RALEIGH, N.C. — Rep. Ted Budd took the lead from Cheri Beasley just after 9 p.m. in the U.S. Senate race.
Beasley had an early, small lead in North Carolina’s U.S. Senate race after the Board of Elections released totals from early voting and mail-in absentee ballots and about one-third of the state’s precincts.
Budd now leads at 49.26% of the vote. Beasley had 48.78% of votes reported.
Counties reporting early votes at 9:07 p.m. included some results from all 100 counties and 1083 of 2,655 precincts.
“I’m so grateful for the outpouring of support from all of you today,” Beasley tweeted in a video message to her supporters immediately after polls closed. “Now lets go make history.”
Beasley is a Democrat and former N.C. Supreme Court chief justice from Raleigh. Budd is a Republican from Advance in Davie County who represents the 13th Congressional District. The winner will replace retiring Republican Sen. Richard Burr.
Historically, the first ballots reported on election night are from methods used more often by Democratic voters — in-person early voting and mail-in absentee ballots. Republican voters historically have voted more frequently on Election Day.
“The evidence thus far suggests that that trend is only accelerating in 2022,” said Chris Cooper, a political science professor at Western Carolina University. “What that means is the initial results are likely to make it look like the Democrats are up when in reality the Election Day Votes will bring many races closer to the Republican Party.”
As results came in, Budd’s supporters crowded the hallways and a conference room at the Marriot in Winston-Salem. As of 8:45 p.m., no one had taken the stage.
Former state Sen. Fred Smith said though the economy has emerged as a major issue in North Carolina’s U.S. Senate race, he sees it as something more.
“We have a culture war in this election,” said Smith, who ran for governor in 2008 but lost in the Republican primary to Pat McCrory. “Economies come and go.”
Beasley gathered supporters at the Sheraton Hotel in downtown Raleigh where people danced together and listened to speakers from the Democratic Party.
Bobbie Richardson, chair of the North Carolina Democratic Party said, “this year we’ve had a fight like never before,” citing the overturning of Roe v. Wade.
“You know all the issues, you know what is at stake,” Richardson said. “What we want for this state and for this country is on the ballot. There is perhaps no women who’s character shines brighter than that of Cheri Beasley.”
Attorney General Josh Stein spoke about the importance of races across the state saying the work they did was important for the future of the state and the country.
Budd’s campaign watch party took place across the state at the Marriot Hotel in Winston-Salem. The campaign event has not yet gotten underway.
What would a Budd or Beasley win mean?
A win for Beasley would be historic for North Carolina. She would be the state’s first African-American elected to the Senate, the third African-American woman and only the 12th African American in the country’s history to serve in the chamber.
A Democrat hasn’t been elected to represent North Carolina in the U.S. Senate since Kay Hagan in 2008.
Now, the Senate is made up of 50 Republicans, 48 Democrats and two independents who caucus with the Democrats. With Vice President Kamala Harris serving as a tiebreaker between the two parties, Democrats hold the majority.
Republicans hope to gain the Senate majority in the 2022 election. A win for Budd would help maintain a GOP seat while the party tries to win races elsewhere.
The candidates spent the majority of the summer in a tight or tied race.
But Budd strengthened his lead over Beasley in polls following the candidates’ one and only debate on Spectrum News, Oct. 7. Over the weekend, East Carolina University released a poll that showed Budd leading Beasley 52% to 46%.
Beasley raised more money than Budd throughout the campaign, taking in more than $34.4 million to Budd’s more than $12.6 million.
How will issues help candidates?
American’s dissatisfaction with the economy could help secure a win for Budd as some voters place the blame for the high price of gas and groceries at the feet of the president and the Democratic Party, by association.
In a poll from Elon University, more than half of North Carolina voters polled gave the economy a letter grade of D or lower.
But abortion became another major issue in Tuesday’s election. In June, The U.S. Supreme Court overturned a landmark case that gave people the right to abortions. Right now, the decision to legalize abortion has been left to the states and Elon found that 53% of voters polled said they’d be somewhat or extremely dissatisfied if abortion were banned in North Carolina.
Other key concerns in the election is the country’s democracy and Budd’s endorsement by former President Donald Trump and his decision to vote against the election certification of President Joe Biden following the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.
Pollsters also heard from North Carolina voters about concerns about crime, the environment, guns, foreign policy and energy, but to a lesser extent.
