RALEIGH — U.S. Rep. Ted Budd (NC-13), the Republican nominee for North Carolina’s competitive U.S. Senate seat, launched his first ad ahead of the Nov. 8 election. The ad, shared exclusively with North State Journal ahead its Friday start date, is titled “A Tale of Two Carts.”
The ad is focused on the nation’s 40-year highs in inflation rates and rising prices affecting North Carolina families.
“Two years ago, most families could afford to fill this up. But now it’s more like this,” Budd says, gesturing at two grocery carts: one filled to the top and the other containing significantly much fewer items. “You’re being forced to make hard choices because Joe Biden made bad decisions. Biden’s reckless spending gave us record inflation that’s crushing working families.”
Budd’s statement is backed up by rapid price increases over the past 12 months. In July’s Bureau of Labor Statistics’ monthly Consumer Price Index report, food prices are up 13.1% nationwide.
The report stated that the 12-month increase was the “largest since the period ending March 1979.” The report also went on to add that the index for cereals and bakery products increased 15% and the remaining major grocery store food groups posted increases ranging from 9.3% (fruits and vegetables) to 14.9% (dairy and related products).
“The cost of basic grocery staples like eggs and cereal are through the roof. Tough choices for working families due to the inflation caused by Joe Biden’s bad decisions, now embraced by Cheri Beasley. If Beasley would spend less time on her couch and more time talking to voters, maybe she would learn that working families are being forced to choose between putting food on the table and buying back-to-school supplies because of the Biden/Beasley policy agenda,” Budd Communications Director Samantha Cotten told North State Journal.
Budd closes the ad, featuring a family struggling to decide which items to purchase, by saying he’s running for U.S. Senate to stop the spending and end the recession “so families can leave with full carts and happy kids again.”
The launch of the statewide ad buy comes as Budd also landed endorsements this week from former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and the North Carolina Troopers Association.
In a statement, Pompeo said, “Under Joe Biden, the world is less stable, and our borders are not secure. Ted Budd will be an important vote to stop Joe Biden’s progressive agenda that is weakening our country and hurting North Carolinians while his opponent, Cheri Beasley, will be a rubber stamp for it.”
That sentiment was echoed by the NCTA, who called Budd the candidate who will best support law enforcement in the U.S. Senate.
The NCTA had previously endorsed Cheri Beasley in three of her past statewide campaigns.
“Ted Budd knows the dangers faced by the men and women serving in law enforcement, Opioid abuse is devastating our communities. When fentanyl is smuggled across our southern border, it can be in North Carolina in less than 72 hours and it’s our officers having to confront these violent criminals as they transport these dangerous drugs into North Carolina. With violent crime at an all-time high, it is imperative we have a U.S. Senator who will support law enforcement,” said NCTA President Ben Kral.
The NCTA represents more than 2,500 active and retired members of the North Carolina State Highway Patrol.
“If Biden followers like Cheri Beasley are elected, crime won’t stop knocking at voters’ doors. This endorsement is in support of a candidate who will make sure that it does,” said RNC spokeswoman Taylor Mazock of the NCTA endorsement.
