N.C. Dem. Senate candidate sent intimate texts to a woman who isn't his wife

Cal Cunningham, the Democrat running to unseat incumbent GOP Sen. Thom Tillis in North Carolina, acknowledged Friday that he sent intimate text messages to a woman who isn’t his wife, according to the Raleigh-based News & Observer.

Why it matters: Tillis and Cunningham's race is a key competition for Democrats as they try to win control of the Senate, though Cunningham has said he won’t drop out.

What they're saying: Cunningham apologized in a Friday night statement released by his campaign.

• “I have hurt my family, disappointed my friends, and am deeply sorry,” Cunningham said in the statement, according to the Washington Post. “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 said he has no plans of 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.

The big picture: Tillis, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said Friday he tested positive for coronavirus. The two candidates debated in-person in Raleigh on Thursday night.