Politics - Randolph Record

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…

15 Dec

Board of Elections meeting nixed for December

Randolph RecordGovernment, PoliticsAsheboro, board of elections, Melissa Johnson, N.C. Supreme Court

ASHEBORO — This week’s meeting of the Randolph County Board of Elections was canceled after the recent rescheduling of 2022 primaries in the state. Melissa Johnson, who’s director of the Randolph County Board of Elections, sent a notice announcing the cancellation of Tuesday’s meeting. The next meeting of the board is set for 5 p.m. Jan. 11. Last week, the North Carolina Supreme Court suspended candidate filing for all offices for the 2022 primary election. This included municipal contests. In doing so, the North Carolina Supreme Court pushed back the date of the primary from March 8 to May 17.…

15 Dec

McNeill won’t run for re-election

Randolph RecordGovernment, News, PoliticsAllen McNeill, government, Neal Jackson, politics

ASHEBORO — Rep. Allen McNeill (R-Randolph) announced last week that he won’t seek re-election for another term in N.C. House in 2022. McNeill is in his fifth full term in the House after replacing long-time Randolph County representative and former Speaker of the House, Harold Brubaker. Neal Jackson, pastor of Beulah Baptist Church in Bennet, announced last week that he would run as a Republican to replace McNeill.

01 Dec

General Assembly wraps up long session

Randolph RecordGovernment, News, PoliticsGeneral Assembly, long session, NCGA, wrap up

RALEIGH — The North Carolina General Assembly wrapped up late Monday nearly all of its work for the calendar year, although vetoes, redistricting rulings or other items could bring lawmakers back to Raleigh for more activity within weeks. The session, which began the session in January, ended with votes on more than a dozen measures before members of the House and Senate left Raleigh. One bill heading for Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper’s desk — that sources say he is likely to veto — would prohibit election boards and officials in counties from accepting private money to run elections, which happened…

03 Nov

County schools use federal COVID education funds for bonuses

Bob SuttonGovernment, News, PoliticsCOVID, Education

Randolph County Schools employees will receive $5,000 RALEIGH — Some North Carolina school boards have announced they will use federal COVID-19 relief funds to give bonuses to educators. The Randolph County Public School System will pay every employee a $5,000 bonus, according to a resolution adopted by the school board on Oct. 25. The resolution described the bonuses as “retention” and “premium pay.” Alamance County schools are giving full and part-time employees a $3,000 bonus while Winston-Salem Forsyth County Schools employees will get a $1,400 bonus. According to the American Rescue Plan’s ESSER "FAQ," a district can use federal Elementary and…