Election 2010: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
The GOP simultaneously bucked and repeated history Tuesday night in an election that saw Republicans capture both chambers of the North Carolina General Assembly for the first time in more than a century, while again coming up painfully short in their attempt to wrest majority control of the Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners.
And in a city still reeling from the impacts of the recession, Charlotte voters approved a $204-million bond ask that included $157 million for street and transportation improvements (64 to 36 percent); $32 million for neighborhood improvements (63 to 37 percent); and $15 million for affordable housing (57 to 43 percent).
Tuesday night also saw Mecklenburg County elect its first new district attorney in more than 30 years with Republican Andrew Murray, a lawyer and former assistant DA, beating Democrat and incumbent city councilman Michael Barnes to take the helm as the county’s top prosecutor, a position that retiring DA Peter Gilchrist had held since 1974. Murray reeled in 115,416 votes (52%) compared to Barnes’ 106,229 (48%)
After being appointed sheriff through a controversial and convoluted process two years ago, Democrat Chipp Bailey coasted to his first general election victory, topping Republican Christopher Hailey by a margin of 137,990 votes (62%) to 83,111 votes (38%).
At the state level, a wave of anti-incumbent fervor and concentrated grassroots campaigning helped propel the GOP into majority control of both the N.C. Senate and House, a feat not accomplished since 1989. Unofficial results showed the GOP poised to win more than the nine seats it needed to take over the House, where Democrats currently hold a 68-52 majority, and the six seats needed to win the Senate, where Democrats currently control 30 of the 50 seats. The double-whammy put Republicans in the driver’s seat as the General Assembly looks to redraw district lines for legislative and congressional seats, potentially setting the stage for long-term GOP gains moving forward.
But in a wave of red that swept across North Carolina Tuesday night, Mecklenburg County remained an island of blue with Democrats holding on by the skin of their teeth to retain majority control of the board of commissioners. With all precincts reporting, unofficial results showed incumbent Democrat Chairman Jennifer Roberts winning the seven-candidate at-large race with 112,556 votes (17.5%), trailed by former sheriff and Democrat turned Republican Jim Pendergraph with 111,622 votes (17.4%), and incumbent Democrat Harold Cogdell with 106,596 votes (16.6%).
Combined with wins in district races, Democrats picked up five seats on the nine-member board, one short of their current six-seat majority. Incumbent Democrat Dan Murrey placed an out-of-the-running fourth in the at-large race, with 103,626 votes, followed by former commissioner Republican Dan Ramirez with 102,422 votes, Republican Corey Thompson with 94,093 votes, and Libertarian Jack Stratton with 11,171 votes.
Democrat incumbent Vilma Leake outpaced Republican challenger Lee Ann Patton by a 70 to 30 percent margin in the District 2 tilt, while incumbent Democrat George Dunlap topped Republican Barbara Eveland with a 78 to 22 percent edge in District 3. In District 4, incumbent Democrat Dumont Clarke fended off a push from Republican Virginia Spykerman with a 66 to 34 percent win. Incumbent Republicans Bill James, Neil Cooksey, and Karen Bentley all ran unopposed.
For the MeckGOP, the at-large commissioners’ race was a case of deja boo all over again. For yet another election cycle, Republicans appeared ready to take at least two of the three at-large seats up for grabs, and with it capture control of the board, ending a dry spell of GOP majority that stretches back to 2002.
At 9:30 Tuesday night, with about a third of votes in the books, Pendergraph and Ramirez were on track to take two of the seats, with Roberts rounding out the third. Thompson, a political newcomer and tea party favorite, was nipping at Roberts’ heels and besting incumbents Cogdell and Murrey.
Less than two hours later, the tide had turned. With a trickle of Democrat-heavy precincts still left to report, Pendergraph still held a narrow lead as top vote-getter, Roberts had edged into second place, Cogdell had surged into third, with Murrey picking up steam, Ramirez slumping and Thompson fading.
By the end of the night, with all precincts reporting, unofficial results told the story: Roberts, Pendergraph, Cogdell.
Democrats TKO. GOP majority DOA.
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