Observer endorsements: Our choices in Mecklenburg’s NC House and Senate primaries

In 2024, Democrats won enough North Carolina General Assembly races to keep Republicans just one seat short of a supermajority. They are hoping to expand on that this year and have fielded a candidate in virtually every state House and Senate district in order to do so.

Competitive races are harder to find in Mecklenburg County, however. Just four of the county’s 19 legislative districts have a competitive primary this year. In House Districts 99 and 106, there is no Republican in the race, so the Democratic primary will determine who represents those districts in Raleigh for the next two years.

Here are our recommendations in contested primaries:

NC Senate District 37

In this district, which dips into northern Mecklenburg County, two candidates are running in the Democratic primary. The winner will face incumbent Vickie Sawyer in November’s general election.

Raygan Angel is a law student and Democratic organizer who hopes his campaign will bring more attention to gerrymandering and boost turnout in the statewide general election. He has a strong grasp of issues that are important to his community, including health care. The other candidate, Precinda Bjorgen, did not respond to our interview request, and little information about the candidate is available online. We recommend Angel.

NC House District 99

In this east Charlotte district, Democratic incumbent Nasif Majeed is challenged by Veleria Levy, who has a deep background in public health advocacy and policy. A third candidate on the ballot, Tucker Neal, told the Editorial Board he is dropping out of the race and endorsing Levy.

Majeed has been criticized for voting to override the governor’s veto on multiple bills, most notably House Bill 805, a bill focused primarily on culture war issues related to LGBTQ+ people. Majeed did little to explain his vote at the time, other than to say “I had some moral issues and I had to lean on my values.” But his values may not be the same as the values of those who elected him, and the job of an elected official is to uphold the latter.

It’s difficult to oust an incumbent, so there’s a strong chance that Majeed will win reelection. The reasons we have endorsed him in the past still ring true: he has a demonstrated record of serving his community, and he’s a capable representative in Raleigh. But his connection to his district isn’t as strong as we’d like, and we urge him to improve communication with his constituents.

Levy is a passionate and knowledgeable candidate and would be a reliable voice for progressive values. But Majeed is still the most experienced candidate in the race, and his community would benefit most from his returning to Raleigh. We recommend Majeed.

NC House District 105

Incumbent Tricia Cotham is challenged by teacher Kelly Van Horn in the Republican primary for this district, which includes Mint Hill and parts of Matthews and south Charlotte. Van Horn was registered as a Democrat until last fall but told the Editorial Board she is not a protest candidate and has always voted more independently. She is “not MAGA,” but she does share some more conservative values on abortion and fiscal issues, she said.

To be clear, we have reservations about both candidates. Voters have plenty of reasons to be wary of Cotham, who betrayed voters in her previous district by switching parties shortly after she was elected in 2022. But Cotham has also been a productive member of the legislature. She was the one to introduce the PAVE Act, which allowed Charlotte to put its transit plan before voters last year.

Van Horn makes salient points about the need to support public education, and she rightly argues that teachers should have a seat at the table. But her background may be confusing to voters, and her lack of experience in politics could hinder her ability to be an effective legislator.

Frankly, it’s hard for Republican voters to be confident that either candidate in this race truly shares their values, but Cotham has delivered for her district in her last term. We recommend Cotham.

NC House District 106

One of the state’s most high-profile primaries is in this north Charlotte district. Incumbent Carla Cunningham faced scrutiny last year for voting with Republicans on a controversial immigration bill, then followed up that vote with a controversial floor speech that was divisive and disparaging of immigrant communities. Only recently has she attempted to walk back those remarks. We find that rhetoric deeply troubling, and her vote breached the trust of constituents who expect her to uphold their values.

Cunningham has two challengers: Rodney Sadler, a well-known pastor and community advocate, and young progressive Vermanno Bowman, who was a candidate in 2022 and 2024. Sadler, who is endorsed by Gov. Josh Stein, has a long and demonstrated history of community advocacy and leadership. Advocating for policies is different than actually making them, and Sadler seems to understand that balance.

Bowman provides a refreshing perspective that’s valuable to the community, but voters can feel especially confident in Sadler’s experience and leadership. We recommend Sadler.