These results represent unofficial tallies by the NC State Board of Elections. Final counts will be updated. Check out the Salisbury Post Thursday’s edition for additional coverage.

By Robert Sullivan and Chandler Inions

 

Pierce, Caskey win Republican primary for county commissioner seats

Republican voters in Rowan County selected incumbents Craig Pierce and Mike Caskey as their choices in the Republican primary. Caskey took first in the race with 36.7 percent of the vote, while Pierce took second with 20.44 percent of the vote. Challengers Angie Spillman, 19.36 percent, and Jonathan Barbee, 16.82 percent, took third and fourth, respectively. Caskey received 10,249, Pierce received 5,709, Spillman received 5,407 and Barbee received 4,698 votes.

Caskey and Pierce will now face off against Democrat candidates Alissa Redmond and Shameka Jackson in the general election in November.

 

Parker wins seat on Kannapolis Board of Education

Anita Parker won the general election for a seat on the Kannapolis City Schools Board of Education. Parker won with 2,524 votes, or 52.19, percent of the total vote against Kevin Clark’s 2,206, or 45.62 percent. Parker actually came in second in Rowan County, with 48.76 percent of the vote to Clark’s 49.79 percent.

 

Stein, Robinson will face off in gubernatorial race

Josh Stein was chosen as the Democrat candidate and Mark Robinson will be the Republican contender in the gubernatorial race. 

With 90 percent of the precincts reporting, Stein won with 427,758 statewide votes, or 69.27 percent. Stein had 2,543 votes in Rowan, or 61.48 percent. Mike Morgan had 88,488, Chrelle Booker had 41,670, Marcus W. Williams had 36,317 and Gary Foxx had 23,301 statewide votes.

Robinson won with 612,890 statewide votes, or 65.33 percent. Robinson received 11,094 Rowan votes, or 63.83 percent. Dale R. Folwell had 174,865 and Bill Graham had 150,411 statewide votes.

 

Hunt wins Democratic primary for Lt. governor, Republican raise could end in runoff

Rachel Hunt handedly won the Democratic primary for lieutenant governor. With 90 percent of the precincts reporting, Hunt had 427,358 statewide votes, or 70.11 percent. Hunt got 2,551 votes in Rowan, or 63.02 percent. Ben Clark had 101,166 and Mark H. Robinson had 80,997 statewide votes.

Hal Weatherman came in first in the Republican primary with 166,366 statewide votes, or 19.59 percent, with 90 percent of the precincts reporting. Weatherman received 2,865 Rowan votes, or 18.52 percent. However, Weatherman did not receive 30 percent of the vote, which means second-place candidate, Jim O’Neill, could demand a second primary. O’Neill received 136,621 statewide votes, or 16.09 percent. Deanna Ballard had 125,425, Seth Woodall had 94,014 and Sam Page had 99,289 statewide votes.

 

Riggs is Democratic nominee for associate judge seat on the N.C. Supreme Court 

Allison Riggs will be the Democratic nominee for an associate judge seat on the N.C. Supreme Court. With 90 percent of the precincts reporting, Riggs won the primary with 402,896 statewide votes, or 68.73 percent. Riggs received 2,692 votes in Rowan, or 69.17 percent. The other candidate was Lora Christine Cubbage, who received 183,265 statewide votes.

 

Freeman is Republican nominee for seat on N.C. Court of Appeals

Chris Freeman will be the Republican nominee for a seat on the N.C. Court of Appeals. With 90 percent of the precincts reporting, Freeman won the primary with 486,161 statewide votes, or 62.44 percent. Freeman received 9,489 Rowan votes, or 64.61 percent. The other candidate was Hunter Murphy, who received 292,395 statewide votes.

 

Attorney general November race will pit former state rep against U.S. rep

In the race for Democratic nomination of the North Carolina Attorney General, Jeff Jackson defeated Satana Deberry and Tim Dunn. With 90 percent of precincts statewide reporting, Jackson had received more than 54 percent of votes. Deberry received 33.48 percent of the votes and Dunn received 12.31 votes. 

Jackson will face U.S. Representative Dan Bishop in the November election. Bishop’s nomination was uncontested in a primary. 

Rowan County voters selected Jackson on 51.73 percent of the ballots, with 2,079 cast in his favor. Deberry finished second with 1,214 votes. Dunn received just 726 votes in the county. 

 

Agriculture commissioner nomination goes to incumbent Troxler

Republican: Steve Troxler handedly defeated Colby (Bear) Hammonds in Rowan County and statewide. With 90 percent of precincts reporting, Troxler was leading by 38 points (69-31). Those numbers varied slightly from Rowan County where Troxler received 11,363 votes (71.34 percent) to Hammonds’ 4,564.

Sarah Taber is running for the Democrats in November following an uncontested primary.

Sean Haugh will represent the Libertarian party in the general election.

 

Incumbent insurance commissioner retains nomination

Mike Causey defended his position against challenges from C. Robert Brawley and Andrew Marcus. With 90 percent of the statewide vote tallied, Causey was leading second-place Marcus by 38 points. 

In Rowan County, Causey received 9,106 votes (59.16 percent), Brawley received 3,667 votes (23.82 percent) and Marcus received 2,620 (17.02 percent). 

Natasha Marcus ran away with the election against David Wheeler for the Democratic nomination in the race for the state’s insurance commissioner. With 90 percent of the statewide vote tallied, Marcus had 455,412 votes statewide, representing 77.56 percent of ballots cast. 

In Rowan County, Marcus received 2,825 votes (72.38 percent). Wheeler received 1,078 votes. 

 

Commissioner of Labor proves close race

Luke Farley captured the Republican nomination for labor commissioner after defeating Jon Hardister, Chuck Stanley and Travis J. Wilson. With 90 percent of the statewide vote tallied, Farley had about 65,000 more votes than second-place Hardister. Farley’s 285,427 represented 36.5 percent of ballots at that time. 

In Rowan County, Farley received 5,289 votes (35.89percent). Hardister received 3,896 votes. Stanley received 3,055 votes and Wilson received 2,495 votes. 

As for the Democratic side of the ticket, Braxton Winston II advanced from an uncontested race and will represent the Democrats in November.

 

Secretary of State Republican primary lines up challenger for Elaine Marshall

Chad Brown defeated Christine E. Villaverde and Jesse Thomas to secure the Republican nomination for secretary of state. With 90 percent of precincts tallied, Brown had a commanding lead on second-place Villaverde. Brown had 345,059 votes (43.72 percent) to Villaverde’s 232,920 (29.51 percent). Thomas was not far behind Villaverde with 211,231 votes (26.76 percent)

In Rowan County, Brown took home 7,367 votes (49.67 percent). Villaverde received 4,061 votes and Thomas received 3,405 votes for 27.38 percent and 22.96 percent respectively. 

The incumbent Elaine Marshall will look to defend her seat in November on the Democratic ticket. 

 

Superintendent of Public Instruction

In the Democratic primary, Maurice Mo Green ran away with the primary in the race for the Democratic nomination for superintendent of public instruction. Green defeated C.R. Katie Eddings and Kenon Crumble.

In Rowan County, Green received 55.41 percent of the vote with 2,168 ballots. Eddings received 1,361 votes of 34.78 percent of the ballots. In a distant third, Crumble received 384 votes. 

The Republican primary was one of the closest contests of the night. With 93 percent of precincts reporting, Michele Morrow defeated Catherine Truitt. Morrow led by nearly 35,000 votes, representing more than 52 percent of statewide ballots. 

In Rowan County Morrow defeated Truitt by 10 points, receiving 8,248 votes. Truitt received 6,749.

 

NC treasurer

In the Democratic primary, Wesley Harris defeated Gabe Esparza by a nearly 2-1 count. With 90 percent of precincts reporting, Harris controlled more than two thirds of the votes. His 393,857 votes at the time dwarfed Esparza’s 191,929. 

In Rowan County, Harris captured 2,590 votes or 66.56 percent. Esparza received 1,301. 

On the Republican side of the primary, with 93 percent of precincts reporting, Brad Briner appeared to have captured the nomination. His 324,282 votes represented 39.81 percent of total ballots. In second place, Rachel Johnson had 282,918 votes. A.J. Daoud had 25.46 percent of the votes with 207,355 ballots. 

In Rowan County, Briner captured 41.07 percent of the votes with 6,090 ballots cast in his favor. Johnson was second with 5,662 or 38.19 percent. Bringing up the rear was Daoud with 3,075 votes.

 

NC auditor race heading for a likely runoff

In the race for the Republican nomination of auditor, with 93 percent of statewide precincts reporting, Jack Clark’s 186,697 ballots (23.23 percent) represented the largest total but fell well short of the 30 percent threshold required to stave off a second primary. 

Dave Boliek came in second with 177,996 votes or 22.15 percent of ballots. The next top vote-getter was Charles Dingee was 147,949 (18.41 percent). Jeff Tarte was in fourth with 120,598. Anthony Wayne Street and Jim Kee each had fewer than 100,000 votes. 

Clark did slightly better in Rowan County with 3,938 votes (27.03 percent). Boliek did about the same with 3,062 votes (21.02 percent).

Incumbent Jessica Holmes will represent the Democrats in November. Bob Drach will represent the Libertarians.