Democrat Cal Cunningham Raises Record Amount In North Carolina Senate Race Against Republican Thom Tillis
Democrat Cal Cunningham raised more than $7.4 million in the second quarter of the year in his campaign against incumbent Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., breaking a North Carolina record for the most money raised by a Senate candidate in a single three-month period. The Cunningham campaign ended the quarter between April 1 and June 30 with $6.6 million in cash on hand.
“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.
The previous fundraising record was set by former Democratic Sen. Kay Hagan in 2014, who brought in $4.8 million in the third quarter before losing her reelection bid to Tillis.
Cunningham, 46, has pulled in nearly $15.5 million since he announced his Senate bid in June 2019, according to his campaign. The Tillis campaign has yet to release its fundraising figures for the second quarter.
In the first quarter of the year, Cunningham outraised Tillis, bringing in more than $4.4 million to Tillis’ less than $2.1 million during that period. Cunningham, a veteran and environmental entrepreneur, has criticized Tillis for his vote to repeal the Affordable Care Act and has vowed to fight corruption in the federal government.
Tillis, 59, is in his first term and has voted with President Trump 93.3% of the time, according to FiveThirtyEight. He has a strong conservative record, with votes against abortion rights, votes in favor of gun rights and has suggested that the government should not set a minimum wage. Tillis previously served as a two-term Congressman.
The Tillis campaign has portrayed Cunningham as out of touch, and claimed he supports an “extreme liberal agenda.”
“Cal Cunningham has never endured the struggles the people of North Carolina are facing right now and will be just another rubber-stamp lawyer for Chuck Schumer’s extreme liberal agenda of higher taxes and more government control,” Tillis’ campaign spokesman Andrew Romeo said in a June statement. “Senator Tillis has actually been in the shoes of his constituents and will continue fighting to get North Carolinians back to work.”
A recent poll from CNBC/Change Research shows Cunningham with 51% support in the state, with Tillis at 41%. An East Carolina University survey showed the two candidates even at 41%.
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