Endorsements: Our choices for NC House, Senate primaries in Mecklenburg County
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Endorsements 2022
The Editorial Board’s recommendations for the primary elections on Tuesday, May 17, 2022.
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Endorsements: We’re asking about 2020 before we recommend for 2022
Endorsements: Our choices in North Carolina’s U.S. Senate primaries
Endorsements: All of the Charlotte Observer’s choices in the 2022 primaries
How to find the Charlotte Observer’s endorsements for 2022 primary races
How to find the News & Observer’s endorsements for 2022 primary races
North Carolina Republicans are hoping to capitalize on the possibility of a “red wave” in 2022 to regain a supermajority in the state legislature, which they lost when Democrats had a strong showing in the 2018 midterms. But a lengthy redistricting battle resulted in a court-ordered redraw of legislative maps that now make a Republican supermajority less likely. Still, the party is expected to maintain its edge in both chambers this year.
Only a handful of Mecklenburg County’s six state Senate and 13 state House districts have contested primary races.
NC House 103
Two Democrats are running to fill this swing seat vacated by Rep. Rachel Hunt, who is running for N.C. Senate. The winner will face former Rep. Bill Brawley, who narrowly lost his re-election bid to Hunt in 2018.
Attorney Laura Budd, a first-time candidate, is a steady and well-reasoned Democrat who can appeal to the more moderate voters in Matthews and south Charlotte. She’s sharp and has a strong grasp on issues including public education and health care access.
Her opponent is Ann Harlan, a progressive community college instructor who has run a quieter campaign.
We recommend Budd, who is the better fit for a suburban district that just barely leans Democratic.
NC House 107
Incumbent Democrat Kelly Alexander, Jr. has held this north Charlotte seat since 2009, and he’s been a solid presence in the General Assembly as chair of the Legislative Black Caucus.
His opponent, 24-year-old Vermanno Bowman, is passionate about climate issues and says he’s frustrated with the campaign contributions Alexander has accepted from corporations like Duke Energy over the years.
Still, Alexander has stood up for voters where it matters. His seniority in the chamber — he’s served while both Democrats and Republicans have held the majority — has helped him build relationships and legislative know-how. And he’s nothing if not persistent: he’s led a push to legalize medical and recreational marijuana nearly every year.
We recommend Alexander but hope that Bowman continues to be a strong voice for the community.
NC House 112
The crowded Democratic primary includes a former state legislator and two newcomers. Former state Rep. Tricia Cotham, educator Yolonda Holmes and carpenter and community leader Jay Holman are running to represent this new N.C. House district, which encompasses Mint Hill and parts of east Charlotte. Former state Rep. Rodney Moore, who was indicted in 2019 in a campaign finance probe, recently withdrew his candidacy, but his name will still appear on the ballot.
Cotham, who previously served in the N.C. House between 2007 and 2016, has a robust background in education, and she’s proven she can represent Mecklenburg residents well in Raleigh. As a legislator, she earned the respect of both her Democratic and Republican colleagues, and she’s fought hard for at-risk students and members of the LGBTQ community.
Holmes, affectionately known as “Dr. Yo,” is an impressive candidate with strong roots in the community. She’s especially passionate about equity in education and health care, and as a first-time candidate, she brings a fresh perspective to the race.
Voters have two good choices in this district, but Cotham’s experience and proven ability to work across the aisle will be beneficial to her constituents. We give a slight nod to Cotham.
NC Senate 37
After the most recent round of redistricting, this solid Republican district now dips into northern Mecklenburg County. There are no Democrats running in this district.
Incumbent Vickie Sawyer has served the district since 2018 and is seeking re-election. Sawyer is a thoughtful conservative with an open mind on issues like public education and Medicaid. She’s also been an active legislator, helping to lead the charge on a bipartisan effort to raise the minimum legal age for marriage in North Carolina.
The other Republican candidate, Tom Fyler, did not respond to interview requests from the Editorial Board.
We recommend Sawyer for another term.
NC Senate 42
Two Republican candidates are vying for their party’s nomination in this southeast Charlotte district. State Rep. Rachel Hunt is hoping to replace state Sen. Jeff Jackson, who is running for Congress. She has no opponent in the Democratic primary.
Scott Stone served Mecklenburg County in the state House from 2016 to 2018. Stone, who owns an engineering firm, is a reliable conservative who values low taxes, a competitive business climate and holding public schools accountable. We’d like to see him come around on Medicaid expansion, which he says he’s “skeptical” of.
His opponent, cardiologist Cheryl Russo, did not respond to interview requests from the Editorial Board.
We recommend Stone in the GOP primary.
BEHIND THE STORY
MOREHow we do our endorsements
Members of the combined Charlotte Observer and Raleigh News & Observer editorial boards are conducting interviews and research of candidates in municipal and state elections. The combined board is led by N.C. Opinion Editor Peter St. Onge, who is joined in Raleigh by deputy Opinion editor Ned Barnett and in Charlotte by deputy Opinion editor Paige Masten. Board members also include Observer editor Rana Cash and News & Observer editor Nicole Stockdale.
The editorial board also talks with others who know the candidates and have worked with them. When we’ve completed our interviews and research, we discuss each race and decide on our endorsements.
This story was originally published May 2, 2022 at 6:00 AM.