Here’s who is running for the NC state legislature in Wake, Durham and Orange counties
What bills become state law in North Carolina hinges on what party is in the Executive Mansion and holds the majority in the General Assembly.
Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper is a year into his second term, and is not up for election this year. However, every one of the 170 state lawmakers who send him legislation to sign or veto is up for a vote this year.
After district maps were redrawn and went through the legislature and courts, the 2022 state legislative elections are set. You can look up your voting district on the State Board of Elections website here: https://vt.ncsbe.gov/RegLkup/.
The primary is May 17, and winners go on to the general election in November. In North Carolina, voters who are unaffiliated may choose either party’s ballot during the primary, or an unaffiliated ballot if there is one.
As of March 4, when filing ended, here is a list of candidates in the new state House and Senate districts that represent residents in Wake, Durham and Orange counties.
NC Senate primary candidates
Senate District 13 in northern Raleigh:
▪ Democrat Patrick Buffkin of Raleigh, who is a Raleigh City Council member.
▪ Democrat Lisa Grafstein of Raleigh.
▪ Republican Jeff Werner of Raleigh.
▪ Republican David Bankert of Raleigh.
▪ Libertarian Michael Munger of Raleigh.
Senate District 14 in Raleigh and eastern Wake County:
▪ Democrat Dan Blue of Raleigh, an incumbent and Senate Democratic Leader.
▪ Libertarian Matthew Laszacs of Raleigh.
▪ Republican Chris Baker of Wendell.
Senate District 15 in Raleigh:
▪ Democrat Jay Chaudhuri of Raleigh, incumbent.
▪ Libertarian Sammie Brooks of Raleigh.
▪ Republican Emanuela Prister of Cary.
Senate District 16 in Wake County:
▪ Republican James Powers of Cary.
▪ Libertarian Dee Watson of Cary.
▪ Democrat Gale Adcock of Raleigh, who is a state House member.
Senate District 17 in southwest Wake County:
▪ Libertarian Patrick Bowersox of Holly Springs.
▪ Republican Mark Cavaliero of Apex.
▪ Democrat Sydney Batch of Raleigh, incumbent.
Senate District 18 in northeast Raleigh and Granville County:
▪ Democrat Mary Wills Bode of Oxford.
▪ Republican E.C. Sykes of Raleigh.
▪ Republican Dimitry Slabyak of Raleigh.
▪ Libertarian Ryan Brown of Creedmoor.
Senate District 20 in Chatham County and southern Durham:
▪ Democrat Natalie Murdock of Durham, incumbent.
▪ Libertarian Alvin Reed of Sanford.
Senate District 22 in Durham:
▪ Democrat Mike Woodard of Durham, incumbent.
▪ Republican Larry Coleman of Durham.
▪ Republican John Tarantino of Durham.
▪ Libertarian Ray Ubinger of Durham.
Senate District 23 in Orange, Person and Caswell counties:
▪ Democrat Graig Meyer of Hillsborough, who is a state House member.
▪ Democrat Jamie DeMent Holcomb of Hillsborough.
▪ Republican Bill Cooke of Chapel Hill.
▪ Republican Landon Woods of Yanceyville.
NC House primary candidates
House District 2 in northern Durham and Person County:
▪ Democrat Ray Jeffers of Oxford.
▪ Libertarian Gavin Bell of Leasburg.
▪ Republican Larry Yarborough of Roxboro.
House District 29 in Durham:
▪ Democrat Vernetta Alston of Durham, incumbent.
House District 30 in Durham:
▪ Democrat Marcia Morey, incumbent.
▪ Republican William Antico of Durham.
▪ Libertarian Guy Meilleur of Durham.
House District 31 in Durham:
▪ Democrat Zack Hawkins, incumbent.
▪ Libertarian Sean Haugh of Durham.
House District 50 in Orange County:
▪ Democrat Renee Price of Hillsborough.
▪ Democrat Matt Hughes of Hillsborough.
▪ Republican Charles Lopez of Mebane.
House District 56 in southern Orange County:
▪ Democrat Allen Buansi of Chapel Hill.
▪ Democrat Jonah Garson of Chapel Hill.
House District 11 in Wake County:
▪ Democrat Allison Dahle of Raleigh, incumbent.
House District 21 in Wake County:
▪ Democrat Ya Liu of Cary.
▪ Libertarian Joshua Morris of Cary.
▪ Republican Gerard Falzon of Morrisville.
House District 33 in Wake County, including Raleigh:
▪ Democrat Rosa Gill of Raleigh, incumbent.
▪ Democrat Nate Blanton of Raleigh.
▪ Libertarian Chris Costello of Garner.
▪ Republican Stephanie Dingee of Raleigh.
House District 34 in Wake County, including Raleigh:
▪ Democratic Rep. Grier Martin of Raleigh, incumbent.
▪ Libertarian Kat McDonald of Raleigh.
▪ Republican Joshua Jordan of Raleigh.
▪ Republican Ashley Seshul of Raleigh.
House District 35 in northern Wake County:
▪ Democrat Terence Everitt of Wake Forest, incumbent.
▪ Republican Fred Von Canon of Wake Forest.
▪ Republican Brandon Panamenoo of Wake Forest.
▪ Libertarian Joseph Serio of Wake Forest.
House District 36 in Wake County:
▪ Democrat Julie von Haefen of Apex, incumbent.
▪ Libertarian Kyle Ward of Apex.
▪ Republican John Harris of Apex.
House District 37 in southern Wake County:
▪ Republican Erin Pare of Holly Springs, incumbent.
▪ Democrat Christine Kelly of Holly Springs.
▪ Democrat Elizabeth Parent of Fuquay-Varina.
▪ Democrat Mary Bethel of Fuquay-Varina.
▪ Libertarian Christopher Robinson of Fuquay-Varina.
House District 38 in Wake County, including Raleigh:
▪ Democrat Abe Jones of Raleigh, incumbent.
▪ Libertarian Christopher Mizelle of Raleigh.
House District 39 in eastern Wake County:
▪ Democrat James Roberson of Knightdale.
▪ Republican Greg Jones of Wendell.
House District 40 in Wake County, including Raleigh:
▪ Democrat Joe John of Raleigh, incumbent.
▪ Democrat Marguerite Creel of Wake Forest.
▪ Libertarian Michael Nelson of Raleigh.
▪ Republican Marilyn Avila of Raleigh.
House District 41 in Wake County, including Cary:
▪ Democrat Maria Cervania of Cary.
▪ Libertarian Travis Groo of Cary.
▪ Republican Bruce Forster of Cary.
House District 49 in Wake County, including Raleigh:
▪ Democrat Cynthia Ball of Raleigh, incumbent.
▪ Libertarian Michael Oakes of Raleigh.
▪ Republican David Robertson of Raleigh.
House District 66 in Wake County, including Raleigh:
▪ Democrat Frank (Jeremiah) Pierce of Raleigh.
▪ Democrat Sarah Crawford of Raleigh, who is currently a state senator.
▪ Democrat Wesley Knott of Raleigh.
▪ Libertarian Micao Penaflor of Raleigh.
▪ Republican Ives Brizuela de Sholar of Raleigh.
For more North Carolina government and politics news, listen to the Under the Dome politics podcast from The News & Observer and the NC Insider. You can find it at https://campsite.bio/underthedome or wherever you get your podcasts.
This story was originally published March 4, 2022 at 8:30 AM.
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