Notable North Carolina races, 2016
| Notable North Carolina Races | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Primary | March 15, 2016 |
| General | November 8, 2016 |
| 2016 Notable Races | |
|---|---|
| Choose a state below: | |
Among the nine battleground contests Ballotpedia identified in the 2016 state-level North Carolina primaries, contests for state executive offices featured prominently.
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Overview
- Main articles: North Carolina State Senate elections, 2016 and North Carolina House of Representatives elections, 2016
Before the general election, Republicans held the state House and state Senate majorities by 29 and 18 seats, respectively. The legislature remained in Republican control after 2016, with the possibility of a small shift in either direction.
Key races
The winner of the Democratic primary faced the incumbent Republican lieutenant governor in November. The treasurer and attorney general were Democrats, both of whom did not seek re-election, leaving those seats open to Republican pick-ups in November.
Lieutenant Governor
With no runoff primary, the candidate with the most votes in the four-way, Democratic race moved on to face the GOP incumbent in the general election. Linda Coleman (D), a former state representative, narrowly lost the lieutenant governor election to Dan Forest (R) in 2012; she defeated Holly Jones (D), a Buncombe County commissioner; Ronald L. Newton (D), a Durham businessman; and Robert Wilson (D), a state employee, in the primary.[1] Coleman and Libertarian candidate Jacki Cole were defeated by Republican incumbent Dan Forest in the November general election.
Attorney General
With the Democratic incumbent running for Governor of North Carolina, the attorney general contest featured an open seat, with the possibility of a Republican pick-up in November. State Senator Buck Newton (R) defeated Forsyth County district attorney Jim O'Neill (R) in the Republican primary. Prosecutorial experience was a major issue in the campaign.[2] Newton faced former state Sen. Josh Stein (D) in the November general election.
Treasurer
The Democratic incumbent did not run for re-election, leaving the seat open to a Republican pick-up in November. Dan Blue III (D), a Raleigh attorney and son of state Senator Dan Blue Jr., defeated Ron Elmer (D), a CPA and former 2012 candidate for treasurer, for the Democratic nomination. The state's public pensions were a major issue.[3] Former State Rep. Dale Folwell (R) defeated Blue in the November general election.
What makes a race a battleground?
Ballotpedia uses these criteria to identify battleground races:
- Republicans and Democrats who challenge incumbents they consider insufficiently conservative or liberal
- Rematches between candidates
- Races that receive considerable media attention, including national media attention
- Races that could affect the partisan or veto-proof balance of chamber control
- Noteworthy races involving party leaders
- Open, competitive races with Republican and Democratic primaries
- Races that capture money or attention from outside groups, including key endorsements
North Carolina state executives
- Main article: North Carolina state executive official elections, 2016
Lieutenant Governor
With no runoff primary, the candidate with the most votes in the four-way race faced the GOP incumbent.
Four candidates vied for the Democratic nomination to challenge incumbent Dan Forest (R) in the November 8 general election: Linda Coleman (D), a former state representative who narrowly lost the lieutenant governor election to Forest in 2012; she defeated Holly Jones (D), a Buncombe County commissioner; Ronald L. Newton (D), a Durham businessman; and Robert Wilson (D), a state employee.[1]
Coleman, the most recognizable figure among the four, won the primary election on March 15, 2016. She based her campaign on increasing education funding, which, in turn, she states, would boost the recovering economy.[4] Jones had pointed to the need for local infrastructure, the development of which she said is stymied by the Republican-majority legislature.[1] Wilson proposed a seven-point plan that included a focus on job growth and a better economy; Newton touched on a broad range of issues in his campaign, including tax reform and education, and had come under fire for calling himself a lawyer in interviews when he is not a licensed attorney. Newton responded with the distinction that he graduated from NCCU School of Law but never took the bar.[5]
Below were key endorsements for Coleman, Jones, Newton and Wilson:[6][7]
| Key endorsements | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Coleman | Jones | Newton | Wilson |
| Charlotte Observer | Indy Week | Asheville City Councilman Cecil Bothwell | Eastern North Carolina Civic Group |
| NC State AFL-CIO | Winston-Salem Journal | ||
| Wilmington Journal | |||
| State Employees Association of North Carolina | |||
Attorney General
A county district attorney challenged his state representative opponent on experience.
Incumbent Attorney General Roy Cooper (D) ran for Governor of North Carolina, leaving the attorney general seat open. State Senator Buck Newton (R) defeated Forsyth County district attorney Jim O'Neill (R) in the Republican primary.
O'Neill characterized his opponent as lacking experience during the primary campaigns. “I have prosecuted every case imaginable under the sun, and hands down, I’m the most battle-tested candidate in the race," he said in February 2016.[8] O'Neill and Newton butted heads in 2014 over legislation backed by Newton that moved the State Bureau of Investigation into the Department of Public Safety. The bureau had previously been under the purview of the attorney general, where O'Neill says it belongs.[2]
"It's a very important agency...and it's very important we remove politics from it," Newton responded on the matter.[2] He also pointed to his experience as a legislator and attorney as preparation for the duties of attorney general, which, he said, do not include prosecution.[2] Newton is a private practice lawyer and was elected to the state senate in 2010.
Below were key endorsements for Newton and O'Neill.[9][10]
| Key endorsements | |
|---|---|
| Newton | O'Neill |
| House Speaker Timothy K. Moore (R) | North Carolina Police Benevolent Association |
| State Senator Kathy Harrington (R) | Charlotte Observer |
| Grass Roots North Carolina | |
Treasurer
Democratic candidates focused on the state's pensions.
Incumbent Janet Cowell (D) announced in 2015 that she would not seek re-election despite eligibility. Candidate Dan Blue III (D), a Raleigh attorney and son of state Senator Dan Blue Jr., defeated Ron Elmer (D), a CPA and former 2012 candidate for treasurer, for the Democratic nomination.[3]
Elmer and Blue differed on how to manage the state's pension fund, which had weakened significantly over the past 15 years.[11] Elmer wanted to eliminate outside managers and bring control of the fund back into the treasurer's office, while Blue cautioned against a sweeping change, stating that the government "owe[s] a fiduciary obligation to the retirees to find the best managers they can find."[12]
Elmer criticized Blue for his career on Wall Street and for holding a fundraiser in New York City, denouncing the move as a "quick pay-out."[12][11] Blue countered that his career experience on Wall Street in fact makes him particularly "suitable for this wonky position."[12]
Blue reported significantly more funds than Elmer at the end of February. Just prior to the primary election, Blue had $103,961 in cash on hand compared to $2,295 for Elmer.[13][13]
| Key endorsements, Democratic primary election[14][11] | |
|---|---|
| Dan Blue III (D) | Ron Elmer (D) |
| Winston-Salem Journal | Forbes |
| Indy Week | State Employees Association of North Carolina |
| Incumbent Treasurer Janet Cowell | The Charlotte Observer |
| North Carolina Association of Educators | |
| Equality North Carolina | |
North Carolina State Senate
- Main article: North Carolina State Senate elections, 2016
District 16
A Democratic candidate challenged his opponent's past donations to Republicans.
Incumbent Sen. Josh Stein (D) did not run for re-election. Jay Chaudhuri (D), a private attorney and former staffer to Treasurer Janet Cowell and Attorney General Roy Cooper, defeated Ellis Hankins (D), former executive director of the North Carolina League of Municipalities in the Democratic primary.
Chaudhuri questioned Hankins' Democratic credentials, bringing up Hankins' donations to Republican candidates in the 1990s, like U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx (R). Chaudhuri distributed campaign mailers stating that Hankins "has a long record of supporting right-wing Republicans."[15]
Hankins confirmed that he donated between $100 and $200 to Republican candidates in 1995 and 1996 after he had been asked by a former law partner to provide small donations to Republicans after the party's takeover of the General Assembly of North Carolina in 1994. "I reluctantly made some of those, and it was 21 years ago," Hankins said. Hankins also criticized Chaudhuri for raising the issue, commenting that "we should be focused on issues that matter to people and their qualifications to serve."[15]
Below were key endorsements for Chaudhuri and Hankins.[16][17]
| Key endorsements | |
|---|---|
| Chaudhuri | Hankins |
| American Federation of Teachers - North Carolina | Former Treasurer Richard Moore |
| NARAL Pro-Choice North Carolina | State Employees Association of North Carolina |
| North Carolina State AFL-CIO | Former Raleigh Mayor Smedes York |
| Raleigh Police Protective Association | |
| Raleigh Professional Fire Fighters Association | |
| Teamsters Local 391 | |
North Carolina House of Representatives
- Main article: North Carolina House of Representatives elections, 2016
District 6
A past candidate ran again for the Republican nomination for a seat held by an unaffiliated incumbent.
Incumbent State Rep. Paul Tine, who was a Democrat before he changed to "unaffiliated" and caucused with Republicans in 2015, did not run for re-election. Beverly Boswell (R) defeated Ashley Woolard (R), who also lost the Republican primary in 2014. Warren Judge (D) defeated Judy Justice (D) in the Democratic primary.
House District 6 was one of just 10 open-seat districts with general election competition in 2016. The outgoing incumbent was the sole nonpartisan member of the state House.
Boswell received key endorsements from the North Carolina Conservative Political Action Committee, a limited government organization, and Grassroots North Carolina, a Second Amendment rights organization.[18]
District 20
A Republican candidate challenged her opponent over ties to a Hillary Clinton aide.
Incumbent State Rep. Rick Catlin (R) did not run for re-election. Holly Grange (R), a community relations director for a private company, defeated Tammy Covil (R), a New Hanover County School Board member, in the Republican primary.
Covil questioned Grange’s connection to Sidney Blumenthal, a long-time Democratic aide to Hillary Clinton who once worked with a company headed by Grange’s husband, retired Army major general David L. Grange. Covil purchased the url name www.hollygrange.com to link Grange with Blumenthal and Clinton, who was Secretary of State during the 2011 attacks in Benghazi, Libya. Covil said that Blumenthal was "actively lobbying to secure lucrative contracts" on behalf of Osprey Global Solutions, where Grange serves as community relations director.[19][20]
Calling the allegations "categorically false and misleading," Grange responded that her husband’s company worked indirectly with Blumenthal in Libya on humanitarian matters and that the company Blumenthal worked for "would have been more or less a partner" on issues such as providing medical care for Libyan citizens.[19][20]
Below were key endorsements for Covil and Grange.[21][22]
| Key endorsements | |
|---|---|
| Covil | Grange |
| State Rep. Chris Miller | State Sen. Michael Lee |
| State House Majority Leader Mike Hager | State Sen. Bill Rabon |
District 36
An incumbent faced a conservative challenger as a conservative donor spent $40,000 to unseat him.
Incumbent State Rep. Nelson Dollar (R) defeated business owner Mark Villee (R) in the Republican primary.
According to North Carolina Public Radio, the House District 36 race "is one of the only General Assembly races featuring TV ads." Villee and Dollar sparred over their conservative views.[23]
Villee questioned Dollar's conservative credentials, arguing that Dollar promoted more government spending as budget chairman. "I would coin it [the race] as the people versus the establishment. ... Rep. Dollar has become the representative for the establishment," Villee said. Dollar responded that Villee's characterization of his tenure was wrong. "It's easy for someone to make false criticisms when they have no clue what they're talking about," Dollar said. In a TV ad, Dollar touted his 95 percent rating from the American Conservative Union and his endorsement from former North Carolina Speaker and U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis.[23][24]
Conservative business owner Bob Luddy spent roughly $40,000 in independent expenditures to defeat Dollar. Luddy's website StopNelsonDollar.com said Dollar represents special interest groups over his constituents. Luddy also called Villee "a hard-working guy who has common sense."[24]
Dollar reported significantly more campaign cash on hand at the end of 2015. As of December 31, 2015, Dollar reported $227,696 cash on hand compared to just $100 for Villee.[25][26]
District 67
An incumbent critical of Republican leadership faced a primary opponent.
Incumbent State Rep. Justin Burr (R) defeated Lane O. Burris (R), a former captain of the Stanly County Sheriff's Office.
According to the News & Observer, "Insiders say Burris might get financial backing from establishment Republicans to try to oust Burr."[27]
Burr criticized Republican House Speaker Tim Moore for "pushing an agenda that does not align with the Republican’s promises to be efficient and effective with the taxpayers’ dollars." Burr ran against Moore and other House Republicans for the speakership in 2015 to replace the outgoing Thom Tillis, who was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2014. Burr said that Moore was not building on Tillis' "success" as speaker. Moore responded that he was "disappointed" in Burr's comments and that "folks in his [Burr’s] district deserve better than that."[27]
Below were key endorsements for Burris and Burr.[28][29]
| Key endorsements | |
|---|---|
| Burr | Burris |
| North Carolina Right to Life | North Carolina Chamber of Commerce |
| National Rifle Association | |
District 92
The two candidates focused on taxes and toll roads.
Incumbent State Rep. Charles Jeter (R) defeated Tom Davis (R) in the Republican primary. Jeter won the general election by a margin of five points in 2014 and just three points in 2012.
Jeter and Davis focused on taxes in their campaigns. Jeter defended his record in the state House, arguing that the state cut income taxes by nearly $3.1 billion over the next seven years. "It’s easy to tell people what you’re going to do when you haven’t actually voted or done anything. I have a proven track record in Raleigh of doing what I said I was going to do, and I’ve accomplished a lot," Jeter said. Davis countered that Jeter's statement was a "misrepresentation," arguing that Jeter and other legislators added new taxes and fees in addition to income tax cuts.[30]
Both candidates campaigned on reforming the Interstate-77 toll road project, a controversial agreement between North Carolina and the Spanish company Cintra for toll roads near Charlotte, North Carolina. While acknowleding that he voted for a bill allowing state transportation officials to negotiate three toll contracts, Jeter said he now supports canceling the agreement with Cintra, which would build and operate the toll roads. Davis said he would cancel the toll road contract if elected.[30][31]
Jeter reported significantly more campaign cash on hand at the end of 2015. As of December 31, 2015, Jeter had $22,989 cash on hand compared to just $207 for Davis.[32][32]
Freshman legislators
The following is a list of challengers who won election on November 8.
- Amos Quick (Democratic), .North Carolina House of Representatives, District 58
- Andy Dulin (Republican), .North Carolina House of Representatives, District 104
- Beverly Boswell (Republican), .North Carolina House of Representatives, District 6
- Brenden Jones (Republican), .North Carolina House of Representatives, District 46
- Cathy Dunn (Republican), .North Carolina State Senate, District 33
- Chaz Beasley (Democratic), .North Carolina House of Representatives, District 92
- Cody Henson (Republican), .North Carolina House of Representatives, District 113
- Cynthia Ball (Democratic), .North Carolina House of Representatives, District 49
- Dan Bishop (Republican), .North Carolina State Senate, District 39
- Danny Earl Britt (Republican), .North Carolina State Senate, District 13
- Destin Hall (Republican), .North Carolina House of Representatives, District 87
- Donna McDowell White (Republican), .North Carolina House of Representatives, District 26
- Joe John (Democratic), .North Carolina House of Representatives, District 40
- John Autry (Democratic), .North Carolina House of Representatives, District 100
- John Sauls (Republican), .North Carolina House of Representatives, District 51
- Kevin Corbin (Republican), .North Carolina House of Representatives, District 120
- Larry Potts (Republican), .North Carolina House of Representatives, District 81
- Larry Strickland (Republican), .North Carolina House of Representatives, District 28
- Linda Hunt-Williams (Republican), .North Carolina House of Representatives, District 37
- Mary Belk (Democratic), .North Carolina House of Representatives, District 88
- Mike Clampitt (Republican), .North Carolina House of Representatives, District 119
- Paul Newton (North Carolina) (Republican), .North Carolina State Senate, District 36
- Rick Horner (Republican), .North Carolina State Senate, District 11
- Terry Garrison (Democratic), .North Carolina House of Representatives, District 32
Defeated incumbents
The following is a list of incumbents who were defeated on November 8.
- Brad Salmon (Democratic), .North Carolina House of Representatives, District 51
- Gary Pendleton (Republican), .North Carolina House of Representatives, District 49
- Jane W. Smith (Democratic), .North Carolina State Senate, District 13
- Joe Sam Queen (Democratic), .North Carolina House of Representatives, District 119
- Marilyn Avila (Republican), .North Carolina House of Representatives, District 40
- Rob Bryan (Republican), .North Carolina House of Representatives, District 88
See also
- North Carolina House of Representatives
- North Carolina State Legislature
- State legislative elections, 2016
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 WRAL.com, "Four candidates in winner-take-all Democratic lieutenant governor race," March 4, 2016
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 WRAL.com, "Senator, prosecutor seek Republican nod for AG," March 3, 2016
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 The News & Observer, "Ron Elmer gets key endorsement from SEANC in treasurer's race
- ↑ WECT, "Lieutenant Governor candidate Linda Coleman visits Wilmington," March 2, 2016
- ↑ The News & Observer, "Candidate Ronald Newton calls himself a lawyer but not an attorney," February 5, 2016
- ↑ Citizen-Times, "Holly Jones gets key endorsements -- but not Bothwell's," March 4, 2016
- ↑ Robert E. Wilson for Lt. Governor, "Endorsements," accessed March 9, 2016
- ↑ Winston-Salem Journal, "Forsyth County DA Jim O'Neill seeks Attorney General; says he's the most qualified," February 26, 2016
- ↑ The News & Observer, "NC Sen. Buck Newton launches run for attorney general," June 1, 2015
- ↑ Facebook, "Buck Newton," accessed March 9, 2016
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Forbes, "North Carolina Finally Has A Good Choice For State Treasurer," March 1, 2016
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 The Charlotte Observer, "Democrats running for NC treasurer differ on changes to state pension," March 2, 2016
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 NCSBE.gov, "Political Committee Disclosure Report," accessed March 10, 2016 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "NCSBE" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ Blue for North Carolina, "News & Headlines," accessed March 9, 2016
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 News & Observer, "Democratic state Senate candidate Hankins gave to Republicans in ’90s," March 4, 2016
- ↑ Hankins for NC Senate, "Endorsements," accessed March 7, 2016
- ↑ Jay for NC, "Endorsements," accessed March 7, 2016
- ↑ Beaufort Observer, "Boswell wins 2 key statewide conservative endorsements in House race," March 5, 2016
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 wwaytv3.com, "Covil Fires First Shot in NC House Race, Linking Grange to Clinton Friend Blumenthal," November 18, 2015
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 WECT-6, "Grange responds to website paid for by Covil campaign," February 15, 2016
- ↑ Holly Grange for House, "Home page," accessed March 7, 2016
- ↑ Covil for NC House, "Home page," accessed March 7, 2016
- ↑ 23.0 23.1 WUNC.org, "An Incumbent Vies For Re-election In The Year Of The Outsider," March 3, 2016
- ↑ 24.0 24.1 WRAL.com, "Budget chairman faces challenge on conservative credentials," February 14, 2016
- ↑ NCSBE.gov, "Political Campaign Disclosure Report," accessed March 10, 2016
- ↑ NCSBE.gov, "Political Campaign Disclosure Report," accessed March 10, 2016
- ↑ 27.0 27.1 Newsobserver.com, "Republican Rep. Justin Burr blasts House Speaker Tim Moore," December 2, 2015
- ↑ Justin Burr Facebook page, "Justin Burr - NC House," accessed March 7, 2016
- ↑ Lane Burris Facebook page, "Lane Burris for NC House," accessed March 7, 2016
- ↑ 30.0 30.1 Herald Weekly, "Jeter, Davis face off in Republican Primary," March 3, 2016
- ↑ Charlotte Observer, "I-77 tolls could take a political toll," November 24, 2015
- ↑ 32.0 32.1 NCSBE.gov, "Political Campaign Report," accessed March 10, 2016 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "NCBE" defined multiple times with different content
