RALEIGH, N.C. – North Carolina Democratic Senate candidate Cal Cunningham has admitted to sending intimate texts to a woman who is not his wife.
Cunningham’s campaign confirmed Friday a report from National File that included photos between Cunningham and a public relations strategist from California.
Despite the scandal, Cunningham said Friday night that he will not drop out of the U.S. Senate race.
"I have hurt my family, disappointed my friends, and am deeply sorry. The first step in repairing those relationships is taking complete responsibility, which I do. I ask that my family’s privacy be respected in this personal matter,” Cunningham said via statement. "I remain grateful and humbled by the ongoing support that North Carolinians have extended in this campaign, and in the remaining weeks before this election I will continue to work to earn the opportunity to fight for the people of our state."
Cunningham, who debated U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) on Thursday, said earlier Friday that he would get a COVID-19 test in the near future after Tillis disclosed he had tested positive for the coronavirus.
Tillis is the latest person to be diagnosed with the virus after attending the Supreme Court nomination ceremony in the White House Rose Garden for Amy Coney Barrett last week.
He is the second member of the Senate Judiciary Committee to test positive. Just a few hours earlier, Republican Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) announced that he, too, is infected.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.