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Election 2008
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Wednesday, May 07, 2008, 11:27 AM
Voters dump four state legislators From staff and wire reports RALEIGH -- At least four state House members apparently won't be back next year after losing primary elections Tuesday. Reps. Drew Saunders, D-Mecklenburg; Mary McAllister, D-Cumberland; Karen Ray, R-Iredell; and Joe Boylan, R-Moore, all lost their races to primary challengers, according to complete, unofficial results. In Wilson-area legislative races, the District 25 race to replace Bill Daughtridge, who is the Republican candidate for state treasurer, will match two Rocky Mount residents: Democrat Randy Stewart versus Republican W.B. Bullock. Sen. Clark Jenkins of Tarboro defeated two Democratic primary foes -- Shelly Willingham of Rocky Mount and Henry Williams II of Tarboro -- and now is unopposed for re-election this fall in the 3rd District, including Edgecombe County. It was thought that Willingham, who is black, might benefit from high voter turnout in a district with a majority of black voters energized by Barack Obama's presidential campaign. There will apparently be a June 24 runoff in the Democratic primary for the District 5 seat, which includes about half of Wayne County. Snow Hill Mayor Don Davis, with 36 percent, and Kathy Taft of Greenville, with 24 percent, were the top vote-getters in a six-candidate field. Long-time Sen. John Kerr's endorsed successor, former Wayne Community College president Ed Wilson, finished third in the race with 14 percent. The 12th District, including Johnston County, matches Democrat Kay Carroll of Four Oaks against Republican David Rouzer of Benson. Saunders, a candidate for House speaker just one year ago, was ousted by Nick Mackey, according to unofficial results that showed Mackey received 53 percent of the vote to 47 percent for Saunders with all but one precinct reporting. McAllister, a nine-term House member from Fayetteville, had come under scrutiny last year when the State Board of Elections ordered her to pay a nearly $17,000 penalty for improper financial transactions related to her campaign funds. In unofficial results with all precincts reporting, McAllister had 49 percent of the vote to 51 percent for challenger Elmer Floyd, a local civil rights leader. Floyd faces no opposition in the general election. Boylan, who a month ago was charged with driving while impaired, won his seat in 2006 after he benefited from animosity surrounding a power-sharing agreement his predecessor brokered with House Democrats. These days, the widespread enmity between GOP moderates and conservatives has dwindled compared with the 2004 and 2006 House Republican primaries. And Ray, a third-term House member who has been a big booster in the Legislature of North Carolina's stock-car racing industry, lost to Grey Mills, 51 percent to 49 percent, or less than 200 votes, with all precincts reporting. Democrats hold 99 of the 170 seats in the Legislature -- a 68-52 lead in the House and 31-19 advantage in the Senate. Convicted felon and former Rep. Thomas Wright, a Democrat from New Hanover County who was expelled from the Legislature earlier this year, lost to the former Wilmington City Council member appointed by Gov. Mike Easley to serve out his term. Sandra Spaulding Hughes had 74 percent of the vote with 81 precincts reporting to 10 percent for Wright, who is serving time for his conviction in April on fraud charges.
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