CUNNINGHAM, TILLIS TALK BIPARTISAN FRIENDSHIPS.

• Author: Campbell, Colin
• Position: NC TREND: Public affairs

You'd think spending millions of dollars to attack each other on TV would ruin a friendship. But U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis and his 2020 Democratic challenger, Cal Cunningham, are still buddies who meet for lunch occasionally.

The two shared a stage at UNC Chapel Hill in November to talk about building friendships across the political divide--a timely topic as politicians nurse their wounds and resentments from this year's campaign.

Both men joked about the Cunningham campaign's infamous tweet that made it appear that the Lexington native didn't know the difference between barbecue and grilling. "Bless my out-of-state staff," Cunningham said.

They say they managed to keep it cordial even during the campaign, joking around during breaks from their televised debate. Tillis said the kind of friendship he has with Cunningham is common among U.S. senators from opposing...