Brooks Pierce Capital Dispatch: Updates from the NC General Assembly and Governor’s Office, May 20, 2022
North Carolina voters chose nominees in Tuesday’s primary elections and the General Assembly reconvened this week in Raleigh.
Primary Elections
After Tuesday’s primary elections, party nominees for a number of important offices are set.
- U.S. Senate
Former state Supreme Court Chief Justice Cheri Beasley won the Democratic nomination with 81%. Congressman Ted Budd won the Republican nomination with 59% defeating former Gov. Pat McCrory and former Congressman Mark Walker.
- U.S. House
North Carolina gained a U.S. House seat after the 2020 census and now has 14 seats. Republicans currently hold an 8-5 majority in the state’s delegation.
Here are some notable primary results:
+ 1st CD
Democratic state Sen. Don Davis defeated state Sen. Erica Smith by 63% to 31%. Current Congressman GK Butterfield endorsed Davis. Sandy Smith is the Republican nominee after defeating Rocky Mount Mayor Sandy Roberson by 31% to 27%.
+ 4th CD
Democratic state Sen. Valerie Foushee defeated Durham County Commissioner Nida Allam by 46% to 37%. Foushee will now face Republican nominee Courtney Geels.
+ 7th CD
Democratic state House member Charles Graham won the nomination with 31% and will now face Republican Congressman David Rouzer.
+ 11th CD
Republican state Sen. Chuck Edwards defeated Congressman Madison Cawthorn by 33% to 32%. Edwards will now face Democratic nominee and Buncombe County Commissioner Jasmine Beach-Ferrara.
+ 13th CD
Democratic state Sen. Wiley Nickel defeated former state Sen. Sam Searcy by 52% to 23%. He will now face Bo Hines, a first-time candidate who was endorsed by former President Trump. Hines won the Republican primary with 32%.
- Supreme Court
The two Supreme Court seats on the ballot are both held by Democrats, who have a 4-3 majority on the Court. Republicans chose Trey Allen, general counsel at the Administrative Office of the Courts, to face incumbent Democratic Justice Jim Ervin. Republican Richard Dietz and Democrat Lucy Inman, both current members of the Court of Appeals, were unopposed in their primaries and will be opponents in November for the other seat that is being vacated by Justice Robin Hudson.
- General Assembly
Republicans currently hold majorities in both houses of the General Assembly (69-51 in the House and 28-22 in the Senate). To obtain “supermajority” status and thus be able to override gubernatorial vetoes if members vote by party, they would need to gain three seats in the House and two in the Senate.
Some incumbents were defeated in Tuesday’s primaries including members that were “double bunked” (that is, drawn into the same district with another incumbent after redistricting). Sen. Norm Sanderson (R-Pamlico) defeated Sen. Bob Steinburg (R-Chowan), while Sen. Ralph Hise (R-Mitchell) is leading Sen. Deanna Ballard (R-Watauga) by about 400 votes in unofficial returns. In the House, Rep. Jake Johnson (R-Polk) defeated Rep. David Rogers (R-Rutherford) and Rep. Ben Moss (R-Richmond) defeated Rep. Jamie Boles (R-Moore). In addition, former Fayetteville City Councilwoman Val Applewhite defeated Democratic state Sen. Kirk DeViere (D-Cumberland), former NC DOT board member Valerie Jordan of Warren County defeated Democratic Sen. Ernestine Bazemore (D-Bertie), and Randolph County school board member Brian Biggs defeated incumbent House member Pat Hurley (R-Randolph).
Legislators Begin 2022 Session
Legislators returned to Raleigh this week for their even-numbered year “short” session.
The primary item of business will be adjusting the second year of the biennial budget law enacted in 2021. Members usually seek to pass this bill by June 30, the end of the current fiscal year. Legislators may consider other bills such as sports betting, medical marijuana and video lottery terminals.
For more information, contact a member of the Brooks Pierce Government Affairs Team.
