Red wave consumes state and county races

Nov. 14—CALDWELL COUNTY — While the nation's election returns fell short of a red wave, ballot results from across the state show Republican winners at county and state levels in every race.

In Caldwell County, U.S. Senate Republican candidate Ted Budd won the seat by a large margin, receiving 20,775 (75.03%) votes against Democratic candidate Cheri Beasley's 6,318 (22.82%) votes. However, across the state, the race ran much closer. Budd received 1,891,405 (50.71%) votes and Beasley received 1,755,769 (47.08%) votes.

Libertarian candidate Shannon W. Bray and Green Party candidate Matthew Hoh trailed weakly behind with 385 (1.39%) votes and 191 (0.69%) votes, respectively, in Caldwell County. Bray received 50,816 votes across the state, which is only 1.36%, and Hoh received 29,165 votes, only 0.78%.

For the U.S. House of Representatives District 5, 77.70% (17,691 voters) voted for Republican candidate Virginia Foxx, while 22.30% (5,077 voters) voted for Democratic candidate Kyle Parrish. Across the state, Foxx secured the seat with 63.43% of the vote (174,094 voters) votes as Parrish saw only 36.57% of the vote (100,388 voters).

For the U.S. House of Representatives District 10, GOP candidate Patrick McHenry secured the seat with 194,001 votes (72.74%) across the state. Democratic candidate Pam Genant received 72,359 votes (27.13%).

In Caldwell County, McHenry received an even higher percentage with 77.40% of the vote (3,713 votes) against Genant's 22.41% (1,075 votes).

Republican candidate Richard Dietz won for N.C. Supreme Court Associate Justice Seat 3 with 21,237 (77.10%) votes from Caldwell County and a total of 1,950,396 (52.59%) votes across the state. His opponent, Democrat Lucy Inman, saw a mere 6,306 (22.90%) votes in the county but a total of 1,758,323 (47.41%) across the state.

The N.C. Supreme Court Associate Justice Seat 5 saw Republican Trey Allen as the landslide victor in Caldwell County with 20,772 (75.36%) votes to Democratic candidate Sam J. Ervin IV's 6,791 (24.64%) votes. Across the state, while Ervin IV saw a higher percentage of votes with 1,764,565 (47.61%) votes, he still could not beat Allen who received 1,942,058 (52.39%) votes.

The N.C. Court of Appeals Judge Seat 8 saw Republican Julee Tate Flood in the lead with 77.04% of the vote (21,129 votes) in Caldwell County but only 52.62% (1,941,324) across the state. Carolyn Jennings Thompson, Democrat, garnered 6,296 (22.96%) votes in the county and 1,747,685 (47.38%) across the state.

Republican Donna Stroud won the N.C. Court of Appeals Judge Seat 9 with 21,362 (77.80%) votes in the county and 2,012,522 (54.60%) votes across the state. Democrat Brad A. Salmon trailed behind with 6,096 (22.20%) votes in the county and 1,673,684 (45.40%) votes across the state.

Republican John M. Tyson won the N.C. Court of Appeals Judge Seat 10 with 21,150 (77.10%) votes in the county and 1,951,962 (52.95%) votes across the state. Democrat Gale Murray saw only 6,281 (22.90%) votes in the county and 1,734,564 (47.05%) votes across the state.

Republican Michael J. Stading won the N.C. Court of Appeals Judge Seat 11 with 21,105 (77.07%) votes in the county and 1,953,125 (53.06%) votes across the state. Democrat Darren Jackson saw 6,280 (22.93%) votes in the county and 1,728,016 (46.94%) votes across the state.

For the N.C. House of Representatives District 87, Republican Destin Hall won the seat with over 75% of the vote both in Caldwell County (78.07%, or 21,502 votes) and across the state (76.33%, or 22,717 votes). Democrat Barbara Kirby saw less than 25% of the vote both in Caldwell County (21.93%, or 6,040 votes) and across the state (23.67%, or 7,045 votes).

Republican Scott D. Conrad secured his seat for the N.C. District Court Judge District 25 Seat 8 (unexpired) with 20,827 (76.32%) votes in Caldwell County and 81,295 (72.93%) across the state. Democrat Steve B. Potter saw 6,461 (23.68%) votes in Caldwell County and 30,171 (27.07%) votes across the state.

Republican Scott Reilly ran unopposed for District Attorney, District 36, and he received 22,383 votes in Caldwell County and 89,498 votes across the state.

In Caldwell County, the only contested race was for the Caldwell County Board of Education. Four seats were available with five candidates, one Democrat and four Republicans, casting their names on the ballot.

The top four candidates, Republican incumbents Teresa Branch (20,437 votes), Joe Sims (19,424 votes), and William (BF) Fore (19,212 votes), along with Republican challenger Mark Gerson (17,809 votes) each secured a seat. Democratic candidate Elaine Setzer-Maxwell received only 8,835 votes (10%).

Four county races saw candidates running unopposed. Two seats were available on the Caldwell County Board of Commissioners, and Republicans Mike LaBrose and Donnie Potter each secured a seat. LaBrose received 20,121 (53.97%) votes and Potter received 17,164 (46.03%) votes.

Republican Angela Ashley Kidd ran unopposed for the seat for the Caldwell County Clerk of Superior Court. She received 22,615 votes.

Caldwell County Sheriff Alan C. Jones, Republican, ran unopposed and won another term with 23,029 votes.

Two seats were available for the Caldwell Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor, and both Rusty Dellinger (19,117 votes) and Ed Spivey (17,414 votes) won the seats.

In North Carolina, a number of Republican candidates ran for their seats unopposed.

Republican Dean Proctor won for N.C. State Senate District 45, receiving 16,724 votes in Caldwell County and a total of 61,035 votes across the state.

Republican Ralph Hise won for N.C. State Senate District 47 with 5,768 votes in the county and 61,808 votes across the state.

Republican Daniel (Dan) Kuehnert secured his seat for the N.C. Superior Court Judge District 25A Seat 2 with 22,399 votes in Caldwell County and 45,964 votes across the state.

Republican David W. Aycock secured his seat for the N.C. District Court Judge District 25 Seat 1 with 22,391 votes in the county and 89,777 votes across the state.

Republican Wes W. Barkley won for the N.C. District Court Judge District 25 Seat 2 with 22,340 votes in the county and 89,529 votes across the state.

Republican Sherri Wilson Elliott won for the N.C. District Court Judge District 25 Seat 3 with 22,316 votes in Caldwell County and 89,619 across the state.

Republican Robert A. Mullinax, Jr. won for N.C. District Court Judge District 25 Seat 4 with 22,269 votes in the county and 89,700 votes across the state.

Republican Amy Sigmon Walker won N.C. District Court Judge District 25 Seat 5 with 22,278 votes in the county and 89,575 votes across the state.

Republican Clifton H. Smith won N.C. District Court Judge District 25 Seat 6 with 22,178 votes in the county and 88,999 votes across the state.

Republican Mark L. Killian won N.C. District Court Judge District 25 Seat 7 with 22,245 votes in the county and 89,252 votes across the state.

The Caldwell County Board of Elections will complete the county's election canvass on Friday, Nov. 18, making all of the results official.

Visit www.caldwellcountync.org/elections for more information.