North Carolina Democrat Senate candidate Cal Cunningham experienced a bump in his numbers in the latest poll from Monmouth University despite recent revelations about his having an extramarital affair.
Cunningham leads Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., by a four-point margin in the latest poll of registered voters, which was released Tuesday. The same poll showed him with a slim single-point lead in September.
- 48% support Cunningham in latest poll.
- 44% back Tillis in latest poll.
- 46% supported Cunningham in September.
- 45% backed Tillis in September.
Last week, news broke of sexual texts exchanged between Cunningham and Arlene Guzman Todd, a public relations strategist. The candidate, who serves as a lieutenant colonel in the Army Reserve, is now under investigation over the relationship.
Less than one-in-five voters said the messages should disqualify Cunningham from holding office, though about one-third said his behavior does bring up questions about his character.
"North Carolinians may frown on Cunningham's behavior, but few think it has any bearing on his fitness for office," said Patrick Murray, the director of the Monmouth University Polling Institute. "In fact, at a time when swing voters have had their fill of hyperpartisanship, it's possible that this story coming out now could actually hurt Tillis a bit."
The poll also found, more North Carolina voters have heard of Cunningham's affair, at 80%, than to have heard Tillis contracted the coronavirus, 69%.
Monmouth surveyed 500 registered voters in North Carolina from Oct. 8-11, with a margin of error of plus or minus 4.4 percentage points.
Theodore Bunker ✉
Theodore Bunker, a Newsmax writer, has more than a decade covering news, media, and politics.
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