Pence heads to North Carolina to help Ted Budd

Former Vice President Mike Pence announced late Monday that he is heading to North Carolina to support Trump-endorsed Rep. Ted Budd (R), who is vying for a Senate seat.

“Next stop: North Carolina! Looking forward to traveling to the Tar Heel State to support @TedBuddNC and deliver remarks at the @NCGOP Faith and Values Summit!” Pence tweeted.

Budd won the Republican primary for the North Carolina Senate seat last week, beating former Gov. Pat McCrory. Budd will now take on former state Supreme Court Justice Cheri Beasley (D) in the general midterms in November.

The Cook Political Report rates North Carolina’s Senate race as “lean Republican.” 

Pence’s tweet came after he finished campaigning for Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R), who is fending off a challenge from Trump-endorsed former Sen. David Perdue (R).

Former President Trump held a telerally with Perdue on Monday, showing one of the clearest splits between Trump and his former vice president as midterm campaigns heat up.

A Fox News poll released last week showed 60 percent of Georgia Republican primary voters supporting Kemp compared to 28 percent backing Perdue.

Trump spokesman Taylor Budowich called the former vice president “desperate to chase his lost relevance” over his midterm involvement.

Trump has endorsed hundreds of candidates up and down the tickets in this year’s elections, and after a hot start his picks have had a mixed record.