After a lot of back and forth and more than a few lawsuits, the districts for the 2022 elections have been nailed down and candidate filing has concluded.
As districts shifted into their final shape, we saw representatives and senators double bunked, a handful of retirements, and several announcements of folks seeking higher office. Here are a few of the highlights:
- There are 26 candidates for US Senate. That’s not a typo. It’s a lot.
- Newly drawn US House District 13 has 13 candidates, including more than a few familiar faces. Current NC State Senator Wiley Nickel, former NC State Senator Sam Searcy, and former US House Representative Renee Elmers are among the candidates who filed. It’s a competitive district and should be an exciting race for both primaries and the general election if the map stands. The map is currently subject to a suit that is in front of the US Supreme Court.
- Not to be outdone, the General Assembly will also have some exciting races.
- In state Senate District 47, six-term Republican Senator Ralph Hise, a budget chairman and redistricting chair, will face three-term Senator Deanna Ballard in the Republican primary.
- Senate District 1 also has a pair of double-bunked Republican incumbents vying for one seat. Six-term Senator Norman Sanderson will face two-term Senator Bob Steinburg.
- House District 52 features seven-term Representative Jamie Boles and a primary challenger in first-term Representative Ben Moss. Winner takes all in this district, as this district is heavily favored for Republicans and no Democratic candidates filed.
- Several districts, particularly in Mecklenburg and around the Triangle, have several Democratic candidates each, setting the stage for robust and energetic primaries.
So where does that leave us? Well… We don’t know. What we do know is that candidates can’t raise funds and campaign while they’re in session, so they might not be that inclined to hang out in Raleigh this year.