Rep. Ted Budd (R-NC), whom former President Donald Trump endorses, has a 27-point lead in his campaign for U.S. Senate in North Carolina, according to a recent poll.
The Emerson College poll found that 42 percent of Republican voters support Budd’s campaign. Budd’s 42 percent is five points higher than his lead last month and 27 points more than his next closest challenger, former North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory, who earned 16 percent support.
Undecided voters likely played a role in Budd’s increasing lead, as just 16 percent remain undecided compared to 23 percent last month.
Budd has decided not to participate in debates with other candidates while on the campaign trail, instead opting to meet with groups of voters, a strategy that paid off for Nebraska’s Republican gubernatorial nominee Jim Pillen in Tuesday’s election.
Budd likely earned Trump’s support after objecting to certifying the results of the 2020 presidential election in January 2021. Budd also voted against Trump’s second impeachment that same month.
“There’s somebody in this room that I think is very special. This man is a great politician but more importantly, he loves the state of North Carolina,” Trump said at North Carolina’s Republican Party Convention last year about Budd. “This gentleman is going to be your next senator.”
Budd has represented North Carolina’s 13th congressional district since 2017.
The poll questioned 1,000 registered voters between May 7 and May 9. The poll has a margin of error of ±4.5 percent.
North Carolina’s primary will take place next week on May 17.