Democratic Cal Cunningham Lands Key Endorsement for 2020 Lt Gov Race, New Democrat Candidates Emerge

RALEIGH – Democrat Cal Cunningham, a former state lawmaker and U.S. Senate candidate, has picked up a key endorsement in his bid for lieutenant governor in 2020.

Linda Coleman, who twice ran for lieutenant governor (2012 and 2016) against incumbent two-term Republican Dan Forest, and most recently gave a close race to Republican Rep. George Holding in North Carolina’s Second Congressional District in the 2018 election, has endorsed Cunningham for lieutenant governor in 2020.

Cunningham, a photogenic attorney with military and political experience, has said he wishes to back up the policy priorities of Gov. Roy Cooper, who is expected to run for reelection. That includes ramping up the rhetoric on increased education spending, restrictive gun laws, and selling the state a bill of goods in the form of Medicaid expansion.

Being that Coleman performed better than expected in her 2018 race against Holding, and has herself ran twice for the lieutenant governor role, her endorsement should carry weight among Democratic voters in what is shaping up to be a crowded race.

State Senator Terry Van Duyn (D-Buncombe), former State Senator Malcolm Graham, and, now, Rep. Chaz Beasely (D-Mecklenburg) have also announced he is exploring a bid.

Since incumbent Lt. Gov. Dan Forest has reached the term limit, and is widely expected to run for governor in 2020, the open seat is attracting a lot of suitors on both sides of the aisle. Cunningham appears to be consolidating front runner status on the Democratic side.

There is, as yet, no such leader of the pack on the Republican side. First in Freedom Daily will be profiling a few of those candidates in the coming weeks.