Cal Cunningham misses virtual town hall amid sexting scandal

RALEIGH, N.C. (WBTV) - North Carolina Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Cal Cunningham missed a previously-scheduled virtual town hall days after admitting to sending sexually suggestive text messages to a California strategist who is not his wife.

Cal Cunningham admits to sending sexually suggestive texts

Cunningham was expected take questions directly from constituents at the town hall on Monday, Oct. 5, at 3:30 p.m.

According to the University of North Carolina website, Jeff Tiberii, Capitol Bureau Chief at WUNC and host of the WUNC Politics podcast, will moderate the discussion.

But on Monday afternoon, Tiberii tweeted that town hall was off due to Cunningham dropping out.

“A U.S. Senate town hall scheduled for Monday afternoon is off. Unfortunately @CalforNC has backed out. Organizers will try to reschedule,” Tiberii tweeted.

I’m disappointed for the organizers who worked hard to put this together; also that we will not hear from Cunningham about sexually suggestive texts he sent to a woman (not his wife, nor mother of his children). Fascinated to see when he publicly addresses this..#ncpol #29days
— Jeff Tiberii (@j_tibs) October 5, 2020

On this past Friday, Cunningham apologized for the sexually suggestive text messages but said he would not drop out of the race in a statement.

It’s unclear when the messages were sent, but at one point Cunningham says he’s “Nervous about the next 100 days,” which could be a reference to the election. One hundred days before the election would be July 26.

Both Cunningham and the woman, identified by National File as the wife of an army veteran, have spouses.

Copies of the messages were obtained by National File. In them, Cunningham can be seen sending texts to the woman saying things like, “Would make my day to roll over and kiss you about now.”

In a statement to WBTV, Cunningham says, “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.”

“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.”