Cheri Beasley, NC U.S. Senate candidate, visits UNC with Sen. Jon Ossoff

Cheri Beasley, the Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in North Carolina, and Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-GA) visited UNC on Sunday, Oct. 16, to rally support for Beasley’s campaign against Republican nominee Rep. Ted Budd (R-NC 13th).

Beasley came to Chapel Hill to discuss her candidacy for U.S. Senate as part of the “For the People: Get Out the Vote Tour." She was joined by Ossoff, a fellow member of the Democratic Party. 

UNC students, including senior Greear Webb, attended in support of Beasley. 

“I think she represents North Carolina well, she has shown that she can be elected statewide, and so I think it’s really key that we put her in the Senate,” he said.

The event began with speeches from supporters of the Beasley campaign including Rev. Jay Augustine of St. Joseph African Methodist Episcopal Church in Durham, the president and vice president of UNC Young Democrats and Jonah Garson, the chairperson of the Orange County Democratic Party. 

Ossoff spoke next and said that every vote counts in this race. Beasley lost her North Carolina Supreme Court Chief Justice position in 2020 by only 401 votes.

Ossoff invited Beasley to join him on the stage, where she danced for the audience before beginning her speech.

Beasley’s speech focused on the June overturning of Roe v. Wade and women’s right to medical privacy. 

“Everywhere I go, folks say to me, 'Cheri, we want you as our next senator and we want to make sure that you fight like hell for our constitutional rights to choose for our bodies and for our families,'” she said.

She said she understood many people's disappointment in the Supreme Court’s decision and said her opponent, Budd, was working in Congress on a complete ban to abortion without exception for rape, incest or risk to a mother’s health.

“It's important that we send a very strong message to Congressman Budd that there is absolutely no room in the exam room between a woman and a doctor for Congressman Budd,” she said.

She said Budd has been in Congress for six years and has prioritized corporate and special interests above the interests of North Carolinians.

Beasley said citizens should feel a sense of urgency with this election cycle, as women’s rights to make choices about their bodies are on the ballot.

“My late mother was granted the right to vote because of the Voting Rights Act and we were all told that the 2020 election was the most important election of our lifetimes, and it was very important... but if she were here she would tell us that every election is the most important election of our lifetimes,” Beasley said.

A recent poll from SurveyUSA and WRAL showed Budd had a one percent lead among respondents.

“Given how competitive this race is, students at UNC and students across the state will decide whether we continue to make progress or if progress is reversed,” Ossoff said.

Garson, a UNC alum also said that the turnout of UNC students could create the margin of victory in this election for Cheri Beasley and other state and local races. 

The election is on Nov. 8, 2022, and offices including U.S. Senate, U.S. House of Representatives, State Supreme Court, State House and State Senate will be on the ballot. 

@carojean44

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