North Carolina Congressmen Dan Bishop and Jeff Jackson — who are running against each for North Carolina attorney general — differed this weekend on high-profile votes, including whether to provide aid to American allies.
Bishop, a Republican from Waxhaw, voted in favor of a bill to strengthen the border, which failed to pass. He also voted for aid to Israel, but against aid to Ukraine and to help Pacific nations to counter China.
He also voted against a bill that could ban the popular app TikTok unless the Chinese company Bytedance sells its stake in the company. Bishop has said he thinks that forced sale would violate the First Amendment.
The other seven Republicans in the state’s delegation voted for all of the bills, except Patrick McHenry, who is leaving the House at the end of the year. He voted against the bill that could ban TikTok.
Jackson, a Democrat from Charlotte, has 2.2 million followers on TikTok. He didn't vote on that bill. He had previously voted in favor of forcing a sale, and had been widely criticized by TikTok users.
He also didn't vote on the border bill, as well as the aid to Pacific nations. He voted in favor of aid to Israel and Ukraine.
Jackson was one of just a handful of Democratic members of Congress who did not vote on all five of the bills.
A spokesperson for Jackson released a statement saying he was "forced to miss the portion of the session" because the schedule changed.
Jackson's office said he would have voted no on the border bill and would have voted for the aid to Pacific nations and for the bill that could force the sale of TikTok.
Bishop wrote on social media about his vote against Ukraine aid that “for the Swamp, it's Ukraine First and America Last. Gleefully waving Ukrainian flags as the American people suffer under Biden's border invasion. In case it wasn't obvious, I voted NO.”
Bishop has voted against Ukraine aid since the war began in 2022.
The state’s six other Democrats in Congress all voted for aid to Israel, Ukraine and the Pacific Rim nations.
Five members — Alma Adams, Valerie Foushee, Kathy Manning, Deborah Ross and Wiley Nickel — voted against the border security bill.
Don Davis was the only Democrat who voted for it.
Copyright 2024 WFAE
