Competition heats up for Mecklenburg legislative races

Days before the filing deadline, a pair of announcements brought more competition to Mecklenburg County legislative races Thursday, though most incumbents remained unopposed.

Democrat John Autry, re-elected to the Charlotte City Council last month, joined the race for the seat of Rep. Tricia Cotham, a Matthews Democrat who announced this month that she won’t run for a fifth term.

He’ll face Billy Maddalon, who lost a bid this year for a council seat, in the March 15 Democratic primary.

And in southeast Mecklenburg, former Republican mayoral candidate Scott Stone plans to file Friday for the seat Republican Rep. Jacqueline Schaffer is leaving. He’ll meet former school board member Tim Morgan in the GOP primary.

Despite the announcements, nine of the county’s 17 state lawmakers – and one newcomer – remained unopposed ahead of Monday’s deadline.

Along with Cotham and Schaffer in the House, Republican Sen. Bob Rucho of Matthews will leave at the end of next year. Republican Rep. Dan Bishop is running for Rucho’s seat, leaving a vacancy in his own House district. So far, Andy Dulin, a former GOP City Council member, is the only person who has filed. Bishop is unopposed as well.

The Mecklenburg departures come in a year of striking turnover in the General Assembly.

Turnover and burnout

On Thursday, Republican Sen. Dan Soucek of Boone, who’d already filed for re-election, announced that he won’t run. On Wednesday, GOP Sen. Fletcher Hartsell of Concord – North Carolina’s longest-serving senator at 25 years – withdrew from his race.

Nearly two dozen lawmakers have either left the General Assembly or announced plans not to run. They include some of the longest-tenured, most influential members. Some are ending long careers. Others cite the strains of serving in a body that just completed an eight-month session.

“As Christmas approaches … I realize there were more than 180 nights this year when I was not home to kiss my wonderful wife and three children goodnight,” Soucek said in a statement.

In Mecklenburg, two incumbents face primaries.

Sen. Joyce Waddell faces fellow Democrat Nasif Majeed, a former council member. And Democratic Rep. Kelly Alexander is being challenged by former Army physician Robert Blok.

Meanwhile, Democratic newcomers Noah Lieberman and Rochelle Rivas will face off for the chance to challenge Republican Rep. William Brawley of Matthews.

2 more Mecklenburg primaries

The primary in Cotham’s District 100, which stretches from Plaza Midwood to Matthews, pits two men who have been allies.

“I’m not running against Billy,” Autry said, “I’m trying to be elected to the N.C. House so I can have a positive impact on the state and hopefully provide some insight as someone who’s served in municipal government.”

Maddalon, who served a few months on the City Council in 2013 after being appointed to a vacancy, acknowledged similarities between him and Autry.

“My guess is that John and I are pretty close on the issues,” he said, “so it will be a campaign on who’s best equipped to go to Raleigh and do the people’s work.”

In District 105, which includes Ballantyne, Stone said he’s running as the more conservative candidate. In September, he lost the GOP mayoral primary to Edwin Peacock but raised more than $125,000. He lost the 2011 mayor’s race to Democrat Anthony Foxx.

“I’ve always wanted to serve, and I’ve not had an opportunity yet,” said Stone, who runs an engineering firm. “This particular seat is an opportunity where a Republican is likely to win. It’s a good opportunity to bring my background and experience to elective office.”

Morgan served six years on the Charlotte-Mecklenburg school board, the last three as vice chairman. He said education, along with transportation and economic development, is a priority.

“I am running for the seat, not running against any particular person,” he said.

Republican consultant Larry Shaheen doesn’t expect any more major candidates to emerge by the time filing ends at noon Monday.

“Last-minute filings usually come from last-minute planning,” he said. “And last-minute planning does not traditionally end in victory.”

This story was originally published December 17, 2015 at 5:51 PM with the headline "Competition heats up for Mecklenburg legislative races."