United States Senate election in North Carolina, 2020

Elections in North Carolina, 2020

* Election date: Nov. 3
* Registration deadline(s): Oct. 9
* Online registration: Yes
* Same-day registration: No
* Recount laws

* Early voting starts: Oct. 15
* Absentee/mail voting deadline(s): Nov. 3 (postmarked); Nov. 12 (received)
* Processing, counting, and challenging absentee/mail-in ballots
* Voter ID: No ID
* Poll times: 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

* * *

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<- 2016

U.S. Senate, North Carolina

Democratic primary
Republican primary
General election
Election details
Filing deadline: December 20, 2019
Primary: March 3, 2020
Primary runoff: June 23, 2020
General: November 3, 2020

* * *

Pre-election incumbent:
Thom Tillis (Republican)
How to vote
Poll times: 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Voting in North Carolina
Race ratings
Cook Political Report: Toss-up
Sabato's Crystal Ball: Lean Democratic
Inside Elections: Tilt Democratic
Ballotpedia analysis
U.S. Senate battlegrounds
U.S. House battlegrounds
Federal and state primary competitiveness
Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2020
See also
U.S. Senate, North Carolina
U.S. Senate • 1st • 2nd • 3rd • 4th • 5th • 6th • 7th • 8th • 9th • 10th • 11th • 12th • 13th
North Carolina elections, 2020
U.S. Congress elections, 2020
U.S. Senate elections, 2020
U.S. House elections, 2020

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Incumbent Sen. Thom Tillis (R) defeated Cal Cunningham (D), Kevin E. Hayes (Constitution Party), and Shannon Bray (L) in the November 3, 2020, general election for United States Senate in North Carolina.

On October 2, 2020, Tillis announced he had tested positive for coronavirus. On the same day, Cunningham confirmed reports that he had sent sexual texts to a woman who is not his wife. To read more about these events, click here.

Tillis was first elected in 2014, defeating incumbent Kay Hagan (D) 48.8% to 47.3%. Donald Trump (R) won North Carolina in 2016's presidential election with 50% of the vote to Hillary Clinton’s (D) 46%.

The 2020 Senate race in North Carolina drew the most satellite spending of any congressional race in history.[1] The National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), Senate Leadership Fund, Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC), and Senate Majority PAC were among the top spenders.

Independent race rating outlets expected the race to be competitive.

The outcome of this race affected partisan control of the U.S. Senate. Thirty-five of 100 seats were up for election, including two special elections. At the time of the election, Republicans had a 53-45 majority over Democrats in the Senate. Independents who caucus with the Democrats held the two remaining seats. Republicans faced greater partisan risk in the election. They defended 23 seats while Democrats defended 12. Both parties had two incumbents representing states the opposite party's presidential nominee won in 2016.

Shannon Bray completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection Survey. Click here to view his responses.

This election was a battleground race. Other 2020 battlegrounds included:

* Arizona's 6th Congressional District election, 2020
* California's 53rd Congressional District election, 2020 (March 3 top-two primary)
* Florida State Senate elections, 2020

|

## Contents

* 1 Election procedure changes in 2020
* 2 Candidates and election results
* 3 Candidate profiles
* 4 Polls
* 5 Ballotpedia Power Index
* 6 Campaign finance
* 7 Race ratings
* 8 Noteworthy endorsements
* 9 Timeline
* 9.1 2020
* 9.1.1 November
* 9.1.2 October
* 9.1.3 September
* 10 Campaign ads
* 10.1 Thom Tillis
* 10.2 Cal Cunningham
* 10.3 Satellite group ads
* 11 Noteworthy events
* 11.1 Tillis is diagnosed with coronavirus
* 11.2 Cunningham confirms allegations of infidelity
* 12 Debates and forums
* 12.1 September 14 debate
* 13 Campaign themes
* 13.1 Thom Tillis
* 13.2 Cal Cunningham
* 14 Pivot Counties
* 14.1 Presidential results by legislative district
* 14.2 Ballot access requirements
* 15 Election history
* 15.1 2016
* 15.2 2014
* 15.3 2010
* 16 See also
* 17 Footnotes

## Election procedure changes in 2020[edit]

See also: Changes to election dates, procedures, and administration in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020

Ballotpedia provided comprehensive coverage of how election dates and procedures changed in 2020. While the majority of changes occurred as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, some changes occurred for other reasons.

North Carolina modified its absentee/mail-in voting and early voting procedures for the November 3, 2020, general election as follows:

* Absentee/mail-in voting: The witness signature requirement on completed absentee ballots decreased from two to one. The receipt deadline was extended to 5 p.m. on November 12, 2020, for ballots postmarked on or before Election Day.
* Early voting: Early voting sites were required to be open for at least 10 hours on the weekends of October 17-18, 2020, and October 24-25, 2020. Counties had to open at least one early voting site per 20,000 registered voters.

For a full timeline about election modifications made in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, click here.

## Candidates and election results[edit]

General election

##### General election for U.S. Senate North Carolina

Incumbent Thom Tillis defeated Cal Cunningham, Shannon Bray, and Kevin E. Hayes in the general election for U.S. Senate North Carolina on November 3, 2020.

Candidate

Votes

|
|
|

✔ |

| Thom Tillis (R)  |

48.7

| 2,665,598

| Cal Cunningham (D)  |

46.9

| 2,569,965

| Shannon Bray (L)  |

3.1

| 171,571

| Kevin E. Hayes (Constitution Party)  |

1.2

| 67,818

* * *

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

| Total votes: 5,474,952

|
|

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

#####  Democratic primary for U.S. Senate North Carolina

Cal Cunningham defeated Erica Smith, Trevor Fuller, Steve Swenson, and Atul Goel in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate North Carolina on March 3, 2020.

Candidate

Votes

|
|
|

✔ |

| Cal Cunningham |

56.9

| 717,941

| Erica Smith |

34.8

| 438,969

| Trevor Fuller |

3.8

| 48,168

| Steve Swenson |

2.7

| 33,741

| Atul Goel |

1.8

| 22,226

* * *

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

| Total votes: 1,261,045

|
|

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

#####  Republican primary for U.S. Senate North Carolina

Incumbent Thom Tillis defeated Paul Wright, Larry Holmquist, and Sharon Hudson in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate North Carolina on March 3, 2020.

Candidate

Votes

|
|
|

✔ |

| Thom Tillis |

78.1

| 608,943

| Paul Wright |

7.6

| 58,908

| Larry Holmquist |

7.4

| 57,356

| Sharon Hudson |

7.0

| 54,651

* * *

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

| Total votes: 779,858

|
|

= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Constitution primary election

The Constitution primary election was canceled. Kevin E. Hayes advanced from the Constitution primary for U.S. Senate North Carolina.

Libertarian primary election

The Libertarian primary election was canceled. Shannon Bray advanced from the Libertarian primary for U.S. Senate North Carolina.

#### Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

* Sandy Smith (R)
* Jeremy Thomas (Independence Party)
* Eva Lee (D)
* Steve Williams (D)
* Katherine Bell-Moore (D)
* Eric Mansfield (D)
* Garland Tucker III (R)

## Candidate profiles[edit]

This section includes candidate profiles created in one of two ways. Either the candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey or Ballotpedia staff created a profile after identifying the candidate as noteworthy.[2] Ballotpedia staff compiled profiles based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements.

Thom Tillis

Party: Republican Party

Incumbent: Yes

Political Office:

* United States Senate (Assumed office: 2015)
* North Carolina House of Representatives (2007-2015)

Biography: Tillis received a bachelor’s degree in technology management from University of Maryland University College. Before his political career, he was a regional technical marketing manager at Wang Laboratories from 1987 to 1990, a partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers from 1990 to 2002, and from 1990 to 2009 was a partner at IBM Global Business Services.

* * *

Key Messages

* * *

In response to the coronavirus, Tillis said he secured funding for small businesses and hospitals. He said he would work to protect jobs, reopen businesses, and ensure Americans had priority access to a vaccine.

* * *

Tillis said he opposed sanctuary cities and supported President Donald Trump (R).

* * *

Tillis said Cal Cunningham (D) supported Joe Biden’s (D) agenda, would vote for Biden’s nominations to the United States Supreme Court, and raise taxes.

* * *

Sources: YouTube, "Warrior," September 17, 2019; YouTube, "Together We'll Win This," April 29, 2020; YouTube, "Humble," May 27, 2020; YouTube, "Sneaky," September 4, 2020; YouTube, "Not This Time," September 7, 2020; YouTube, "Joe Biden's Judges," September 29, 2020; LinkedIn, "Thom Tillis," accessed October 4, 2020;

This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. Senate North Carolina in 2020

Cal Cunningham

Party: Democratic Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office:

* North Carolina State Senate (2001-2002)

Biography: Cunningham received a bachelor's degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, a master's from the London School of Economics, and a law degree from the University of North Carolina School of Law. He served as vice chairman of the Governor’s Crime Commission under Gov. Roy Cooper (D). As of the 2020 election, Cunningham had been a member of the Army Reserves since 2002, an attorney since 2003, and vice president of the company WasteZero since 2013.

* * *

Key Messages

* * *

Cunningham said he would prioritize his constituents’ interests over those of satellite influencers and partisan politics. He said he would not accept corporate PAC money.

* * *

Cunningham said he would work to lower prescription drug costs, strengthen the Affordable Care Act, and expand Medicaid. He said Thom Tillis (R) voted to take away coverage protections for people with pre-existing conditions.

* * *

Cunningham said his economic agenda included supporting the creation of high-paying jobs, reducing the costs of healthcare and education, supporting workplace protections, and raising the minimum wage.

* * *

Sources: Cal Cunningham's 2020 campaign website, "Priorities," accessed October 4, 2020; YouTube, "Listening to North Carolina," June 17, 2019; YouTube, "Time and Again," February 5, 2020; Vote Smart, "Cal Cunningham's Biography," accessed February 10, 2020

This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. Senate North Carolina in 2020

Shannon Bray

Party: Libertarian Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Submitted Biography: "Shannon Bray is a former submariner and diver for the United States Navy. After leaving the Navy, Shannon started a career in information technology. Over the past decade, Shannon has worked for several federal agencies and is now a cyber security analyst for the Department of Defense. He received his undergrad from the Colorado State and his master's from the University of Delaware. He is now pursing a PhD in Computer Science and is focusing on national defense. Over his career, Shannon has been a featured speaker at many technology conferences, written several books, and teaches stem classes to youth programs. Shannon Bray lives in Apex, NC. with his wife Stephanie and their three kids who are ages 10, 11, and 12. In his free time, Shannon loves to scuba dive and explore the beautiful coast lands of North Carolina. While politics was never a goal, over the past several years, he realized that our information infrastructures are at risk and our current representatives struggle to understand how technology is used to keep our systems safe. Shannon's passions lie with the veteran services, protecting those who cannot protect themselves, and ensuring our personal privacy both in life and in our online data."

* * *

Key Messages

The messages below are the candidate’s own.

* * *

I want to fight for equal rights under the law for all American citizens no matter their race, sex, ; I believe that ALL humans are created equal

* * *

One of the reasons why I am running is to find a solution at the federal level to improve the mental and physical health of our veterans; if we send them off to war, we owe this to them.

* * *

Everyday, we hear of yet another cyber attack and the lose of our personal data. We should have complete control and ownership of our personal data much like they do in other countries.

This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. Senate North Carolina in 2020

## Polls[edit]

See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls
U.S. Senate election in North Carolina: General election polls

Poll  |  Date  |  Tillis  |  Cunningham  |  Hayes  |  Bray  |  Undecided/No answer  |  Other  |  Margin of error  |  Sample size  |  Sponsor
Reuters/Ipsos |  Oct. 27-Nov. 1, 2020  |  46%  | 48%  |  \--  |  \--  |  2%  |  4%  |  ± 4.2  |  707  |  \--
Frederick Polls |  Oct. 30-31, 2020  |  46%  | 50%  |  2%  |  3%  |  \--  |  \--  |  ± 3.7  |  676  |  \--
Morning Consult |  Oct. 22-31, 2020  |  43%  | 47%  |  \--  |  \--  |  \--  |  \--  |  ± 2.0  |  1,982  |  \--
Data for Progress |  Oct. 27-Nov. 1, 2020  |  46%  | 51%  |  1%  |  2%  |  \--  |  \--  |  ± 3.3  |  908  |  \--
Emerson College |  Oct. 29-31, 2020  |  43%  | 46%  |  \--  |  \--  |  9%  |  2%  |  ± 3.3  |  855  |  \--
Click [show] to see older poll results

Poll  |  Date  |  Tillis  |  Cunningham  |  Hayes  |  Bray  |  Undecided/No answer  |  Other  |  Margin of error  |  Sample size  |  Sponsor
CNN/SSRS |  Oct. 24-27, 2020  |  44%  | 47%  |  2%  |  2%  |  \--  |  3%  |  ± 4.0  |  901  |  \--
Meeting Street Insights |  Oct. 24-27, 2020  |  43%  | 47%  |  \--  |  \--  |  \--  |  \--  |  ± 4.0  |  600  |  Carolina Partnership for Reform
NBC News/Marist |  Oct. 25-28, 2020  |  43%  | 53%  |  \--  |  \--  |  2%  |  2%  |  ± 4.7  |  800  |  \--
East Carolina University |  Oct. 27-28, 2020  |  46%  | 47%  |  \--  |  \--  |  4%  |  4%  |  ± 3.4  |  1,103  |  \--
Rasmussen Reports/Pulse Opinion Research |  Oct. 28-29, 2020  |  44%  | 47%  |  \--  |  \--  |  6%  |  3%  |  ± 3.5  |  800  |  \--
Cardinal Point Analytics/The North State Journal |  Oct. 27-28, 2020  |  46%  |  41%  |  2%  |  6%  |  6%  |  \--  |  ± 3.6  |  750  |  \--
Swayable |  Oct. 23-26, 2020  |  50.3%  |  49.7%  |  \--  |  \--  |  \--  |  \--  |  ± 6.9  |  365  |  \--
The New York Times/Siena College |  Oct. 23-27, 2020  |  43%  | 46%  |  \--  |  \--  |  \--  |  11%  | ±3.7  |  1,034 |  \--
University of Massachusetts Lowell |  Oct. 20-26, 2020  |  45%  | 49%  |  \--  |  \--  |  6%  |  1%  | ±4.2  |  911 |  \--
SurveyUSA |  Oct. 23-26, 2020  |  45%  | 48%  |  \--  |  \--  |  4%  |  3%  | ±4.9  |  627 |  \--
Gravis Marketing |  Oct. 26-27, 2020  |  44%  | 46%  |  \--  |  \--  |  9%  |  \--  | ±4.0  |  614 |  \--
RMG Research/Political IQ |  Oct. 24-26, 2020  |  42%  | 49%  |  \--  |  \--  |  5%  |  4%  | ±3.5  |  800 |  \--
Harper Polling |  Oct. 22-25, 2020  |  43%  | 46%  |  1%  |  2%  |  7%  |  \-- | ±4.3  |  504 |  Civitas Institute
Public Policy Polling |  Oct. 26-27, 2020  |  44%  | 47%  |  \--  |  \--  |  9%  |  \--  | ±3.2  |  937  |  \--
Reuters/Ipsos |  Oct. 21-27, 2020  |  47%  | 48%  |  \--  |  \--  |  1%  |  3%  | ±4.4  |  647  |  \--
CBS News/YouGov |  Oct. 20-23, 2020  |  43%  | 49%  |  \--  |  \--  |  5%  |  3%  | ±4.1  |  1,037  |  \--
Rasmussen Reports/Pulse Opinion Research |  Oct. 20-21, 2020  | 45%  | 45%  |  \--  |  \--  |  6%  |  4%  | ±3.5  |  800  |  \--
Meredith College |  Oct. 16-19, 2020  |  38%  | 43%  |  1%  |  4%  |  14%  | \--  | ±3.0  |  732  |  \--
Morning Consult |  Oct. 18-20, 2020  |  42%  | 48%  |  \--  |  \--  |  \--  | 10%  | ±2.2  |  1,904  |  \--
Reuters/Ipsos |  Oct. 14-20, 2020  | 47%  | 47%  |  \--  |  \--  |  3%  | 3%  | ±4.3  |  660  |  \--
The Washington Post/ABC News |  Oct. 12-17, 2020  |  47%  | 49%  |  \--  |  \--  |  \--  | 4%  | ±4.5  |  646  |  \--
Civiqs |  Oct. 11-14, 2020  |  45%  | 51%  |  1%  |  2%  |  \--  | 2%  | ±3.3  |  1,211  |  Daily Kos
Siena College |  Oct. 9-13, 2020  |  37%  | 41%  |  3%  |  4%  |  15%  | 1%  | ±4.5  |  627  |  The New York Times
Susquehanna Polling & Research Inc. |  Oct. 7-11, 2020  |  44%  | 46%  |  \--  |  \--  |  7%  |  2% |  ± 4.3  |  500 |  Center for American Greatness
Ipsos |  Oct. 7-13, 2020  |  42%  | 46%  |  \--  |  \--  |  7%  |  5% |  ± 4.3  |  660 |  Reuters
Morning Consult |  Oct. 2-11, 2020  |  41%  | 47%  |  \--  |  \--  |  \--  |  12% |  ± 2.2  |  1,993 |  \--
Monmouth University |  Oct. 8-11, 2020  |  44%  | 48%  |  <1%  |  3%  |  3%  | 1% |  ±4.4  |  500  |  \--
SurveyUSA |  Oct. 8-11, 2020  |  39%  | 49%  |  \--  |  \--  |  8%  | 3% |  ±4.8  |  669  |  WRAL-TV
Ipsos |  Sept. 29 - Oct. 6, 2020  |  42%  | 47%  |  \--  |  \--  |  7%  |  4% |  ± 4.2  |  693 |  Reuters
East Carolina University |  October 2-4  | 46%  |  45%  |  \--  |  \--  | 6% |  3%  | ± 3.2  |  1,232  |  N/A
University of Massachusetts Lowell/YouGov |  September 18-25  |  43%  |  49%  |  \--  |  \--  | 7% |  1%  | ± 4.1  |  921  |  N/A
Meredith College |  September 18-22  |  42%  |  43%  |  1%  |  4%  | 12% |  \--  | ± 3.5  |  705  |  N/A
YouGov |  September 22-25  |  38%  |  48%  |  \--  |  \--  | 11% |  3%  | ± 3.6  |  1,213  |  CBS News
Harper Polling |  Sept. 17-20, 2020  |  38%  | 44%  |  3%  |  2%  |  13%  |  \-- | ±4  |  612 |  Civitas Institute
Emerson College |  Sept. 16-18, 2020  |  43%  | 49%  |  \--  |  \--  |  8%  |  \--  |  ± 3.6  |  717  |  N/A
Redfield & Wilton Strategies |  Sept. 12-15, 2020  |  38%  | 49%  |  \--  |  \--  |  9%  |  4% |  +/- 3  |  1,092  |  N/A
Ipsos |  Sept. 11-16, 2020  |  44%  | 48%  |  \--  |  \--  |  6%  |  2% |  ± 4.6[3] |  586 |  Reuters
Siena College |  Sept. 11-16, 2020  |  37%  | 42%  |  1%  |  2%  |  16%  | 1%  | ±4.3  |  653  |  The New York Times
Kaiser Family Foundation/Cook Political Report |  Aug. 29-Sept., 2020  |  37%  | 41%  |  \--  |  \--  |  19%  | 3% |  ±3.0  |  1,172  |  N/A
Suffolk University |  Sept. 11-14, 2020  |  38%  | 42%  |  2%  |  6%  |  11%  | 2% |  ±4.4[4] |  500  |  USA Today
SurveyUSA |  Sept. 10-13, 2020  |  40%  | 47%  |  \--  |  \--  |  10%  | 3% |  ±5.6  |  596  |  WRAL-TV
The Trafalgar Group |  Sept. 9-11, 2020  |  45%  | 46%  |  1%  |  3%  |  5%  |  \-- | ±3.0  |  1046  |  N/A
SSRS |  Sept. 9-13, 2020  |  46%  | 47%  |  1%  |  3%  |  3%  |  \-- | ±4.4  |  787  |  CNN
Pulse Opinion Research |  Sept. 7-8, 2020  |  44%  | 47%  |  \--  |  \--  |  7%  |  3% | ±3  |  1000  |  Rasmussen Reports
Redfield and Wilton |  Aug. 30 - Sept. 3, 2020  |  37%  | 47%  |  \--  |  \--  |  13%  |  3% | ±3.2  |  951  |  N/A
Monmouth University |  Aug. 29-Sept. 1  |  45%  |  46%  |  1%  |  2% |  5% | 1% | ± 4.9  |  401  |  N/A
Beacon Research and Shaw & Company Research |  Aug. 29-Sept. 1  |  42%  |  48%  |  1%  |  3% |  5% | 1% | ± 3.5  |  722  |  FOX News
East Carolina University |  August 29-30  |  44%  |  44%  |  \--  |  \--  | 9% |  3%  | ± 3.4  |  1,101  |  N/A
Redfield & Wilton Strategies |  August 16-17  |  38%  |  47%  |  \--  |  \--  | 13% |  3%  | ± 3.2  |  967  |  N/A
East Carolina University |  August 12-13  |  40%  |  44%  |  \--  |  \--  | 11% |  5%  | ± 3.2  |  1,255  |  N/A
Harper Polling |  August 6-10  |  38%  | 41%  |  2%  |  2%  | 16% |  \--  | ± 4.0  |  600  |  Civitas Institute
Emerson College |  August 8-10  |  42%  |  44%  |  \--  |  \--  | 14% |  \--  | ± 3.4  |  843  |  N/A
HIT Strategies |  July 23-31  |  32%  |  48%  |  \--  |  \--  | 15% |  6%  | ± 4.9  |  400  |  Education Reform Now Advocacy
Data for Progress |  July 24-August 2  |  37%  |  45%  |  \--  |  \--  | 18% |  \--  | ± 3.0-6.0  |  1,170  |  N/A
YouGov |  July 13-15  |  39%  |  48%  |  \--  |  \--  | 9% |  3%  | ± 3.8  |  1,152  |  CBS News
Redfield & Wilton Strategies |  July 19-21  |  36%  |  47%  |  \--  |  \--  | 14% |  2%  | ± 3.2  |  919  |  N/A
Morning Consult |  July 17-26  |  37%  |  46%  |  \--  |  \--  | 13% |  4%  | ± 3.0  |  1,504  |  N/A
Marist |  July 14-22  |  41%  |  50%  |  \--  |  \--  | 9% |  1%  | ± 4.0  |  882  |  NBC News
Spry Strategies |  July 12-16  |  40%  |  40%  |  \--  |  \--  | 13% |  6%  | ± 3.7  |  700  |  American Principles Project
Cardinal Point Analytics |  July 13-15  |  44%  |  47%  |  1%  |  1%  | 6% |  \--  | ± 4.2  |  547  |  N/A
East Carolina University |  June 22-25  |  41%  |  41%  |  \--  |  \--  | 10% |  8%  | ± 3.4  |  1,149  |  N/A
Beacon Research and Shaw & Company Research |  June 20-23  |  37%  |  39%  |  3%  |  3%  | 15% |  2%  | ± 3.0  |  1,012  |  FOX News
Siena College |  June 14-17  |  39%  |  42%  |  \--  |  \--  | 17% |  2%  | ± 4.1  |  653  |  The New York Times
Redfield & Wilton Strategies |  June 14-17  |  36%  |  45%  |  \--  |  \--  | 16% |  3%  | ± 3.2  |  902  |  N/A
Gravis Marketing |  June 17  | 46%  |  45%  |  \--  |  \--  | 9% |  \--  | ± 3.9  |  631  |  One America News Network
Harper Polling |  May 26-28  | 38%  |  36%  |  3%  |  2%  | 21% |  \--  | ± 4.4  |  500  |  Civitas Institute
Meeting Street Insights |  May 9, 11-13  |  42%  |  43%  |  \--  |  \--  | 15% |  \--  | ± 4.4  |  500  |  Carolina Partnership for Reform
East Carolina University |  May 7-9  |  41%  |  40%  |  \--  |  \--  | 11% |  8%  | ± 3.4  |  1,111  |  N/A
Civiqs |  May 2-4  |  41%  |  50%  |  \--  |  \--  | 5% |  4%  | ± 3.0  |  1,362  |  Daily Kos
Meredith College |  April 27-28  |  34%  |  44%  |  \--  |  \--  | 18% |  4%  | ± 4.0  |  604  |  N/A
SurveyUSA |  April 23-26  |  39%  |  41%  |  \--  |  \--  | 20% |  \--  | ± 5.5  |  580  |  N/A
Harper Polling |  April 5-7  | 38%  |  34%  |  1%  |  3% |  2% | 23% | ± 4.4  |  500  |  Civitas Institute

## Ballotpedia Power Index[edit]

See also: The Ballotpedia Power Index

The Ballotpedia Power Index (BPI) is an election forecasting tool which factors in polling averages from RealClearPolitics and share prices on PredictIt to project the overall chances of each candidate winning election. It is updated every weekday. The following chart displays the BPI for this race dating back to August 20, 2020.

## Campaign finance[edit]

This section contains campaign finance figures from the Federal Election Commission covering all candidate fundraising and spending in this election. It does not include information on fundraising before the current campaign cycle or on spending by satellite groups. The numbers in this section are automatically updated as candidates file new campaign finance reports. Candidates for Congress are required to file financial reports on a quarterly basis, as well as two weeks before any primary, runoff, or general election in which they will be on the ballot and upon the termination of any campaign committees.[5]

Name | Party | Receipts* | Disbursements** | Cash on hand | Date

|
|
|
|
|

Cal Cunningham | Democratic Party | $52,569,134 | $52,395,430 | $173,704 |  As of December 31, 2020
Thom Tillis | Republican Party | $23,280,647 | $24,471,183 | $834,909 |  As of December 31, 2020
Shannon Bray | Libertarian Party | $0 | $0 | $0 | Data not available
Kevin E. Hayes | Constitution Party | $0 | $0 | $0 | Data not available

Source: Federal Elections Commission, "Campaign finance data," .

* According to the FEC, "Receipts are anything of value (money, goods, services or property) received by a political committee."
** According to the FEC, a disbursement "is a purchase, payment, distribution, loan, advance, deposit or gift of money or anything of value to influence a federal election," plus other kinds of payments not made to influence a federal election.

## Race ratings[edit]

See also: Race rating definitions and methods

Ballotpedia provides race ratings from three outlets: The Cook Political Report, Inside Elections, and Sabato's Crystal Ball. Each race rating indicates if one party is perceived to have an advantage in the race and, if so, the degree of advantage:

* Safe and Solid ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge and the race is not competitive.
* Likely ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge, but an upset is possible.
* Lean ratings indicate that one party has a small edge, but the race is competitive.[6]
* Tossup ratings indicate that neither party has an advantage.

Race ratings are informed by a number of factors, including polling, candidate quality, and election result history in the race's district or state.[7][8][9]

Race ratings: U.S. Senate election in North Carolina, 2020

Race tracker| Race ratings
| November 3, 2020| October 27, 2020| October 20, 2020| October 13, 2020
The Cook Political Report| Toss-up| Toss-up| Toss-up| Toss-up
Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales| Tilt Democratic| Tilt Democratic| Tilt Democratic| Tilt Democratic
Larry J. Sabato's Crystal Ball| Lean Democratic| Toss-up| Toss-up| Toss-up
Note: Ballotpedia updates external race ratings every week throughout the election season.

## Noteworthy endorsements[edit]

This section lists noteworthy endorsements issued in this election, including those made by high-profile individuals and organizations, cross-party endorsements, and endorsements made by newspaper editorial boards. It also includes links to endorsement lists published on campaign websites, if available. Please note that this list is not exhaustive. If you are aware of endorsements that should be included, please email us.

Click the links below to see endorsement lists published on candidate campaign websites, if available.

* Cal Cunningham

Noteworthy endorsements

Endorsement  |  Tillis (R)  |  Cunningham (D)
Newspapers and editorials
Indy Week[10] |  | ✔
Elected officials
President Donald Trump (R)[11] | ✔ |
Individuals
Former President Barack Obama (D)[12] |  | ✔

## Timeline[edit]

### 2020[edit]

* November 2020 (click to collapse)

#### November[edit]

* Nov. 2, 2020:
* Sabato's Crystal Ball shifted its rating of the race from Toss-up to Leans Democratic.[13]
* A survey from Morning Consult showed Tillis at 43% and Cunningham at 47%. The margin of error was ± 2.0.[14]
* A survey from Frederick Polls showed Tillis at 46%, Cunningham at 50%, and 5% registering other responses. The margin of error was ± 3.7.[15]
* A survey from Reuters/Ipsos showed Tillis at 46%, Cunningham at 48%, and 6% registering other responses. The margin of error was ± 4.2.[16]
* Nov. 1, 2020:
* A survey from Emerson College showed Tillis at 43%, Cunningham at 46%, and 11% registering other responses. The margin of error was ± 3.3.[17]
* A survey from Data for Progress showed Tillis at 46%, Cunningham at 51%, and 3% registering other responses. The margin of error was ± 3.3.[18]

* October 2020 (click to expand)

#### October[edit]

* Oct. 31, 2020: A survey from CNN/SSRS showed Tillis at 44%, Cunningham at 47%, and 7% registering other responses. The margin of error was ±4.0.[19]
* Oct. 30, 2020:
* A survey from Swayable showed Tillis at 50.3% and Cunningham at 49.7%. The margin of error was ±6.9.[20]
* A survey from Cardinal Point Analytics/The North State Journal showed Tillis at 46%, Cunningham at 41%, and 14% registering other responses. The margin of error was ±3.6.[21]
* A survey from Rasmussen Reports/Pulse Opinion Research showed Tillis at 44%, Cunningham at 47%, and 9% registering other responses. The margin of error was ±3.5.[22]
* A survey from East Carolina University showed Tillis at 46%, Cunningham at 47%, and 8% registering other responses. The margin of error was ±3.4.[23]
* A survey from NBC News/Marist showed Tillis at 43%, Cunningham at 53%, and 4% registering other responses. The margin of error was ±4.7.[24]
* A survey from Meeting Street Insights for Carolina Partnership for Reform showed Tillis at 43% and Cunningham at 47%. The margin of error was ±4.0.[25]
* Oct. 29, 2020:
* A survey from University of Massachusetts Lowell showed Tillis at 45%, Cunningham at 49%, and 7% registering other responses. The margin of error was ±4.2.[26]
* A survey from The New York Times/Siena College showed Tillis at 43%, Cunningham at 46%, and 11% registering other responses. The margin of error was ±3.7.[27]
* Oct. 28, 2020:
* A survey from Harper Polling commissioned by the Civitas Institute showed Tillis at 43%, Cunningham at 46%, and 9% registering other responses. The margin of error was ±3.5.[28]
* A survey from RMG Research/Political IQ showed Tillis at 42%, Cunningham at 49%, and 10% registering other responses. The margin of error was ±4.3.[29]
* A survey from Gravis Marketing showed Tillis at 44%, Cunningham at 46%, and 9% registering other responses. The margin of error was ±4.[30]
* A survey from SurveyUSA showed Tillis at 45%, Cunningham at 48%, and 7% registering other responses. The margin of error was ±4.9.[31]
* Oct. 27, 2020:
* A survey from Reuters/Ipsos showed Tillis at 47%, Cunningham at 48%, and 4% registering other responses. The margin of error was ±4.4.[32]
* A survey from Public Policy Polling commissioned by Protect Our Care showed Tillis at 44%, Cunningham at 47%, and 9% registering other responses. The margin of error was ±3.2.[33]
* Oct. 25, 2020: A survey from CBS News/YouGov showed Tillis at 43%, Cunningham at 49%, and 8% registering other responses. The margin of error was ±4.1.[34]
* Oct. 23, 2020:
* A survey from Meredith College showed Tillis at 38%, Cunningham at 43%, and 19% registering other responses. The margin of error was ±3.0.[35]
* A survey from Rasmussen Reports/Pulse Opinion Research showed Tillis and Cunningham tied at 45% with 10% registering other responses. The margin of error was ±3.5.[36]
* Oct. 22, 2020: A survey from Morning Consult showed Tillis at 42%, Cunningham at 48%, and 10% registering other responses. The margin of error was ±2.2.[37]
* Oct. 20, 2020:
* A survey from Reuters/Ipsos showed Tillis and Cunningham tied at 47% with 6% registering other responses. The margin of error was ±4.3.[38]
* A survey from The Washington Post/ABC News showed Tillis at 47%, Cunningham at 49%, and 4% registering other responses. The margin of error was ±4.5.[39]
* Oct. 15, 2020: A survey from Civiqs/Daily Kos showed Tillis at 45%, Cunningham at 51%, 2% undecided, and 3% registering other responses. The margin of error was ±3.3.[40]
* Oct. 14, 2020:
* Indy Week endorsed Cunningham.[10]
* A survey from Susquehanna Polling & Research Inc. commissioned by the Center for American Greatness showed Tillis at 44%, Cunningham at 46%, 7% undecided, and 2% registering other responses. The margin of error was ±4.3.[41]
* A survey from Siena College/The New York Times showed Tillis at 37%, Cunningham at 41%, 15% undecided, and 8% registering other responses. The margin of error was ±4.5.[42]
* Oct. 13, 2020:
* A survey from Monmouth University of registered voters showed Tillis at 44%, Cunningham at 48%, 3% undecided, and 5% registering other responses. The margin of error was ±4.4.[43]
* A survey from Reuters/Ipsos of registered voters showed Tillis at 42%, Cunningham at 46%, 7% undecided, and 5% voting for another candidate. The margin of error was ±4.3.[44]
* A survey from Morning Consult of registered voters showed Tillis at 41%, Cunningham at 47%, and 12% registering other responses. The margin of error was ±2.2.[45]
* Oct. 12, 2020: A survey from SurveyUSA/WRAL-TV showed Tillis at 39%, Cunningham at 49%, 8% undecided, and 3% voting for another candidate. The margin of error was ±4.8.[46]
* Oct. 6, 2020:
* A survey from East Carolina University showed Tillis with 46% support to Cunningham's 45% among likely voters. The margin of error was ± 3.2 percentage points.[47]
* A survey from Reuters/Ipsos showed Cunningham with 47% support to Tillis' 42% among likely voters. The margin of error was ± 4.2 percentage points.[48]
* Oct. 2, 2020:
* Tillis tested positive for coronavirus.[49]
* Cunningham confirmed reports that he had sent sexual texts to a woman who is not his wife.[50]
* Oct. 1, 2020: Inside Elections shifted its rating of the race from Toss-up to Lean Democratic.[51]

* September 2020 (click to expand)

#### September[edit]

* Sept. 30, 2020: Campaign finance filing deadline with the Federal Election Commission.
* Tillis: $20,916,414 in receipts
* Cunningham: $43,420,214 in receipts
* Sept. 29, 2020: A survey from the University of Massachusetts Lowell showed Cunningham with 49% support to Tillis' 43% among likely voters. The margin of error was ± 4.1 percentage points.[52]
* Sept. 28, 2020: A survey from Meredith College showed Cunningham with 43% support to Tillis' 42% among registered voters. The credibility interval was ± 3.6 percentage points.[53]
* Sept. 27, 2020: A survey from YouGov sponsored by CBS News showed Cunningham with 48% support to Tillis' 38% among registered voters. The margin of error was ± 3.6 percentage points.[54]
* Sept. 20, 2020: A survey from Harper Polling showed Cunningham with 44% support to Tillis' 38% among likely voters. The margin of error was +/- 4 percentage points.[55]
* Sept. 18, 2020: A Redfield & Wilton Strategies poll found Cunningham with 49% support and Tillis with 38% support among registered voters. The margin of error was +/- 3 percentage points.[56]
* Sept. 17, 2020: A Suffolk University poll sponsored by USA Today found Cunningham and Tillis about even, with 42% and 38% support among registered voters, respectively. The poll reported a margin of error of 4.4 percentage points.[57]
* Sept. 16, 2020:
* A Siena College poll sponsored by The New York Times found Cunningham with 42% support among likely voters to Tillis' 37%. The poll reported a margin of error of 4.3 percentage points.[58]
* An Ipsos poll sponsored by Reuters found Cunningham with 48% to Tillis' 44%. The poll reported a credibility interval of +/- 4.6 percentage points.[59]

## Campaign ads[edit]

This section shows advertisements released in this race. Ads released by campaigns and, if applicable, satellite groups are embedded or linked below. If you are aware of advertisements that should be included, please email us.

###  Thom Tillis[edit]

Supporting Tillis

"Not This Time" - Tillis campaign ad, released September 7, 2020

"Humble" - Tillis campaign ad, released May 27, 2020

"Memorial Day" - Tillis campaign ad, released May 25, 2020

"Together We’ll Win This" - Tillis campaign ad, released April 29, 2020

"Back To Work" - Tillis campaign ad, released February 5, 2020

"Veterans Day" - Tillis campaign ad, released November 11, 2019

"Accountable" - Tillis campaign ad, released October 22, 2019

"Sick Of It" - Tillis campaign ad, released October 17, 2019

"Confirmed" - Tillis campaign ad, released October 7, 2019

"Spirit of North Carolina" - Tillis campaign ad, released September 24, 2019

"Warrior" - Tillis campaign ad, released September 17, 2019

* "Early Voting" - Tillis campaign ad, released October 27, 2020

Opposing Cunningham

"Code" - Tillis campaign ad, released October 19, 2020

"Hypocrisy" - Tillis campaign ad, released October 8, 2020

"Joe Biden's Judges" - Tillis campaign ad, released September 29, 2020

"Anything" - Tillis campaign ad, released September 7, 2020

"Wallet" - Tillis campaign ad, released September 7, 2020

"Sneaky" - Tillis campaign ad, released September 4, 2020

"Socialist Cal Cunningham Supports Bernie Sanders, the Green New Deal, & Medicare-For-All" - Tillis campaign ad, released February 21, 2020

* "Cal Cunningham once said: 'I’m Happy To Take Questions, I Take Them Every Day.' So what changed?" - Tillis campaign ad, released October 29, 2020
* "Radically Liberal Government" -Tillis campaign ad, accessed October 13, 2020

###  Cal Cunningham[edit]

Supporting Cunningham

"Working Together" - Cunningham campaign ad, released July 15, 2020

"System" - Cunningham campaign ad, released June 18, 2020

"Putting the people of NC first" - Cunningham campaign ad, released February 5, 2020

"Oath" - Cunningham campaign ad, released January 27, 2020

"Listening to North Carolina" - Cunningham campaign ad, released June 17, 2019

Opposing Tillis

"North Carolina First" - Cunningham campaign ad, released September 4, 2020

"Time and Again" - Cunningham campaign ad, released February 5, 2020

"Susie" - Cunningham campaign ad, released February 5, 2020

"$80 million" - Cunningham campaign ad, released September 9, 2019

* "Personal Life" - Cunningham Campaign ad, released October 27, 2020
* "On the Ballot" - Cunningham campaign ad, released October 13, 2020

### Satellite group ads[edit]

Opposing Tillis

"Sold Us Out" - Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee ad, released October 9, 2020

"Friends" - Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee ad, released September 25, 2020

"Gone" - Piedmont Rising ad, released September 24, 2020

Opposing Cunningham

"Hypocrite" - National Republican Senatorial Committee ad, released October 13, 2020

"Married Father" - Senate Leadership Fund ad, released October 6, 2020

## Noteworthy events[edit]

### Tillis is diagnosed with coronavirus[edit]

On October 2, 2020, Tillis released a statement announcing he had tested positive for coronavirus. He said, “I will be following the recommendations of my doctor and will be self-isolating at home for 10 days and notifying those I’ve been in close contact with. Thankfully, I have no symptoms and I feel well.”[49]

Cunningham tweeted: “I'm wishing @SenThomTillis a quick recovery following his positive COVID-19 test, and am thinking of him and his family. Because I was with Senator Tillis recently on the debate stage, I will also get tested.”[60] His campaign later said he tested negative.[61]

Tillis’ positive test result came the day after President Donald Trump (R) announced he had tested positive. To read more about elected officials tested at this time, click here.

### Cunningham confirms allegations of infidelity[edit]

On October 2, 2020, Cunningham confirmed he had sent sexual text messages to Arlene Guzman Todd, a woman who is not his wife. The text messages had been published by National File the day before.[62]

Cunningham said in a statement: "I have hurt my family, disappointed my friends, and am deeply sorry." He went on to say, “I remain grateful and humbled by the ongoing support that North Carolinians have extended in this campaign, and in the remaining weeks before this election I will continue to work to earn the opportunity to fight for the people of our state.”[50]

In Tillis’ first television interview after his coronavirus diagnosis, he said, “On the debate stage last week, Cal said it’s about integrity and I agree. His family should be kept private, he’s got teenage children, but Cal owes North Carolinians—all the voters—a full and thorough explanation.”[63]

## Debates and forums[edit]

### September 14 debate[edit]

On September 14, 2020, Tillis and Cunningham participated in a debate hosted by WRAL-TV in Raleigh.

Official recording, September 14, 2020, debate - WRAL-TV

Click the links below for roundups of the debate from:

* ABC 11
* The Associated Press
* CBS 17
* The Charlotte Observer
* The Raleigh News & Observer
* WCNC
* WRAL-TV

## Campaign themes[edit]

See also: Campaign themes

###  Thom Tillis[edit]

Tillis' campaign website stated the following:

“  |

Most politicians think they work for the DC insiders who fund their campaigns, and forget they represent you. Well, it’s safe to say that I’m a little different. I’m not a career politician. I know that my job is fighting for your job. Here’s why:

I grew up living in a big family with five brothers and sisters. I had two strong parents who would relocate to wherever they could to find work and to provide for our family. From a rental house in Louisiana, to trailer parks in Florida and Tennessee, we moved seven times before I was sixteen, living paycheck to paycheck.

But I learned a lot during my childhood. I watched my parents work for everything they earned and it instilled in me a work ethic that would inspire me for the rest of my life. It taught me to never give up, no matter how tough things seemed.

At age 11, I became a newspaper delivery boy and I ran my route 7 days a week. On Sunday mornings, my dad would get up at 5 AM to help me fold the Sunday edition, pack my bike, and send me on my way. Being a paperboy was my first real experience with a job. I loved the responsibility and the freedom that came with it, and I never stopped working again.

When I graduated from high school I couldn’t afford college so I volunteered for the Air Force. However, a month before I was supposed to ship off to basic training, I got in a car accident and my dream of serving our country in the armed services was dashed.

Unsure of what to do next, I did what my parents had always taught me to do: Work. I got a job as a warehouse clerk and worked my way through night school. I ended up going to five different institutions to finish my college degree over 18 years, all the while raising a family with the love of my life, my wife Susan. Because of the opportunities provided to me by our great country, I worked my way up in high tech to become a partner at IBM. And now I have the honor and privilege of being your voice in the Senate where I’m working to provide you with the chance to achieve your American Dream.

As I look back at my upbringing, I realize it was a struggle. Every day was a battle but to be honest, I didn’t really know it. It’s just what we had to do. I’m proud of my family who beat the odds, and I’m glad I went through it because many folks across North Carolina are in the fight of their lives right now, and they want a leader who understands their challenges—someone who has been there.

For those of you who may have lost your job, for those of you whose grocery bags aren’t quite as full these days, and for those of you who are sitting at the kitchen table each night after you put your kids to bed trying to figure out how you’ll make it – You are what drives me to serve and I will never stop fighting for you.

I grew up with strong parents and humble people in humble places, and I take a little humility to the U.S. Senate, where it’s in short supply. This virus may have wrecked our economy, but we will build it back stronger than ever. And because of the experiences that shaped me, I’ll always remember who needs it the most. [64]

|  ”

|
|

—Thom Tillis' campaign website (2020)[65]

###  Cal Cunningham[edit]

Cunningham’s campaign website stated the following:

“  |

Here are Cal’s priorities as North Carolina’s next Senator. As he travels the state meeting with North Carolinians, Cal will seek input and feedback on the issues that matter most to folks across the state, which will help guide his vision for moving our state forward.

Lower Cost, Accessible Health Care
One of the most frequent issues Cal hears about as he travels across the state is the urgent need to improve access and bring down the cost of health care for families – and that is exactly what he will fight for in the U.S. Senate. North Carolinians continue to struggle with the rising cost of premiums, co-pays, and prescription drugs, and there are still more than 1 million people in our state without any coverage at all.

Cal knows our health care system isn’t perfect and there are real issues Congress needs to work together to fix. In the Senate, Cal will fight to strengthen and extend coverage under the Affordable Care Act, expand Medicaid in North Carolina, create a public health insurance option, support rural hospitals, address doctor shortages, support life-saving research to prevent and treat diseases like cancer and HIV/AIDS, and ensure no one loses their employer-sponsored coverage who wants to keep it. Cal will also work to lower the cost of prescription drugs through efforts like allowing Medicare to negotiate directly with pharmaceutical companies.

Cal will oppose any effort in Washington to cut Medicare benefits, and he will stand up against the politicians and special interests that want to repeal the Affordable Care Act, gut protections for people who have a pre-existing medical condition, and allow big insurance companies to impose what the AARP calls an “age tax” on older North Carolinians that could cost them thousands of dollars more. In the Senate, Cal will also do everything he can to stop the dangerous lawsuit pushed forward by Washington Republicans that would dismantle the Affordable Care Act and its protections.

Cal has been endorsed by the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare for his commitment to protecting these vital programs.

Economic Opportunity for All
Cal believes that the only economy that truly works is an economy that generates opportunities for everyone. Right now, though, the economy is steeply tilted in favor of the wealthy few and against regular families struggling to keep up with the rising cost of college, housing, and medical care and still make ends meet. Growing income and wealth inequality in our country is being fueled by the recent tax law that overwhelmingly benefits the largest corporations and the ultra-wealthy while leaving middle-class and poor families further behind and leaving us with a pile of debt for future generations.

Cal will fight for a more equitable economy and living wage in every community by standing with workers to support efforts to promote good-paying full-time jobs with benefits, rein in the cost of higher education and health care, defend workplace protections, and finally raise the minimum wage. And at a time when women in North Carolina and across the country still don’t earn equal pay for equal work, Cal will support efforts to close the wage gap and ensure paycheck fairness for all women.

Agriculture is one of the most important parts of North Carolina’s economy, and Cal will work in the Senate to defend North Carolina’s farming families against reckless tariffs and revitalize rural communities through economic development and investments in priorities like expanding access to rural broadband.

Cal recognizes that too many communities across North Carolina have seen generations of economic inequality due to institutionalized racial discrimination and the resulting disparities in inter-generational wealth. He believes we need innovative policies that break down historical barriers and encourage capital investment in communities of color and minority-owned businesses to reverse the legacy of economic injustice.

Cal also believes we need to make investments in our nation’s infrastructure, in the research and development that drives innovation, in North Carolina’s growing technology and biotechnology sectors, and in our human capital by supporting strong public education.

Cal has been endorsed by a number of professional organizations that share his commitment to growing the middle class including: NC State AFL-CIO, Communications Workers Of America Local 3611, International Brotherhood Of Electrical Workers & Carolinas Electrical Workers Association, the Professional Fire Fighters and Paramedics of North Carolina, Teamsters Local 391, and UNITE HERE Local 23.

Improving Education
The quality of our children’s education shouldn’t depend on where they grow up, their family circumstances, their race, their wealth, or a disability, and Cal believes that public education—and the investments we make in our children through schools—should be an engine of opportunity for all North Carolinians.

Cal will fight to pay teachers what they deserve, to develop, respect, and strengthen the profession, and to recruit, train, and retain the best educators for our students. This means doing more to make sure the profession is reflective of the diversity of the students and families it serves, with particular emphasis on recruiting African American and Latinx people into the profession.

Cal also knows how critical it is that our students have the support they need to pursue their dreams, and Cal supports a national strategy to invest in opportunity through public schools including by fully funding Title I and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, to provide schools the resources they need to succeed and close significant funding gaps between districts. In addition, rural districts need stable and reliable funding to deliver supplemental support services to meet their special needs. Cal also supports investment in specialized instructional support personnel — the counselors, psychologists, and other professionals—who address children’s unique academic and developmental needs, so every child can thrive in school.

Cal is a longtime supporter of early childhood education, including having voted in the state Senate to start what is now North Carolina Pre-K, and is committed to investment in our children through Head Start and other early childhood programs that address the needs of the whole child. To build capacity to deliver early childhood education, we need to develop a more robust pipeline of early childhood educators.

The opportunity to pursue higher education should be available to anyone who seeks it and not just a privilege for those who can afford it. In the Senate, Cal will lead the fight to lower the cost of college, expand access to community college and technical training, and reduce the burden of student loan debt. North Carolina also has a proud tradition of strong public universities and our Historically Black Colleges and Universities are a critical part of our higher education system. Cal will work to ensure the federal government increases investment and support for these important institutions.

Cal is also proud of the policy work his wife Elizabeth has done to advance high-quality public education in North Carolina. He trusts the education of his own two children to the public schools of North Carolina and wants all of North Carolina’s children to experience the best our state’s public schools have to offer.

Cal is proud to have the endorsement of the North Carolina Association of Educators in his campaign.

Taking on Climate Change & Protecting North Carolina’s Environment
North Carolina has seen the effects of climate change firsthand through the historic storms and flooding that have ravaged our state — which is why Cal knows this is one of the most urgent issues facing us. He believes that in order to combat this crisis, we need to invest in a clean energy economy that will create good-paying jobs, reduce carbon pollution, and make North Carolina a leader. Solar energy is already spreading across this state, providing good-paying jobs for our workers and economic investment in rural areas. North Carolina has the research facilities to design the next generation solar panels and the manufacturing base to lead on solar energy and Cal intends to help that happen.

North Carolina has also seen coal ash spills, drinking water tainted by GenX, and rapid loss of open space, and Cal believes we need to do more to protect North Carolina’s environment and natural resources. As a State Senator, Cal helped pass landmark clean air legislation that reduced harmful pollutants from coal-fired power plants by over 80%, and key land preservation legislation. In the private sector, Cal represented clients exposed to environmental hazards in the workplace and worked for an award-winning environmental company in Raleigh.

Cal is proud to have been endorsed by the League of Conservation Voters and the Sierra Club for his strong commitment to fighting climate change and building a clean energy economy.

Protecting Women’s Health & Rights
Cal believes that a woman’s choice is a woman’s right. That’s why he will always defend Roe v. Wade against partisan attacks and knows there is no place for a politician in a conversation between a woman and her doctor. Cal believes in ensuring women have access to reproductive care, and he is strongly opposed to partisan efforts in Washington to attack and defund Planned Parenthood, which provides health care services to thousands of North Carolinians.

Cal is proud to be endorsed by Planned Parenthood and NARAL for his commitment to protecting women’s health care.

Preventing Gun Violence
As an Army veteran who has been trained to use a firearm, Cal understands the responsibility that comes with carrying a weapon. He also knows, as the father of two, the fear that parents experience when they drop their kids off at school and wonder if they will come home safe.

Cal believes there are commonsense steps we can take to protect our communities from gun violence while protecting the rights of law-abiding citizens. Cal will work to keep our kids safe and to keep guns out of the hands of domestic abusers, criminals, and terrorists by supporting efforts to expand background checks, ban the sale of high-capacity magazines, pass extreme risk laws, and fund gun violence research on an issue that has become a public health crisis. He is also proud of his work on Governor Cooper’s Crime Commission creating recommendations to curb the risk of school shootings.

Cal has been endorsed by Brady and Giffords, two groups leading the fight to prevent gun violence.

Fixing Our Broken Immigration System
As an Army veteran, Cal takes the safety and security of North Carolinians seriously, including border security. He also knows we can keep America safe without compromising America’s values to be a leader to the world when it comes to freedom and liberty.

Cal believes we must pass comprehensive immigration reform that fixes our broken system and modernizes it for the economy of today, grows North Carolina’s economy, protects DREAMers, and provides a fair pathway to citizenship. Instead of separating families and caging children, we should be investing in the necessary technology and trained staff to secure our borders. What we need are leaders with the courage to reject the politics of fear and work across party lines to pass comprehensive reform.

Reforming Broken Washington
Cal believes that political corruption in Washington is a fundamental barrier to progress for our state and country.

As North Carolina’s next Senator, Cal will fight for campaign finance reform, fair maps, independent redistricting, and a political system that empowers voters to make their voices heard. Cal has pledged not to accept any corporate PAC money, and he supports overturning the Supreme Court’s disastrous Citizens United decision that has allowed unlimited dark money to pour into our elections. He also believes the Senate should reform the filibuster rule that is too often abused by Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to promote gridlock and stop votes on important legislation that would help North Carolina’s hardworking families. Cal has personally pledged never to become a lobbyist after serving in the Senate and believes we need to end that revolving door.

Cal is proud to have been endorsed by End Citizens United and the Voter Protection Project because of his strong support for fixing our democracy and getting big money out of politics.

Respecting Our Veterans
Cal believes we owe our men and women in uniform, and their families, a debt that can never fully be repaid, and there can be no excuses when it comes to fighting for their well-being, both on and off the battlefield.

Cal is an Army veteran who has served three active duty tours, including in Iraq and Afghanistan, and still serves in the Army Reserves. Looking out for North Carolina’s veterans and military families is personal to him.

Military service is also part of North Carolina’s DNA, and our leaders in Washington should be unwavering in their support of our service members and military families. To Cal, that means fighting for military project funding in North Carolina, working to ensure the Department of Veterans Affairs runs efficiently and leaves no veteran behind, supporting our troops who are wrestling with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in order to lower the suicide rate among those who served, and expanding educational and job opportunities for veterans when they return to civilian life. In particular, the VA needs additional resources to support the growing ranks of women who serve, including to address incidences of domestic and sexual assault.

Cal is proud to be endorsed by VoteVets and Serve America PAC, two groups committed to electing more veterans to elected services.

Protecting and Expanding Voting Rights
The right for citizens to make their voices heard at the ballot box is fundamental to our democracy, and Cal will work to protect and expand the right to vote so that all eligible, law-abiding citizens can participate in our elections.

Cal supports efforts to expand access to voting and prevent voter suppression, like restoring the Voting Rights Act, extending early voting, and making it easier to register to vote by enacting reforms like automatic voter registration and making Election Day a federal holiday. He will also oppose efforts that restrict the right to vote, like unnecessarily purging voters from the rolls.

Cal is endorsed by the Voter Protection Project because of his commitment to making sure every eligible North Carolinian has the right to cast a ballot.

Equal Rights
Cal believes that the story of North Carolina belongs to all of us. The story of North Carolina is still being written, and we must make the next chapter as one that fairly includes everyone, no matter who they are, who they love, or the color of their skin.

For Cal, that means standing with the LGBTQI community and communities of color in the fight against regressive policies. Cal supports advancing the long-overdue passage of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), passing the Equality Act to protect LGBTQI North Carolinians from discrimination in housing and the workplace, reforming our criminal justice system, and restoring the Voting Rights Act so that our elected representatives reflect the will of the people.

Cal also believes we need vigorous enforcement of our nation’s civil rights laws to tear down the vestiges of discrimination and open the doors of opportunity to all North Carolinians.

Cal is proud to be endorsed by Equality NC and the Human Rights Campaign.

Reforming our Criminal Justice System
Cal is committed to criminal justice reform. More than 2 million Americans are in prison and another 5 million are in jail or on parole on any given day. That exacts a tremendous social and economic cost from this country, which is why Cal believes we should revisit mandatory minimum sentences for non-violent offenders.

Because prisons and jails are not a substitute for mental health and substance abuse services, Cal is in favor of refocusing efforts on preventing violent crime instead of locking up people who, more than anything, need mental health or addiction treatment. Cal draws inspiration from the recommendations in the Task Force on Twenty-First Century Policing for ways to strengthen the relationship between law enforcement and the communities it serves.

We should also work to reduce recidivism by investing in programs and supports that give people who have paid their debt to society the opportunity to re-enter their communities with dignity and contribute to their families and neighborhoods. Cal also supports innovations in restorative justice, curbing the abuse of cash bail, eliminating for-profit prisons, and allowing states to develop their own regulation and taxation of cannabis, while putting resources into public health and substance abuse treatment.

As a former Army prosecutor who litigated cases of sexual assault and as a former Vice Chairman of Governor Cooper’s Crime Commission, Cal understands that too often, our justice system has failed many North Carolinians, especially young people of color and those with limited means. Cal is proud of his work on the Governor’s Crime Commission, where he served as chair of the Task Force to Improve Staffing and Security in North Carolina’s Prisons. He also helped lead the Commission’s work to address the “school-to-prison pipeline” and advocated for better funding and coordination of multi-disciplinary programs to support at-risk youth.

Keeping Our Country Safe
Cal believes there is nothing more important to ensuring the safety of our nation than smart diplomacy and a forward-thinking foreign policy strategy that ensures we’re working with our global allies and staying tough on our adversaries like North Korea, Iran and Russia.

After the attacks on September 11, 2001, Cal volunteered to join the U.S. Army Reserve and has since served three active duty tours, including overseas in Iraq and Afghanistan. He was awarded the Bronze Star and the prestigious General Douglas MacArthur Leadership Award, in part for groundbreaking work prosecuting contractors for criminal misconduct, and the last three years he has trained special operations forces at Fort Bragg.

As someone who served and who comes from a long line of veterans, he understands the consequences that a reckless foreign policy can have on our military personnel and their families. Whether it’s investing in securing our electric grid, bolstering cybersecurity, or defending our elections against foreign interference, Cal believes we need a strong national defense that is focused on what we need to do to protect ourselves in the 21st century. As North Carolina’s next Senator, Cal will work to invest in the training and professional development of our service members who keep us safe and secure around the world, and he will never allow military project funding that benefits troops and their families to be raided by politicians in Washington for partisan purposes.

Cal is proud to be endorsed by foreign policy groups like the Foreign Policy for American Action Network. [64]

|  ”

|
|

—Cal Cunningham’s campaign website (2020)[66]

## Pivot Counties[edit]

See also: Pivot Counties by state

Six of 100 North Carolina counties—6 percent—are Pivot Counties. Pivot Counties are counties that voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012 and for Donald Trump (R) in 2016. Altogether, the nation had 206 Pivot Counties, with most being concentrated in upper midwestern and northeastern states.

Counties won by Trump in 2016 and Obama in 2012 and 2008

County  |  Trump margin of victory in 2016  |  Obama margin of victory in 2012  |  Obama margin of victory in 2008
Bladen County, North Carolina | 9.39% | 1.97% | 2.07%
Gates County, North Carolina | 9.07% | 4.11% | 5.22%
Granville County, North Carolina | 2.49% | 4.54% | 6.58%
Martin County, North Carolina | 0.43% | 4.65% | 4.64%
Richmond County, North Carolina | 9.74% | 2.95% | 1.50%
Robeson County, North Carolina | 4.27% | 17.41% | 13.78%

In the 2016 presidential election, Donald Trump (R) won North Carolina with 49.8 percent of the vote. Hillary Clinton (D) received 46.2 percent. In presidential elections between 1792 and 2016, North Carolina voted Democratic 53.5 percent of the time and Republican 25 percent of the time. In the five presidential elections between 2000 and 2016, North Carolina voted Republican all five times with the exception of the 2008 presidential election.[67]

#### Presidential results by legislative district[edit]

The following table details results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections by state House districts in North Carolina. Click [show] to expand the table. The "Obama," "Romney," "Clinton," and "Trump" columns describe the percent of the vote each presidential candidate received in the district. The "2012 Margin" and "2016 Margin" columns describe the margin of victory between the two presidential candidates in those years. The "Party Control" column notes which party held that seat heading into the 2018 general election. Data on the results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections broken down by state legislative districts was compiled by Daily Kos.[68][69]

In 2012, Barack Obama (D) won 40 out of 120 state House districts in North Carolina with an average margin of victory of 38.3 points. In 2016, Hillary Clinton (D) won 44 out of 120 state House districts in North Carolina with an average margin of victory of 36.4 points. Clinton won three districts controlled by Republicans heading into the 2018 elections.

In 2012, Mitt Romney (R) won 80 out of 120 state House districts in North Carolina with an average margin of victory of 22.7 points. In 2016, Donald Trump (R) won 76 out of 120 state House districts in North Carolina with an average margin of victory of 27.7 points. Trump won five districts controlled by Democrats heading into the 2018 elections.

2016 presidential results by state House district

District |  Obama |  Romney |  2012 Margin |  Clinton |  Trump |  2016 Margin |  Party Control
1 | 39.07% | 59.75% | R+20.7 | 32.23% | 64.86% | R+32.6 | R
2 | 45.36% | 53.77% | R+8.4 | 41.98% | 55.70% | R+13.7 | R
3 | 39.50% | 59.71% | R+20.2 | 37.03% | 60.71% | R+23.7 | R
4 | 34.52% | 64.80% | R+30.3 | 32.81% | 65.32% | R+32.5 | R
5 | 66.40% | 33.04% | D+33.4 | 60.73% | 37.68% | D+23.1 | D
6 | 41.31% | 57.70% | R+16.4 | 37.74% | 59.79% | R+22 | R
7 | 61.12% | 38.34% | D+22.8 | 59.67% | 38.69% | D+21 | D
8 | 44.59% | 54.67% | R+10.1 | 44.25% | 53.51% | R+9.3 | R
9 | 43.79% | 55.31% | R+11.5 | 44.05% | 52.81% | R+8.8 | R
10 | 32.61% | 66.71% | R+34.1 | 31.37% | 66.58% | R+35.2 | R
11 | 62.10% | 35.81% | D+26.3 | 65.41% | 29.85% | D+35.6 | D
12 | 57.29% | 42.15% | D+15.1 | 53.64% | 44.58% | D+9.1 | D
13 | 31.14% | 67.96% | R+36.8 | 28.23% | 69.48% | R+41.2 | R
14 | 39.87% | 59.05% | R+19.2 | 35.26% | 61.20% | R+25.9 | R
15 | 34.90% | 63.92% | R+29 | 28.94% | 67.59% | R+38.7 | R
16 | 36.25% | 62.86% | R+26.6 | 31.07% | 66.35% | R+35.3 | R
17 | 36.26% | 62.94% | R+26.7 | 32.62% | 65.00% | R+32.4 | R
18 | 62.39% | 36.46% | D+25.9 | 56.14% | 40.55% | D+15.6 | D
19 | 40.85% | 57.94% | R+17.1 | 41.19% | 55.45% | R+14.3 | R
20 | 39.49% | 59.33% | R+19.8 | 40.58% | 55.60% | R+15 | R
21 | 65.25% | 34.32% | D+30.9 | 62.68% | 35.99% | D+26.7 | D
22 | 43.73% | 55.60% | R+11.9 | 39.83% | 58.67% | R+18.8 | D
23 | 62.89% | 36.74% | D+26.2 | 60.17% | 38.60% | D+21.6 | D
24 | 74.47% | 25.04% | D+49.4 | 72.60% | 25.66% | D+46.9 | D
25 | 38.23% | 60.96% | R+22.7 | 35.91% | 61.84% | R+25.9 | R
26 | 38.98% | 59.91% | R+20.9 | 37.76% | 59.07% | R+21.3 | R
27 | 66.33% | 33.28% | D+33 | 62.75% | 36.15% | D+26.6 | D
28 | 32.52% | 66.58% | R+34.1 | 28.54% | 69.16% | R+40.6 | R
29 | 85.11% | 14.02% | D+71.1 | 88.12% | 9.63% | D+78.5 | D
30 | 70.85% | 28.07% | D+42.8 | 77.30% | 19.61% | D+57.7 | D
31 | 82.65% | 16.65% | D+66 | 83.75% | 14.17% | D+69.6 | D
32 | 65.02% | 34.58% | D+30.4 | 61.76% | 36.76% | D+25 | D
33 | 81.34% | 17.53% | D+63.8 | 81.09% | 15.94% | D+65.2 | D
34 | 62.78% | 35.76% | D+27 | 67.28% | 28.80% | D+38.5 | D
35 | 44.44% | 54.51% | R+10.1 | 47.51% | 49.16% | R+1.7 | R
36 | 44.86% | 53.90% | R+9 | 50.19% | 45.86% | D+4.3 | R
37 | 42.89% | 55.76% | R+12.9 | 44.58% | 51.08% | R+6.5 | R
38 | 78.90% | 20.26% | D+58.6 | 78.47% | 19.01% | D+59.5 | D
39 | 57.12% | 41.74% | D+15.4 | 57.85% | 38.85% | D+19 | D
40 | 46.18% | 52.52% | R+6.3 | 52.39% | 43.60% | D+8.8 | D
41 | 50.04% | 48.63% | D+1.4 | 57.26% | 38.74% | D+18.5 | D
42 | 73.16% | 26.19% | D+47 | 71.85% | 25.66% | D+46.2 | D
43 | 67.66% | 31.73% | D+35.9 | 64.79% | 32.77% | D+32 | D
44 | 51.66% | 47.45% | D+4.2 | 50.97% | 45.97% | D+5 | D
45 | 43.67% | 55.55% | R+11.9 | 39.47% | 57.82% | R+18.3 | R
46 | 42.45% | 56.86% | R+14.4 | 35.55% | 63.04% | R+27.5 | R
47 | 58.64% | 40.32% | D+18.3 | 45.40% | 52.38% | R+7 | D
48 | 67.88% | 31.42% | D+36.5 | 60.08% | 38.08% | D+22 | D
49 | 46.75% | 52.19% | R+5.4 | 54.02% | 42.19% | D+11.8 | D
50 | 57.85% | 40.99% | D+16.9 | 58.33% | 38.67% | D+19.7 | D
51 | 40.42% | 58.52% | R+18.1 | 36.86% | 60.20% | R+23.3 | R
52 | 36.18% | 63.11% | R+26.9 | 34.94% | 62.15% | R+27.2 | R
53 | 40.43% | 58.68% | R+18.2 | 37.83% | 59.61% | R+21.8 | R
54 | 52.55% | 46.52% | D+6 | 53.78% | 43.36% | D+10.4 | D
55 | 39.63% | 59.55% | R+19.9 | 33.67% | 64.12% | R+30.5 | R
56 | 76.58% | 21.93% | D+54.7 | 81.22% | 15.78% | D+65.4 | D
57 | 73.72% | 25.56% | D+48.2 | 73.89% | 23.97% | D+49.9 | D
58 | 77.83% | 21.42% | D+56.4 | 78.39% | 19.21% | D+59.2 | D
59 | 40.94% | 58.07% | R+17.1 | 43.10% | 54.02% | R+10.9 | R
60 | 78.79% | 20.56% | D+58.2 | 77.66% | 20.26% | D+57.4 | D
61 | 41.22% | 57.90% | R+16.7 | 43.79% | 53.30% | R+9.5 | R
62 | 43.41% | 55.66% | R+12.2 | 46.55% | 50.23% | R+3.7 | R
63 | 43.77% | 55.31% | R+11.5 | 43.91% | 53.48% | R+9.6 | R
64 | 41.50% | 57.66% | R+16.2 | 40.64% | 56.88% | R+16.2 | R
65 | 39.24% | 59.93% | R+20.7 | 34.18% | 63.90% | R+29.7 | R
66 | 50.14% | 49.07% | D+1.1 | 44.86% | 52.75% | R+7.9 | D
67 | 31.16% | 67.81% | R+36.6 | 25.66% | 72.18% | R+46.5 | R
68 | 36.03% | 63.07% | R+27 | 36.68% | 59.73% | R+23.1 | R
69 | 36.47% | 62.53% | R+26.1 | 34.32% | 62.55% | R+28.2 | R
70 | 25.89% | 73.02% | R+47.1 | 22.47% | 75.21% | R+52.7 | R
71 | 73.71% | 25.48% | D+48.2 | 72.37% | 24.90% | D+47.5 | D
72 | 70.87% | 28.46% | D+42.4 | 72.50% | 24.96% | D+47.5 | D
73 | 25.05% | 73.49% | R+48.4 | 19.25% | 78.41% | R+59.2 | R
74 | 39.29% | 59.69% | R+20.4 | 40.06% | 56.70% | R+16.6 | R
75 | 42.46% | 56.51% | R+14.1 | 44.27% | 52.43% | R+8.2 | R
76 | 32.63% | 66.25% | R+33.6 | 26.49% | 71.30% | R+44.8 | R
77 | 37.74% | 61.25% | R+23.5 | 32.03% | 65.52% | R+33.5 | R
78 | 24.09% | 74.93% | R+50.8 | 19.67% | 78.28% | R+58.6 | R
79 | 33.69% | 65.34% | R+31.7 | 33.43% | 63.34% | R+29.9 | R
80 | 26.50% | 72.43% | R+45.9 | 22.95% | 74.61% | R+51.7 | R
81 | 31.87% | 67.00% | R+35.1 | 25.84% | 71.60% | R+45.8 | R
82 | 41.86% | 57.06% | R+15.2 | 43.08% | 53.51% | R+10.4 | R
83 | 40.29% | 58.67% | R+18.4 | 38.03% | 59.11% | R+21.1 | R
84 | 34.47% | 64.56% | R+30.1 | 29.74% | 68.05% | R+38.3 | R
85 | 29.12% | 69.71% | R+40.6 | 22.21% | 75.83% | R+53.6 | R
86 | 38.15% | 60.64% | R+22.5 | 30.31% | 67.09% | R+36.8 | R
87 | 31.49% | 67.12% | R+35.6 | 23.47% | 74.16% | R+50.7 | R
88 | 45.63% | 53.22% | R+7.6 | 54.80% | 40.57% | D+14.2 | D
89 | 32.82% | 66.05% | R+33.2 | 26.16% | 71.32% | R+45.2 | R
90 | 30.65% | 68.17% | R+37.5 | 23.14% | 74.57% | R+51.4 | R
91 | 35.21% | 63.69% | R+28.5 | 28.79% | 68.75% | R+40 | R
92 | 52.61% | 46.42% | D+6.2 | 55.42% | 40.77% | D+14.7 | D
93 | 42.77% | 55.22% | R+12.5 | 41.58% | 54.48% | R+12.9 | R
94 | 29.16% | 69.58% | R+40.4 | 22.48% | 75.35% | R+52.9 | R
95 | 34.05% | 64.95% | R+30.9 | 30.76% | 66.16% | R+35.4 | R
96 | 36.56% | 62.36% | R+25.8 | 33.21% | 63.78% | R+30.6 | R
97 | 30.07% | 68.92% | R+38.9 | 24.95% | 72.61% | R+47.7 | R
98 | 43.13% | 55.96% | R+12.8 | 47.37% | 48.84% | R+1.5 | R
99 | 82.32% | 17.15% | D+65.2 | 80.97% | 16.82% | D+64.1 | D
100 | 73.70% | 25.10% | D+48.6 | 73.96% | 22.47% | D+51.5 | D
101 | 74.92% | 24.37% | D+50.6 | 75.11% | 22.40% | D+52.7 | D
102 | 83.35% | 15.90% | D+67.4 | 80.04% | 16.78% | D+63.3 | D
103 | 44.46% | 54.49% | R+10 | 47.72% | 49.05% | R+1.3 | R
104 | 43.47% | 55.67% | R+12.2 | 52.29% | 43.74% | D+8.5 | R
105 | 42.40% | 56.77% | R+14.4 | 49.86% | 46.71% | D+3.1 | R
106 | 85.84% | 13.48% | D+72.4 | 84.91% | 13.08% | D+71.8 | D
107 | 80.29% | 18.93% | D+61.4 | 78.80% | 18.56% | D+60.2 | D
108 | 38.42% | 60.50% | R+22.1 | 34.04% | 63.24% | R+29.2 | R
109 | 40.80% | 58.27% | R+17.5 | 37.73% | 59.48% | R+21.7 | R
110 | 35.30% | 63.74% | R+28.4 | 30.10% | 67.87% | R+37.8 | R
111 | 35.81% | 63.24% | R+27.4 | 29.81% | 68.35% | R+38.5 | R
112 | 32.80% | 66.12% | R+33.3 | 24.47% | 73.43% | R+49 | R
113 | 37.58% | 61.29% | R+23.7 | 34.83% | 62.59% | R+27.8 | R
114 | 73.38% | 25.18% | D+48.2 | 73.93% | 23.07% | D+50.9 | D
115 | 48.12% | 50.52% | R+2.4 | 47.29% | 49.54% | R+2.2 | D
116 | 43.61% | 55.12% | R+11.5 | 44.41% | 52.24% | R+7.8 | D
117 | 36.77% | 62.07% | R+25.3 | 35.57% | 61.42% | R+25.8 | R
118 | 41.50% | 57.02% | R+15.5 | 32.52% | 64.60% | R+32.1 | R
119 | 47.93% | 50.40% | R+2.5 | 40.80% | 55.45% | R+14.7 | R
120 | 30.12% | 68.56% | R+38.4 | 23.73% | 73.79% | R+50.1 | R
Total | 48.48% | 50.53% | R+2 | 46.76% | 50.46% | R+3.7 | \-
Source: Daily Kos

### Ballot access requirements[edit]

The table below details filing requirements for U.S. Senate candidates in North Carolina in the 2020 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in North Carolina, click here.

Filing requirements for U.S. Senate candidates, 2020

State  |  Office  |  Party  |  Signatures required  |  Signature formula  |  Filing fee  |  Filing fee formula  |  Filing deadline  |  Source
North Carolina | U.S. Senate | Recognized party | N/A | N/A | $1,740.00 | 1% of annual salary | 12/20/2019 | Source
North Carolina | U.S. Senate | Unaffiliated | 71,545 | 1.5% of all votes cast for governor in the last election | $1,740.00 | 1% of annual salary | 3/3/2020 | Source

## Election history[edit]

### 2016[edit]

U.S. Senate, North Carolina General Election, 2016

Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes
| Republican  | Richard Burr Incumbent | 51.1% | 2,395,376
| Democratic  |  Deborah Ross  | 45.4% | 2,128,165
| Libertarian  |  Sean Haugh  | 3.6% | 167,592
Total Votes | 4,691,133
Source: North Carolina State Board of Elections

### 2014[edit]

U.S. Senate, North Carolina General Election, 2014

Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes
| Democratic  |  Kay Hagan Incumbent | 47.3% | 1,377,651
| Republican  | Thom Tillis | 48.8% | 1,423,259
| Libertarian  |  Sean Haugh  | 3.7% | 109,100
| Write-in  |  John Rhodes  | 0% | 621
| Write-in  |  David Waddell  | 0% | 201
| Write-in  |  Barry Gurney  | 0% | 142
| Write-in  |  Write-in (miscellaneous)  | 0.1% | 4,307
Total Votes | 2,915,281
Source: North Carolina State Board of Elections

### 2010[edit]

On November 2, 2010, Richard Burr (R) won re-election to the United States Senate. He defeated Elaine Marshall (D) and Michael Beitler (L) in the general election.[70]

U.S. Senate, North Carolina General Election, 2010

Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes
| Republican  | Richard Burr incumbent | 54.8% | 1,458,046
| Democratic  |  Elaine Marshall  | 43% | 1,145,074
| Libertarian  |  Michael Beitler  | 2.1% | 55,687
| N/A  |  Write-in  | 0% | 1,272
Total Votes | 2,660,079

## See also[edit]

* United States House of Representatives elections in North Carolina, 2020
* United States Senate elections, 2020

## Footnotes[edit]

1. ↑ Open Secrets, "North Carolina Senate race blows away spending records," October 13, 2020
2. ↑ Candidate Connection surveys completed before September 26, 2019, were not used to generate candidate profiles. In battleground primaries, Ballotpedia based its selection of noteworthy candidates on polling, fundraising, and noteworthy endorsements. In battleground general elections, all major party candidates and any other candidates with the potential to impact the outcome of the race were included.
3. ↑ This poll used a credibility interval as opposed to a margin of error.
4. ↑ Suffolk University, "SUPRC Polling In Other States," accessed September 23, 2020
5. ↑ Federal Election Commission, "2020 Quarterly reports," accessed September 21, 2020
6. ↑ Inside Elections also uses Tilt ratings to indicate an even smaller advantage and greater competitiveness.
7. ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Nathan Gonzalez," April 19, 2018
8. ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Kyle Kondik," April 19, 2018
9. ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Charlie Cook," April 22, 2018
10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Indy Star, "2020 Endorsements: US House and Senate," October 14, 2020
11. ↑ Politico, "Trump endorses Tillis in North Carolina," June 25, 2019
12. ↑ Twitter, "Cal Cunningham on August 7, 2020," accessed October 2, 2020
13. ↑ Sabato's Crystal Ball, "2020 Rating Changes," November 2, 2020
14. ↑ Morning Consult, "2020 U.S. Election Tracker: Morning Consult's Final Results Before Election Day," November 2, 2020
15. ↑ Compete, "Fresh polling from 3 swing states shows Biden poised for win," November 2, 2020
16. ↑ Ipsos, "PUBLIC POLL FINDINGS AND METHODOLOGY," November 2, 2020
17. ↑ Emerson College, "Super Poll Sunday: Democrats within Striking Distance in Key Southern States," November 1, 2020
18. ↑ Data for Progress, "Report," November 1, 2020
19. ↑ CNN, "STATE POLL 5 - NC," October 31, 2020
20. ↑ Swayable, "SWAYABLE POLLING FOR 2020 PRESIDENTIAL, SENATORIAL AND GUBERNATORIAL ELECTIONS," October 30, 2020
21. ↑ The North State Journal, "VOTER PREFERENCE SURVEY," October 30, 2020
22. ↑ Rasmussen Reports, "North Carolina Senate: Cunningham (D) 47%, Tillis (R) 44%," October 30, 2020
23. ↑ East Carolina University, "ECU Poll: Biden and Cunningham Hold Slim Leads in North Carolina; Cooper Remains Ahead as Election Day Nears," October 30, 2020
24. ↑ NBC News, "NBC News/Marist Poll North Carolina Annotated Questionnaire," October 30, 2020
25. ↑ Carolina Partnership for Reform, "Democrats lead Court contests, Council of State races close," October 30, 2020
26. ↑ University of Massachusetts Lowell, "Survey of North Carolina Likely Voters," October 29, 2020
27. ↑ Siena College, "The New York Times / Siena College Battleground Poll: North Carolina," October 29, 2020
28. ↑ Political IQ, "NC Senate: Cunningham (D) 49% Tillis (R) 42%," October 28, 2020
29. ↑ Civitas Institute, "Biden with razor thin lead over Trump," October 28, 2020
30. ↑ Gravis Marketing, "NC 2020 Poll Results," October 28, 2020
31. ↑ SurveyUSA, "Results of SurveyUSA Election Poll #25666," October 28, 2020
32. ↑ Ipsos, "Trump and Biden remain in close race in North Carolina," October 27, 2020
33. ↑ Protect Our Care, "Health Care a Key Issue for North Carolinians; Voters Trust Cunningham Over Tillis to Protect Their Health Care," October 27, 2020
34. ↑ CBS News, "CBS News Battleground Tracker – October 20-23, 2020," October 25, 2020
35. ↑ Meredith College, "MEREDITH POLL: OCTOBER 2020," October 23, 2020
36. ↑ Rasmussen Reports, "North Carolina Senate: Tillis (R) 45%, Cunningham (D) 45%," October 23, 2020
37. ↑ Morning Consult, "2020 U.S. Election Tracker: Trump Fails to Make Up Ground in Battleground States; Key Senate Races Are Tightening," October 21, 2020
38. ↑ Ipsos, "Biden and Trump remain in a highly contested race in North Carolina," October 20, 2020
39. ↑ The Washington Post, "Oct. 12-17, 2020 Post-ABC poll - North Carolina," October 20, 2020
40. ↑ Civiqs, "North Carolina survey: October 2020," October 15, 2020
41. ↑ Center for American Greatness, "North Carolina Race Tightens According To New Poll," October 14, 2020
42. ↑ Siena College/The New York Times, "NC100920 Crosstabs," October 14, 2020
43. ↑ Monmouth University, "NORTH CAROLINA: PREZ RACE STAYS TIGHT; DEM SENATE CANDIDATE GAINS," October 13, 2020
44. ↑ Ipsos, "Biden and Trump locked in heavily contested race in North Carolina," October 13, 2020
45. ↑ Morning Consult, "2020 U.S. Election Tracker: Biden Leads by 9 Points Nationally, America’s Oldest Voters Have Turned on Trump," October 13, 2020
46. ↑ SurveyUSA, "Results of SurveyUSA Election Poll #25582," October 12, 2020
47. ↑ East Carolina University, "ECU Poll of Likely Voters in North Carolina: Biden leads Trump by four points; Tillis leads Cunningham by one; Cooper leads Forest by thirteen points; Other statewide races competitive.," October 6, 2020
48. ↑ Reuters, "PUBLIC POLL FINDINGS AND METHODOLOGY," October 6, 2020
49. ↑ 49.0 49.1 Twitter, "Thom Tillis on October 2, 2020," accessed October 13, 2020
50. ↑ 50.0 50.1 Twitter, "Joe Bruno on October 2, 2020," accessed October 13, 2020
51. ↑ Roll Call, "Rating changes: Collins, Tillis now underdogs, Graham in tougher race," October 1, 2020
52. ↑ University of Massachusetts Lowell, "Survey of North Carolina Likely Voters," September 29, 2020
53. ↑ Meredith College, "MEREDITH POLL: SEPTEMBER 2020," September 28, 2020
54. ↑ CBS News, "Tight races in Georgia and North Carolina, while Supreme Court is another factor — Battleground Tracker," September 27, 2020
55. ↑ Harper Polling, "North Carolina Statewide Survey Results," September 17-20, 2020
56. ↑ Redfield & Wilton Strategies, "Latest USA Swing State Senate and Governor Voting Intention (12 – 16 September)," September 18, 2020
57. ↑ Suffolk University, "Suffolk University/USAT Poll," accessed September 23, 2020
58. ↑ Siena College, "The New York Times/Siena College Research Institute Poll - September 11-16, 2020," accessed September 23, 2020
59. ↑ Ipsos, "In North Carolina, Trump and Biden tied for the presidency," September 22, 2020
60. ↑ Twitter, "Cal Cunningham on October 2, 2020," accessed October 13, 2020
61. ↑ CBS 17, "Amid sexually suggestive texting scandal, Senate candidate Cal Cunningham tests negative for COVID-19," October 3, 2020
62. ↑ National File, "EXCLUSIVE: North Carolina Democrat Senate Candidate’s Sext Messages With Veteran’s Wife," October 1, 2020
63. ↑ Twitter, "Thom Tillis on October 6, 2020," accessed October 13, 2020
64. ↑ 64.0 64.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
65. ↑ Thom Tillis' campaign website, “Meet Thom,” accessed October 2, 2020
66. ↑ Cal Cunningham’s campaign website, “Priorities,” accessed October 2, 2020
67. ↑ 270towin.com, "North Carolina," accessed June 1, 2017
68. ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' statewide election results by congressional and legislative districts," July 9, 2013
69. ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' 2016 presidential results for congressional and legislative districts," February 6, 2017
70. ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 2, 2010," accessed March 28, 2013

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[show]

North Carolina's current delegation to the United States Congress

Senators

Richard Burr (R)

Thom Tillis (R)

Representatives

District 1

G.K. Butterfield (D)

District 2

Deborah Ross (D)

District 3

Gregory Murphy (R)

District 4

David Price (D)

District 5

Virginia Foxx (R)

District 6

Kathy Manning (D)

District 7

David Rouzer (R)

District 8

Richard Hudson (R)

District 9

Dan Bishop (R)

District 10

Patrick McHenry (R)

District 11

Madison Cawthorn (R)

District 12

Alma Adams (D)

District 13

Ted Budd (R)

District 14

Vacant

Republican Party (10)

Democratic Party (5)

Vacancies (1)