A new sheriff in town... same prosecutor
In the end, the Democratic primary for Sheriff wasn't even really very close. Quentin Miller won an overwhelming 54% of the vote in a crowded field of four other candidates.
Miller has a very impressive resume, and seems to be a very decent man. He was also endorsed by the local progressive political machine, and I think that's what we saw yesterday. Miller is positioned to win in November, as Buncombe is majority Democrat. If he does, he'll become the first black sheriff in the county's history.
He'll face Republican Shad Hggins and Libertarian Tracey DeBruhl in the general election.
Meanwhile, the incumbent Democratic District Attorney Todd Williams beat his primary challenger, Ben Scales, by about 6% - which is a much closer race than when the two squared off against each other in the general election in 2014.
Scales ran at Williams from his left, and that's probably where Williams will be most vulnerable as the progressive machine grows in power. Which is ironic, given it was how he unseated Ron Moore four years ago.
Evans (barely) bests West
In the GOP race for House District 115, newcomer Amy Evans edged out former Buncombe County GOP chairman Nathan West to win the nomination.
Evans beat West by just 80 votes (out of 2,052 total cast), despite West dropping out of the race and not running a campaign.
Evans' victory saved the BCGOP from utter embarrassment.
She'll face Democratic incumbent John Ager in November.
Buncombe Board of County Commissioners
Democrats will run Amanda Edwards in District 2 against Republican Glenda Weinert in November. Edwards, the executive director of the A-B Tech Foundation, beat three other Democrats in the primary.
The District 2 seat is open, after Democratic incumbent Ellen Frost announced she would not seek re-election. It's a competitive district, and could determine whether the Board remains 4-3 Democrat-controlled.
In the District 3 race, Donna Ensley beat two others to secure the party nomination. Ensley retired as chief development officer at MANNA FoodBank, and she'll face Republican incumbent Robert Pressley in November. The district favors the GOP.
US Congress
Incumbent Republican Congressmen Patrick McHenry (Dist. 10) and Mark Meadows (Dist. 11) both easily won in their primaries.
Democrats nominated Phillip Price yesterday to run against McHenry in the general election.
NC Rep. Pittenger gets "primary'd"
North Carolina incumbent Congressman Robert Pittenger lost in his Republican primary yesterday to former pastor Mark Harris.
Democrats are giddy. From the Charlotte Observer:
Democrats’ enthusiasm about potentially winning North Carolina’s 9th congressional district for the first time in 58 years got two shots of adrenaline Tuesday, from Republican Robert Pittenger’s surprising loss and Democrat Dan McCready’s overwhelming win.
Pittenger entered Tuesday believing he was on safer ground than he was two years ago, when he beat former Baptist preacher Mark Harris by just 134 votes in a newly drawn district. But Harris pulled the upset this time, likely making the 9th District even more vulnerable to flipping parties than it already was. And McCready’s dismissal of Democratic challenger Christian Cano positions him to attract even more national attention and money and to ride a blue wave in November, if there is one.
Other election results
Henderson County will be getting a new sheriff, after Lowell Griffin upset incumbent Charles McDonald in the Republican primary.
An upset in Indiana, as Mike Braun beat out two better-known incumbent politicians to win the GOP nomination for US Senate. Braun used to serve in the state legislature, and will now face Democrat Joe Donnelly in November.
Also...
Not a good way to start your public service
Down in Nash County, the guy who won the Sharpsburg mayoral election celebrated his victory a bit too much, and got busted for DWI.
Robert L. Williams Jr. was charged with DWI, after beating incumbent mayor Randy Weaver by 7 votes (169 to 162).
And another thing!
A 38-year old guy from Romania is serving a one-year US federal prison sentence for attacking a server that hosted the online game World of Warcraft.