In a victory for President Donald Trump, the Republican candidate in a special congressional election in the southern state of North Carolina is projected to win after polls closed late Tuesday.
With 99% of precincts reporting, state Senator Dan Bishop, 55, led Democrat Dan McCready, a 36-year-old Marine Corps veteran, 50.81% to 48.59%, said the state board of elections.
Trump had personally campaigned for days to get Bishop elected to the fiercely contested House seat, but the tight victory margin signaled possible trouble for the GOP in next year’s presidential and congressional elections. In 2016, Trump carried the district by nearly 12 points.
”The voters said no to radical, liberal polices pushed by today’s Democratic Party,” Bishop said in a victory speech.
”BIG NIGHT FOR THE REPUBLICAN PARTY. CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL!” said Trump on Twitter.
Trump was quick to take credit for the success.
”Dan Bishop was down 17 points 3 weeks ago. He then asked me for help, we changed his strategy together, and he ran a great race. Big Rally last night. Now it looks like he is going to win,” he said.
The Republicans have held the seat for decades.
BY ANADOLU AGENCY
