North Carolina Senate Democrat candidate Cal Cunningham blamed Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) for his affair scandal, claiming that Tillis wants to make the pivotal Senate race about something other than the “issues.”
Cunningham apologized for his affair with Arlene Guzman Todd, a California public relations strategist, saying:
I am deeply sorry for the hurt that I have caused in my personal life and I also apologize to all of you. I hope all of you watching at home will accept this sincere apology and that we will continue to work together to change the direction of our country and strengthen our state.
The North Carolina Democrat spoke virtually during the Green Tie Awards, held by the North Carolina League of Conservation Voters.
“There’s a lot we have to talk about tonight because there’s a lot we have to talk about tonight because there’s a lot at stake in this election,” he said.
“We can all agree that this is by far the most important election of our lifetime. But before we get into those issues that most affect the campaign, I want you to hear something directly from me,” Cunningham added.
Cunningham, however, did not offer details regarding his multiple affair allegations. The North Carolina Democrat said that Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC), Cunningham’s opponent, “knows he is losing and knows that we are winning.”
Cunningham also blamed Tillis for distracting voters from the issues facing the state.
He said, “He has now resorted to trying to make this campaign about something other than the issues. We know, I know, this campaign is about your hopes and your dreams.”
Tillis’s campaign manager, Luke Blanchat, issued a statement on Wednesday after the fundraiser, noting that Cunningham is “afraid” to address the scandal. Blanchat said:
Cal Cunningham’s comments tonight only make his scandal — and the hypocrisy of his campaign — worse. Cunningham is afraid to directly address why and how he betrayed the trust of North Carolinians. He offered no explanation for his extramarital affairs, instead choosing to read off an insincere apology written by his campaign consultants from DC, in line with the fake and insincere persona he is trying to sell to North Carolina. Cal Cunningham needs to stop hiding behind prewritten statements and teleprompters. He needs to answer every single question from reporters he has spent the last week ignoring. North Carolinians deserve a full explanation; the truth still matters.
The Democrat added, “I will not get sidetracked, and I hope you won’t either.”
The fallout from the scandal has upended the North Carolina Senate race. It led Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) to postpone her fundraiser with Cunningham that was scheduled for Wednesday night.
Sean Moran is a congressional reporter for Breitbart News. Follow him on Twitter @SeanMoran3.
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