The race for US Senate in North Carolina took a turn for the absurd Friday night, with revelations that Republican SenatorThom Tillis tested positive for COVID-19 after attending a WhiteHouse ceremony coming just hours before Democratic nominee Cal Cunningham admitted to sexting someone who isn’t his wife.

Tillis shared his COVID positive status in tweet Friday, stating, “Thankfully, I have no symptoms and feel well.” He’s one of a growing list of Republicans, including President Donald Trump, that have contracted the highly contagious disease after attending a ceremony for Trump’s Supreme Court  Amy Coney Barrett. The event had dozens of dignitaries sitting shoulder-to-shoulder on the lawn of the Rose Garden. Tillis, it seems, was actually wearing a mask at the event, which goes to show just how contagious this virus is. 

Trump, meanwhile, remains hospitalized but claimed treatments are “Going well, I think!” in a Tweet late Friday. 

Tillis shared the news of his positive test results just before 8:30 p.m.. Three hours later, the News & Observer dropped the bombshell that his challenger, Cal Cunningham—a Democrat more generic than white bread—confirmed he was sending sexual text messages to a woman that isn’t his wife. 

In the “sexts” (if you can call them that) Cunningham croons about wanting to “roll over and kiss,” the woman, Arlene Guzman Todd, a California public relations strategist. Cunningham is married with two kids. 

We also learned he sexts like a dishtowel. 

“And you are historically sexy. Every day and night,” Cunningham wrote.

“When can I see you? I want to kiss you,” Guzman replied.

“And I kiss back. A lot,” he wrote. 

Cunningham, who has so far raised more than $28 million in his bid to unseat Tillis, says he’s not stepping down from the 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 told the N&O

With 30 days to go until Election Day, I’m not sure voters can handle any more October surprises. 

Read the full set of cringeworthy sexts below, as first published by right-wing outlet National File. 


Follow Raleigh News Editor Leigh Tauss on Twitter or send an email to ltauss@indyweek.com

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