Jump to content
You are not logged in ▶️ Click here to sign-up or login ×

Trump-backed U.S. Republican wins North Carolina special congressional election

webfact

By webfact
in World News

Recommended Posts

webfact Grand Master Member

webfact

Posted
Posted

Trump-backed U.S. Republican wins North Carolina special congressional election

By Susan Cornwell

 

2019-09-11T042140Z_1_LYNXNPEF8A06E_RTROPTP_4_USA-TRUMP.JPG

U.S. President Donald Trump shakes hands with Republican nominee Dan Bishop during a campaign rally in Fayetteville, North Carolina, U.S., September 9, 2019. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

 

(Reuters) - Republican Dan Bishop won a special U.S. congressional election in North Carolina on Tuesday, turning back a vigorous Democratic challenge to save a longtime stronghold for President Donald Trump's party.

 

With 99% of precincts reporting, Bishop, a 55-year-old state senator for whom Trump campaigned, led Democrat Dan McCready, a 36-year-old veteran of the Marines, 50.81% to 48.59%, the state board of elections said.

 

North Carolina's 9th congressional district, a suburban-rural area in the southeastern part of the state, has been represented by Republicans in Congress since the 1960s and voted for Trump by about 12 percentage points in 2016.

 

But Democrats thought they had a chance to flip it and build on the majority they won in the House of Representatives last year. McCready lost by a slim margin in 2018 before state officials ruled the election was tainted by an absentee-ballot fraud scheme that benefited his Republican opponent, Mark Harris, and ordered a new vote. Harris did not run again.

 

Both parties poured millions of dollars into the election do-over, with the final contest of the 2018 congressional midterms being watched for signs of their prospects in 2020.

 

Trump, who flew to the district on Monday night to rally the Republican base for Bishop, moved immediately to take credit.

 

"Dan Bishop was down 17 points 3 weeks ago. He then asked me for help, we changed his strategy together, and he ran a great race," Trump wrote on Twitter.

The Trump campaign national press secretary, Kayleigh McEnany, said Trump's endorsement "has the power to change the trajectory of political races ... Dan Bishop won this evening & Trump’s endorsement carried him to victory!"

 

U.S President Donald Trump held a rally in Fayetteville, North Carolina to drum up support for the GOP candidate in the state's special election, after the discovery of a scandal involving absentee ballot fraud resulting in a GOP win in 2018 forced a do-over. Roger Fortuna reports.

 

On Monday, McEnany said the Trump campaign did not believe the results of the special election would be predictive for 2020.

 

Republicans also won a special election in another district in North Carolina where they had been expected to do so. Republican Greg Murphy defeated Democrat Allen Thomas for a seat left vacant by longtime Republican Representative Walter Jones’ death in February by 61.74% to 37.47%, according to the state board of election results.

 

Bishop thanked Trump and vowed to support the president's agenda in Washington. He said his victory should send a message nationwide that voters were rejecting the "radical, liberal policies being pushed by today's Democratic Party."

 

“Tonight was the first step toward taking back the House of Representatives in 2020 to keep this country on a path of prosperity and strength," the Republican told a cheering crowd.

 

SIGNS FOR 2020 ELECTIONS

Republicans hope the victory will help the party launch a comeback effort to wrest the House away from Democrats after losing 40 seats and overall control in House elections last November.

 

A wave of recent Republican retirements from the House has fueled speculation that Republicans fear they will not win the 19 seats they need to regain the majority in that chamber next year.

 

Democrats had been hoping to show that 2018 was not their high-water mark and looked to further weaken support for Trump and his Republicans in suburban areas.

 

Political analysts noted McCready did improve his standing over the previous election in the suburbs of Charlotte. But a poor showing with rural Trump-supporting Democrats cost the party a pickup, analyst David Wasserman of the Cook Political Report said on Twitter.

 

The chairwoman of the Democratic congressional campaign arm, Representative Cheri Bustos, said Democrats had fallen "an inch" short but that Republicans had required millions in spending and a Trump rally just to "scrape by."

 

"Tonight’s razor-thin result in this ruby-red district solidifies the fact that Democrats are pushing further into Republican strongholds and are in a commanding position to protect and expand our House Majority in 2020," she said.

 

Bishop campaigned on taxes, the economy and immigration. He echoed Trump's political themes, asserting that McCready "admires socialism" and linking him to the "Squad," a group of progressive Democrats in the House who Trump has repeatedly attacked.

 

McCready, a small businessman, sought to steer the campaign discussion away from Trump and onto issues such as healthcare, education and teacher pay.

 

He labeled Bishop, who sponsored a 2016 measure in the state legislature restricting public restroom access for transgender people, as a "career politician."

 

"We may not have won this campaign, but that does not mean that we were wrong," McCready said in his concession speech Tuesday night. "And as long as there are people who thrive off our division, there is still work to be done."

 

(Reporting by Susan Cornwell in Washington; Editing by Colleen Jenkins)

 

reuters_logo.jpg

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-09-11
Link to comment
Share on other sites
jany123 Advanced Member

jany123

Posted
Posted
59 minutes ago, Boon Mee said:

The guy was down 16 points last week until Trump stepped in and threw his support behind him. 

 

Which should get every alarm bell, whistle, siren etc going ballistic.

 

this was a very safe very old republican seat that was almost lost because the GOP is failing bigly, and this trend should make democrats very happy.... if it was a swinging sets, it would be blue by now.... Americans take heart, the trump is done!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
mtls2005 Diamond Member

mtls2005

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, Boon Mee said:

The guy was down 16 points last week until Trump stepped in and threw his support behind him. 

 

 

But, but, but I thought these polls are fake news?

 

NC is closing on purple, transitioning to Blurple. Too many college-educated folks, and not enough hillbillies/klansmen left. Demographics do not favor the toothless.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
wwest5829 Platinum Member

wwest5829

Posted
Posted
28 minutes ago, jany123 said:

Which should get every alarm bell, whistle, siren etc going ballistic.

 

this was a very safe very old republican seat that was almost lost because the GOP is failing bigly, and this trend should make democrats very happy.... if it was a swinging sets, it would be blue by now.... Americans take heart, the trump is done!

I can not be happy unless we see a clear majority of American voter turning out to reject The Donald and his Republican ilk. I have already retired outside the US (in part because I am out priced in my own country) so I cannot say I will love if the majority do not forcefully reject the Republicans. But I may never vote again in recognition that I have lost my country.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
chokrai Advanced Member

chokrai

Posted
Posted
2 hours ago, mtls2005 said:

 

But, but, but I thought these polls are fake news?

 

NC is closing on purple, transitioning to Blurple. Too many college-educated folks, and not enough hillbillies/klansmen left. Demographics do not favor the toothless.

 

 

That is the attitude that is tearing apart America. Pushed non-stop by the Democrats. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Tug Ruby Member

Tug

Posted
Posted
3 hours ago, Boon Mee said:

The guy was down 16 points last week until Trump stepped in and threw his support behind him. 

 

Then he barley squeaked by in a solid republican district I think the handwriting is on the wall boon me 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
usviphotography Newbie

usviphotography

Posted
Posted
1 minute ago, joecoolfrog said:

No it wasn't , if every district had the same swing to the dems then Trump would get anihialated in the next election.

Presidential Elections are not Off Year Elections, and Off Year Elections are not Special Elections. Special Elections have the lowest turnout of any type of US Election and thus are not predictive of much of anything because a small but motivated voting base can have an outsized effect. GOP won the district in 2019 by more than they did in 2018 despite lower turnout and Dems spending considerable resources on the race and a non-stop Dem propaganda effort by local NC media. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Mac98 Advanced Member

Mac98

Posted
Posted

Considering that special elections naturally attract older, conservative voters, I am surprised that the count was that close. Even half that swing in a general election would cost Trump a number of key states, and that would lead to his certain defeat.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
joecoolfrog Gold Member

joecoolfrog

Posted
Posted
On 9/11/2019 at 7:20 PM, usviphotography said:

Presidential Elections are not Off Year Elections, and Off Year Elections are not Special Elections. Special Elections have the lowest turnout of any type of US Election and thus are not predictive of much of anything because a small but motivated voting base can have an outsized effect. GOP won the district in 2019 by more than they did in 2018 despite lower turnout and Dems spending considerable resources on the race and a non-stop Dem propaganda effort by local NC media. 

None of which nulifies my argument which was a response to the ridiculous assertion that the dems were heavily defeated.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
BobBKK Gold Member

BobBKK

Posted
Posted
27 minutes ago, joecoolfrog said:

None of which nulifies my argument which was a response to the ridiculous assertion that the dems were heavily defeated.

Bellwether election dems said. You cannot spin it any other way the Dems took a huge loss.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
BobBKK Gold Member

BobBKK

Posted
Posted
Just now, Sujo said:

As the repubs have held that state since the 60’s it is considered bellwether for repubs.

Well, ok then, 2020 ain't so sure for the cocky Dems if we follow your logic.

BTW Yang (my pick) sorta blew himself up at the debate  ????

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.




×
×
  • Create New...