We’re in the home-stretch of the primary election season for 2022. Early voting begins in just over two weeks. It’s time to shed some light on some interesting races and make some early predictions.

Note: For state primary races, you need at least 30% of the vote to secure your party’s spot in the General Election. If no candidate wins 30%, there is a run-off.

NC Senate District 19

Republicans: Wesley Meredith and Dennis Britt

Meredith is going to win the primary. He has the money and name recognition from holding the seat in the past.

Democrats: Kirk deViere (incumbent), Val Applewhite, Ed Donaldson

This is going to be a horse-race between deViere and Applewhite and they know it. Each has begun to attack the other with negative mailers. Applewhite’s latest mailer compares deViere to Trump.

DeViere is fighting for his political future, and this one is too early to predict. It’s likely this race will have some fireworks in the next few weeks, but unless some kind of hydrogen bomb is dropped, it’s not going to matter. This primary is going to be won on the ground, door-to-door, person-to-person.

Advantage: The one with the most stamina.

NC House District 44

Republicans: None. The winner of the Democratic Primary gets the seat.

Democrats: Charles Smith and Terry Johnson

• Terry Johnson came within a few hundred votes of upsetting Billy Richardson in this district two years ago. Richardson announced he was retiring, leaving the seat open this time around.

• Charles Smith is a 30-year-old attorney that works for Johnathan Charleston’s law firm. Charleston has been in the news a lot lately. If there’s a controversy in municipal government, Charleston tends to be around: PWC Lobbying/Tisha Waddell’s Resignation, Spring Lake Finances, Halfway House on Cain Road, etc. His associate, Smith, looks the part, but I couldn’t tell you a reason why he is running or what he’ll do if he wins.

If I could predict this race right now, I think Johnson wins it by 5-10 points. He’ll align his campaign with Applewhite’s and benefit from her coattails and grassroots organization. You’ll see a lot of their signs together:

The majority of voters in the Democratic primary will be black, and Smith needs to give them a compelling reason to choose him. Time is running out.

Advantage: Johnson

District Court Judge – Seat 6

Republicans: None.

Democrats: Adam Phillips, Rosalyn Hood, Sherry Miller

• Adam Phillips is a former public defender and was appointed to the seat by Roy Cooper after April Smith retired. April Smith recently endorsed Phillips. A video of Smith’s endorsement can been seen on Phillips’ Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100075747082125
• Rosalyn Hood is a prosecutor and has run for District Court Judge in the past.
• Sherry Miller is a family law/divorce attorney.

The three-way nature of this race gives Phillips an edge. Women have dominated county-wide judicial races lately, but there’s two of them on this ballot this time.

At the same time, Hood will get the financial support of a lot of attorneys, many African American like herself.

It’s going to be an interesting race.

Advantage: Phillips, barely.

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I’ll try to cover some City races in the next couple of weeks. If you’re a candidate and wish to post something on crosscreekdivide.com, feel free to reach out.

A list of all current candidates can be found here: https://www.cumberlandcountync.gov/docs/default-source/board-of-elections-documents/current_candidate_list.pdf?sfvrsn=f8b1c098_164