Rep.-elect Dan Bishop Wednesday credited President Donald Trump with his "tremendous help" in winning Tuesday's special election in North Carolina, a race that was widely seen as a potential referendum on Trump's presidency had Bishop lost to Democrat Dan McCready.
"We really only were competitive in terms of funding for about six weeks," Bishop told Fox News' "Fox and Friends."
"The president and the vice president stepping in and committing the way they did to this race was tremendous. And a lot of credit goes to the president."
Trump on Monday traveled to Fayetteville for an election-eve rally, and Vice President Mike Pence also stumped in the state. The race remained a squeaker though, with Bishop pulling out a win by just 2% of the vote.
On Wednesday, the new lawmaker who will represent the state's 9th Congressional District praised Trump for his fighting spirit, commenting that there has "never been a greater fighter in the White House than he is."
"I think that's what we've got to do is demonstrate fight," said Bishop. "He's got a great vision for America with an economy that's booming, taxes that are lowered, jobs more plentiful ... and it's just an attractive picture. If you stand up and deliver it, the people will respond and they did here last night."
Bishop said the state's growing Democratic Party votes are a concern, but he noted Trump remains "fairly well-embraced."
"We knew that the eastern part of this district ... [was] important," said Bishop. "That's where he went ... and it made a big difference."
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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