A 24-year-old political newcomer handily defeated a candidate endorsed by President Donald Trump in yesterday’s Republican runoff election in North Carolina’s 11th Congressional District.
Madison Cawthorn defeated Lynda Bennett by 30 percentage points to vy for the seat vacated by Mark Meadows, who is now Trump’s fourth chief of staff. Host Frank Stasio talks with Smoky Mountain News’ Cory Vaillancourt about the results.
Plus, North Carolina is one of only five states this year with races for the presidency, U.S. Senate and governorship. Despite the ongoing global recession, donors outside North Carolina continue to pour money into the upcoming general elections. Republican political consultant Paul Shumaker estimates that $98 million has already been committed to political advertising for the June to November period.
Host Frank Stasio talks with WUNC Political Reporter Rusty Jacobs about the ways the Black Lives Matter movement and COVID-19 are shaping the elections.
