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Sen. Tillis fights to retain seat Sen. Thom Tillis.
Brian K. Noland and Catherinee Prob en RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL PROFES SSIONALS noland-proben@beverly-hanks.co om (828) 734-5201 | (828) 734-9157 7 1 0DLQ 6WUHHW :D\QHVYLOOH 1&ÉŠ
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Meet the candidates
October 7-13, 2020
CAL CUNNINGHAM • Age: 46 • Residence: Wake County • Occupation: Attorney, VP and general counsel of a recycling company • Political experience: Former state senator, unsuccessful campaign for U.S. Senate in 2010
THOM TILLIS • • • •
Age: 59 Residence: Huntersville Occupation: Tech/insurance consultant Political experience: Four-term N.C. House rep, first-term U.S. Senator
Conversely, Republicans are desperate to prevent that from happening, and Tillis’ seat is as important as any in the fight to maintain a hedge of their own in the legislative branch, especially if Trump loses. Cunningham was given multiple opportunities to answer questions posed by The Smoky Mountain News over a period of more than three weeks, but was unable to find 20 minutes to talk to the voters of Western North Carolina. He failed to make himself available for a previously scheduled phone
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This move-in ready home with many updates is lo ocated in the desirable Mountain Oaks Subdivision, approximattely seven miles to Main Street, Waynesville and 19 miles to Asheville. With WKUHH EHGURRPV WZR EDWKURRPV D ERQXV URRP LQ Q WKH Č´QLVKHG b basement, t which hi h iis also l plumbed l b d ffor a thi third db bath, th there th iis room IRU HYHU\RQH $Q RSHQ ČľRRU SODQ DOORZV WKH NLWFKHQ WR ČľRZ LQWR the spacious great room, complete with a vaulted ceiling and VWRQH Č´UHSODFH )HDWXUHV LQFOXGH KLFNRU\ ZRRG ČľRRUV DQG FHUDPLF WLOH ČľRRUV RQ the main level, a large island and granite countertops and in kitchen with tile backsplash, a large Master Suite with a walk-in closet, on demand hot water heater, front and back porches, and an oversized 2-car garage. Sellers are licensed North Carolina Real Estate Brokers.
Smoky Mountain News
BY CORY VAILLANCOURT STAFF WRITER here are few races in North Carolina this cycle that hold more consequence than that for the United States Senate seat currently occupied by Republican Thom Tillis. Of the 100 seats in the United States Senate, 53 are currently held by Republicans, and 45 are held by Democrats. Two independent senators, Angus King of Maine and Bernie Sanders of Vermont, both caucus with Democrats, giving Republicans the slim but sufficient majority they used to stymie impeachment last winter, and to confirm President Donald Trump’s Supreme Court nominee, Amy Coney Barrett, in the coming weeks. There are 35 Senate seats up for grabs this year; 12 are held by Democrats, but only two are listed as “competitive� races by The Washington Post. Republicans hold 23 of those seats, of which 12 — including that of Sen. Tillis — are considered competitive. With the House of Representatives firmly under Democratic control — as it will likely remain after Election Day — Democrats are now hoping to capture the Senate in order to hedge against a possible victory by President Trump. Controlling both the House and the Senate would effectively tie Trump’s hands on major issues and reopen avenues to his impeachment and removal from office. Tillis easily survived a Primary Election challenge but has angered some of his Republican base, who don’t think he’s quite conservative enough. That’s made him the underdog, despite his incumbency and Trump’s endorsement. He’s trailed in polls since at least June. That being said, a victory by his challenger, Democrat Cal Cunningham, would still be considered an upset and would add to the likelihood of Dems taking the Senate in November.
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