Why AP called North Carolina Senate race for Ted Budd

By MEG KINNARD
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican U.S. Rep. Ted Budd lagged in early North Carolina vote counts but caught up to Democrat Cheri Beasley when totals from Election Day were tallied. That led The Associated Press to call the Senate race for Budd late Tuesday. Beasley would have needed more than three-quarters of outstanding votes to catch up to Budd, a threshold she didn’t reach in early totals. Beasley served as North Carolina’s Supreme Court chief justice, would have been the state’s first Black senator and had topped fundraising. But outside groups pumped late cash into the race, particularly on Budd’s behalf. While Budd embraced the endorsement of former President Donald Trump, Beasley didn’t campaign with high-profile endorsers like President Joe Biden or former President Barack Obama.