North Carolina Senate Race: Debate #1 Breakdown
Senator Thom Tillis (left) debates challenge Cal Cunningham (right) Monday night, Sept. 14, 2020 in Raleigh. Source.
North Carolina incumbent Republican Senator Thom Tillis and Democratic challenger Cal Cunningham faced off last Monday in the first of three televised debates. The debate, which took place exactly 50 days before election day, gave voters the opportunity to closely examine the contrast between the two candidates and to hear their views on several contentious issues that have swept the nation in recent months.
As expected, much of the debate focused on the government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. When offering his perspective on the response, Tillis emphasized his own involvement in getting funding for schools and for vaccine research as well as his role in the development of the CARES Act, the crucial $2.2 trillion economic stimulus bill that provided cash relief to Americans and created the Paycheck Protection Program to protect businesses harmed by the pandemic. Cunningham, on the other hand, was critical of the government’s response, arguing that there was a complete failure to mobilize all available resources in the early days of the pandemic and that the response has been inconsistent across different levels of government.
Perhaps the most critical moment of the debate came when the candidates specifically discussed the development of a potential vaccine. The moderator, WRAL news anchor David Crabtree, asked them both if they would hypothetically take a vaccine that was approved by Election Day or by the end of the year. Tillis responded that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is the “gold standard” for drug approval, and that he would absolutely take the vaccine but would want it to be first administered to more vulnerable or exposed groups before himself. Cunningham, however, replied that he would be hesitant to take the vaccine due to his fear that corruption in Washington has spilled over into the FDA.
Cunningham’s vaccine comments quickly came under fire. While Tillis called the statement “irresponsible” during the debate, his campaign continued to use it in attacks against Cunningham afterward. His remarks also garnered attention from multiple news sources and political commentators. In an opinion article in The Charlotte Observer, Peter St. Onge described it as a “flub” and “not the kind of thing you say in a purple state U.S. Senate debate.”
After an extensive exchange over the COVID-19 issue, the candidates were then asked to discuss their views on systemic racism. Both candidates acknowledged the existence of systemic racism and a need for reforms but specifically disagreed on the merits of the police reform bill introduced by Senator Tim Scott (R-SC), with Cunningham describing it as a “railroad job” that was “written in a closed room.”
The debate concluded with a question about what the candidates thought about mail-in voting. Both Tillis and Cunningham expressed their trust in the mail-in voting process and encouraged voters to trust it as well. Tillis’ stance toward mail-in voting is a notable departure from that of President Trump, who has repeatedly attacked it without sufficient evidence.
Although this first debate only covered a limited range of topics, it may still prove to be an important moment in this race. Debate success can be essential for winning over undecided voters, and the first debate is where lasting first impressions are often formed. In this debate, neither candidate seemed to really stand out, but a slight edge might be given to Tillis due to Cunningham’s vaccine blunder and to Tillis’ handling of the questions on systemic racism and mail-in voting. The more moderate positions that he took on these issues can be expected to appeal to undecided voters in the state. In the next two debates, on September 22nd and October 1st, we can expect the candidates to speak on a number of different policy issues, giving voters a better idea of their respective policy platforms heading into Election Day.