ICYMI: North Carolina Republicans Worry Burr Scandal Could Take Down Tillis

“Already Vulnerable” Tillis Faced With New Challenge As Burr Scandal Threatens Reelection Chances

A new report from the Daily Beast details the growing concern among the North Carolina GOP that the “already vulnerable” incumbent Senator Thom Tillis now also has to overcome Senator Burr’s stock trading scandal. Three major nonpartisan election analysts already shifted this race to “Toss-Up” as Tillis faces a strong Democratic challenger in Army veteran Cal Cunningham, who raised more than twice what the incumbent did in Q1. Polling has also shown the race is increasingly competitive. Now, Tillis will also be forced to navigate the fallout from Burr’s scandal despite his best efforts to deflect.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

The Daily Beast: NC GOP Worries Burr Scandal Could Take Down Tillis

By Sam Brodey and Hunter Woodall

Key Points:

• It’s Tillis who is facing North Carolina voters this fall, and the cloud of scandal around his counterpart could make the headwinds facing Tillis even stiffer as he seeks re-election. Shortly after the news of Burr’s trading first broke in March, Tillis came out with a stern statement saying that his fellow Republican owed the people of North Carolina an “explanation” for what happened.

• The first-term Republican was already vulnerable thanks to an iffy relationship with the staunchly pro-Trump GOP base in North Carolina and the emergence of a well-funded Democratic challenger, Cal Cunningham. At the top of the ticket, Democrats are increasingly bullish about their chances for presumptive presidential nominee Joe Biden to seriously contest North Carolina, and many believe the incumbent governor, Democrat Roy Cooper, will also add to Cunningham’s coattails as he seeks a second term. 

• Now, Tillis’ future in the Senate may come down to his ability to walk a tightrope between placating his GOP base and pleasing a growing bloc of North Carolina swing voters. It’s a balancing act that he’s faced for years, but the Burr drama now boils it down to its essence: while Tillis has to be careful not to close ranks behind Burr so as to not alienate voters who have soured on him, he risks alienating conservatives if he goes after Burr too aggressively.

• “It don’t matter which party you are, but anytime somebody is being under investigation it is going to fallout with everybody that they’re associated with,” said Ron Wyatt, the chairman of the Iredell County Republican Party. “We’ve got two senators in North Carolina, so if one is being investigated, rightfully or wrongfully, then it is absolutely going to draw extra criticism and scrutiny on that other person that’s in the same party, running for the equal position.” 

• “While nobody is surprised that people go to D.C. poor and come out millionaires, it will be utilized to probably drive people away from Tillis,” said Chris Weaver, chairman of the Person County GOP. “It’ll be used opportunistically by people opposed to Republicans.”

• The impact of Burr’s baggage on Tillis could play a role in determining which party controls the U.S. Senate next year: He is one of four GOP incumbents who Democrats need to unseat in order to take back the majority. Operatives on both sides anticipate that the North Carolina race may wind up as the tightest and most expensive in the country. 

Read the full story here.

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