Obama endorses Beasley in NC Senate race

Former President Obama on Tuesday endorsed Democrat Cheri Beasley in North Carolina’s Senate race, calling her an “honest” candidate who “puts people first.”

In a campaign video shared on Twitter, Obama cited Beasley’s history as a public defender, judge and the first African American woman to serve as chief justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court.

“Cheri works hard, she’s honest, and most importantly, she always puts people first,” he said in the video. “In the Senate, Cheri will fight to make health care and prescription drugs more affordable and protect our fundamental rights. … This is going to be a close race, and we can’t afford to get it wrong.”

Polls show a tight race in Beasley’s bid for the open Senate seat against Republican Rep. Ted Budd (N.C.), who slightly leads in the polls.

North Carolina’s sleeper race is showing signs of picking up steam as super PACs aligned with Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) are starting to invest heavily in the race.

Beasley’s campaign has sought to shine a light on Budd’s hard-line conservative views, including his backing of a 15-week abortion ban and his praise of Trump supporters who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, as “patriots.”

She’s also calling on more Democrats to campaign with her, including Sens. Jon Ossoff (Ga.), Cory Booker (N.J.) and Debbie Stabenow (Mich.), as well as House Majority Whip James Clyburn (S.C.).

Meanwhile, Budd is striking back at Beasley with messaging on high inflation and crime, as well as accusing her of narrowing a state law requiring GPS tracking of child predators, which Beasley has called an “ugly” distortion of the truth.