Crowded Field For At-Large Commissioners Race
Wayne Powers took Leap Year to heart on the last day of filing for elected office, jumping into the Republican primary race for an at-large seat on the Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners.
Powers enters a wide-open and already crowded contest where all three at-large seats on the board are up for grabs. And with four Republican candidates and a dozen Democrats on the ballot, the sizeable field could yield an interesting twist by potentially increasing the chances of an extended race. For an at-large primary if no one captures at least 40 percent of the vote, the top four vote-getters in each party go to a run-off, according to the county’s website. The reason for the run-off is to narrow the field to three candidates from each party who will square off in the general election, vying for the commission’s three at-large seats.
None of the board’s incumbent at-large members are seeking re-election. Commissioner Jennifer Roberts, a Democrat, and Commissioners Vice Chair Jim Pendergraph, a Republican, both announced earlier this month they wouldn’t seek reelection to the board, opting instead to take a shot at the 9th District Congressional seat being vacated by Republican Sue Myrick. Commissioners Chairman Harold Cogdell joined the exodus when he announced this week that he was dropping his Democrat party affiliation for Independent status and not seeking another term as commissioner.
Powers, a frequent guest host on WBT 1110-AM and occasional House Guest columnist on this site, said Cogdell’s decision to forgo a reelection bid was one reason he decided to jump into the race. Cogdell was considered a swing vote on some issues and, despite his former Democrat affiliation, at times crossed party lines to join the board’s Republican minority.
With that potential crossover collaboration fading with Cogdell’s departure, Powers said it’s critical for Republicans to pick up at least one of the three at-large seats. He squares off in the GOP primary against Michael Hobbs, James Peterson and Angelique Diaz Landry. Tim McLeod withdrew on the last day of filing.
“With three at-large seats and the county’s demographics increasingly favoring Democrats,” Powers said, “I honestly think this could be our last opportunity to get an at-large Republican on the board. And there are so many important issues at stake that are basic to everyone’s quality of life. We need to keep this county affordable to live in, through responsible fiscal management, or we’re headed down a path that ends up like a Detroit.”
In that light, Powers said he plans to run a campaign that attracts and holds the Republican base while appealing to Independents and crossover Democrats.
A crowded primary looms on the Democrat horizon with 12 candidates on the ballot, while Jason Bateman is the lone candidate on the Libertarian ticket. Democrats vying for an at-large spot include Paul M. Brown, Sr., Pat Cotham, Jyoti Friedland, Trevor Fuller, Adam Geremia, Marc Gustafson, Robert Hillman, Gregory Hunt, Craig Madans, Oronde McLean, Kim Michele Ratliff and Harry Taylor.
We need your help! If you like PunditHouse, please consider donating to us. Even $5 a month can make a difference!
Short URL: https://pundithouse.com/?p=8873
