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Editor’s note: Cheri Beasley lost her race by a margin of 3.2%. To see how Blue Tent's recommended candidates performed this cycle, read our full 2022 midterms rundown.
Officially, North Carolina’s U.S. Senate primary is still going on, but there’s no question that Cheri Beasley will be the nominee. The former chief justice of the state supreme court, Beasley cleared the field by racking up early endorsements and outraising Jeff Jackson, her chief competitor, who dropped out late last year. Her victory marks a turning point in North Carolina politics, where, in past cycles, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee has passed over Black candidates in favor of white men, with poor results. (The 2020 Senate nominee, Cal Cunningham, lost by a narrow margin after getting embroiled in a sexting scandal.)
If elected, Beasley would be the first Black senator to represent North Carolina, and the only Black woman in the Senate. She would also be the rare senator with a background as a public defender, a position she held before being elected to the North Carolina Court of Appeals in 2008. That election made her the first Black woman to win statewide office in North Carolina without being appointed by a governor first, and she followed that up by winning a state supreme court election in 2014. Her background as a judge means that she hasn’t really had much of a chance to weigh in on policy issues, and she’s avoided taking strong stands on much of anything in interviews. Politico described her as being relatively low-key, which belies her obvious political skill.
Blue Tent views giving to support Beasley's candidacy as a low priority. Below, we explore three key questions that small and medium donors should answer before supporting candidates. (See how we evaluate candidates.)
Is This Race Important?
Yes. Holding onto the Senate is the top priority for Democrats in this cycle, and a victory in North Carolina would go a long way toward ensuring they keep their majority or even expand it. This is one of the key races in the country.
Can Beasley Win?
North Carolina is a true swing state. It went for Donald Trump in 2020 by a single point; Democratic Governor Roy Cooper won his race that year by four points; and Cal Cunningham lost the Senate race by just under two points. This suggests that Democrats can win here with the right candidate. Unfortunately, 2022 promises to be a more difficult environment for Democrats than 2020, so Beasley is going to be an underdog. While both 538 and Sabato Crystal Ball rate this race as Lean Republican, Cook Political Report rates it as a Toss-up and there are good reasons to believe that Beasley can win. She lost reelection as chief justice of the state supreme court in 2020 by just 401 votes, running well ahead of Joe Biden, which bodes well for her chances.
Does She Need Money?
In the spring, Beasley was lagging behind comparable Senate candidates in terms of cash on hand—$5.1 million as of the end of March. For comparison’s sake Florida’s Val Demmings had raised over $13 million by that time. But by the end of September Beasley had brought in nearly $29 million, easily eclipsing her opponent, Ted Budd, who has raised just $11 million. We're now calling her a low priority for donors.
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