Mark Walker
Mark Walker leaves governor’s race for new, GOP drawn congressional district
Former Congressman Mark Walker announced he will leave the race for governor Wednesday, and instead pursue a return to the U.S House via the state’s 6th Congressional District seat under newly redrawn maps more favorable to Republicans. U.S. Rep. Kathy Manning, a Greensboro Democrat, has held the seat since 2021, when the district was redrawn […]
Good government watchdog calls out flood of pot, casino cash flowing to NC lawmakers
Veteran campaign finance watchdog Bob Hall, the former longtime executive director of the group Democracy North Carolina who helped expose former Democratic House Speaker Jim Black’s corruption in the early 2000’s, is out with another damning bit of research. In a press release distributed this morning, Hall called attention to the fact that North Carolina […]
Newly indicted, Trump looms large over NC GOP convention
When the North Carolina Republican Party convenes for its convention in Greensboro this weekend, it will bring together rivals for the GOP presidential and gubernatorial nominations. While there’s no love lost between some of these candidates, there’s also a complex and evolving history in which the now twice indicted former President Donald Trump looms large. […]
NC Treasurer takes shot at Mandy Cohen as Biden administration eyes her for head of CDC
When news broke Thursday President Joe Biden plans to tap Dr. Mandy Cohen to lead the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a Republican gubernatorial candidate wasted no time in attempting to capitalize on it. State Treasurer Dale Folwell, who announced his run for governor in March, took the first shot at the state’s […]
As Mark Walker enters GOP primary race for governor, a party weighs statewide appeal
When former Congressman Mark Walker takes the stage Saturday at the Triad Baptist Christian Academy in Kernersville, he’ll be mounting an uphill battle for the Republican nomination for governor. For Walker, it’s a familiar battlefield. In 2014 Walker, then a politically unknown Baptist pastor from Greensboro, entered a crowded, bare-knuckle scrum of a GOP primary […]
Former Congressman Mark Walker to seek GOP nomination for governor
Former Congressman Mark Walker will join the race for the GOP nomination for governor later this month, according to sources close to the campaign. Walker telegraphed his intentions publicly for the first time Tuesday after months of teasing a possible run, with a statement from Tim Murtaugh, vice president of communication for National Public Affairs, […]
NC will select finalists in high-stakes U.S. Senate election tomorrow
Stage to be set for momentous 175-day sprint to November 8 Election Day for the 2022 primary arrives tomorrow, but in North Carolina the general election campaign has already begun for the state’s open U.S. Senate seat, a race that is expected to be one of the costliest and combative in state history.
Field notes from the U.S. Senate election — Vol. 9
One month out New polling and campaign finance reports are out and major endorsements are in, but with a month to go before Election Day, the trajectory of both U.S. Senate primaries remains essentially unchanged. After clearing the field of major challengers last December, former state Supreme Court Justice Cheri Beasley is focusing on the […]
Field notes from the U.S. Senate election — Vol. 8
Poll shows Budd up big in GOP primary The latest set of poll numbers wiped away any question about the strength of two-term congressman Ted Budd’s lead in the GOP Senate primary. A poll by Emerson College of likely GOP primary voters for The Hill, which was released late Tuesday, showed Budd favored by 38% […]
Field notes from the U.S. Senate election — Vol. 7
Final sprint in the GOP primary money race This is the last week before the books close on first quarter fundraising and candidates are revving up last-minute appeals. In a race that has scant public polling, the fundraising reports, due out by April 15, are among the few metrics of support in the race. They’ll […]
Field notes from the U.S. Senate race – Vol. 6: Putin comments shake up GOP primary
Plenty of U.S. Senate campaigns rise and fall over national issues, but less often do they get swept up in international events. This week in North Carolina proved to be one of those moments with Pat McCrory’s campaign taking to the airwaves to bash Ted Budd’s recent comments about Vladimir Putin, the first Senate ad […]
Field notes from the North Carolina U.S. Senate campaign — Vol. 5
So many candidates The cast of characters in the U.S. Senate race grew over North Carolina’s second candidate filing period, but the plot hasn’t changed. After being halted by a court ruling in redistricting lawsuits last December, filing restarted February 24 and closed at noon Friday. Although there were some surprises in congressional and state […]