Decade since NC governor win, McCrory trounced in Senate bid

Pat McCrory's political career has taken quite a turn in the past decade. The Republican moderate won the 2012 gubernatorial election by a comfortable margin. But he was trounced by 34 percentage points in last week’s U.S. Senate primary by Rep. Ted Budd. Budd benefitted from former President Donald Trump's endorsement and a pair of super PACs spending $12 million mostly to vilify McCrory as too liberal, citing his time as governor and Charlotte mayor. Those accusations occurred even though the former governor signed the 2016 “bathroom bill” and laws cutting taxes and prohibiting “sanctuary cities." Now it appears McCrory's electoral career is over.