobile accidents.
Thom was a staunch advocate for the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act, landmark bipartisan legislation signed into law by President Obama in 2016 that brings together the experiences and recommendations of drug addiction experts, law enforcement, health care providers, first responders, and the patient community most affected by the opioid epidemic. The law also addresses the strain the addiction crisis places on our criminal justice system by providing more resources to identify and treat incarcerated Americans, helping put them on the path to recovery, which in turn could lower the nation’s recidivism and crime rates.
In 2018, Thom advocated for the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act, another piece of landmark bipartisan legislation to combat the national opioid crisis, which was signed into law by President Trump. The bipartisan law aims to stop illegal drug smuggling at the border, makes it easier for more medical professionals to treat people in recovery to prevent relapse and overdoses, and provides support for comprehensive opioid recovery centers.
Immigration
CAL CUNNINGHAM
Fixing Our Broken Immigration System
As an Army veteran, Cal takes the safety and security of North Carolinians seriously, including border security. He also knows we can keep America safe without compromising America’s values to be a leader to the world when it comes to freedom and liberty.
Cal believes we must pass comprehensive immigration reform that fixes our broken system and modernizes it for the economy of today, grows North Carolina’s economy, protects DREAMers, and provides a fair pathway to citizenship. Instead of separating families and caging children, we should be investing in the necessary technology and trained staff to secure our borders. What we need are leaders with the courage to reject the politics of fear and work across party lines to pass comprehensive reform.
Thom Tillis
Thom’s Work on Immigration Solutions:
Senator Tillis has established himself as a national leader pushing for secure borders and a merit-based immigration system, working to break decades of gridlock and inaction from Republicans and Democrats.
Advocating for secure borders:
Thom is a strong supporter of President Trump’s plan to secure our borders and keep America safe and has proposed commonsense solutions, including joining Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) to introduce legislation that secures our borders through a major investment in technology, infrastructure, and personnel and strengthens enforcement of existing immigration laws.
Thom has consistently raised concerns about the continued consequences of insecure borders – including humanitarian risks to adults and children and the rise of narcoterrorist organizations that have contributed to America’s opioid addiction crisis. Thom has encouraged his Republican and Democratic colleagues to work together and support the President’s plan to fix the problem.
Safety
CAL CUNNINGHAM
Preventing Gun Violence
As an Army veteran who has been trained to use a firearm, Cal understands the responsibility that comes with carrying a weapon. He also knows, as the father of two, the fear that parents experience when they drop their kids off at school and wonder if they will come home safe.
Cal believes there are commonsense steps we can take to protect our communities from gun violence while protecting the rights of law-abiding citizens. Cal will work to keep our kids safe and to keep guns out of the hands of domestic abusers, criminals, and terrorists by supporting efforts to expand background checks, ban the sale of high-capacity magazines, pass red flag laws, and fund gun violence research on an issue that has become a public health crisis. He is also proud of his work on Governor Cooper’s Crime Commission creating recommendations to curb the risk of school shootings.
Thom Tillis
N/A
Military/ National Security
CAL CUNNINGHAM
N/A
Thom Tillis
Thom serves as the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Personnel, the panel with jurisdiction over Department of Defense (DoD) personnel policies, including compensation, benefits, education, and health care for servicemembers, their families, and DoD civilian employees. The Personnel Subcommittee has oversight over approximately 50% of the entire DoD budget.
Thom is a Champion for North Carolina Servicemembers and Military Families:
As Chairman, Thom has led the Personnel Subcommittee in a bipartisan manner, spearheading commonsense solutions that have improved the quality of life for servicemembers and military families. Thom has also used his position on the Senate Armed Services Committee to champion North Carolina’s military installations – including securing more than $1.1 billion in improvements to Fort Bragg, Camp Lejeune, Cherry Point, New River, and Seymour Johnson. Thom has also advanced initiatives that reaffirm North Carolina’s status as the nation’s tip of the spear.
See post for more info.
Thom is a champion for American foreign policy based on the principle of peace through strength:
Thom supports initiatives that will bolster America’s longstanding relationship with its allies, including NATO. He has advocated for countering the conventional and non-conventional threats posed by America’s adversaries, including Russia, Iran, China, and North Korea.
Thom also believes our military’s highest priority is to achieve its readiness goals to defend the nation and our allies, a goal he has pursued as a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee.
Leading the Senate NATO Observer Group:
Thom serves as the co-chair of the Senate NATO Observer Group alongside co-chair Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH). Senators Tillis and Shaheen re-established the bipartisan Observer Group with an expanded mission to closely monitor and inform Senators outside of national security committees about defense spending commitments of Alliance members, the process of upgrading military capabilities, the Alliance’s counter-terrorism capability, NATO enlargement and the ability of NATO member states to address non-conventional warfare.
Senators Tillis and Shaheen attended the NATO Summit in Brussels, Belgium in 2018 and advocated for a strengthened NATO, highlighting America’s role in leading the alliance.
See post for more info.
