North Carolina’s Senate race focuses on abortion, economy as top issues

John Yang:

With just eight days left until the midterm elections, we turn to North Carolina where a tight race or an open Senate seat has largely stayed under the radar. Republican Congressman Ted Budd faces former State Supreme Court Justice Cheri Beasley, a Democrat. Jeff Tiberii is the Capitol Bureau Chief for North Carolina Public Radio. He's been covering the race and he joins us now. From your vantage point on the ground there in North Carolina, what's the state of this race right now?

Jeff Tiberii, North Carolina Public Radio:

It's relatively sleepy, if we're being totally honest about it, compared to 2014 and 2020, when North Carolina had at the time, the most expensive U.S. Senate races in the history of the country compared to the amounts of spending that we've seen and some other states, of course, Pennsylvania and Georgia. It's relatively quiet or relatively sleepy.

John Yang:

Relatively sleepy, but this is a race the Democrats have high hopes for, why would or should the Democrats be hopeful about this race?

Jeff Tiberii:

This is as close to a 50/50 state as you're going to find in the country. It is slightly right of center to be clear. But at the same time, there is a two term Democratic governor here. And the margins are such that we have seen some extremely close races gubernatorial race by less than 11,000 votes. Beasley, the Democrat in this race, lost a bid for Chief Justice of the state Supreme Court two years ago. There were, you know, millions of votes cast, upwards of 5 million votes. She lost by 430 some odd votes, 437. So, the margins here in recent election cycles have provided some very narrow margins. And I think that's part of the reason Democrats are bullish to a degree as it pertains to the Senate race.

John Yang:

What issues have each side been talking about? And what seems to be resonating with the voters?

Jeff Tiberii:

You know, the second part of your question, I'm not entirely sure what is resonating with voters or if this is just the latest in tribalism and hyper partisanship, and oh, it's an R, oh it's D, next to that name. And people have really staked out their positions months ago. But to the first portion of your question, the issues have really been unsurprising not to say they aren't important. But, you know, on the left and Beasley the Democrat, there has been a regular pivot to the issue of abortion, the Dobbs case, the overturning Roe, as we've seen in many of these marquee races. On the right with Budd, a regular beating of that campaign drum when we think about economic issues, inflation, and then to a lesser extent, there has been the topic of crime.

John Yang:

And what about the national leaders on both sides? I mean, Donald Trump barely won North Carolina in 2020. His margin actually went down from 2016. The President Biden having difficulties of his own, have they been playing a role in this race?

Jeff Tiberii:

Not so much, is the short answer. Both candidates have tried to keep, you know, a safe if not healthy distance. Beasley from the current President Biden, and Budd from the former President, Trump. Budd was really vaulted in this race a year ago when he got a surprising endorsement from President Trump, but since he has not been frequently seen on the stump with him, and he is trying to position himself as more of a moderate down the homestretch of his election, but I'd be remiss if I didn't note, this is the race to replace retiring Richard Burr and Richard Burr is somebody who voted to convict Donald Trump coming out of that second impeachment trial. So whichever major party candidate wins here, there will be certainly a shift from the status quo of birth.

John Yang:

And this has also been an election cycle where we've seen sort of hyperventilate or rhetoric on — in races close races around the country. This is a close race that could determine control the Senate, but it's been pretty genteel.

Jeff Tiberii:

It has been and I think viewers of yours who have been around long enough might remember some U.S. Senate contest in 1990 and 1996 in North Carolina between Charlotte Mayor Harvey Gantt and the iconic Jesse Helms, and those unfortunately turned racist toward the end and had some very questionable campaign tactics. We fortunately have not seen that yet to this point. Perhaps we won't, hopefully we do not see that here. But yes, relative to some of the other campaign rhetoric that we've seen, both historically North Carolina and across the country, it has been far more far more genteel. Yes.

John Yang:

Jeff Tiberii, North Carolina Public Radio., thank you very much.

Jeff Tiberii:

My pleasure. You're welcome.