As candidate filing in North Carolina continues to roll along we aren't so much seeing new themes develop as existing ones confirmed:
-Bill Owens is the latest representative in a Democratic but not overwhelmingly so district to draw a Republican challenge after going unopposed in 2008. He'll face John Woodard Jr. The whole state is cranky right now but the northeastern part seems to be the crankiest and it will be interesting to see what impact that has on Owens as well as Don Davis, Marian McLawhorn, and Alice Graham Underhill among others.
-We have three more primary challenges to incumbents, although two of them are to appointed incumbents. Darren Jackson, appointed to fill out Linda Coleman's term, will face former Knightdale Mayor Jeanne Milliken Bonds. And on the Senate side Michael Walters, finishing David Weinstein's term, will face Benjamin Clark. Clark ran against Weinstein two years ago and got a very respectable 39% of the vote in the primary against the long time incumbent. Also on the Senate side Ed Jones has drawn a challenger from Tee Ferguson.
-I was amused yesterday that two Republican challengers to G.K. Butterfield had filed, but now there are three! John Carter joins the mix. It would be a great use of taxpayer money (in a not at all kind of way) if there ended up being a runoff for the right to max out at 35% of the vote against Butterfield in the fall.
Butterfield's district is only a D+9, which makes it significantly more competitive than say, Massachusetts. If the northeast is the crankiest part of the state, then look for a repeat of the Virginia upset or Massachusetts upset in the NC-1.
ReplyDeleteWhy do you think GK Butterfield is so safe? The black vote will not be what it as in 2008. I'll be surprised if it comprises 19% of the actual vote state-wide, and that district is only marginally minority majority.
ReplyDeleteI'm the First District Chairman of the NCGOP. I'm very excited that we have three candidates seeking the nomination. This is the same District that we had trouble finding anyone to run against G.K. Butterfield. It will be an uphill battle but what race isn't uphill for a conservative in NC
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