U.S. Senate Campaign Off to a Costly Start
Sen. Kay Hagan, (D-NC), has launched her campaign in what promises to be a bruising, high-profile race that could determine which party controls the U.S. Senate for the next two years.
Hagan is seen as vulnerable in her bid for reelection in a race into which Americans for Prosperity, the powerful PAC affiliated with the multibillionaire Koch Brothers, has already spent several million dollars in television advertising linking her with Obamacare. Hagan is facing two relatively unknown candidates, Will Stewart and Fred Westphal, in the May 6 Democratic primary.
The Republican primary will pit perceived frontrunner Thom Tillis, Speaker of the NC House, against Ted Alexander, Greg Brannon, Heather Grant, Mark Harris, and Edward Kryn. Brannon and Harris have dedicated followers working to force Tillis into a runoff, which each man hopes he can win with strong Tea Party and conservative support.
U.S. House races across WNC
Three Republicans are running to keep their seats in the U.S. House of Representatives in the districts that cover the western part of the state: Virginia Foxx in District 5, Patrick McHenry in District 10, and Mark Meadows in District 11. Districts 10 and 11 split Buncombe County and Asheville, so both races are of strong interest throughout the area.
Owen High School coach and teacher Tate McQueen, well-known for bringing the CTS pollution scandal to public awareness—and to the Supreme Court in late April—is challenging Patrick McHenry, who lives in Gastonia.
• In U.S. House District 5, Virginia Foxx (www.virginiafoxx.com) is running for reelection. Philip Doyle of Clemmons (www.facebook.com/doyleforcongress), has filed to run against her in the primary.
• In U.S. House District 10, incumbent Republican Patrick McHenry (www.mchenryforcongress.com) is being challenged in the Republican primary by Richard Lynch (www.richardlynchforcongress.com). Tate MacQueen of Asheville has filed to run in the Democratic primary (www.tatemacqueen.com).
• In U.S. House District 11, Republican Mark Meadows (www.meadowsforcongress.com) will seek reelection. The Democratic primary winner, Keith Ruehl of Barnardsville (www.facebook.com/keith.ruehl) or Tom Hill of Zirconia, will challenge him in November.
State House and Senate
There are 11 races for state House seats representing the 18 westernmost counties of NC, nine of which are currently held by Republicans, two by Democrats; and five races for seats in the state Senate, four of which are held by Republicans, one by a Democrat.
Three of those House seats, Districts 114, 115, and 116, represent parts of Asheville and Buncombe County.
• Incumbent Democrat Susan Fisher of Asheville (www.electsusanfisher.org) is running unopposed in House District 114. The district covers much of the north and parts of the west of Buncombe County as well as the city of Asheville.
• Incumbent Republican Nathan Ramsey of Fairview (www.nathanramsey.com) is seeking reelection in House District 115, which covers Fairview and much of eastern Buncombe County. John Ager, a Fairview Democrat and son-in-law of the late Congressman James McClure Clarke, is challenging him for the seat (www.facebook.com/electjohnagernc).
• In House District 116, the third Buncombe County district which covers most of the southern part of the county including South Asheville and Biltmore Forest, incumbent Republican Tim Moffitt (www.timmoffitt.com) is running for a second term. He is being challenged by Brian Turner (www.turnerfornchouse.com), a Democrat from Asheville.
State House races across WNC
• District 85 (Avery, McDowell and Mitchell counties): Incumbent Josh Dobson, a Republican from Nebo who was appointed to the seat when Mitch Gillespie resigned last year, has filed for reelection. He is being challenged by Democrat J.R. Edwards.
• District 93 (Ashe and Watauga counties): Republican Jonathan Jordan of Jefferson, is running for reelection. His challenger is Sue Counts, a Democrat from Boone.
• District 112 (Burke and Rutherford counties): Mike Hager, a Rutherfordton Republican who is also the House Majority Whip, has filed for reelection. He will be challenged in November by Democrat Lisa Harris Braily.
• District 113 (Henderson, Polk and Transylvania counties): incumbent Republican Chris Whitmire, of Rosman, has filed for reelection against Democrat Norm Bossert of Pisgah Forest.
• District 117 (Henderson County): incumbent Republican Chuck McGrady is running in the Republican primary against Ronnie Edwards of Mills River. A Libertarian, Shelby Mood, is also in the race.
• District 118 (Madison, Yancey, part of Haywood County): incumbent Republican Michele Presnell, of Burnsville, is running for re-election against Democrat Dean Hicks, also of Burnsville.
• District 119 (Jackson, Swain, part of Haywood County): incumbent Democrat Joe Sam Queen is running for reelection. Dodie Allen of Jackson County, Mike Clampitt of Bryson City and Aaron Littlefield of Cullowhee are competing in the Republican primary to run against him.
• District 120 (Cherokee, Clay, Graham and Macon counties): incumbent Republican Roger West, of Marble, is unopposed for reelection.
State Senate races across WNC
• District 45 (Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Caldwell and Watauga counties): incumbent Republican Dan Soucek of Boone is up for reelection. He will face the winner of the Democratic primary, Josh Brannon of Vilas or James Sponenberg, of Lenoir.
• District 47 (Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford and Yancey counties): incumbent Ralph Hise of Spruce Pine is being challenged in the Republican primary by McDowell county commissioner Michael Lavender. The winner will be unopposed in November.
• District 48 (Henderson, Transylvania, southern Buncombe County): incumbent Tom Apodaca, a Republican from Hendersonville, is running against Democrat Rick Wood, also of Hendersonville.
• District 49 (Buncombe County): Terry VanDuyn, a Democrat from Asheville, was chosen by Buncombe County Democrats to succeed Martin Nesbitt, longtime Senator and Senate Minority leader who died unexpectedly in March. Van Duyn will run for the seat again in November. Three men—R. L. Clark, Mark Crawford, and Clarence Young—are running in the May 6 Republican primary to win the right to challenge her.
• District 50 (Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Jackson, Macon and Swain counties): incumbent Jim Davis, Republican from Franklin, is running for reelection. Democrats Ron Robinson of Sylva and Jane Hipps of Waynesville face each other in the Democratic primary to challenge him.
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