One Month In: Senator Tillis Is Running Aggressive Reelection Campaign

Cal Cunningham Is Following Schumer’s Orders And Hiding In A “Windowless Basement”

October 11th, 2019

Charlotte, N.C. – Since announcing his reelection campaign one month ago in an interview with WRAL-Raleigh, Senator Thom Tillis has been aggressively campaigning across the state, emphasizing his commitment to continuing to work with President Trump to make life better for all of North Carolinians. Tillis’ strong start out of the gate in terms of interviews and public events stands in stark contrast to Democratic candidate Cal Cunningham, who has been slammed by leaders of his own party in North Carolina for “hiding in a windowless basement” in order to avoid voters and the press. 

Below is a comparison of Tillis’ accessibility in only one month since beginning his campaign, compared to Cunningham’s four months since switching from a run for Lieutenant Governor to a run for the U.S. Senate. 
 

19: Total Tillis interviews (not even counting Senate hallway exchanges)
4: Total Cunningham interviews

5: Total NC markets Tillis has been interviewed in
2: Total NC markets Cunningham has been interviewed in

92: Minutes Tillis has sat for a long-form, in person interviews specific to his candidacy
16: Minutes Cunningham has sat for a long-form, in person interviews specific to his candidacy

5: Total Tillis public events with press gaggles afterwards
0: Total Cunningham public events with press gaggles afterwards

2: Town hall style events Tillis has done
0: Town hall style events Cunningham has done

0: Hours Tills has spent in a windowless basement
Too many to count: Hours Cunningham has spent in a windowless basement

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And in the few media appearances Cunningham has made, even the left notes the lack of substance they have produced on the issues. 

  • The left-leaning Intercept writes: “Cunningham, who lost a primary for Senate in 2010, is distinguished by having no distinguishing politics, precisely the type of candidate Washington consultants like to build assembly-line ads around. You know the kind: two-minute biographical portraits with lots of aerial shots that decry “corruption,” followed by ads with the family in the driveway talking about their state’s values. (The Intercept, 8/15/19)

In fact, the only thing Cunningham has made clear since entering the race is his desire to impeach President Trump. Tillis on the other hand, as the below headlines make clear, has addressed a vast array of policy issues during just one month of public events and interviews. 

  • “’We’ve got a good story to tell,’ Tillis says of his re-election plans” (WRAL, 9/13/19)
  • “Sen. Tillis on impeachment inquiry, China, and potential primary challengers” (WECT, 10/4/19) 
  • “Thom Tillis: Big Announcement on the Pat McCrory Show” (WBT, 9/17/19)
     
  • “‘Control what we can’: Tillis, Perdue talk agriculture issues at Patterson Farm” (Salisbury Post, 10/9/19) 
  • “Tillis, Perdue in town talking to farmers” (Monroe Enquirer Journal, 10/9/19)
     
  • “Tillis, sheriffs meet to discuss sanctuary cities” (High Point Enterprise, 10/2/19) 
  • “Sen. Tillis meets with NC Sheriff’s on his Sanctuary Cities bill” (WXII, 10/3/19)
     
  • “Tillis hears about continued housing problems at Fort Bragg”(Fayetteville Observer, 9/27/19)
  • “Tillis addresses housing concerns, more at Fort Bragg town hall” (ABC11, 9/27/19) 
     
  • “NYT’s Brett Kavanaugh story is ‘just another liberal media mob hit,’ says Sen. Thom Tillis” (Fox News, 9/17/19)  
     

THE BOTTOM LINE

How a candidate campaigns says a lot about their confidence in their record and policy positions. Senator Tillis knows he has a strong record of working with President Trump to create jobs, secure the border, confirm conservative judges, rebuild our military, and care for our veterans – all things that make everyday life better for all North Carolinians. He is excited to share that record all over the state. Cal Cunningham is campaigning scared. He knows North Carolinians want no part of his party’s socialist, open border agenda, and that he has already made a major mistake falling into line with Nancy Pelosi and “The Squad” when it comes to impeachment. The people of North Carolina won’t stand for Cunningham’s windowless basement strategy for long, and neither should the media. Cunningham needs to be held to account about where he stands on the issues. 
 

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