Voters across North Carolina cast ballots in recent weeks and in large numbers on Tuesday, selecting their party standard-bearers for contests from county commissioner to U.S. Senate.
The marquee Senate race featured no surprises as Democratic front-runner Cheri Beasley, who served as N.C. Supreme Court chief justice before a razor-thin general election loss in 2020, finished well ahead of a crowded field. U.S. Rep. Ted Budd also easily won the Republican nomination over a similarly crowded field in which former Gov. Pat McCrory finished a distant second.
But surprises or remarkable results did take place in races further down the ballot across the state.
In the closely watched race for U.S. House District 11, the westernmost in the state, incumbent and conservative firebrand Madison Cawthorn went down to a narrow defeat by state Sen. Chuck Edwards in the Republican primary.
Cawthorn dominated in the district’s rural counties but trailed Edwards in metropolitan Buncombe and its suburban areas in Henderson and Transylvania counties. This may have indicated a divide between those who preferred Cawthorn’s brand of outspoken conservatism to the more establishment image of Edwards.
Cawthorn, who has been plagued by scandals and controversial statements this year, had the backing of former President Donald Trump. It appeared that this drove some support for Cawthorn but may have turned other voters against him. Edwards received the endorsement of many of the state’s other well-known Republicans.
Buncombe County Commissioner Jasmine Beach-Ferrara easily won the Democratic primary for the seat.
Based on recent history, the district appears likely to lean Republican in the general election.
While U.S. Rep. David Rouzer skated to an easy victory in the Republican primary for District 7, stretching from Fayetteville to Wilmington along the state’s southeastern edge, the Democratic contest to challenge Rouzer proved exceptionally close.
With all precincts reporting late Tuesday, state Sen. Charles Graham held a narrow lead of several hundred votes over Cumberland County Commissioner Charles Evans.
Congress roundup
In congressional contests across the state, the election night results were as follows (in very close races, late-arriving absentee ballots, military votes and provisional ballots, as well as possible recounts, could change the final outcome):
• District 1 Democrats: State Rep. Don Davis won with 63% of the vote.
• District 1 Republicans: Sandy Smith leads with 31% of the vote. Smith previously lost in the 2020 general election for this seat to U.S. Rep. G.K. Butterfield, D-Wilson, who is retiring. According to the News & Observer, Smith blamed that loss on voting machine fraud involving voting machines that are not used in North Carolina.
• District 2 Democrats: U.S. Rep. Deborah Ross was unopposed.
• District 2 Republicans: Former police officer Christine Villaverde won with 55% of the vote.
• District 3 Democrats: Nonprofit organization founder Barbara Gaskins won with 80% of the vote.
• District 3 Republicans: U.S. Rep. Greg Murphy won with 76% of the vote.
• District 4 Democrats: State Sen. Valerie Foushee won with 46% of the vote. Celebrity candidate Clay Aiken finished a distant third with just 7% of the vote.
• District 4 Republicans: Registered nurse Courtney Geels won with 65% of the vote.
• District 5 Democrats: IT worker Kyle Parrish was unopposed.
• District 5 Republicans: U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx won with 77% of the vote.
• District 6 Democrats: Incumbent U.S. Rep. Kathy Manning was unopposed.
• District 6 Republicans: Army veteran and former Pentagon official Christian Castelli leads with 36% of the vote.
• District 7 Democrats: State Sen. Charles Graham leads with 31% of the vote.
• District 7 Republicans: U.S. Rep. David Rouzer won with 79% of the vote.
• District 8 Democrats: Navy veteran and nonprofit founder Scott Huffman was unopposed.
• District 8 Republicans: U.S. Rep. Dan Bishop was unopposed.
• District 9 Democrats: State Sen. Ben Clark was unopposed.
• District 9 Republicans: U.S. Rep. Richard Hudson won with 79% of the vote.
• District 10 Democrats: Army veteran and registered nurse Pam Genant won with 77% of the vote.
• District 10 Republicans: U.S. Rep. Patrick McHenry won with 68% of the vote.
• District 11 Democrats: Buncombe County Commissioner Jasmine Beach-Ferrara won with 60% of the vote.
• District 11 Republicans: State Sen. Chuck Edwards won with 33% of the vote, defeating incumbent Madison Cawthorn, who had 32% of the vote.
• District 12 Democrats: U.S. Rep. Alma Adams won with 92% of the vote.
• District 12 Republicans: Real estate investor Tyler Lee won with 42% of the vote.
• District 13 Democrats: State Sen. Wiley Nickel won with 52% of the vote.
• District 13 Republicans: Former N.C. State football player Bo Hines won with 32% of the vote. Former U.S. Rep. Renee Ellmersfinished a distant fifth in the crowded field, with just 9% of the vote.
• District 14 Democrats: State Sen. Jeff Jackson won with 86% of the vote.
• District 14 Republicans: Army veteran and business owner Pat Harrigan won with 76% of the vote.
Statewide judicial races
North Carolina Republican primary voters had choices in two statewide judicial races, while Democratic candidates for those seats ran unopposed.
In the race for state Supreme Court Associate Justice Seat 5, Trey Allen, a UNC School of Government professor and former Marine Corps judge advocate, won the Republican primary with 55% of the vote.
He will face the Democratic Justice Sam Ervin IV in November.
In Court of Appeals Republican primaries, incumbent Donna Stroud easily defeated a challenge with 59% of the vote and will face her Democratic opponent, former State Rep. Brad Salmon, in November’s general elections.
Republican District Court Judge Michael Stading won his primary with 71% of the vote and will face the Democratic incumbent, Darren Jackson, in November.
Selected legislative contests
The state saw a number of close legislative primary races, some of which will determine the outcome in November in districts where candidates have no major party opposition or where the district was drawn to heavily favor one party.
In other cases, strong incumbents in favorable districts faced no primary opposition, but the opposing party hosted a primary despite slim chances for the winner in November.
With decennial redistricting in play this year, several current legislators were forced to run in new districts. It remains to be seen how some of these candidates will do in the general election if the districts’ political makeup has shifted significantly.
Some of Tuesday’s legislative results follow:
State Senate primaries:
• Senate District 1 Republicans: Incumbent Norman Sanderson won with 55% of the vote.
• Senate District 3 Democrats: Challenger Valerie Jordan won with 60% of the vote, defeating incumbent Ernestine Bazemore.
• Senate District 4 Democrats: Incumbent Toby Fitch won with 54% of the vote.
• Senate District 4 Republicans: Former State Sen. Buck Newtonwon with 68% of the vote.
• Senate District 5 Democrats: State Rep. Kandie Smith won with 86% of the vote.
• Senate District 10 Republicans: Lawyer Benton Sawrey won with 66% of the vote.
• Senate District 12 Republicans: Incumbent Jim Burgin won with 53% of the vote.
• Senate District 13 Democrats: Lawyer Lisa Grafstein won with 66% of the vote.
• Senate District 13 Republicans: Businessman David Bankert won with 52% of the vote.
• Senate District 18 Republicans: Businessman E.C. Sykes won with 85% of the vote.
• Senate District 19 Democrats: Fayetteville Council member and former Mayor Val Applewhite won with 56% of the vote over incumbent Kirk DeViere, who finished with 37%. Applewhite benefited from an unusual endorsement of a primary challenger from Gov. Roy Cooper.
• Senate District 19 Republicans: Former state Sen. Wesley Meredith won with 72% of the vote.
• Senate District 22 Republicans: Army veteran and nonprofit director Larry Coleman won with 68% of the vote.
• Senate District 23 Democrats: State Rep. Graig Meyer won with 82% of the vote.
• Senate District 23 Republicans: Businessman Landon Woodswon with 58% of the vote.
• Senate District 30 Republicans: State Sen. Steve Jarvis, who currently represents District 29, won with 66% of the vote.
• Senate District 36 Republicans: Wilkes County Commissioner Eddie Settle won with 37% of the vote.
• Senate District 37 Republicans: State Sen. Vickie Sawyer, who currently represents District 34, won with 82% of the vote.
• Senate District 42 Republicans: Cardiologist Dr. Cheryl Russonarrowly leads businessman Scott Stone by fewer than 200 votes.
• Senate District 46 Republicans: Incumbent Warren Daniel won with 61% of the vote.
• Senate District 47 Republicans: Incumbent Ralph Hise narrowly leads state Sen. Deanna Ballard, who currently represents District 45, by a little more than 300 votes.
• Senate District 49 Democrats: Incumbent Julie Mayfield won with 68% of the vote.
State House primaries:
• House District 6 Republicans: Joe Pike leads Murray Simpkins by about 75 votes.
• House District 8 Democrats: Gloristine Brown won with 59% of the vote.
• House District 13 Republicans: Celeste Cairns won with 55% of the vote.
• House District 42 Democrats: Incumbent Marvin Lucas won with 56% of the vote.
• House District 43 Democrats: Elmer Floyd won with 60% of the vote.
• House District 43 Republicans: Incumbent Diane Wheatley leads Clarence Goins Jr. by about 120 votes.
• House District 52 Republicans: State Rep. Ben Moss, who currently represents District 66, won with 53% of the vote over incumbent Jamie Boles.
• House District 63 Republicans: Stephen Ross leads Ed Priola by about 150 votes.
• House District 66 Democrats: Sarah Crawford leads Wesley Knott by about 130 votes.
• House District 70 Republicans: Randolph County school board member Brian Biggs won with 52% of the vote over incumbent Pat Hurley.
• House District 71 Democrats: Kanika Brown won with 48% of the vote.
• House District 83 Republicans: Kevin Crutchfield won with 45% of the vote.
• House District 89 Republicans: Incumbent Mitchell Setzer won with 57% of the vote.
• House District 103 Democrats: Laura Budd won with 57% of the vote.
• House District 109 Republicans: Incumbent Donnie Loftis, who was appointed to complete the term of a deceased House member, won in his own right with 34% of the vote.
• House District 112 Democrats: Former state Rep. Tricia Cotham won with 48% of the vote.
• House District 117 Republicans: Jennifer Capps Balkcom leads Chelsea Walsh by about 140 votes.
District attorneys
• District 1 (Gates, Chowan, Perquimans, Pasquotank, Camden, Currituck and Dare counties): Assistant District Attorney Jeff Cruden won the Republican primary with 59% of the vote. Democrats did not field a candidate for this seat.
• District 2 (Tyrrell, Washington, Martin, Beaufort and Hyde counties): Democratic incumbent District Attorney Seth Edwards ran unopposed.
• District 3 (Pitt County): Democratic incumbent District Attorney Faris Dixon ran unopposed.
• District 4 (Craven, Pamlico and Carteret counties): Republican incumbent District Attorney Scott Thomas ran unopposed.
• District 5 (Sampson, Duplin, Jones and Onslow counties): Republican incumbent District Attorney Ernie Lee won with 69% of the vote. Democrats did not field a candidate for this seat.
• District 6 (Pender and New Hanover counties): Democratic incumbent District Attorney Ben David ran unopposed.
• District 7 (Halifax, Northampton, Hertford, Bertie): Assistant District Attorney Kim Gourrier Scott won the Democratic primary with 51% of the vote to about 49% of the vote for former Assistant District Attorney Jamal Summey. In a close race to replace a retiring district attorney, Scott held a 500-vote lead. Republicans did not field a candidate for this seat.
• District 8 (Nash, Edgecombe and Wilson counties): Democratic incumbent District Attorney Robert Evans ran unopposed.
• District 9 (Wayne, Greene and Lenoir counties): Republican incumbent District Attorney Matthew Delbridge ran unopposed.
• District 10 (Wake County): Democratic incumbent District Attorney Lorrin Freeman won with 59% of the vote. She will face a general election challenge from Attorney Jeff Dobson, who ran unopposed in the Republican primary.
• District 11 (Person, Granville, Vance, Franklin and Warren counties): Democratic incumbent District Attorney Mike Walters ran unopposed.
• District 13 (Johnston County): Republican incumbent District Attorney Susan Doyle ran unopposed.
• District 14 (Cumberland County): Democratic incumbent District Attorney Billy West ran unopposed.
• District 15 (Bladen, Columbus and Brunswick counties): Republican incumbent District Attorney Jon David ran unopposed.
• District 16 (Durham County): Democratic incumbent District Attorney Satana Deberry won with 79% of the vote. Republicans did not field a candidate for this seat.
• District 17 (Alamance County): Republican incumbent District Attorney Sean Boone ran unopposed.
• District 18 (Chatham and Orange counties): Assistant District Attorney Jeff Nieman won the Democratic primary with 60% of the vote. Republicans did not field a candidate for this seat.
• District 20 (Robeson County): Democratic incumbent District Attorney Matt Scott ran unopposed.
• District 21 (Anson, Richmond and Scotland counties): Democratic incumbent District Attorney Reece Saunders ran unopposed.
• District 22 (Caswell and Rockingham counties): Republican incumbent District Attorney Jason Ramey ran unopposed.
• District 23 (Stokes and Surry counties): Republican incumbent District Attorney Tim Watson, who was appointed to finish the term of retired District Attorney Ricky Bowman, ran unopposed.
• District 24 (Guilford County): Democratic incumbent District Attorney Avery Crump defeated newcomer Brent Boyce.
unopposed.
• District 25 (Cabarrus County): Republican Assistant District Attorney Ashlie Shanley ran unopposed.
• District 26 (Mecklenburg County): Democratic incumbent District Attorney Spencer Merriweather won with 71% of the vote. Republicans did not field a candidate for this seat.
• District 27 (Rowan County): Republican incumbent District Attorney Brandy Cook won with 61% of the vote. Democrats did not field a candidate for this seat.
• District 28 (Stanly and Montgomery counties): Republican incumbent District Attorney T. Lynn Clodfelter ran unopposed.
• District 30 (Union County): Republican incumbent District Attorney Trey Robison ran unopposed.
• District 31 (Forsyth County): Republican incumbent District Attorney Jim O’Neill ran unopposed in the primary. He will face Former District Court Judge Denise Hartsfield, who ran unopposed in the Democratic primary, in the general election in November.
• District 33 (Davidson and Davie counties): Republican incumbent District Attorney Garry Frank ran unopposed.
• District 34 (Ashe, Alleghany, Wilkes and Yadkin counties): Republican incumbent District Attorney Tom Horner ran unopposed.
• District 35 (Avery, Madison, Mitchell, Watauga and Yancey counties): Republican incumbent District Attorney Seth Banksran unopposed.
• District 36 (Burke, Caldwell and Catawba counties): Republican incumbent District Attorney Scott Reilly ran unopposed.
• District 38 (Gaston County): Republican incumbent District Attorney Travis Page ran unopposed.
• District 39 (Cleveland and Lincoln counties): Republican incumbent District Attorney Mike Miller ran unopposed.
• District 40 (Buncombe County): Democratic incumbent District Attorney Todd Williams holds a slim 155-vote lead over challenger Courtney Booth, an Asheville attorney. According to multiple news media reports Wednesday, if a margin in that narrow range holds following canvassing, the race could be eligible for a recount if Booth requests one.
• District 41 (Rutherford and McDowell counties): Republican incumbent District Attorney Ted Bell won with 61% of the vote. Democrats did not field a candidate for this seat.
• District 42 (Henderson, Transylvania and Polk counties): Republican incumbent District Attorney Andrew Murray won with 63% of the vote. Murray, the former U.S. Attorney for the district, was appointed to fulfill the term of former District Attorney Greg Newman after the courts removed him from office last year. Democrats did not field a candidate for this seat.
• District 43 (Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Jackson, Macon and Swain counties): Republican incumbent District Attorney Ashley Welch ran unopposed.