Incumbents set to return to key offices

Nov. 9—Key elected seats in Sampson County were filled on Tuesday, with the county's sheriff and Clerk of Court, two county commissioners, a state senator, a N.C. House representative and the district attorney all poised to retain their seats.

The results of the election were still pending as of press time Tuesday, however all local races in Tuesday's general election lacked competition for incumbents. With contests devoid of challengers, it was a foregone conclusion barring unprecedented write-in campaigns for someone not on the ballot.

Sampson County voters had their say in other races, with hotly-contested races for state and federal positions in North Carolina — and thousands of registered voters in Sampson County cast their ballots during the county's one-stop voting period from Oct. 20 to Nov. 5. Those one-stop locations were in Clinton, Plain View, Roseboro, Newton Grove and Harrells. All 23 precincts across the county were open until 7:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Sampson County Sheriff Jimmy Thornton, the five-term Republican sheriff, is set for his sixth term, while Clerk of Court Chris Fann, also a Republican, is positioned for his second term in that post. Neither had opposition for their respective offices in the primary and similarly were uncontested for the November election.

For the Sampson Board of Commissioners, incumbents Republican Sue Lee, representative for District 3 and the current board chair, and Democrat Thaddeus Godwin, Sr., District 5 representative, had no opposition in their primaries and similarly have no competition for the general election.

Lee was elected to her first term back in 2014, making history as the first female county commissioner in Sampson. She took the chairperson seat at the end of last year, again making history as the first woman in to hold the gavel for the county board. Godwin was sworn in as District 5 appointee in February 2018 following Albert Kirby's departure for a judgeship, and won election to the post later that year to keep the seat for the next four years. He was poised for another four with Tuesday's election.

N.C. Senator Brent Jackson (R-Sampson) joined the bevy of local candidates who had no opposition this election. He has represented District 10, which includes Sampson, Duplin and Johnston, since Jan. 1, 2011. He is seeking his seventh term in office and, this time due to redistricting, it will be for District 9, which now encompasses Sampson.

District Attorney and Republican incumbent Ernie Lee was set for a return to North Carolina's 5th Prosecutorial District, which includes Duplin, Jones, Onslow and Sampson counties. He had no competition in the general election, with no Democrat candidates filing early this year to contest him. Lee earned a victory in May's Republican primary over challenger Kevin Kiernan, amassing nearly 69% of the district vote.

N.C. House of Representatives District 22 Rep. William Brisson (R-Bladen), whose district includes Sampson, also had no opposition. He is poised to ninth term in the House.

In terms of federal offices, Democrat Cheri Beasley was facing off with Republican Tedd Budd, with challengers Matthew Hoh (Green Party) and Shannon W. Bray (Libertarian) also on the ballot. U.S. House of Representatives District 3 saw Democrat Barbara Gaskins take on Repubican Greg Murphy.

Henry E. Moore III and Craig Thornton will both retain their Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor posts, as there were no challengers.