Politics - Randolph Record

06 Jul

Archdale mayor wants to remain busy

Bob SuttonNews, PoliticsArchdale, Lewis Dorsett, Randolph County Board of, Randolph County politics

ARCHDALE — One year into serving as mayor of Archdale, Lewis Dorsett has a new appreciation for how much time the job consumes. He wants to stay busy doing that. Dorsett has filed to run for the office of one of Randolph County’s rapidly growing cities. “My role changed from being a councilman,” Dorsett said. “A lot more meetings. This takes more time, a lot of meetings. There’s a lot of development going on and a lot of potential going on.” Dorsett said the city’s growth was the biggest issue during the past year. He said the council approved the…

02 Jun

Decade since NC governor win, McCrory trounced in Senate bid

Associated PressPoliticsgovernment, McCrory, U.S. Senate

RALEIGH — A decade ago, Pat McCrory was king in North Carolina’s Republican Party. The former Charlotte mayor became the first GOP governor in two decades when he won in 2012 by 11 percentage points. Today, the moderate has been tossed aside in state GOP politics, trounced by 34 percentage points in the U.S. Senate primary by Rep. Ted Budd, who was a little-known congressman outside his district until former President Donald Trump endorsed him last June. The Trump shift within the Republican Party is making casualties nationally out of politicians like McCrory, who says he supported many Trump policies…

17 May

Biggs tops Hurley to claim GOP nomination to NC House

Randolph RecordGovernment, News, Politics2022 Elections, Brian Biggs

ASHEBORO — A Randolph County School Board Member topped an eight-term Republican incumbent in the 2022 primary Tuesday. Brian Biggs defeated Rep. Pat Hurley to claim the GOP nomination for House District 70. Biggs ran a grassroots campaign focused on protecting religious freedom, pro-life values and private property rights. He ran a sustained campaign against Hurley that ultimately garnered him over 52% of the primary vote. Biggs will face Democrat Susan Lee (Susie) Scott in the general election. Scott was unopposed for the Democratic nomination.

17 May

Randolph will have new House delegation after primary

Randolph RecordBusiness, News, PoliticsBrian Biggs, Neal Jackson, Pat Hurley

ASHEBORO — Randolph County will have new representation in Raleigh next year in the N.C. House after retirements, redistricting and the 2022 primary changed the slate of candidates. Following the retirement of long-time Rep. Allen McNeill, Randolph County voters knew they would have at least one new House member next year. In the primary to replace McNeill, pastor Neal Jackson easily captured the Republican nomination. Jackson won 63.5% of the vote as the clear winner over two other GOP candidates. Incumbent Rep. Pat Hurley faced a strong challenger in current Randolph County School Board member Brian Biggs. After the votes…

17 May

Seabolt rolls as local incumbents hold in GOP primary

Bob SuttonGovernment, News, PoliticsElection 2022, GOP Primary, Randolph

ASHEBORO — Greg Seabolt, the incumbent Randolph County Sheriff, fended off a couple of challengers to win the Republican Party primary Tuesday with a majority of the votes. Seabolt received 9,417 votes, with Timmy Hasty next with 6,196 and Robert Graves third with 2,788. Seabolt garnered over 51 percent of the Republican vote. There were no Democratic primaries in Randolph County this year. In other local races, incumbents held on to their re-election hopes by winning contested GOP primaries. Randolph County Commissioners A pair of incumbents received stiff challenges but ended up ahead in Republican primaries. David Allen’s 8,898 votes…

17 May

Randolph County voters turn out early

Randolph RecordGovernment, Politicsboard of elections, election, randolph county, Randolph County Board of Elections

ASHEBORO – Nearly 4,000 more voters in Randolph County cast early ballots for this month’s primary compared to a similar election cycle four years ago. With four early voting sites, the total number of voters in Randolph County checked in at 10,205. Fourteen days of early voting concluded Saturday afternoon. Saturday’s number of voters was 1,055. The primary day was set for Tuesday. In 2018, the total number of early voters in the county was 6,376. This spring, the final tallies for the four sites were: 5,019 at the Board of Elections office in Asheboro, 2,108 at Braxton Craven School…

05 May

Sen. Rand Paul wants to investigate origins of COVID-19

Associated PressNation, Politicscovid-19, Sen. Rand Paul

SMITHFIELD, Ky. — U.S. Sen. Rand Paul promised Saturday to wage a vigorous review into the origins of the coronavirus if Republicans retake the Senate and he lands a committee chairmanship. Speaking to supporters at a campaign rally, the libertarian-leaning Kentucky Republican denounced what he sees as government overreach in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. He applauded a recent judge’s order that voided the federal mask mandate on planes and trains and in travel hubs. “Last week I was on an airplane for the first time in two years and didn’t have to wear a mask,” he said, drawing cheers…

05 May

Trump’s bid to shape GOP faces test with voters in May races

Associated PressNation, Politicsdonald trump, early voting, republicans, Selma

NEW YORK — Donald Trump ‘s post-presidency enters a new phase this month as voters across the U.S. begin weighing the candidates he elevated to pursue his vision of the Republican Party. “The month of May is going to be a critical window into where we are,” said Maryland Republican Gov. Larry Hogan, a Trump critic defending incumbent GOP governors in Georgia, Ohio and Idaho against Trump-backed challengers this month. “I’m just concerned that there are some people trying to tear the party apart or burn it down.” Few states may be a higher priority for Trump than Georgia, where…

20 Apr

Budd, McCrory still close in NC Senate campaign fundraising

Associated PressPolitics, StatePat McCrory, Ted Budd, U.S. Senate

RALEIGH — North Carolina Republican U.S. Senate candidates Ted Budd and Pat McCrory remained neck-and-neck with their campaigns’ own fundraising entering the final full month before the May 17 primary. Campaign finance reports for the first quarter show McCrory, the former governor, and current U.S. House member Budd collecting essentially the same level of contributions and other funds. But Budd is separately benefiting from a political action committee that has already spent several million dollars on ads and mailers praising Budd and attacking McCrory. A pro-McCrory super PAC is trailing. Budd also has received former President Donald Trump’s endorsement. Looking…

09 Feb

Picerno submits name for vacant Moore commission seat

Randolph RecordNews, PoliticsMoore County, Moore County commission, Neal Jackson, nick picerno

PINEHURST — Former Moore County Commissioner Nick Picerno said in an email to supporters he was submitting his name to the Moore County Republican Executive Committee to fill the vacant term of Louis Gregory, who recently announced his intent to resign in February. In life, things change, that’s a given. In the past couple of weeks since announcing my intention to run for NC House District 78, several events have taken place that significantly effect that decision," said Picerno. He cited the ongoing litigation over the state's new district lines, saying that the court battle has caused chaos and confusion…