RALEIGH, N.C. — The North Carolina democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate Cal Cunningham exchanged sexual text messages with a woman who is not his wife, his campaign confirmed.
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“I have hurt my family, disappointed my friends and am deeply sorry,” Cunningham said in a statement. “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.”
The messages were first reported by the National File. The Cunningham campaign confirmed their authenticity late Friday night.
According to the National File, Cunningham sent the sexual messages to Arlene Guzman Todd, a public relations strategist from California. Screenshots of the messages do not have dates however one message from Cunningham mentions being nervous about “the next 100 days.”
The three messages posted by National File include Cunningham expressing the desire to kiss Arlene Guzman Todd. In one message he calls her “historically sexy.” In another message, Arlene Guzman Todd tells Cunningham to “pick a day, city, make up an excuse for the fam, ditch a staffer, starch your white shirt and be ready to kiss a lot.”
Cunningham is running against incumbent Sen. Thom Tillis. Cunningham is not dropping out of the race.
“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,” he said.
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