Power of a Trump Rally: President Helps Two GOP Candidates in North Carolina Win Special Elections

Commander-in-chief enjoys a clean sweep despite big spending by Democrats

Updated:

By PoliZette Staff | September 11, 2019

In a big win for both President Donald Trump and national Republicans, North Carolina GOP state Sen. Dan Bishop triumphed in a tough special election for a House seat in the 9th District on Tuesday night — a battle that had been seen as a “bellwether for the president’s chances in the 2020 election,” as Fox News noted.

Bishop, 55, had been a state senator since 2017.

Another Republican House candidate as well, Greg Murphy, a physician and state House member, also won a separate special election in the 3rd District earlier in the evening.

The wins for both men occurred despite the fact that Democrats spent millions trying to take those seats.

Even Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) Chairwoman Cheri Bustos acknowledged that Trump contributed to Bishop’s win, saying in a statement that “we fell an inch short tonight, but it took more than $6 million in outside Republican spending and a last-minute Trump rally” to triumph over Democratic candidate Dan McCready in the 9th District.

McCready’s campaign spent approximately $4.7 million on the race, reported Fox News — while Bishop spent only $1.9 million.

Outside spending primarily from national party committees helped Bishop to the tune of $5.8 million, though — compared to McCready’s roughly $1.4 million, the outlet also noted.

The wins on Tuesday night were a big boost for the president, who has long mentioned the importance of these local elections.

During his packed rally in Fayetteville, North Carolina, on Monday night, the president told supporters in attendance that “to stop the far-Left, you must vote in tomorrow’s special election.”

Related: Trump at His North Carolina Rally: Being ‘More Popular Than Obama Means I’m Not Doing My Job’

That effort, Trump said late on Tuesday, clearly paid off.

Here are two Trump tweets on Tuesday night, before all the election results were in:

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This piece originally appeared in LifeZette and is used by permission.

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