Sen. Kay Hagan, D-N.C., was tripped up during a debate Tuesday night with her Republican midterm challenger, businessman Thom Tillis, when asked whether President Obama’s policies are on the ballot this fall.
The moment occurred after the debate moderator, ABC News’ George Stephanopolous, asked the following: “You know, of course, the Affordable Care Act, the heart of Obama’s legislative program. And Speaker Tillis mentioned the comments the president made last week, and [Obama] said, ‘His policies are on the ballot. Every single one of them.’ Do you agree?”
Hagan, who has spent much of her re-election effort distancing herself from a president who has grown increasingly unpopular in a state that leans Republican, took a moment to compose her answer.
“Uh, you know, Speaker Tillis wants to make this race about the president,” Hagan said. “This race is about who is going to represent North Carolina in the U.S. Senate. And I think North Carolinians want a common sense voice.”
Obama remarked during a speech at Northwestern University on Oct. 2 that although his name is not on the ballot this fall, his “policies are. Every single one of them.”
For vulnerable Democratic incumbents in red states, these remarks likely came as a very unwelcome surprise.
Tuesday’s debate is the last in this race before the November midterm elections. The race is basically a dead heat, with Hagan pulling ahead of Tillis 45 percent to 41.3 percent, according to the RealClearPolitics polling average.
Republicans need to pick up six seats if they want to take control of Congress’ upper chamber. Hagan’s seat is vulnerable, but there’s still a good chance it stays in her name come Nov. 5.
Tillis, Hagan and left- and right-leaning political action groups have spent roughly $53 million to affect the outcome of the hotly contested race in North Carolina, according to the Center for Responsible Politics.
