North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper told Joseph R. Biden over the weekend that Democrats will manage to drag the scandal-plagued Cal Cunningham across the finish line in Mr. Cunningham’s bid to unseat GOP Sen. Thom Tillis.
“I think we’re all going to get across the line,” Mr. Cooper told Mr. Biden as the governor greeted the Democratic presidential nominee on a tarmac in the state. “I think Cal’s going to get across the line, too.”
Mr. Biden then appears to say something, though it’s unclear what.
“I know that’s frustrating, but we’ll get it across,” Mr. Cooper says.
At a campaign event in North Carolina on Sunday, Mr. Biden said it was important to elect Democrats up and down the ballot. He mentioned the U.S. Senate race but did not mention Mr. Cunningham by name.
That’s a contrast to last week, when Democratic Sen. Gary Peters was part of the warm-up act when Mr. Biden was campaigning in Michigan on Friday.
News broke in recent weeks that Mr. Cunningham, who is married with two children, had exchanged romantic texts with a woman who was not his wife — including one in which he called the woman “historically sexy.”
Arlene Guzman Todd, who works in public relations in California, later told The Associated Press she and Mr. Cunningham were intimate on at least one occasion in North Carolina in July.
Recent polling has shown Mr. Cunningham leading Mr. Tillis by several points even after the scandal broke, although the Democrat’s unfavorable ratings are on the rise in some surveys.
Mr. Cooper, who is up for reelection this year, has consistently run ahead of both Mr. Cunningham and Mr. Biden in public polling on the critical battleground state.
Michael Whatley, who chairs the state Republican Party, said Monday that Mr. Cunningham needs to address a new report on an alleged second extramarital affair or quit the race.
Mr. Cunningham’s campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the clip, but has routinely pointed back to an apology statement Mr. Cunningham issued on Oct. 2.
“I have hurt my family, disappointed my friends, and am deeply sorry. The first step in repairing those relationships is taking complete responsibility, which I do. I ask that my family’s privacy be respected in this personal matter,” Mr. Cunningham said.
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.