Finally: Decision Desk Projects Trump and Tillis Win in NC, Press Continues Brutalizing Cunningham

Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) really is the comeback kid.

In his 2014 race against then-Sen. Kay Hagan (D), he was behind in most polls leading up until election day. But some stories damaging to the Hagan campaign broke in late September and early October. Those stories, along with a stepped-up ground and digital game on the part of his campaign, helped propel Tillis to eventual victory in an election-night nailbiter.

It looks as though history has just repeated itself.

Tillis was behind in most polls in this election cycle as well. But news of his Democratic opponent Cal Cunningham’s admitted affair with the wife of an Army veteran, as well as Cunningham’s media avoidance tactics in the aftermath of the scandal appear to have helped Tillis surge late in the game win his reelection fight – assuming Decision Desk HQ’s projection in this race is accurate:

Decision Desk HQ Projects @ThomTillis (R) Has Won Election To The Senate From The State Of NC

Race Called At 11-10 1:41 PM EST

All Results: https://t.co/mMSMwaoZxw

— Decision Desk HQ (@DecisionDeskHQ) November 10, 2020

Not only did they project Tillis as the winner in the Senate race, but DDHQ have also projected Trump as the winner in the state’s presidential race:

Decision Desk HQ Projects Trump (R) Has Won The State Of NC And Its 15 Electoral Votes

Race Called At 11-10 1:41 PM

All Results: https://t.co/mMSMwaoZxw

— Decision Desk HQ (@DecisionDeskHQ) November 10, 2020

If these numbers hold (and we’ll find out for sure by Friday), Trump stands to be awarded North Carolina’s 15 electoral votes, as DDHQ noted.

Cunningham, I should point out, is still being unmercifully brutalized by local reporters here in North Carolina as well as some at national media outlets for repeatedly dodging questions about his affair and for refusing to commit to formal interviews with the press throughout the month of October:

Cal Cunningham, who hasn't yet conceded but trails Tillis, is sending fundraising pitches where the proceeds are split between Cunningham's campaign and Raphael Warnock's campaign #ncpol pic.twitter.com/9dwGNJhI2l

— Colin Campbell (@RaleighReporter) November 10, 2020

No one should give a penny to @CalforNC until he agrees to sit for an interview with me where I ask him all of the questions you have about how he’s conducted himself as a candidate for US Senate https://t.co/zXHfnBsIrZ

— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) November 10, 2020

Not my role or desire to tell people what to do with their money nor to advise candidates about their media strategy, but it has been a month since most NC media was able to ask Cunningham a question despite repeated requests. #ncpol https://t.co/MyWwzuLg7w

— Brian Murphy (@MurphinDC) November 10, 2020

Tillis’ apparent victory puts Republicans at a 49-48 advantage in the battle for who controls the U.S. Senate. Assuming Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan holds his lead in Alaska, that will leave the two Georgia Senate runoff races on Jan. 5th left to determine party control. Should incumbent Senators Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue win, Republicans would have a 52-48 advantage.

If they don’t and the Senate ends up being tied at 50-50, it would fall to the vice president to break the tie. If Biden and Harris are victorious, that would mean Harris would get to cast the tie-breaking vote for Democrats.

As I reported Monday, Sen. Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) made a huge mistake over the weekend when he declared during a street “victory” party for Biden and Harris in New York that “Now we take Georgia, then we change America!” The NRSC didn’t waste any time making a campaign ad out of it.

UPDATE: Cal Cunningham has conceded the Senate race in NC to Thom Tillis, making it all but official: