The much-anticipated battle for the US Senate in North Carolina in 2022 was held on November 8; the primary elections had been originally slated for March 8 but were later moved to May 17. The purpose of the election was to choose a senator to represent North Carolina in the US Senate. Here is a rundown of the main candidates and developments leading up to this election:
Incumbent Retirement
A three-term Republican U.S. Senator named Richard Burr declared in 2016 that he will not run for reelection in 2022. This choice paved the way for a heated contest to fill this crucial Senate seat.
Democratic and Republican Primaries
Cheri Beasley, a former Chief Justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court, won the Democratic nomination. Representative Ted Budd of the United States became the front-runner for the Republican party.
Competitive Race
Ted Budd had a slim lead in the polls, but it was thought that the contest would be extremely close. The candidates' campaigns included a wide range of topics, including immigration, gun control, climate change, racial justice, voting rights, and economic recovery following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Key Republican Primary Contenders:
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Former U.S. Representative Mark Walker, who was the first major candidate to announce his candidacy in December 2020. Walker decided to retire from the House and not run for re-election in 2020.
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Former Governor Pat McCrory, who announced his candidacy on April 14, 2021, and initially led in early opinion polls due to his name recognition.
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U.S. Representative Ted Budd, who announced his candidacy on April 28, 2021, and received a significant endorsement from former President Donald Trump.
Trump's Influence
In this contest, Donald Trump's influence was very noticeable. During the North Carolina Republican Party convention in June 2021, he endorsed Ted Budd and denounced Pat McCrory's prior election defeats.
Primary Results
With more than 58% of the vote, Ted Budd won the Republican primary. With over 25%, Pat McCrory came in second, and Mark Walker with 9%. Except for Mecklenburg, Budd received a majority of the vote in almost every county in the state.
Democratic Candidates
Cheri Beasley won the Democratic nomination and ran on a platform emphasizing access to healthcare, education, and economic equality. Her tenure as Chief Justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court gave her candidacy a distinctive edge.
Ted Budd finally prevailed with 50.5% of the vote to Cheri Beasley's 47.3%, prevailing by a margin of 3.2% in the closely contested 2022 North Carolina Senate race. In North Carolina and the US Senate, this election had a significant impact on the political climate.
