Endorsements: Our choices in Wake County races for the NC House

Democrats hold all of Wake County’s state House seats, but there are challengers for all but one. That’s House Dist. 39, where Rep. Darren Jackson, the House minority leader, is uncontested. Despite the Democratic dominance, there are races where challengers are offering Wake voters a real choice.

House 11. First-term Rep. Allison Dahle won a 2018 Democratic primary against state Rep. Duane Hall after Hall was caught up in allegations of sexual harassment. Dahle went on to easily win the seat.

Dahle’s Republican challenger is Clark Pope, an electrical engineer and first-time candidate from Cary. He offers refreshing departures from some Republican positions. Medicaid expansion, he says, is “a no-brainer,” if the federal government pays 90 percent of the cost. He also wants to replace cash bail with electronic tracking and expand the use of residential solar power. Libertarian Adrian Travers, a school choice advocate, is also running.

Liberal Democrats can’t go wrong voting for Dahle, but for independents looking for a candidate who would like to rewire politics in the House, this electrical engineer is worth a look. We recommend Clark Pope.

House 33. Democrat Rosa Gill is a fixture in Raleigh politics. The Wake County native has served on the Wake County Board of elections, on the Wake County Board of Education and in the state House since 2009. She is an advocate for education, civil rights and Medicaid expansion. Her opponents, Republican Frann Sarpolus and Libertarian Sammie Brooks, have not made a case for replacing her. We recommend Rosa Gill.

House 34. This race offers three clear choices: Libertarian Michael Munger, a Duke political science professor, is offering thoughtful ideas about affordable housing. Republican Ronald Smith, a retired U.S. Navy officer, wants to spend more on schools. However, these two impressive candidates are up against an impressive incumbent, Democrat Rep. Grier Martin. He has pushed for legislative ethics reforms and is committed to restoring the democratic process in the House. We recommend Grier Martin.

House 35. Democratic Rep. Terence Everitt defeated Republican incumbent Chris Malone in 2018 to take this Wake Forest seat. Everitt is committed to taking the partisanship out of redistricting. He is being challenged by Fred Von Canon, who says government is encroaching on liberty. Libertarian Michael Nelson is also running. We recommend Terence Everitt.

House 36. First-term Democratic Rep. Julie von Haefen wants the legislature to crack down on corporate polluters, eliminate cash bail and protect women’s reproductive rights. The Republican challenger is Kim Coley, a real estate investor, whose priority is getting the state economy moving again. Also in the race is Libertarian Bruce Basson. We recommend Julie von Haefen.

House 37. Democrat Sydney Batch won this southern Wake County seat by narrowly defeating Republican John Adcock, who had been appointed to the seat in 2018. Batch, a family law attorney, wants to ensure all employees have paid family and medical leave. The Republican challenger is Erin Pare, a PTA president and vice chair of the Holly Springs Board of Adjustment. She supports lower taxes, gun rights and less regulation of small businesses. Also running is Libertarian Liam Leaver, who favors school vouchers and school choice. We recommend Sydney Batch.

House 38. Former Superior Court Judge Abe Jones is the Democratic candidate to replace Rep. Yvonne Lewis Holley, who is the Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor. Jones is pushing for criminal justice reforms and state support for affordable housing. He is running against Republican Kenneth Bagnal and Libertarian Richard Haygood. We recommend Abe Jones.

House 40. Rep. Joe John came to the House after defeating Republican incumbent Marilyn Avila in 2016. He brings 25 years of experience as a district judge, a superior court judge and a judge on the N.C. Court of Appeals. He favors an independent commission for redistricting and making judicial races nonpartisan. He’s being challenged by Republican Gerald Falzon. We recommend Joe John.

House 41. Democratic Rep. Gale Adcock won her seat by narrowly defeating Republican incumbent Thomas Murry in 2014. She has won re-election handily ever since. Recently retired after serving as chief health officer at the SAS Institute, her priority is increasing access to health care. Her Republican opponent is Scott Populorum, an Army veteran whose priorities are keeping taxes low, protecting the unborn and supporting gun rights. Libertarian Guy Meilleur is also running. We recommend Gale Adcock.

House 49. Democratic incumbent Rep. Cynthia Ball wants to increase funding for public schools, raise teachers’ pay, expand Medicaid and fix a legislative process where bills are often rammed through with little public review. She is being challenged by Republican David Robertson, an engineer who supports wider use of STEM education, and Libertarian Dee Watson, who wants to “demilitarize” the police and end officers’ qualified legal immunity in cases involving use of force. We recommend Cynthia Ball.

This story was originally published October 12, 2020 at 12:00 AM.