Yesterday, North Carolina Senator Terry Van Duyn and two business owners held a press conference in Asheville holding Senator Tillis accountable for failing to pass COVID-19 relief. 

North Carolinians have been waiting  months for Tillis to pass another COVID-19 relief package, but instead Senate Republicans focused on fast tracking a SCOTUS nomination and then immediately packed up and left for recess to allow vulnerable senators, like Tillis, the opportunity to campaign.

“Sen. Thom Tillis is once again missing in action,” said Senator Terry Van Duyn. “He spent his time laser focused not on critical COVID relief but on rushing through a Supreme Court nominee.”

While Senator Tillis has prioritized his partisan interests and his own political career, North Carolina has seen its unemployment rate rise and businesses struggle to remain open without federal assistance. 

Carrie Turner, who owns a photography business, said: “The PPP program dried up months ago, and we haven’t seen any action from Washington since.”

Jenna Yarosh Wilson, the owner of Patton Avenue Pet Co, expressed her frustration with Tillis’ inaction: “I’m so frustrated by our elected leaders like Senator Tillis.”

Watch:

With Senate Republicans failing to pass another relief package and COVID-19 cases rising across the country, the entire economy is suffering as the stock market plummets and businesses close. The Associated Press writes: “With Congress having failed to agree on any further stimulus this year, millions of unemployed Americans who will lose all their jobless benefits in the coming weeks and months will likely pull back further on spending. Without another round of loans from the government, many small companies will also go out of business.”

Tillis failed to do his job in Washington and pass COVID-19 relief, and North Carolina businesses will continue to suffer. Cal Cunningham has repeatedly called for Senator Tillis to take action on COVID-19 relief, holding numerous press calls to hold Tillis accountable and listen to the needs of North Carolinians. 

After the Senate voted to recess on Monday, Cal said: “Senator Tillis has again failed to serve North Carolinians. Facing a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic, Senator Tillis is prioritizing his own political interests ahead of working to secure the COVID relief we badly need. North Carolinians deserve leadership in Washington who will fight until the job is done, and I’m asking voters to put me in this fight.”

WLOS: Business owners criticize Sen. Thom Tillis for not passing another COVID-19 relief package

By Caitlyn Penter – October 28, 2020

• Sen. Thom Tillis stopped in Fletcher on Wednesday for a rally. As he tours the state in the final days before the election, some are calling him out for not passing another federal COVID-19 relief package.
• “Sen. Thom Tillis is once again missing in action,” said Sen. Terry Van Duyn, who represents District 49 in the North Carolina State Senate.
• “He spent his time laser focused not on critical COVID relief but on rushing through a Supreme Court nominee,” Van Duyn said.
• Carrie Turner, owner of Carrie Turner Photography, said something needs to be done.
• “The PPP program dried up months ago, and we haven’t seen any action from Washington since,” Turner said.
• Jenna Yarosh Wilson, owner of Patton Avenue Pet Co., shared similar concerns.
• “In this very building, both of our upstairs neighbors have now closed due to the pandemic,” she said. “I’m so frustrated by our elected leaders like Senator Tillis.