By L.A. Williams
Christian Action League
May 7, 2014
As many speculated, Thom Tillis will face Kay Hagan for U.S. Senate this November. The Speaker of the N.C. House earned 45.69 percent of the vote, beating out seven other GOP contenders for the ballot slot. Greg Brannon captured 27.14 percent of the Republican vote, with Mark Harris coming in third at 17.56 percent. Hagan, a Democrat incumbent, won her race handily (77.24 percent) against Will Stewart and Ernest Reeves.
Incumbent Renee Ellmers was the GOP pick for U.S. House District 2, beating out Frank Roche by 18 percentage points. She’ll face Democrat Clay Aiken, an avowed homosexual and well-known pop singer. Aiken is expected to beat out Keith Crisco and Toni Morris on the Democrat ballot. But the race is so tight with Aiken garnering 40.83 to Crisco’s 39.54 percent, it’s still too close to call.
As anticipated, there will be a run-off for the GOP nomination for U.S. House District 6, as Phil Berger Jr. was the top vote-getter but didn’t receive 40 percent of the vote. Mark Walker came in second in the crowded race that saw nine Republicans eyeing the seat being vacated by long-time Congressman Howard Coble, who announced late last year he would be retiring. The run-off is set for July 15. Democrat Laura Fjeld received her party’s nod for the seat with 56 percent of the vote over Bruce Davis. Republican incumbent Virginia Foxx won her primary handily with more than 75% of the vote. Her anticipated Democratic opponent, Josh Brannon, who was leading with 33% of the vote, appears to be facing a run-off with Gardenia Henley of Winston Salem.
In District 7, David Rouzer (R) will face Jonathan Barfield Jr. (D) in November. And in District 12, Alma Adams, currently a member of the N.C. House, took the Democratic primary and will run against GOP winner Vince Coakley this November.
Three incumbents to the North Carolina General Assembly lost their primaries. Rep. Roger Younts (R-Davidson), who replaced Rep. Jerry Dockham is now unable to serve a full term. Younts was ousted by a Davidson County Commissioner, Sam Waterford. Rep. Annie Mobley (D-Hertford), lost to Howard Hunter III. Long-time Democratic icon, Sen. Clark Jenkins (D-Edgecombe, lost his primary to a school teacher Erica smith-Ingram.
In another high profile race, Mark Chilton received 42.5 percent of the vote for Register of Deeds in Orange County, followed by Deborah Brooks, who got 39 percent and Sara Stephens, 18. Chilton has promised to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples despite the fact that such unions are against state law and the N.C. Constitution.In other election news, Tar Heel voters chose to keep Associate Justice Robin Hudson on the N.C. Supreme Court. A Democrat, she earned 42.5 percent of the vote against Republicans Eric Levinson (37.63 percent) and Jeanette Doran (20.86 percent).
Also significant at the polls, Bladen County voters defeated malt beverage sales, 54 to 46 percent and wine sales, 53 to 47 percent. Sampson County gave a more resounding “no,” to malt beverage and wine sales, voting them down 63 to 37 percent.
Areas of the state expanding alcohol sales included Pender County, which approved malt beverages, 61 to 39 percent; Carteret County, where mixed drink sales won, 73 percent to 27 percent; Northampton County, which voted 65 to 35 percent for mixed beverages; and Rockingham County, where voters OK’d mixed beverage sales 58 to 42 percent and an ABC store, 62 to 38 percent. The Cleveland County town of Patterson Springs voted 72 to 28 percent for malt beverage sales and 77 to 23 percent for unfortified wine.
Unfortunately, Bladen and Sampson Counties were the only wins in defeating an expansion of alcohol sales. But they were also the only communities that requested help from the Christian Action League in developing opposition.
For more election results, see the State Board of Elections Web site at http://www.ncsbe.gov/ncsbe/.
