Politico: “Donald Trump brokered a deal this weekend to clear the North Carolina GOP Senate field for Rep. Ted Budd, the candidate he endorsed in June but who has failed to emerge so far as the clear frontrunner.
During a meeting at Mar-a-Lago on Saturday, Trump pledged to endorse former GOP Rep. Mark Walker, who is currently in third place in the Senate primary, if Walker leaves the race and runs again for the House instead, according to multiple sources present at the gathering.
“Trump offered Walker the endorsement, and it’s expected to get rolled out this week,” said Jack Minor, Walker’s former chief of staff.
Walker, who was rumored for weeks to be considering a House run, has not formally announced his plans to drop out of the Senate race. Candidate filing in North Carolina begins at noon Monday.
Despite the former president’s endorsement and the multimillion-dollar backing from Club for Growth’s super PAC, Budd has failed to surpass former Gov. Pat McCrory, who is also seeking the Republican nomination for Senate. Walker for months has trailed both Budd and McCrory in polling and fundraising.
The new 7th District congressional seat that Walker would run for resembles the district Walker represented from 2015 through 2020. Budd currently represents much of that area in Congress.
Both Budd and Walker are campaigning as Trump loyalists, in contrast with McCrory, a Republican with more appeal to moderates.
As part of the deal brokered during the Saturday meeting — which was also attended by Republican congressional candidate Bo Hines, Rep. Madison Cawthorn (R-N.C.) and Club for Growth President David McIntosh — Hines will receive Trump’s endorsement to run in the 4th Congressional District, Minor confirmed.”