NC Senate Primary Election 2022: AP Calls Races For Budd, Beasley

NORTH CAROLINA — Republican Rep. Ted Budd and Democrat Cheri Beasley have won their respective primary elections in the 2022 U.S. Senate race, according to the Associated Press.

AP called the races less than 30 minutes after the polls closed in landslide victories.

In early returns, Budd has nearly 60 percent of the vote compared to just 28 percent for former Governor Pat McCrory, who is in second. In the Democratic race, Beasley has over 84 percent of the vote.

Incumbent Republican Sen. Richard Burr announced he wouldn't seek re-election at last year's state GOP convention, leaving the seat open for 2022. It was a crowded field in both the Democratic and Republican primaries, which had 11 and 14 candidates, respectively.

On the Republican side, Budd was considered the frontrunner and is backed by former President Donald Trump. His top competition for the nomination came from former Rep. Mark Walker and McCrory.

Budd has represented North Carolina's 13th Congressional District since 2017 and has built his campaign around Trump's endorsement and the America First agenda. He describes himself as a "Liberal Agenda Crusher" on his campaign website.

Walker served as a pastor for 16 years prior to representing North Carolina's 6th Congressional District from 2015 to 2021. During his time in Congress, Walker wrote or co-sponsored bills to fight human trafficking, help disabled veterans and balance the federal budget. He unsuccessfully sought Trump's support in the 2022 election.

McCrory served as governor from 2013 to 2017, with his most notable move in office being the signing of the infamous bathroom bill that targeted transgender people in 2016. The reaction of many businesses bill hurt the state's economy and was the impetus for the NBA moving its 2017 All Star Game out of Charlotte. McCrory lost the 2016 election to Democrat Roy Cooper.

On the Democratic side, Beasley, a former Chief Justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court, is the frontrunner and cleared her 11-person field of significant rivals. She would be North Carolina’s first Black U.S. senator if she wins in November.

Here are the results as of 7:52 p.m.:

Republican Primary Results

• Ted Budd 94,870 (57.39%)
• Pat McCrory 47,097 (28.49%)
• Mark Walker 10,807 (6.54%)
• Marjorie K. Eastman 5,403 (3.27%)
• David Flaherty 1,550 (0.94%)
• Kenneth Harper, Jr. 1,200 (0.73%)
• Jen Banwart 658 (0.40%)
• Charles Kenneth Moss 630 (0.38%)
• Benjamin E. Griffiths 597 (0.36%)
• Leonard L. Bryant 584 (0.35%)
• Debora Tshiovo 551 (0.33%)
• Ms. Lee A. Brian 506 (0.31%)
• Lichia Sibhatu 450 (0.27%)
• Drew Bulecza 415 (0.25%)

Democratic Primary Results

• Cheri Beasley 221,847 (84.48%)
• James L. Carr, Jr. 7,269 (2.77%)
• Alyssia Rose-Katherine Hammond 7,233 (2.75%)
• Marcus W. Williams 6,284 (2.39%)
• Constance (Lov) Johnson 4,308 (1.64%)
• Rett Newton 3,804 (1.45%)
• Chrelle Booker 3,574 (1.36%)
• B. K. Maginnis 2,538 (0.97%)
• Robert Colon 2,266 (0.86%)
• Greg Antoine 1,854 (0.71%)
• Tobias LaGrone 1,639 (0.62%)

The Associated Press contributed to this report.