After Opposing Police Reform For Not Being “Bipartisan,” Cunningham Wants To End Bipartisanship In Senate

June 29th, 2020

Renews 2010 Call To Eliminate Filibuster

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Cal Cunningham last week opposed the JUSTICE Act because he said it was not a bipartisan bill, even though three Senate Democrats voted for the measure. Last night, however, Cunningham reversed himself on the need for bipartisan consensus in the Senate, renewing his 2010 call to eliminate the filibuster.

From the Huffington Post: 

  • “A spokeswoman for Cal Cunningham, a former military prosecutor who is the Democrats’ candidate against GOP Sen. Thom Tillis in North Carolina, pointed to the candidate’s website, where he says the Senate ‘should reform the filibuster rule that is too often abused…” 

“It’s no surprise that Cal Cunningham is doubling down on his call to eliminate the filibuster given he hasn’t taken a bipartisan position this entire campaign,” said Tillis campaign spokesman Andrew Romeo. “While Senator Tillis has a strong record of working across the aisle to produce results, Cal Cunningham wants to change the rules of the Senate so he can help D.C Democrats pursue their extreme agenda of raising taxes on all income brackets, implementing a job-killing Green New Deal, and nationalizing sanctuary cities.”

BACKGROUND

Eliminating the filibuster is a position Cunningham has had dating back to his failed 2010 campaign. 

  • In an email to supporters Cunningham said, “Enough is enough. We cannot let a small minority in the Senate continue holding up health care reform — and countless other initiatives supported by the American people and a majority of Senators. Sign my petition to end the filibuster’s stranglehold on the U.S. Senate.”  (Talking Points Memo, 2/18/10)

Cunningham has not yet been able to articulate any issues he could find common ground with Republicans on. 

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