Outgoing North Carolina GOP Sen. Richard Burr disagrees with former President Donald Trump about who should succeed him in 2022.
The senator has backed the Tar Heel State’s former Gov. Pat McCrory, whom he has declared to be “the only one in the race that can win the general election,” according to Politico. However, two weeks ago, Trump endorsed Rep. Ted Budd, who is also running.
“Pat McCrory has a commanding advantage,” Burr said.
“I can’t tell you what motivates [Trump],” he added. “I’ve never seen individuals endorse a candidate a year before the primary. That’s unusual.”
McCrory, 64, served as the mayor of Charlotte from 1995 to 2009 and was the state’s governor for one term from 2013 to 2017.
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An unnamed Republican senator told Politico that the outgoing senator is “telling everyone that McCrory is the only one that has a chance to win.”
Trump threw his support behind Budd during the North Carolina GOP convention.
“This man’s a great politician,” the former president told the convention. “But more importantly, he’s somebody that loves the state of North Carolina. I’m going to do it now because — again, I don’t want a lot of people running, and then, they’re going to be disappointed.” Trump then called Budd onstage for a prime photo-op. “Mr. President, Lara, this means the world to me,” Budd said. “Let’s get back to making America great again.”
After Trump endorsed Budd, McCrory said he was “disappointed” and called the legislator a “Washington insider.” He claimed that his opponent will be an ally for Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and the Democrats.
“Now, [Budd will] do even more to defeat President Trump’s agenda if he’s the Republican nominee by giving our seat in the US Senate to Chuck Schumer and the Democrats,” McCrory said in a Twitter thread from June 5. “Ted Budd’s bought-and-paid-for Washington insider voting record is not electable in North Carolina.”
I’m disappointed that President Trump has endorsed a Washington insider who has done more to oppose the Trump agenda than anyone in this race. We will win this race – the primary and the general.
— Pat McCrory (@PatMcCroryNC) June 6, 2021
Former GOP Rep. Mark Walker, who represented North Carolina’s 6th Congressional District for six years from 2015 to 2021, is also running in the Republican primary.
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Some North Carolina insiders previously told the Washington Examiner that Trump’s endorsement for Budd gives him the advantage and likely hurts Walker’s chances more than McCrory’s.
