By Josh Bergeron
josh.bergeron@salisburypost.com

A North Carolina congresswoman whose district will soon shift out of Rowan County announced on Friday that she’d received a notable promotion.

U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx, a Republican who represents the 5th District, will serve as the chairwoman of the education and workforce committee when Congress convenes in January. She currently serves as a senior member of the committee. Before being elected to Congress, Foxx was a college administrator.

“The committee will continue to work towards fostering the best opportunities for students to learn, workers to succeed and employers to grow,” Foxx said in an emailed statement. “At all times, we will strive in our service to hold government institutions to the highest standards of accountability and transparency, with a constant eye towards eliminating waste and inefficiency.”

As part of a court-ordered redistricting in 2016, Foxx’s District shorted out of Rowan County, which is now covered by the 8th and 13th congressional districts.

After Foxx announced the news, Rep. Richard Hudson, R-8, issued a statement praising her education credentials.

“There is no better advocate for education and putting people in good jobs than Virginia, and I am confident her leadership will help deliver opportunity for all Americans,” Hudson said.

Foxx was first elected to the 5th District seat in 2004.

The American Conservative Union gives Foxx a 94.42 rating. Conservative advocacy organization Heritage Action give Foxx a lifetime rating of 74 percent.

More Trump rallies?

The campaign is over but President-elect Donald Trump isn’t done holding rallies in North Carolina.

Trump on Tuesday is scheduled to hold a rally in Fayetteville’s Crown Coliseum. The rally will start at 7 p.m., according to a schedule posted on his website.

It’s a location he visited during the presidential campaign, too.

His Tuesday visit to Fayetteville is part of a victory tour. On Thursday, Trump is scheduled to visit Iowa. Vice President-elect Mike Pence has trips scheduled to New Orleans and Iowa.

GOP vs. Durham County?

Following the 2016 general election, Gov. Pat McCrory’s campaign has focused on Durham County as a potential to diminish Democrat Roy Cooper’s margin of victory in the gubernatorial race. Now, the state’s Republican Party is threatening to sue Durham County.

In a news release, the GOP said Durham County previously refused to allow members of the public to view absentee ballot envelopes. On Wednesday, an elections official told the GOP members of the public would be allowed to view absentee ballot envelopes but the Durham County Board of Elections didn’t follow through, the GOP said.

“Durham County continues to put barriers up to prevent the public from viewing the absentee ballot signatures,” said NC GOP Executive Director Dallas Woodhouse in a news release. “Hence, we are left to believe that they are hiding something from North Carolina Republicans with malicious intent. As a result, we have no other choice than to plan on suing Durham County for evading public records request. We are fighting this fight for the citizens of our great state.”

The McCrory campaign has raised questions about ballots in Durham County because 90,000 ballots from early voting came in late in the night and gave Cooper a lead in the gubernatorial race.