After breast cancer diagnosis, NC Democrat takes break from campaign in competitive House race

A Democrat running for a competitive seat in the North Carolina legislature says she is taking a break from her campaign to fight breast cancer.

Local attorney Sydney Batch made the announcement on Facebook on Monday morning. She said her campaign will continue, but she won’t personally be on the campaign trail for the House District 37 seat for “several weeks.”

Batch said she was recently diagnosed with “early, non-invasive breast cancer.”

The district, which covers southern Wake County, is currently held by a retiring Republican. John Adcock, a former candidate for Wake County commissioner, is Batch’s Republican opponent.

“While it’s a diagnosis no woman wants to receive, I consider myself fortunate,” Batch said in a video on Facebook, adding that she has health insurance.

“But I know there are many women that are not as fortunate as myself. I will be able to take time off work and the campaign trail to recover, but many women will not be able to do so because they have to work or simply won’t receive treatment because they don’t have access to health insurance,” she said.

“While I will be out for several weeks from work and from campaigning, I look forward to returning in October.”

Each of the 170 state House and Senate seats are up for election in November. If Democrats pick up either four House seats or six Senate seats, they’ll break the Republican supermajority — meaning Republicans will be less likely to override the vetoes of Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper.

Adcock said his thoughts and prayers are with Batch and her family.

“My wife and I join with so many others praying for God’s grace and healing upon Sydney and strength for her family. All politics aside, we truly wish Sydney a speedy and complete recovery,” Adcock said in an email.

Charles Hellwig, chairman of the Wake County GOP, said in a text that party officials “are so glad this was caught early and hope her treatment and recovery go quickly.” Michele Nix, vice chair of the NC GOP, released a similar statement.

The North Carolina Free Enterprise Foundation considers the race to be one of the most competitive in the state.

Batch’s campaign “is still very much on and she’s gonna be a member of the House in six months,” said Robert Howard, spokesman for the N.C. Democratic Party.

Cancer and the campaign trail

Batch isn’t the first woman to battle cancer while vying for the N.C. General Assembly.

Democrat Mary Belk was diagnosed with breast cancer in September 2016 while campaigning against Republican incumbent Rob Bryan in a southeast Charlotte House district, according to the Charlotte Observer.

After having a lumpectomy late that September, Belk briefly limited her public appearances and spent less time calling potential donors, the Observer reported.

Nonetheless, she went on to beat Bryan by 468 votes.

This story was originally published August 27, 2018 at 12:57 PM.