News

11th Congressional District field grows to 13; NC House seat gets 3-way primary

By Lightning Reports, Published: March 3, 2022

The number of candidates running for Western North Carolina's congressional seat grew to a baker's dozen, a third Republican filed for the open state House District 117 seat and one more candidate signed up for the Henderson County School Board contest, bringing that total to nine, as filing neared an end.

On Wednesday Democrats Marco Gutierrez and Bynum M. Lunsford filed for the 11th Congressional District seat held by U.S. Rep. Madison Cawthorn, joining Katie Dean of Swannanoa, Bo Hess of Asheville and Jasmine Beach-Ferrara, a Buncombe County commissioner.

Challenging Cawthorn for the Republican nomination are Bruce O’Connell of Candler, Wendy Marie-Limbaugh Nevarez of Asheville, Chuck Edwards of Flat Rock, Michele V. Woodhouse of Laurel Park and Rod Honeycutt of Alexander. Libertarian David Adam Coatney of Fletcher has also filed to run.

Jennifer Capps Balkcom became the third Republican in a primary for the House District 117 seat, which is open because Rep. Tim Moffitt is running for the state Senate. She will join former Henderson County Republican Party Chair Chelsea Walsh and perennial candidate Dennis Justice in the May 17 primary.

Eric Parlow of Arden filed for the School Board, which has three seats available. Also running are incumbents Jay Egolf and Dot Case and challengers Mary Ellen Kustin, Aaron Purcell, Alyssa Norman, Heather Sowry Ray, Vance McCraw and Sheila Dale. Vice Chair Amy Lynn Holt, whose term expires in December, is challenging incumbent Michael Edney in the Republican primary for the District 1 Board of Commissioners seat.

Qualifying for federal, state and local offices ends at noon Friday.

Here are candidate filings through Wednesday:

• Henderson County School Board (nonpartisan): Jay Egolf, Dot Case, Mary Ellen Kustin, Aaron Purcell, Alyssa Norman, Heather Sowry Ray, Vance McCraw, Sheila Dale, Eric Parlow.
• State Senate District 48: State Rep. Tim Moffitt, R.
• House District 113: State Rep. Jake Johnson, R, David Rogers, R.
• House District 117: Chelsea Walsh, R, Dennis Justice, R, Jennifer Capps Balkcom, R.
• New 29B District Court judge seat: Jason R. Hayes, R, Abe Hudson, R.
• Henderson County District attorney: Andrew Murray, R, Mary Ann J. Hollocker, R.
• Henderson County Board of Commissioners District 1: Michael Edney, R, Amy Lynn Holt, R.
• Henderson County Board of Commissioners District 3: Bill Lapsley, R.
• Henderson County Board of Commissioners District 4: Rebecca McCall, R.
• Henderson County Clerk of Superior Court: J. Tyler Ray, R.
• Henderson County Register of Deeds: William Lee King, R.
• Henderson County Sheriff: Lowell Griffin, R.