Beasley and Budd make closing arguments in Raleigh in hotly-contested Senate race
Downtown Raleigh turned campaign battleground Wednesday in the high-profile U.S. Senate race between Cheri Beasley and Ted Budd. Both candidates held rallies in the Capital City, six days before Election Day, in a hotly-contested race which could help decide the balance of power in the Senate.
Supporters shouted "Cheri! Cheri!" as Beasley arrived in Nash Square for her Get Out the Vote rally. The Democrat hammered Budd over his support for a national ban on abortion; she pledged to protect abortion rights by making Roe Vs Wade the law of the land.
Afterwards, ABC 11 asked Beasley if her abortion rights message may be drowned out by voters' concerns over inflation and the economy.
"In the greatest country in the world, folks should not have to make choices around buying groceries or school supplies or high-priced medications. But we also know Congress can fix this," Beasley said. "So we can walk and chew gum at the same time. We can be working on higher prices and be fighting for our rights."
Just a few blocks away, Beasley's opponent, Republican Ted Budd rallied his voters at state Republican headquarters on Hillsborough Street. Sitting side by side with former Vice President Mike Pence, Budd blasted Democrats on inflation and crime and public education -- saying Beasley would make it worse.
"Parents are coming up and saying, we want a say in our kids' education. They see what's happening in an 8 hour school day and they've inserted a woke leftist agenda," Budd said.
Pence urged the audience to help put the GOP back in the majority in Washington "and end the speakership of Nancy Pelosi once and for all."
After spending much of the summer and early fall in a deadlocked tie in the polls, the latest polling average from FiveThirtyEight shows a 3.2 point advantage for Budd.
One-stop early voting in North Carolina ends on Saturday. Election Day is next Tuesday November 8.
DOJ issues warning over voter Intimidation
Vote 2022 | Midterm Elections
Early voting polls are open; here's where to cast a ballot in your county
North Carolina Board of Elections warns voters of misleading mailers
NC Election officials work to ensure transparency, voters trust
Bonds on the ballot that voters get to decide on in Wake and Durham counties | Election 2022
Vote 2022: Housing affordability a major factor in Raleigh mayor's race
Early voting | You can register and vote at one-stop early voting in North Carolina
Vote 2022 | Election terms and history every voter should know for midterm election 2022
Hometown Voices in SE Raleigh: Midterm election is first test of NC voting rights expansion
Hometown Voices in Apex: Inside NC's only toss-up Congressional race
