Cheri Beasley Could Be First Black Senator From North Carolina

In her victory speech, Beasley pledged that, if elected, she will “fight to keep jobs rooted in our local communities..."

RALEIGH, NC - May 17: Senate candidate Cheri Beasley reacts as she takes the stage during the North Carolina Democratic Party's election night party at The Dock at Seabord Station in Raleigh, N.C., May 17, 2022. The first Black woman to serve as chief justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court is now vying for another first: North Carolina's first Black senator as she campaigns to become the Democratic nominee in Tuesday's primary election. A longtime judge Beasley is heavily favored to win, and if so, will face off in November against the winner of the Republican contest between Pat McCrory and Ted Budd. (Photo by Eamon Queeney for The Washington Post via Getty Images)
RALEIGH, NC - May 17: Senate candidate Cheri Beasley reacts as she takes the stage during the North Carolina Democratic Party's election night party at The Dock at Seabord Station in Raleigh, N.C., May 17, 2022. The first Black woman to serve as chief justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court is now vying for another first: North Carolina's first Black senator as she campaigns to become the Democratic nominee in Tuesday's primary election. A longtime judge Beasley is heavily favored to win, and if so, will face off in November against the winner of the Republican contest between Pat McCrory and Ted Budd. (Photo by Eamon Queeney for The Washington Post via Getty Images)

The primaries for North Carolina’s 2022 Senate seat were held yesterday, and Cheri Beasley easily walked away with the Democratic nomination. If elected, Beasley would be the first Black senator in North Carolina state history. Prior to running for Senate, Beasley was a judge and attorney. The 56-year-old served as chief justice of the North Carolina state Supreme Court from 2019 to 2020.

In her victory speech, Beasley pledged that, if elected, she will “fight to keep jobs rooted in our local communities—investing in a Made-in-America economy, ensuring people can get the training they need for high-paying, in-demand careers, and creating good-paying jobs by investing in renewable energy.” Beasley also pledged to fight for lower prescription drug costs and gas prices, and to fight to expand both Medicare and the Affordable Care Act.

In the general election, Beasley will face Rep. Ted Budd, who currently represents North Carolina’s 13th District. Budd, who was endorsed in this primary by former President Donald Trump, was one of the nearly 150 Republican members of Congress who voted to object to the results of the 2020 election in the immediate aftermath of the January 6 Capitol insurrection.

The Senate seat both Beasley and Budd are vying for currently belongs to GOP Sen. Richard Burr, who is retiring. Burr was one of only seven Republican senators who voted to convict Trump during his second impeachment trial following January 6. This open seat is considered a crucial bellwether for which party will ultimately secure control of the chamber going into 2023. Democrats currently hold the Senate by a razor-thin 50/50 margin, with Vice President Kamala Harris serving as a tiebreaker when necessary.