FreedomWorks to endorse Tea Partier Brannon in N.C. Senate race

Conservative group FreedomWorks will endorse Tea Party candidate Greg Brannon (R) in his bid to face Sen. Kay Hagan (D-N.C.), sources close to Brannon’s campaign tell The Hill.

Brannon, an obstetrician who has the backing of Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), will be endorsed by the national group at a Tuesday evening rally in Raleigh.

{mosads}The endorsement could help propel his candidacy in the crowded Senate primary. Brannon is facing five other candidates including North Carolina House Speaker Thom Tillis (R), the establishment favorite and front-runner, as well as Rev. Mark Harris (R), who has the backing of former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee (R). If no candidate gets 40 percent of the vote in the May primary, the top two vote-getters will face off in July.

A drawn-out primary could sap the eventual nominee of resources and hurt their chances against Hagan. Most recent polls show a close general-election race.

This week doesn’t bring all good news for Brannon, however. Two investors in a technological start-up he served on the board of are charging that he misled them into investing in that company, according to court documents first reported by WRAL and also obtained by The Hill. Brannon will be in civil court next week to answer the allegations.

His campaign downplayed concerns about the lawsuit.

“I’m looking forward to my day in court and I’m confident it will be resolved,” Brannon said in a statement via his campaign manager.