Exclusive: Beasley blasts Budd in new campaign ad

Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Cheri Beasley's campaign is taking its first shot at Republican U.S. Rep. Ted Budd in an ad released today.

Why it matters: The move is yet another signal that each candidate will spend heavily to launch sharp attacks against their opponent in the coming months.

• North Carolina's race to replace retiring Republican U.S. Sen. Richard Burr is among the most competitive in the country.
• The winner will play a role in determining which party controls the chamber and whether or not President Joe Biden can achieve his priorities in the final year of his first term.

By the numbers: The six-figure television ad will air across the state, Beasley's campaign said.

• Its launch comes days after her campaign announced its fundraising totals for the latest quarter. Beasley raked in some $7.42 million, surpassing previous records for second-quarter fundraising.
• Budd has not yet released his fundraising totals.

The big picture: In the ad, Beasley accuses Budd of voting against legislation that would lower drug prices, a signal that Beasley will make the issue central to her campaign.

• "I support capping the cost of insulin at $35 a month, which would mean the world to 1.3 million North Carolinians with diabetes," Beasley said in the ad. "It's time to stand up to the drug companies and put you first."
• Beasley's campaign launched a tour this week that will include roundtables and "community conversations" on issues like lowering costs and creating a "Made-in-America economy," the campaign said in a press release.

The other side: "It's only July, but Cheri Beasley is already a desperate candidate out of ideas and forced to fall back on the same distorted negative attacks that delivered Democrat losses in N.C. over the past decade," Budd senior advisor Jonathan Felts said in a statement to Axios.

Editor's note: This story was updated to include a link to the advertisement after the ad was released.