GOP claims victory in North Carolina election

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It was a do-or-die win for Republicans in a crucial 2020 swing state.

(SOUNDBITE) (ENGLISH) REPUBLICAN CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATE DAN BISHOP, SAYING:

"Thank you, North Carolina."

State Senator Dan Bishop pulling out A VICTORY in a tight election do-over in North Carolina's 9th congressional district Tuesday (September 10)…

(SOUNDBITE) (ENGLISH) REPUBLICAN CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATE DAN BISHOP, SAYING:

"The voters said no the radical liberal policies being pushed by today's Democratic party. They said no to Nancy Pelosi, AOC and the squad."

…in a battle that was widely seen as a referendum on President Trump and a harbinger of what's to come in the House in 2020.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP, SAYING:

"A vote for any democrat in 2020, and a vote for any democrat tomorrow in North Carolina, is a vote for the rise of radical socialism."

In his last-minute presidential push in Fayetteville Monday (September 9), Trump framed Bishop's race against McCready in national terms, as a battle against a far-left Democratic party.

That message, and the GOP blitz that flooded the race with millions of dollars in campaign spending, successfully got Republican Dan Bishop over the finish line.

The special election was forced after results were found to be manipulated on the Republican side.

Challenger McCready spent more than two years and 4-million dollars in his failed bid to take the seat in a district Trump won by 12 points in 2016.

Analysts say the race may indicate suburban voters, who went heavily for Trump the last time around, continue to support him the U.S. president.

With the win, Republicans are now pushing back on Democratic claims that Trump backing in the suburbs and exurbs is crumbling.

They're also hoping the victory could stem the recent flood of GOP retirements in the House… where 15 Republicans have already announced they won't run for re-election.

For their part, Democrats are insisting that the tight race in once-solid Trump country points to the GOP's emerging problem with suburban voters… as fear mount that the U.S. economy could be slowing.