Primary Election 2024: Gaston County Republican ballot
Primary Election 2024: Gaston County Republican ballot
All the info you need to cast an informed vote
Welcome to the Charlotte Ledger Election Hub for the 2024 primary election.
◼️ This page contains information on the races on the Republican ballot in Gaston County, North Carolina.
You can find information on other ballots — as well as links to sample ballots and voting information — on our general Election Hub page.
In the 2024 primary election, voters casting a Republican ballot in Gaston County will choose among candidates for:
There are also 7 Republican candidates listed for president. (You will need to look elsewhere for information on that race.)
On the Republican side, there are some intriguing political storylines, including:
Will Republicans put up a candidate for governor who can retake North Carolina’s top office after eight years of Democrat Roy Cooper?
There’s an 11-person Republican race for lieutenant governor — who will go on to the general election from that?
(Profiles were researched and written by Sucharita Kodali and Chloe Appleby and edited by Tony Mecia.)
You can find out more about The Charlotte Ledger and subscribe to our newsletters here.
The Charlotte Ledger’s election information is presented for free to all, with no ads, through the support of Charlotte Ledger members.
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U.S. Congress District 14
North Carolina’s 14th Congressional District includes Gaston County and portions of five other counties:
This is the U.S. Congress seat that was held by Democrat Jeff Jackson but was redrawn to favor Republicans. Jackson is not running for re-election; he is running for state attorney general instead. The winner of the Republican primary will face the winner of the Democratic primary, a two-person race.
Jeff Gregory
Gregory is a retired postal worker and Air Force veteran. He has run for a number of offices including Congress and municipal roles since the 1990s. In an email to The Ledger he said, “I am running because I care.” He’s a former employee of BASF, the chemical company, and Piedmont Airlines. He ran in 2020 for US House District 5 as a Constitution Party candidate (he came in third of three candidates with 2% of the vote). (Age 65)
➕ Jeff Gregory candidate questionnaire
Lillian Joseph
Joseph calls herself a “sensible, unafraid, non-establishment” politician. Two issues that she cites on her website are “to secure our porous borders” and “reduce the national debt.” She also lists being pro-life and wanting to contain “China’s threat to the US.” She says she has worked in public service and is a small business owner. In an email to The Ledger, she said, “I am not tied to special interest groups or money.” She ran for a city council seat in Salisbury in 2021. While she is currently a registered Republican, she voted in three Democratic primaries from 2012-16. She is a mom of a teen and has a bachelor’s from Wesleyan College (Macon, GA) and a master’s from Pfeffer University. (Age 56)
➕ Lillian Joseph candidate questionnaire
Tim Moore
Moore has been in the N.C. House for 11 terms and has been speaker since 2015. He currently represents Cleveland and Rutherford counties, west of Charlotte. He says that during his tenure as Speaker, state budgets have increased teacher pay and given parents increased options (e.g. charter schools) and that the N.C. economy is “expanding rapidly” after tax cuts. He has recently sponsored legislation to support term limits for Congress and increase penalties for rioting. Moore also led the legislature’s supermajority to approve a 12-week abortion ban in NC. Among the 70+ NC House Republicans, he ranks 9th in most frequently voting with the majority. He received his BA from UNC Chapel Hill and his JD from Oklahoma City University School of Law. He has a private law practice in Kings Mountain. (Age 53)
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N.C. Council of State
News article:
“Breaking down governor, council of state races” (WUNC/WFAE)
Governor
Current Gov. Roy Cooper, a Democrat, has served two consecutive terms and is therefore ineligible to run in this election.
The winner of the Republican primary will face the winner of the Democratic primary, a five-person race that includes Attorney General Josh Stein and former N.C. Supreme Court Justice Mike Morgan. In November, there will also be a Libertarian and a Green Party candidate on the ballot.
Dale Folwell
Folwell has been N.C. treasurer since 2017 and was the first Republican elected to that role in over 100 years. He is an accountant and former blue-collar worker (i.e. garbage collector) who served on the Forsyth County Board of Education and as an N.C. House member. He’s a resident of Winston-Salem and has his bachelor’s and master’s from UNC Greensboro. The top three issues on his website are crime and public safety (sex trafficking and fentanyl are concerns he cites), the high cost of living and school choice. He says he will “stop the soft bigotry of low expectations in our education system.” As treasurer, he was responsible for the state’s $122B pension fund and was an outspoken critic of big hospital systems. He proudly mentions on his website that the state continues to have a “coveted” AAA bond rating. (Age 65)
➕ Dale Folwell candidate questionnaire
Bill Graham
Graham is a personal injury lawyer and described as a “deep-pocketed Republican” spending $5MM of his own money in the governor’s race. He wants to repeal the local food tax and enforce the death penalty against fentanyl dealers and human traffickers, He has sued the government on behalf of Marines with cancer. He ran for Governor before in 2008. He mentions on his site that the leadership of former Sen. Jesse Helms “should be celebrated.” He is a graduate of Catawba College and the father of three adult children. (Age 62)
Mark Robinson
Robinson had little political experience prior to being a surprise winner in the Republican primary for lieutenant governor in 2020. He served in the Army reserves and held a number of different jobs as a factory and restaurant shift worker. His claim to fame is that he gave a short impassioned speech about conservatism in which he advocated for 2nd Amendment freedoms to the Greensboro City Council in April 2018. That speech made its way to YouTube and was well-received by conservatives as he critiqued the “loonies on the left.” He has currently raised more money for his gubernatorial run than any of the other candidates. He often receives press for controversial statements about QAnon, the LGBTQ community and gender roles. He admitted in social media that his partner had an abortion. (Age 55)
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Lieutenant Governor
Current Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, a Republican, is not running for re-election because he is running for governor. The winner of the Republican primary will face the winner of the three-candidate Democratic primary in November.
Deanna Ballard
Ballard was a member of the N.C. Senate from 2016 to 2023. She’s a native of Lincoln County and says she fought to reopen schools during Covid. The top issues on her website are “protecting kids from the woke agenda” and “focusing on working family needs.” She says she was an author of the NC Parent Bill of Rights, a measure passed on a party-line vote that restricts instruction on sexuality in elementary schools, among other provisions. She also wants to focus on skills training for citizens to improve their employment opportunities and to help those who are “stretched thin by inflation, looked down upon by elites, and told their way of thinking and worshipping is no longer mainstream.” (Age 45)
Peter Boykin
Boykin is the owner of GoRightNews.com, a website with political posts and audio recordings. On his campaign website he says there’s “an urgent need for comprehensive economic stimulation, border protection, quality education, medical freedom, secure elections, job creation, and sustained job security.” In an email to The Ledger, he said that “affordable healthcare options should be accessible to all citizens.” He is a founder of the Gays for Trump organization and has unsuccessfully run for the N.C. House twice. Boykin lives in Mebane, east of Greensboro, and has two master’s in “information security and assurance and the other in e-commerce and entrepreneurship.” (Age 46)
➕ Peter Boykin candidate questionnaire
Rivera Douthit
Douthit is a former nurse and currently a Christian minister primarily for women. She says she wants to see N.C. as “a light in the impending darkness of the world” and a place that “upholds Judeo-Christian values.” She also says she wants to bridge divides between political differences. She advocates for the “Secret Ballot Movement” on her website, which is to “educate, raise awareness and remove any fear associated with voting.” Douthit says on a Facebook post that she and the current lieutenant governor, Mark Robinson (currently running for governor), will make a “dynamic duo.” She does not appear to have prior experience running for public office. She is a resident of Mooresville, north of Charlotte, and the mother of two adult children. (Age 51)
➕ Rivera Douthit candidate questionnaire
Jeffrey Elmore
Elmore is an elementary school art teacher in Wilkes County and has been a member of the N.C. House for six terms representing rural Alexander and Wilkes counties. He says that he helped to repeal the Pistol Purchase Permit which “infringe(d) upon our guaranteed 2nd Amendment rights” and pass NC’s abortion ban. He also voted for tax cuts. Of the 70+ NC House Republicans, he ranks approximately 50th in voting with the majority. He is a graduate of Appalachian State University. (Age 46)
➕ Jeffrey Elmore candidate questionnaire
Allen Mashburn
Mashburn appears to be a Christian minister and father of four. He calls himself “an America first candidate for Lieutenant Governor.” The key issues he lists on his site are First and Second Amendment rights and election integrity. He hosts a podcast discussing antipathy toward many social issues such as LGBTQ rights and abortion rights. He does not appear to have previous experience in public office but appears to have served as treasurer for a previous county candidate in 2018. (Age ~40s)
➕ Allen Mashburn candidate questionnaire
Marlenis Hernandez Novoa
Hernandez Novoa is a paramedic and firefighter who lives in Raleigh. She says that she will work to “make healthcare affordable for all,” stop the devastation of drug use, and fight to improve the education system. She does not appear to have prior experience in elected office. From her LinkedIn profile, she appears to have lived in Miami for many years prior to moving to North Carolina. (Age ~51)
Jim O’Neill
O’Neill is the longtime district attorney of Forsyth County, which includes Winston-Salem. He ran unsuccessfully against Josh Stein in 2020 for N.C. Attorney General. On his website, he says he “will be tough on crime.” He also says he is a “leader in bringing innovative programs to combat substance abuse” and that over the last 20 years, he has helped to make Winston-Salem “one of the safest cities in the nation.” O’Neill is a graduate of Duke and NYU Law School and is the father of three. (Age 58)
Sam Page
Page has been the sheriff of Rockingham County since he was first elected 25 years ago. Issues listed on his website are public safety, the economy (help high-unemployment regions) and education (raising teacher pay). He says he is an advocate of “a community-driven approach to diverting nonviolent offenders away from the cycle of incarceration, prioritizing their rehabilitation, and successful reintegration into society.” In a Facebook post, he said that he has been fighting for “stronger policies to combat the damaging effects of drug trafficking coming across our southern border for years.” (Age ~65)
➕ Sam Page candidate questionnaire
Ernest T. Reeves
Reeves is an Army veteran and one of at least 12 children in his family. He describes himself as “a disabled and combat zone veteran who currently serves as an entrepreneur, mentor, advisor, counselor, and advocate for the elderly and people in need on a case-by-case basis.” He says he wants strong schools, to attack the opioid crisis, to expand Medicaid and to strengthen Medicare. In an email to The Ledger, he said he could beat any Democratic candidate in the general election: “I am a former conservative democrat turned republican and proud of it and being the only Republican African American Candidate running for Lieutenant Governor in North Carolina 2024.” Reeves has run unsuccessfully for office more than 10 times, including multiple runs for the U.S. House and N.C. governor in 2020. (Age 59)
➕ Ernest Reeves candidate questionnaire
Hal Weatherman
Weatherman is the former chief of staff to N.C. politicians (former Lt. Gov. Dan Forest and Forest’s mother, former Charlotte Mayor and U.S. Rep. Sue Myrick). He is also the former district director for former Rep. Madison Cawthorn and is the founder of a non-profit promoting election integrity. He says he is tired of “money-driven campaigns” and wants to paint an “optimistic vision.” He says his values, both fiscal and social, are conservative. He says he wants to reduce the stigma of “working in the trades” and promote the state’s apprenticeship program. He says he will support the 2nd Amendment and “accept no restrictions.” He is a graduate of Wake Forest and father of three. (Age ~50s)
Seth Woodall
Woodall is a real estate, family and personal injury lawyer and father of four who lives in Eden, NC. The key issues on his website are lowering inflation by reducing taxes and pushing back on ESG requirements, and supporting law and order by “backing the blue.” He says he is running because he “feels a deep calling to serve the state that has given him opportunity and success.” He does not appear to have prior experience running for public office. (Age ~40s)
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N.C. Auditor
The winner of the Republican primary will face Jessica Holmes, a Democrat who was appointed as state auditor in December 2023, as well as Libertarian candidate Bob Dratch.
Dave Boliek
Boliek says he will “be the auditor who looks after your money.” He is a North Carolina native who was a former assistant district attorney in Cumberland County and a lawyer in private practice. Boliek is a trustee of UNC Chapel Hill. He is a former Democrat, according to Axios Raleigh. In an email to The Ledger, he said that voters should pick him because “My experience as a prosecutor, cleaning up a multi-billion dollar budget and having the courage to stand firm in the face of fierce opposition to affect change make me the best candidate to lead an office that is currently in desperate need of reform and competent leadership.” He has a bachelor’s from UNC Chapel Hill and received his JD/MBA from Campbell. (Age 56)
➕ Dave Boliek candidate questionnaire
Jack Clark
Clark is a CPA and believes that experience is essential to being elected to the role of N.C. Auditor. He believes it is a bad idea to make political promises and to go after certain targets is “bad audit policy.” He has a bachelor’s degree from Duke and a Master’s in Accounting from UNC Chapel Hill. He is a resident of Wake County. He does not appear to have previous experience in public office. (Age 32)
➕ Jack Clark candidate questionnaire
Charles Dingee
Dingee is a real estate broker, father and graduate of Belmont Abbey College. He says his values are fiscal responsibility, transparency and serving the community. He says he wants to conduct audits on local election offices, school districts, the N.C. Department of Transportation and the N.C. lottery. He does not appear to have previous experience in public office. (Age 30s)
➕ Charles Dingee candidate questionnaire
Jim Kee
Kee was a Greensboro city council member from 2009-13 and sales manager. He says he wants to impact N.C. by “lowering taxes, increasing business and establishing a government that represents all the people.” Kee is photographed with gubernatorial candidate Mark Robinson on his website. It appears that he switched parties from Democrat to Republican in 2017. He is a grandfather and has a bachelor’s degree from NC A&T. (Age 65)
➕ Jim Kee candidate questionnaire
Anthony Wayne (Tony) Street
Street previously ran for the auditor role in 2020 and won the Republican primary with 56% of the vote, before subsequently losing to Democrat Beth Wood by a thin margin (51-49%). At the time, it was reported that he had been arrested on stalking and assault charges dating back several years prior; the charges were evidently dismissed. He also ran for Brunswick County Clerk of Superior Court in 2022 and placed 3rd of 3 candidates with 8% of the vote. While it does not appear that he has a website now, when he last ran, online research said he was from Brunswick County and had worked in nuclear security and commercial fishing. He had also operated a small business. He has a master’s in public administration from UNC Pembroke. When he last ran, he said he wanted to ensure voters knew how their money is spent.
Jeff Tarte
Tarte is a resident of and former mayor of Cornelius. He previously served three terms in the N.C. Senate. His LinkedIn profile says that he is currently a management consultant, and his website says he was a former sales executive and founder of an IT company. If elected state auditor, he says he will “help mitigate the problems of waste, fraud, and abuse in our state agencies” and will use artificial intelligence tools to prevent recurring fraud and waste. Tarte has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign and is a grandfather. (Age 67)
➕ Jeff Tarte candidate questionnaire
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N.C. Commissioner of Agriculture
Incumbent Republican Steve Troxler is running for re-election and faces Colby “Bear” Hammonds in the primary. The winner will face Democrat Sarah Taber and Libertarian Sean Haugh in November.
Colby “Bear” Hammonds
Hammonds is an Army veteran and a third-generation family farmer from Lumberton and lives in Wake County. He is the owner of Hammonds Land and Cattle, which raises livestock and sells meat and dairy products. Hammonds says that he is focused on “agri-security” and protecting family farms, given that city limits are on three sides of his property now. He is a member of the Lumbee Tribe of Robeson County. Hammonds has a BA and MBA from N.C. State and is a grandfather. He does not appear to have run for office before.(Age ~50s)
➕ Colby “Bear” Hammonds candidate questionnaire
Steve Troxler
Troxler has served as the N.C. Commissioner of Agriculture for nearly two decades. Troxler has spent his life focused on agriculture as the founder and operator of his family-owned farm, Troxler Farms, in Guilford County (Greensboro area). He is the past president of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture, former chairman of NASDA’s Food Regulation and Nutrition Committee, and serves on the boards of the N.C. Foundation for Soil and Water Conservation, the Rural Economic Development Center and the N.C. Biotechnology Center. While serving as Commissioner, the value of the agriculture industry in North Carolina has increased by nearly $45 billion, according to a speech Troxler made at the N.C. Farm Bureau’s annual meeting in Greensboro. In 1974, Troxler graduated from NC State University with a B.S. in conservation and a concentration in environmental studies. He is also a grandfather. (Age 72)
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N.C. Commissioner of Insurance
Incumbent Republican Mike Causey is running for re-election. The winner of the Republican primary will face the winner of the Democratic primary, which is a two-person race.
Robert Brawley
Brawley has worn many hats in his lifetime, according to his campaign website. He co-authored a book, wrestled his way to an ACC Championship, graduated with a degree in Engineering Operations from N.C. State, served as a lieutenant colonel in the N.C. Army National Guard, and represented Catawba and Iredell counties (north of Charlotte) in the N.C. House from 1981-1998, and again in 2013-14. In 2016, Brawley ran for governor and received 10% of the vote in the Republican primary against then-incumbent Pat McCrory. Brawley has years worth of experience working in insurance, and if elected, aims to focus on several main issues as insurance commissioner such as ensuring the enforcement of insurance laws and introducing insurance classes in high schools. Transparency and accountability are also at the core of Brawley’s campaign. He displays a photo of himself with Mark Robinson on his website. He previously ran for insurance commissioner in 2004. (Age ~70s)
➕ Robert Brawley candidate questionnaire
Mike Causey
Mike Causey is hoping to secure votes for his second re-election as the N.C. Insurance Commissioner. In 2020, Causey won just under 52% of votes to beat out Democrat Wayne Goodwin. According to his campaign website, his priorities heading into this election are to fight for more competition in the industry, to combat insurance fraud (he said he doubled the number of investigators in his department) and “to make the commissioner’s office more accessible.” A native of Guilford County, Causey earned six degrees and certificates, including a B.S. in Business Administration and MBA from High Point University, collected 25 years of experience in insurance, and served in the U.S. Army as a military policeman and trombone player. He looks to reform the state’s “antiquated” Rate Bureau, opposes heightened government control over healthcare insurance, and supports efforts to pass Association Health Plans. He was recently accused of employing friends and donors in questionable roles. (Age 73)
Andrew Marcus
Marcus is a volunteer firefighter and lawyer in private practice in Chapel Hill. He says he is running because he wants to “fight for the people hurt by higher insurance rates and neglected by divisive, unproductive politics in the Insurance Commissioner’s office.” The priorities he lists on his website are to help citizens keep more of their money, to crack down on fraud, and to investigate the Chinese Communist Party’s ability to access consumer information from insurance companies. He is a graduate of Florida State Law School and a father. He does not appear to have run for office before. (Age 38)
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N.C. Commissioner of Labor
N.C. Labor Commissioner Josh Dobson, a Democrat, is not running for re-election. The winner of the Republican primary will face Democrat Braxton Winston, the former Charlotte City Council member, in November.
Luke Farley
Farley is a lawyer in the construction industry and volunteer “for conservative causes.” He says he “wants North Carolina to be the safest place to work and the best place to do business in the country.” He continues to say that “he'll fight every day for free enterprise, common sense regulation, and cutting red tape.” The top issues cited on his website are medical freedom for healthcare workers (e.g. no mandatory vaccines), workforce development with vocational training, and right-to-work freedoms (e.g. no mandatory union memberships). Farley is endorsed by former N.C. Labor Commissioner Cherie Berry, who is sometimes known as the “elevator lady.” He is an N.C. native, a graduate of UNC Chapel Hill and Wake Forest School of Law, and a father. He does not appear to have run for office before. (Age ~36)
Jon Hardister
Hardister works in marketing at his family business, First Carolina Mortgage. He has served six terms in the N.C. House representing part of Guilford County and is currently the Deputy House Majority Whip. His goals for the Department of Labor are to cut outdated and excessive regulations and invest in career-ready education. He sponsored bills to prevent discrimination against people who refuse Covid vaccines and to make the Moravian cookie and star the official N.C. cookie and star. His endorsements include a number of prominent N.C. politicians including current Labor Commissioner Josh Dobson and Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler, as well as N.C. House Speaker Tim Moore and Rep. Tricia Cotham. Of all the N.C. House Republicans, he is one of three that voted with the majority 100% of the time. He is a graduate of Greensboro College. (Age 41)
Chuck Stanley
Stanley was a volunteer firefighter and an employee of the sheriff’s office in Columbus County. He now works as a safety manager at a private construction company. He says he will work to “keep businesses” and bring more companies and industries to N.C. He lives in Columbus County and is a grandfather. He does not appear to have run for office before.(Age ~50s)
Travis J. Wilson
Wilson says he will protect independent contractors and make safety inspections a priority. Wilson last ran for a county commission seat in Union County in 2022 and came in seventh of 10 candidates. He is a resident of Union County, a father and author of a 51-page eBook called “A Statue Made of Stone” about American government. (Age ~30s)
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N.C. Secretary of State
Longtime N.C. Secretary of State Elaine Marshall, a Democrat, is running for re-election. The winner of the Republican primary will face her in November.
Chad Brown
Brown is a Gastonia native who was the mayor of Stanley (Gaston County) and then on the county commission. He describes himself as “Christian, pro-life, pro-2nd amendment and conservative.” The top issues listed on his site include fair elections, protecting small businesses and protecting consumers against fraud and identity theft. He mentions Christianity several times on his site and on the issues page says he wants to “restore traditional Christian values and beliefs in the face of modern cultural and political change.” (Age 52)
➕ Chad Brown candidate questionnaire
Jesse Thomas
Thomas grew up the son of sharecroppers and was the head of the Medicaid segment of Blue Cross Blue Shield of NC. The first issue listed on his website is term limits, followed by the expansion of Medicaid, attracting new business to N.C., and reduction of taxes, including zero state taxes for all citizens, starting with “seniors, teachers, first responders and active duty military.” In an email to The Ledger, he said that the growth in consumption and business will lead to more revenue from sales and other taxes which should be revenue-neutral for the state. Thomas has a self-published book called Financial Peace of Mind from the Scriptures. He was on the Board of Trustees at UNC Pembroke. He does not appear to have run for office before. (Age 72)
➕ Jesse Thomas candidate questionnaire
Christine E. Villaverde
Villaverde previously ran unsuccessfully for the District 2 Congressional seat (e.g. Wake County when she received 35% of the vote) and is now running to “refocus education away from liberal Critical Race Theory doctrines” and lower taxes. She was a former police officer, probation parole officer and “emergency manager for NC’s judicial branch.” She has a bachelor’s from Fayetteville State and a master’s from Liberty University. She is the mother of three, including 7-year old twins, and an “Army wife.” She lives in Harnett County. (Age 53)
➕ Christine E. Villaverde candidate questionnaire
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N.C. Superintendent of Public Instruction
Incumbent Catherine Truitt is running for re-election. The winner of the Republican primary will face the winner of the Democratic primary, a three-person race.
Michele Morrow
Morrow is a stay-at-home mother of five, a nurse and homeschool teacher. Morrow says on her campaign website that classrooms in North Carolina are “in crisis.” In the list of her goals as superintendent, ending indoctrination takes first place, followed by promoting respect and safety and demanding math and reading mastery. Morrow ran for the Wake County School Board in 2022, but she fell short. In the election for the school board, WRAL reported that she said she considered public schools to be “socialism centers” and “indoctrination centers,” She also said teachers should be allowed to have guns in class. (Age 53)
Catherine Truitt
Truitt was previously sworn in to lead North Carolina K-12 public education as State Superintendent in 2021. Truitt received her master’s in education from the University of Washington in 1997, according to her campaign website. Before getting involved in education policy, Truitt was in the classroom for a decade teaching middle and high school English. She has also served as a school turnaround coach for the International Center for Leadership in Education and as the senior education advisor under Gov. Pat McCrory. Truitt helped to draft the original HB324 (Anti-CRT Bill), helped to pass SB 220, “The Reopen Our Schools Act” in 2021, and openly opposed federal Title IX regulations for transgender athletes. She and her department also helped to pass SB87, “Excellent Public Schools Act,” which prioritizes a phonics-based approach to reading. Truitt has three children, two of whom are enrolled in Wake County public schools. (Age 53)
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N.C. Treasurer
Current Treasurer Dale Folwell, a Republican, is running for governor. The winner of the Republican primary will face the winner of the two-person Democratic primary.
Brad Briner
Briner manages investments for former New York City mayor and presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg. He recently joined the board of trustees at UNC Chapel Hill for a four-year term. He also received his BA from there and an MBA from Harvard. He is a former Morehead-Cain Scholar, lives in Chapel Hill, and has four children. (Age 46)
AJ Daoud
Daoud appears to own several funeral homes, according to his LinkedIn profile, and was a former commissioner with the N.C. Education Lottery. He says on his website he will search out and end public corruption. Daoud was a police officer in Miami during much of the 1980s. (Age ~60s)
Rachel Johnson
Johnson has sparse information on her site but says she is a small business owner and worked in regulatory policy early in her career. She appears to be a mother and a graduate of Emory University and UNC’s business school. Her family appears to have a winery in Yadkin Valley. She also appears to be the wife of Mark Johnson, the controversial former state superintendent of public instruction and an unsuccessful lieutenant governor candidate from 2020. (Age ~40s)
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State Courts
N.C. Court of Appeals Judge Seat 15
Incumbent Hunter Murphy is running for re-election against Chris Freeman. The winner of the Republican primary will face Democratic candidate Martin E. Moore of Asheville.
◼️ State board of elections judicial voter guide
Chris Freeman
Defending the Constitution and enforcing the law as written would be Freeman’s top priorities, if elected to replace Hunter Murphy on the North Carolina Court of Appeals. Freeman earned his B.S in Business Administration from High Point University and his law degree from Regent University. Before announcing his campaign, Freeman served as a district court judge and assistant district attorney in Rockingham and Caswell counties for a combined 17 years, according to his campaign website. Freeman joined the Air Force in 2013, and now provides legal expertise as a JAG Corps reservist. Freeman also emphasizes his commitment to his community, as an active member of Osborne Baptist Church and a board member for the United Way of Rockingham County and several other organizations. (Age ~47)
Hunter Murphy
Murphy was raised in Waynesville and attended UNC Chapel Hill and the McGeorge School of Law at the University of the Pacific, according to the North Carolina Judicial Branch directory. Originally elected in 2016, Murphy said that the role of an appellate judge is to “interpret the cases that come before them, not to set social policy,” according to a candidate forum with the North Carolina Channel. Before serving on the Court of Appeals, he also practiced before tribal court, district court, superior court, and federal court in the western district of North Carolina. In 2020, Murphy was censured (basically, a “public denouncement,” according to The Associated Press) by the Judicial Standards Commission after an investigation found that he enabled a “toxic work environment” for female law clerks. (Age 42)
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General Assembly
N.C. House District 110
District 110, which covers western Gaston County and the northern half of Cleveland County, has approximately 59,000 registered voters. Of those citizens, 32% are Democrats, 37% are Republicans and 31% are unaffiliated voters. Incumbent Kelly Hastings is running for his eighth term.
Kelly Hastings
Age: 62
Occupation: Realtor
Hastings has been an incumbent in District 110 since 2011. On his website, he lists the following issues: voter IDs and election integrity, less crime and more public safety, less red tape, education and school choice, lower taxes, economic, energy and food security, border security, strong military, balanced budgets, infrastructure improvements and access to broadband, anti-partial-birth abortions, liberty, private property rights, Congressional term limits, 2nd Amendment rights, market-based healthcare solutions, ban ESG agenda.
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Esther Scott
Age: 56
Scott is the current Gaston County Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor.
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N.C. District Court Judge, District 38 Seat 7
Megan Shepard
Age: 38
Education: Bachelor’s, Western Carolina University; JD Charlotte School of Law
Occupation: Gaston County public defender’s office
Shepard lists these issues on her website: upholding the Constitution; pro-2nd Amendment, pro-life; family values; tough on crime.
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Fielding Yelverton
Age: 42
Education: Bachelor’s, Wake Forest; JD Mercer University
Occupation: Attorney with the Department of Social Service
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Gaston County Board of Commissioners
News article:
Crowders Mountain Township
Blair Hall
Age: 58
Occupation: Former Gaston County police officer; school safety specialist at Gaston County Schools
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Bob Hovis
Age: 69
Hovis has been on the Gaston County Board of Commissioners since 2016. He is also the former mayor of Bessemer City.
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Gastonia Township
Scott Shehan
Age: 44
Occupation: Small business owner
Shehan says on his website that he will bring the following to voters if he is elected: political outsider perspective, business development and job creation, alleviating tax burdens, public safety, increased education investment, infrastructure and smart growth, fiscal responsibility, support for agriculture, defending 2nd Amendment.
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Howard J. Collmar, Jr.
Age: ~50s
Occupation: Small business owner
Collmar lists these issues on his website: lower property taxes, smart growth, crime prevention, small business focus youth development
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South Point Township
Marc Seelinger
Age: ~30s
Education: Bachelor’s UNC Chapel Hill
Occupation: Employee at an insurance company; small business owner
Seelinger is the former mayor of Belmont
Ronnie Worley
Worley has been a commissioner since 2016 and was a former highway patrolman. On his Twitter page, his bio says that he is “pro-life, pro-business, pro-law enforcement.”
Jim Bailey
Age: 57
Occupation: Training coordinator in the executive security division at Billy Graham Evangelistic Association
Bailey was a 30-year employee of the Gaston County Sheriff’s office. On his website, he says he is running because “We all need a guiding light in our lives and between my church, family, and friends, I have learned my direction in life. I have never been a perfect person and have never claimed to be, but I try to be the best person that I can be. I think helping the people of Gaston County is my next task in life. I will ask assistance from the people that have gotten me this far in life, as well as listen to the people of Gaston County."
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Executive editor: Tony Mecia; Managing editor: Cristina Bolling; Staff writer: Lindsey Banks; Business manager: Brie Chrisman, BC Creative