By Karissa Minn
kminn@salisburypost.com
SALISBURY – Rowan County Commissioner Carl Ford has decided to run for a seat in the state House, he said Monday night.
Ford announced his candidacy for N.C. House District 76 at a meeting of the local Republican Party. Rep. Fred Steen, who currently represents the district, had filed to run for Congress just hours before.
This morning, Ford said he sees the state office as an opportunity to better serve the county and begin to serve another. The 76th district now includes southeastern Rowan and northeastern Cabarrus County.
“After talking to many people and praying about this decision, I felt like it was the right thing to do,” he said. “Not that there isn’t more to do on the county commission – there is and always will be for whoever’s elected.”
Once he files with the county elections office, Ford will leave a wide-open seat on the Board of Commissioners.
The second board seat up for grabs in the 2012 elections belongs to Commissioner Raymond Coltrain, who said Monday he isn’t commenting yet on his plans.
Read more in Wednesday’s Post.