Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock, you are well aware that primary election season is underway here in North Carolina. Early voting runs through Saturday, May 3 with Primary Election Day on Tuesday, May 6.
There are numerous primary races that voters should be watching, especially those who are supporters of our state’s natural resources. Below, here are four key races we’re watching here at NCLCV:
U.S. Senate [Republican and Democratic Primaries]
Arguably, the top race dominating the media is the US Senate seat held currently by Senator Kay Hagan (D). While it’s not a surprise that Senator Hagan will face a Republican challenger on the November ballot, Senator Hagan has to first make it past the primaries to even be on the ballot, as she has two Democratic challengers this May. An incumbent facing a primary within the same party? No, it doesn’t happen often, but Ernest Reeves and Will Stewart are taking on the Democratic leader. Sen. Hagan has drawn fire from members of her own party (clearly to the point of two throwing their hats in the ring for her seat) based on her voting record in D.C., with most grumbling stemming from the challenges of the Affordable Healthcare Act roll out.
On the other side, there are eight candidates vying for the Republican ticket. Four of the candidates have the most likely chance of securing that spot – House Speaker Thom Tillis, obstetrician Dr. Greg Brannon, former state Baptist State Convention president Mark Harris, and family nurse practitioner Heather Grant. Based on data released from NC’s Public Policy Polling this week, Tillis is taking a commanding lead over the rest of the field. Coupled with the endorsement from Governor Pat McCrory, Tillis will likely avoid a runoff by securing the Republican nod in the primary.
What to watch for: In the Democratic primary, how much of the vote will Senator Hagan pull in? Our feeling: if she pulls in less than 85%, she will need to re-think her November plan and ensure she is reflecting what her party desires. We would certainly like to see Senator Hagan take a pro-conservation stance on key issues, especially those affecting North Carolina’s air, water, and land, like she did to support EPA regulations on mercury emissions
In the Republican primary, if Tillis does secure the nomination, what happens to the tea party members, who have thrown their weight behind Brannon, here in North Carolina and beyond?
NC State Senate: District 28 [Democratic Primary]
In another incumbent challenge, Senator Gladys Robinson (D-Guilford) faces a contest with Skip Alston, a realtor and former chair of the Guilford County Board of Commissioners. While Senator Robinson was challenged both in 2010 and 2012 by Guilford County Commissioner Bruce Davis, she may encounter a stronger opponent in Alston, who has questioned her effectiveness in getting legislation passed. Alston maintains strong relationships with the Greensboro business and real estate community, which appears to give him an advantage over Robinson on economic issues.
On our issue, Senator Robinson’s score on the environment has been decent but with some room for improvement. For our 2013 legislative scorecard, she earned a 75 (out of 100). While she did support legislation delaying the clean-up of Jordan Lake, she cast a majority of pro-conservation votes on issues including fracking, reorganizing state commissions to remove subject matter experts, and exempting certain wetlands from water quality permit requirements. In a NC Senate where the average 2013 session score earned was a 28, Sen. Robinson has remained one of our champions and did receive our Conservation PAC’s endorsement for the 2014 primary election.
What to watch for: Will Robinson’s record be enough for voters to keep her, or is the lure of a business background too much?
U.S. Representative – District 12 [Democratic Primary]
After Democrat Mel Watt resigned his position in early 2014 to become director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, he left behind a popular seat, eyed currently by eight names. However, two candidates have risen to the top: state Senator Malcolm Graham and state Representative Alma Adams. Both have received key endorsements from various political leaders and influential groups based on their respective records at the NCGA.
In the conservation sector, both Sen. Graham and Rep. Adams have improved their earned scores in our annual legislative scorecard since first elected. Senator Graham’s lifetime score is a 78 after earning an 86 in the 2013 legislative session. Rep. Adams has a slightly higher lifetime score (84) and earned a 100 for pro-conservation votes last year. Our Conservation PAC does not make endorsements for federal seats, but we suggest you do your homework, if you live in District 12, to see how each candidate voted on key environmental legislation in previous sessions on ourlegislative scorecards.
What to watch for: Both candidates have left behind open seats for the NC House and Senate. Will those positions be filled by environmental champions?
NC House of Representatives: District 57 [Democratic Primary]
Five-term incumbent Pricey Harrison (D-Guilford) is facing her first serious primary challenger in years: Jim Kee, who currently represents District 2 on the Greensboro City Council. Rep. Harrison has been an staunch environmental ally, as we have honored her as Representative of the Year (2007) and Defender of the Environment (2012) in our annual Green Tie awards. Kee identifies himself as “pro-business” and sees the environment as taking second priority when “someone doesn’t have a job or can’t pay the bills.” Rep. Harrison has tried to merge these two sectors, which we argue is the ultimate win-win. By co-sponsoring the NC Renewable Energy Standards (RPS) in 2007, Harrison helped to create or save more than 20,000 jobs in our state’s clean energy sector. Our Conservation Pac has endorsed Rep. Harrison for this 2014 primary race.
Watch to watch for: How will the voters of district 57 view Rep. Harrison’s record in light of the current legislative climate at the NC General Assembly? Her outspoken efforts on coal ash will no doubt bring supporters her way, as that issue is a hot topic for the whole state. But, will Kee’s economic focus outweigh the current environmental protection concerns?
Other Interesting Races of Note:
North Carolina Supreme Court
Regardless of party affiliation, the top two candidates from the primary will move on to the November ballot. Incumbent Robin Hudson (D) has been under attack by ads on behalf of Republican candidates Jeanette Doran and Eric Levinson. Unlike most nonpartisan races, this one is seeing a great deal of influence (and money) from outside organizations, including Reynolds American, Koch Industries and various Blue Cross Blue Shield entities. If the current media blitz attacking Hudson is successful, Doran and Levinson will be on the November ballot, guaranteeing a winner of like-minded judicial philosophy to fill the bench seat. Based on the outcome, this battle will likely have implications for future nonpartisan races in terms of increased presence of out-of-state influencers and funds. Check out an interesting article discussing this contentious race <a “=”” href=”http://thevoterupdate.com/articles/2014/4_30_14_supreme_court.php”>here.
NC Senate – Districts 33 [Republican Primary]
Six-term Senator Stan Bingham (R) is squaring off again against Eddie Gallimore, the current president of the Davidson Tea Party and former vice president of the Davidson County Republican Party. Gallimore unsuccessfully tried to unseat Bingham in 2012, and he’s giving it another chance in 2014. Similar to our discussion in the U.S. Senate GOP primary race, will another loss of a tea party candidate put out any of the movement’s fire? Will this race and others shift North Carolina even further to the political right?
