2024 election: Here's who has filed for office in Cumberland County and statewide
While several Fayetteville residents are seeking state offices in the 2024 elections, a couple of local races have drawn a slate of candidates.
Filing for the elections ended Friday.
Three of the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners District 2 seats, one of which is currently held by first-term Democratic incumbent Toni Stewart, have drawn 11 candidates. Commissioners Jimmy Keefe and Michael Boose, who also represent District 2 and have terms expiring in December 2024, did not file for reelection.
Other Democrats who have filed include former Fayetteville City Councilman and state Sen. Kirk deViere, Karla Icaza and Ronald Pittman.
In a statement Thursday, deViere said that while he “stepped back from elected office” the past year to focus on his family and business, his “desire to serve the people of this community has not diminished.”
“Over the next several years our community will make major investments in moving forward and we need steady, experienced leadership,” deViere said.
He said if elected, he would continue “to champion issues like clean water, infrastructure growth, mental health, education, veterans, quality of life, and ensuring that people have better opportunities overall.”
Icaza, who is president of Fayetteville’s chapter of Latinos United for Progress, ran during the 2020 election and was beat out by Stewart, Boose and Keefe.
Pittman, who has been executive director of Arms of Refuge, an organization that aims to eradicate homelessness across Cumberland County, was unsuccessful in bids for county commissioner in 2010, 2014 and 2022.
Republicans each seeking one of the three District 2 seats include Venus de la Cruz, Peter Pappas, Pavan D. Patel, Ron Ross, V. Lee Spruill III, Jeremy Stanley, Jonathan C. Strange and Henry Tyson.
De la Cruz is a local bridal shop owner and wife of former Fayetteville mayoral candidate Freddie de la Cruz, who is running for House District 44.
Ross is executive director of the Boys & Girls Center of Lumberton and previously ran for the Board of Commissioners in 2020 and 2022.
Pappas, who owns a chain of delis and serves on the Fayetteville-Cumberland Human Relations Commission, unsuccessfully ran for the Fayetteville City Council District 6 seat in 2022.
Patel is CEO of Willow Group Investments and has served on the Cumberland County Tourism Development Authority, Fayetteville Millennial Advisory Commission and Methodist University Foundation Board.
Spruill is a workforce development program manager for Blue Ridge Power and was previously a principal and assistant principal at several Cumberland County schools.
Strange is a local attorney and former chairman of the Cumberland County Republican Party and made an unsuccessful run for the 12th District Court Judicial District's Seat 6.
Tyson is a realtor whose previous bid for Fayetteville City Council was unsuccessful in 2017.
House District 42
Rep. Marvin Lucas, who was first elected to the North Carolina General Assembly in 2000, did not file for the House District 42 seat.
Democrats seeking the seat include Spring Lake physician Naveed Aziz; Fayetteville Councilwoman Courtney Banks-McLaughlin, who filed for the seat Friday; Mike Colvin, brother of Fayetteville Mayor Mitch Colvin; and former state Rep. Elmer Floyd.
In a statement Monday, Banks-McLaughlin said that as a three-time city council member, she has "a proven track record of community visibility, bringing transparency and leadership, and following through on my commitment to my constituents and community."
"As a North Carolina state representative, I will bring those traits I stood on as city council, advocating for all," she said. "My mission is not just mine but belongs to everyone who believes their voice needs to be heard — standing for women, civil, equal, and voter rights. As a proud military spouse, I will also support the needs of our active service members, veterans, and their families."
Leonard L. Bryant, who ran for U.S. Senate in 2022, also filed as a Republican candidate for the seat.
Mike Colvin, Elmer Floyd file for Rep. Lucas's seat. Here's who else has filed in 2024 races.
Register of Deeds
Longtime Register of Deeds Lee Warren did not file for reelection. Andra Brewington, currently senior assistant register, filed for the seat as a Democrat on Friday.
No other candidates filed for the seat.
U.S. House District 9
Republican incumbent U.S. Rep. Richard Hudson, of Southern Pines, has refiled for the House District 9 seat, which includes Fort Liberty.
Hudson has served in the House since 2013, previously representing North Carolina’s 8th Congressional District before districts were redrawn after the 2020 Census.
He is facing Republican Troy Tarazon, an Army veteran who retired from Fort Liberty and lives in Sanford.
The winner of the Republican primary will face Democrat Nigel Bristow of Hamlet.
U.S. House District 7
Republican incumbent U.S. Rep. David Rouzer of Wilmington has filed for the House District 7 seat and will face Democrat Marlando Pridgen of Whiteville.
State Senate District 19
Incumbent state Sen. Val Applewhite, a Democrat, faces Republican challenger Semone Pemberton and Libertarian opponent Steven Swinton.
Applewhite has served since 2023 after defeating Republican Wesley Meredith for her first term in office.
Pemberton is a Fayetteville realtor and chairwoman of the Fayetteville-Cumberland Human Relations Commission.
State Senate District 21
Incumbent Republican state Sen. Tom McInnis of Pinehurst faces Democrat Maurice “Butch” Holland Jr. of Jackson Hamlet in Moore County.
McInnis has served in the North Carolina Senate since 2014 and has represented District 21 since 2022. His district covers all of Moore County and the northwest part of Cumberland County, which includes Spring Lake, Fort Liberty and parts of Fayetteville.
House of Representatives District 43
Incumbent Republican state Rep. Diane Wheatley of Linden will face Democrat Janene Dublin Ackles of Fayetteville for the state House District 43 seat.
Wheatley was elected to a second term in 2022.
The district includes part of Cumberland County.
Ackles is a nonprofit consultant who recently ran for the Fayetteville City Council District 2 seat.
House of Representatives District 44
Incumbent Democratic state Rep. Charles Smith filed for reelection in District 44. Smith was first elected to the seat in 2022.
Libertarians Angel Yaklin and Christina Aragues also filed for the seat; the winner of that primary will face Smith and Republican Freddie de la Cruz in the general election.
Yaklin is a licensed massage and bodywork therapist, and Aragues is an Army veteran who previously was a write-in candidate for Cumberland County School Board and ran in 2022 for the social and water conservation district.
De la Cruz is a local business owner who lost bids for Fayetteville mayor in 2022 and this year.
Unopposed races
Incumbent Democratic state Rep. Frances Vinell Jackson is unopposed in her reelection bid for a second term to House District 4, while incumbent Democrat Tiffany Marie Whitfield refiled unopposed for District Court Judge District 14 Seat 8.
Incumbent Democrat Judge Lou Olivera, who has served since 2012, filed unopposed for his District 14 Seat 9, and incumbent Judge Cull Jordan, who was appointed by Gov. Roy Cooper to Judicial District 12 in 2021, filed as an unopposed Democratic candidate for Judicial District 14.
Statewide races
Candidates have filed in the following statewide races:
• Governor: With Gov. Roy Cooper’s second term expiring, 11 candidates are seeking the seat including current state Treasurer Dale Falwell and current Lt. Gov. Mark K. Robinson as Republicans, and current Attorney General Josh Stein as a Democrat.
Other Democratic candidates include: Gary Foxx of Battleboro; Mike Morgan,of Raleigh; Marcus Williams of Lumberton; and Patrice “Cherelle” Booker of Tryon.
The remaining candidates in the gubernatorial race are Republican Bill Graham of Salisbury; Green Party candidate Michael "Wayne" Turner of Pittsboro and LIbertarian Shannon Bray of Apex.
• Lieutenant governor: Former local state Sen. Ben Clark of Fayetteville has filed as a Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor along with Democrats Rachel Hunt, of Charlotte and Mark H. Robinson of Harrells.
The Republican candidates are Rivera Douthit of Mooresville; Jefferey Elmore of Wilkesboro; Marlenis Hernandez Novoa of Raleigh; Allen Mashburn of Seagrove; Jim O'Neill of Winston-Salem; Sam Page of Eden; Ernest Reeves of Greenville; Hal Weatherman of Wake Forest; Deanna Ballard of Blowing Rock; and Peter Boykin of Mebane.
Dee Watson of Caswell Beach is the only Libertarian candidate.
• Attorney General: Fayetteville attorney and Marine Corps veteran Tim Dunn is running as a Democratic candidate for state attorney general along with Democrats Satana Deberry of Durham and U.S. Congressman Jeff Jackson of Charlotte.
U.S. Congressman Dan Bishop, of Charlotte is the only Republican candidate.
• Commissioner of Agriculture: Fayetteville resident Sarah Taber has filed to run as a Democrat against Republican incumbent Steven Troxler.
Republican candidate Colby “Bear” Hammonds of Holly Springs and Libertarian Sean Haugh of Durham also filed for the seat.
• Auditor: Democrat Jessica Holmes, who was sworn in as state auditor Saturday after Beth Wood’s resignation, has filed for the seat along with one Libertarian and six Republicans.
Republican candidates are Charles Dingee of Raleigh; Jim Kee of Greensboro; Anthony Wayne “Tony” Street of Supply; Jeff Tarte of Cornelius; Dave Boliek of Durham; and Jack Clark of Raleigh
Bob Drach of Wilmington is the Libertarian candidate.
• Commissioner of Insurance: Republican incumbent Mike Causey has filed to retain his seat as commissioner of insurance, while Democratic opponents are Natasha Marcus of Davidson and David Wheeler of Spruce Pine.
Other Republican challengers are Andrew Marcus of Chapel Hill and C. Robert Brawley of Mooresville.
• Commissioner of Labor: Incumbent Commissioner of Labor Josh Dobson, who has served since January 2021, is not seeking reelection.
Seeking the seat are Republicans Luke Farley of Raleigh; Jon Hardister of Whitsett; Chuck Stanley of Clarendon; and Travis J. Wilson of Waxhaw. The winner of the Republican primary will face Democratic challenger Braxton Winston II of Charlotte.
• Secretary of State: Incumbent Democratic Secretary of State Elaine Marshall has filed to retain her seat. She is being challenged by Republicans Jesse Thomas of Cary; Christine E. Villaverde of Fuquay-Varina; and Chad Brown of Stanley.
• Superintendent of Public Instruction: Incumbent Republican Catherine Truitt has refiled as superintendent of public instruction and faces fellow Republican Michele Morrow of Cary, along with Democrats C.R. Katie Eddings of Sanford; Maurice “Mo” Green of Greensboro; and Kenon Crumble of Clayton.
• Treasurer: Seeking the state treasurer's spot are Democrats Gabe Esparza and Wesley Harris, both of Charlotte, and Republicans A. J. Daoud of Pilot Mountain, Rachel Johnson of Winston-Salem and Brad Briner of Chapel Hill.
• North Carolina Supreme Court Associate Justice Seat 6: Democrat Allison Riggs of Chapel Hill, who is currently serving as an associate justice in Seat 7 of the state Supreme Court, is seeking Seat 6 seat along with Democrat Lora Christine Cubbage of Greensboro and incumbent Republican Jefferson G. Griffin of Pine Knoll Shores. Shores was first appointed in 2015 and elected in 2020.
• North Carolina Court of Appeals Judge Seat 12: Democrat Carolyn Jennings Thompson of Oxford, who was appointed to the court of appeals by Cooper, has filed for the seat along with Republican Tom Murry of Cary.
• North Carolina Court of Appeals Judge Seat 14: Incumbent Republican Valerie Zachary of Yadkinville has refiled for the state of appeals judge seat and will face Democrat Ed Eldred of Carrboro.
• North Carolina Court of Appeals Judge Seat 15: Republican incumbent Hunter Murphy of Waynesville has filed for the state court of appeals Seat 15 along with fellow Republican Chris Freeman of Reidsville and Democrat Martin E. Moore of Asheville.
Staff writer Rachael Riley can be reached at rriley@fayobserver.com or 910-486-3528.
This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Who's running for election in Cumberland County and North Carolina
