Takeaways: North Carolina Senate candidates joust on abortion, marijuana and 2024

North Carolina’s Senate contest didn’t start off as one of the must-watch campaigns of 2022, but in the closing weeks of the midterms the race is drawing the country’s attention.

That’s because ahead of Friday night’s debate between Democrat Cheri Beasley and Republican Ted Budd, multiple surveys showed the race either tied or too close to call.

For much of the year the contest has flown under the radar, but that has begun to change in recent weeks.

Beasley, a former state Supreme Court chief justice, has leaned into her character and record as a judge as she seeks to be the state’s first Black women senator. She is focusing on protecting abortion rights and making health care more affordable.

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Budd, a three-term congressman, coasted through the GOP primary thanks to the backing of former President Donald Trump. He has emphasized lowering violent crime, securing the border and being a check on President Joe Biden, who holds a 34% approval rating in the state.

Given the Senate is evenly split at 50-50 with Vice President Kamala Harris as the tie break vote, Democrats have been feeling the pressure to pour more money into the race to help flip the GOP-held seat.

Thus far, Beasley has significantly outpaced Budd by raking in more than $16 million through June 30 versus his $6.5 million haul, according to campaign finance records.

Here is a breakdown of Friday's debate.

Budd dodges national abortion ban

The Tar Heel State, like many others, had a trigger law that took effect once the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June.

It now prohibits abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy.

Budd has supported a bill that would create a national ban after 15 weeks of pregnancy, but Beasley has suggested the congressman supports a total nationwide ban.

Budd said he has been "consistently pro-life" and pivoted to attacking Beasley's views. He said he signed onto the bill as a rebuttal to House Democrats supporting the Women's Health Protection Act.

"If they're going to do that, I'm going to counter that federally, but at the same time, I do believe it belongs to the states," Budd said.

Asked twice more about supporting a full ban nationally, however, the congressman didn't answer directly.

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Beasley said women deserve to have access to life-saving procedures and that as a former judge she believes in the protections and restrictions that were under Roe.

"The bottom line is Congressman Budd wants to be in between a woman and her doctor," she said. "And there was no place in the exam room for Congress and Budd."

Both pass on Biden v. Trump rematch

Like most voters, Beasley and Budd seemed unenthusiastic about a rematch between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump.

Asked twice if she'd join the current president on stage should he campaign in North Carolina, the former judge downplayed the possibility.

"If it's an official visit, we'll just have to see if that's something that we're available," she said.

The moderator then asked Budd about whether Trump is a liability with general election voters. Budd pointed out the former president won North Carolina twice.

Budd said Trump endorsed him during the GOP primary because he is an "America first candidate."

When asked if Trump should run for president again in 2024, however, the congressman ducked, saying he is "going to exclusively focus on this (race) right now."

Beasley was then asked if Biden should seek reelection in two years.

"You know, I don't think he's going to ask me and so we'll see what happens," she said.

What about the 2020 election results?

Budd was among the147 Republican members of Congress who refused to certify the 2020 presidential election results, and he wouldn't say if Biden was the legitimate president during Friday's debate.

The congressman said he stood by that vote, arguing the GOP didn't have enough votes to overturn the last White House contest.

"The core of that vote was to inspire more debate," he said.

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The Budd campaign has argued Beasley is being a hypocrite and that she challenged the results of her 2020 loss for the state Supreme Court.

But Beasley said it is "outrageous" to compare Budd's election denial to her seeking a recount after losing by 401 votes from almost 5.4 million ballots cast. The former judge pointed out how he once said the Jan. 6, 2021 attack at the U.S. Capitol was “just patriots standing up.”

"Once we saw the results, we were glad to concede," she said. "That's different (from) what happened with Congressman Budd, and that kind of election denial really is dangerous for this country."

Beasley, Budd differ on marijuana

The two candidates had wildly different views on Biden's announcement that he is pardoning people for simple marijuana possession, which would impact more than 6,500 people.

Budd came out swinging, saying it sends a "bad message to our children" and that he thinks it is outside of the president's constitutional authority.

"And why would you want to give amnesty to those who have broken our laws and encourage even more law breaking and encourage even more drugs... I think it's bad all around," he said.

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Beasley said the way she understands the president's pardons are that it applies to low-level marijuana offenses. She said she supports legalizing cannabis for medical and recreational use.

Budd said he opposes legalization for recreational use but is open to discussing medical purposes.

Beasley pressed on crime, police cuts

When the discussion turned to gun control, Budd said that the country must balance protecting the Second Amendment while keeping firearms away from dangerous individuals.

But he then pivoted to calling the debate around guns part of a larger conversation about public safety and supporting law enforcement. He called Beasley soft on crime and claimed she supports efforts to slash police budgets.

"We got to treat cops like the heroes that they are," Budd said. "We can't have defunding, like my opponent has done fundraising with the leader of the defund the police movement."

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Beasley took exception to Budd's comments and denied that she's raised campaign cash with anti-police activists.

"I do not support defunding the police," she said. "We must fund the police to make sure that they have the resources that they need to keep themselves and our community safe."

But Beasley said the country also must invest in community-based violence prevention programs. She said Budd shouldn't lecture her about crime when he called the Jan. 6 rioters patriots.

"I mean, Congressman Budd is really all talk," Beasley said.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Takeaways: N.C. Senate candidates joust on abortion, weed and 2024