Cabarrus GOP picks commission chair to replace Sen. Newton in NC legislature
The Cabarrus County Republican Party picked Cabarrus County Commission Chair Chris Measmer to replace former Sen. Paul Newton in North Carolina’s General Assembly.
Newton announced his resignation in March after accepting a job as general counsel for UNC-Chapel Hill. Now, Gov. Josh Stein has six days to accept the party’s recommendation and appoint Measmer to represent Cabarrus County in the state’s 34th Senate District. The district covers most of Cabarrus County, with the exception of a small area bordering Mecklenburg County.
Measmer will serve the duration of Newton’s term through 2026 once appointed.
“I am thrilled to see Chris be selected as our next State Senator,” Lanny Lancaster, chairman of Cabarrus County Republican Party said in a Monday news release. “During his tenure on the county commission, Chris has been a champion for the taxpayers of Cabarrus County. He has never shied away from tackling challenging issues.”
Who is Chris Measmer?
Measmer, who has spent seven years on the Cabarrus County commission, earned a bachelor’s degree in Political Science at George Washington University. Measmer runs his family business, The Wayside Family Restaurant in Concord, in addition to serving on the commission. He’s since served on the statewide National Federation of Independent Business and the county’s visitors bureau, health and human services board and the Republican executive committee, among others, according to the news release.
His departure will leave an empty seat on the Cabarrus County commission, which tends to vote 3-2, with Measmer in the majority, on hot-button issues involving personnel, taxes and spending. Recently, Measmer voted against firing the newly appointed county manager Sean Newton who he had an undisclosed business relationship with. He also voted to fire the former County Manager Mike Downs in January.
Measmer opposed the county’s controversial purchase of a $42 million office building last year. He has also been a proponent of lowering property taxes for Cabarrus residents.
It is not immediately clear what the process will look like to replace Measmer. But state law says the commission has 60 days to appoint a replacement who lives in the county and is a member of the same party.
Measmer said at a commission meeting Monday evening the county will soon start accepting applications to fill his seat online and in person at the Cabarrus County clerk’s office.
Measmer called the appointment “bittersweet.”
“I’ve really poured my heart and soul into this job as a county commissioner, and most recently as chairman, and I’ve enjoyed working with all the staff here and my fellow commissioners,” he said. “It’s not an easy job for any of us, (it’s a) tough job, but it can be rewarding as well.”
NC legislature seat process
The party selected Measmer after a closed four-hour session on Saturday where members interviewed former state representatives, city leaders, business people, a former congressional candidate and a former chief district court judge, according to the news release. The decision to appoint Measmer was unanimous.
“The diverse pool of Republican candidates was impressive. They represented decades of service to the voters of Cabarrus County,” Jim Quick, vice chair of the Cabarrus GOP, said in the release. “Our committee thanks Senator Newton for his exemplary service, and we look forward to working with our newly appointed Senator in Raleigh.”
Newton left his post as senator last month after he decided the UNC job was “a perfect fit,” the News & Observer previously reported. Newton was known for his background as an executive at Duke Energy and his work to reduce personal and corporate taxes.
This story was originally published April 7, 2025 at 4:28 PM.
