WASHINGTON _ North Carolina Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Cal Cunningham, a married father of two, sent text messages of a sexual nature to a woman who is not his wife, his campaign confirmed Friday night.
The text messages between Cunningham and Arlene Guzman Todd, a public relations strategist from California, were first reported Thursday night by NationalFile.com.
The report included pictures of the text messages, in which Cunningham and Guzman, who is also married according to the report, talked about kissing each other and more.
"Would make my day to roll over and kiss you about now," said one text message from Cunningham.
In one text from Guzman, she says: "I have flexibility this month _ done with school, training, big RFPs, etc. So the only thing I want on my to do list is you."
The Cunningham campaign confirmed the authenticity of the text messages.
Cunningham, who has been leading in polling in his pivotal U.S. Senate race against Republican incumbent Thom Tillis, said Friday night that he is not dropping out of the race.
"I have hurt my family, disappointed my friends, and am deeply sorry. 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 in a statement sent to The News & Observer.
"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."
The text messages do not contain dates. In one of them, Cunningham indicates he is "nervous about the next 100 days." Election Day is Nov. 3. One hundred days before that would have been July 26.
Cunningham, 47, is a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve and a lawyer. He previously served in the North Carolina state Senate and ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate in 2010.
He grew up in Lexington and lives in Raleigh.
According to FEC records, Todd has donated $450 to the Cunningham campaign since April. She donated $100 on April 2, $250 on April 28 and $100 on Sept. 29.
Cunningham met his wife, Elizabeth, in 1997, and the couple has two teen-aged children.
It has been a news-filled two days in the Senate race.
Cunningham announced Thursday that he had raised a record-setting $28.3 million in the third quarter of 2020. Later that day, Cunningham and Tillis met for their third and final debate of the campaign.
Tillis announced Friday night that he has tested positive for the coronavirus.
