ELLERBE — One of the frontrunners for North Carolina’s up-for-grabs U.S. Senate seat stopped by the World’s Largest Strawberry on Wednesday.
Congressman Ted Budd, who currently represents the 13th District in the U.S. House of Representatives, bought a cup of butter pecan ice cream at the Berry Patch while speaking with owner Lee Berry, as well as other customers and local leaders.
Budd, who has been endorsed by former president Donald Trump, said foreign policy was at the top of his list of reasons to move from the House to the Senate, adding that “you’re seeing (President Joe) Biden mess up at every single turn, right now.”
“We’ve got to have somebody that’s America-first when it comes to how we deal on the international stage,” Budd said.
He also criticized who Biden “is trying to jam through” with political appointments “whether it’s Supreme Court … all of his administration.”
And those nominations, Budd said, go through the Senate.
“So you’ve got to have somebody that understands the importance of good people in the administration that really have average, hardworking Americans’ backs, rather than those who are elitists, like he’s trying to jam in there,” Budd said.
Multiple media outlets report that Budd is leading in the polls against former governor Pat McCrory.
When asked why choose him instead of McCrory, Budd said, “I’m the conservative, small business fighter, know how to win tough races. He’s lost this state twice. I’ve won in tough races, not just tough primaries, but tough generals.”
Budd said he grew up on a cattle farm in Davie County that was also a Tyson chicken farm.
The congressman added that his small business background helps him understand what affects people.
“I know what it takes to make this country better,” Budd said.
Berry seemed to be supportive of Budd’s campaign.
“He’s a Republican endorsed by Trump, that’s a plus for me,” Berry said. “He’s a gun store owner and anybody that supports the Second Amendment, I’m a big fan of theirs.”
Berry added that he thinks Budd will “make a good senator.”
McCrory and former Congressman Mark Walker debated against Marjorie Eastman earlier this year at the Carolina Liberty Conference hosted by the John Locke Foundation. Budd was invited but did not attend.
At that time, McCrory was the only one of those candidates who had filed — and had only done so the day before.
In all, there are 27 candidates running for the seat being vacated by Sen. Richard Burr, who was elected to the Senate in 2005.
Other Republican candidates are: David Flaherty of Cameron; Jen Banwart of Holly Springs; Lee Brian of Clayton; Benjamin Griffiths of Cleveland; Charles Kenneth Moss of Randleman; Lichia Sibhatu of Raleigh; Drew Bulecza of Lincolnton; Leonard Bryant of Fayetteville; Kenneth Harper Jr. of Fayetteville; and Debora Tshiovo.
Former N.C. Supreme Court Justice Cheri Beasley is one of several candidates running in the Democratic primary for the Senate seat.
Other Democratic candidates are: Constance Johnston of Charlotte; Rett Newton of Beaufort; Chrelle Booker of Columbus; Greg Antoine of Fayetteville; Alyssia Rose-Katherine Hammond of Raleigh; Tobias LaGrone of Greensboro; B. K. Maginnis of Charlotte; Robert Colon of Wilmington; Marcus Williams of Lumberton; and James Carr of Harrisburg.
One Libertarian, Shannon Bray of Apex, has filed for the Senate race.
While at the Berry Patch, Budd also met and spoke with state Rep. Ben Moss, R-Richmond, who will also be battling another Republican in the May 17 primary: Moore County’s Rep. Jamie Boles.
Moss and Boles were double-bunked when the district maps were redrawn.
Others there included Danny Pearson, who is running for the Richmond County Board of Commissioners; County Manager Bryan Land; and Richmond County Republican Party Chairman Jerry Austin.
