2018 NC Primary

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GRNC-PVF Primary Recommendations

April 21, 2018 by 2 Comments

Grass Roots North Carolina – Political Victory Fund doesn’t make endorsements. Rather they make recommendations which are more limited than endorsements. Moreover, as they note, they are more subjective than their candidate evaluations.

Here are the 2018 recommendations released earlier this week which include an explanation as to why they made the recommendation for a particular candidate.

2018 GRNC Candidate Recommendations

(Listings include only districts with primary races)
Errata: A note on the front of some GRNC-PVF postcard election alerts incorrectly listed the last day for early voting as May 4. The last day for early voting is actually May 5.
Candidate recommendations versus evaluations: Below are recommendations for effective voting strategies by the Grass Roots North Carolina Political Victory Fund. Candidate recommendations, which are more limited than blanket “endorsements,” are not made in all races, only in races where a clear pro-gun candidate stands out or where strategic voting is necessary to keep anti-gun candidates out of office.
Recommendations differ from GRNC candidate evaluations. While the evaluations are intended to provide an objective measure of where candidates stand on Second Amendment issues, GRNC–PVF recommendations are analytical and therefore subject to interpretation. For a full explanation of GRNC’s objective star evaluations, go to:https://www.grnc.org/remember-in-november/grnc-candidate-evaluations-2018 
Important note: Candidates who lack voting records or other history on Second Amendment issues and who fail to return GRNC’s candidate survey automatically receive a zero star evaluation (0) on the assumption that they are hiding their position from gun voters. Every election year, we receive complaints about ostensibly pro-gun candidates who receive zero star evaluations due to failure to return the survey. Each candidate is mailed a survey to the address he or she registered with the State Board of Elections. If they fail to return the survey, we cannot help candidates who will not help themselves.
Voting instructions: Primary election One Stop Early Voting begins on April 19 and ends on May 5. Absentee ballots must be received by 5:00 PM on May 1. Primary voting day is May 8 between 6:30 AM and 7:30 PM. Click here to find your polling place on election day, or click here to find your One Stop Early Voting place. To look up your voter registration, click here. Note: If you are registered as “unaffiliated,” you may vote in either the Democrat or Republican primary election.
GRNC CANDIDATE RECOMMENDATIONS
(Note: the NC State Board of Elections has made numerous changes to presentation of candidate data which now, unfortunately, contain numerous errors. We have tried to catch those errors but apologize if some of them have been allowed to propagate into GRNC evaluations.) For a full explanation of GRNC star evaluations, go to:https://www.grnc.org/remember-in-november/grnc-candidate-evaluations-2018 
US HOUSE
District 2 (R): Challenger Allen Chesser scored 99% on GRNCs candidate survey, earning 4 stars (****), but incumbent George Holding has a proven track record with a 100% pro-gun voting record, including against the recent and insidious “Fix NICS” language, giving him a GRNC 4-star evaluation. GRNC-PVF recommends George Holding.
District 3 (R): With a 100% survey score and a 97% pro-gun voting average, including against the recent and insidious “Fix NICS” language, earning a GRNC four-star evaluation (****), GRNC–PVF continues to recommend incumbent Walter Jones over challengers Scott Dacey (***) and Phil Law (****).
District 5 (R): Dropping a vote on the insidious “Fix NICS” language recently included in the appropriations bill caused incumbent Virginia Foxx to drop from 4 to 3 stars (***). With reluctance, GRNC-PVF recommends challenger Dillon Gentry, whose 94% survey earned him 4 stars (****).
District 6 (R): Although incumbent Mark Walker doesn’t have a primary, he deserves accolades for standing strong against gun control by voting against “Fix NICS.” With a continued 4-star evaluation (****), GRNC–PVF recommends Mark Walker.
District 7 (R): Although incumbent David Rouzer doesn’t have a primary, he deserves accolades for standing strong against gun control by voting against “Fix NICS.” With a continued 4-star evaluation (****), GRNC–PVF recommends David Rouzer.
District 8 (R): Although incumbent Richard Hudson doesn’t have a primary, we encourage voters to call him and ask why he voted for “Fix NICS.” Despite his sponsorship for national concealed handgun reciprocity, which passed the House, his vote for Fix NICS brought his voting record to only 50%, earning him only a GRNC 2-star (**) evaluation.
District 9 (R): Due to his previously good voting record, GRNC-PVF previously supported incumbent Robert Pittenger despite his having drawn fire from some conservative quarters. Like so many other politicians who “forget who brung ‘em to the dance,” however, Pittenger this year voted for the insidious Fix NICS language. By contrast, challenger Mark Harris not only scored 99% on GRNC’s candidate survey, earning 4 stars (****), but also promises to sponsor pro-gun legislation in Congress. For US House, District 9, GRNC-PVF recommends Mark Harris. 
District 10 (R): Congressman Patrick McHenry has been a friend of gun owners ever since his service in the NC House, including his effort to ensure passage of a clean concealed handgun reciprocity bill. Therefore, we are deeply concerned that for the first time, Rep. McHenry dropped a vote on Fix NICS, reducing his GRNC evaluation to 3 stars (***). Owing to his long history of service to gun owners, GRNC-PVF continues to recommend Patrick McHenry, but notes that with a primary featuring three challengers, including pro-gun Jeff Gregory (survey: 98%, GRNC ****), Congressman McHenry needs to avoid the inherently corrupting influences of incumbency.
District 11 (R): Incumbent Congressman Mark Meadows was one of the patriots who had the courage to vote against Fix NICS. With a perfect 100% pro-gun voting record and a perfect 100% survey, Meadows is the clear choice for gun owners. GRNC-PVF recommends Mark Meadows.
District 12 (R): With a perfect 100% survey, GRNC-PVF recommends Paul Bonham for the Republican primary.
District 13 (R): Like Mark Meadows, legislators don’t come more pro-gun than incumbent Rep. Ted Budd (100% vote record, 100% survey, GRNC ****). Although Budd doesn’t have a primary, he deserves accolades for bucking leadership to vote against Fix NICS. GRNC-PVF recommends Ted Budd.
NC SENATE
District 02 (R): GRNC-PVF recommends Norman Sanderson (100% voting record, 90% survey, GRNC ****) over Lisa Oakley (survey NR, 0-star).
District 25 (R): GRNC-PVF recommends Tom McInnis (100% voting record, 96% survey, GRNC ****) over Michelle Lexo (survey NR, 0-star).
District 29 (R): For this open seat, GRNC-PVF recommends Eddie Gallimore (93% survey, GRNC ****) over anti-gun Sam Watford (GRNC *) who, in the NC House, had only a 60% voting record and had to be forcefully convinced not to offer weakening amendments to pro-gun legislation. Watford is no friend of gun owners. Vote Gallimore for NC Senate.
District 31 (R): In this combined district requiring a face-off between incumbents, GRNC-PVF recommends you vote for Joyce Krawiec(100% voting record, 99% survey, GRNC ****) over Dan Barrett (NR, 0-star) and Peter Antinozzi (NR, 0-star).
District 33 (R): For this open seat, GRNC-PVF recommends Carl Ford(GRNC ****) due to his proven 100% voting record and 100% bill sponsorship in the NC House, and his 98% survey, over unproven challenger Bill Sorenson (survey 98%, ****).
District 34 (R): For this open seat, GRNC-PVF recommends Bill Howell (96% survey, GRNC ****) or Vickie Sawyer (96% survey, GRNC ****)  over former NC Senator Bob Rucho (100% voting record, 79% survey, ****) due to Rucho’s long history of antagonism toward gun owners and his work to weaken gun bills while in leadership.
District 39 (R): GRNC-PVF recommends Dan Bishop (94% voting record, 88% survey) over Beth Monaghan (survey NR, 0-star).
District 42 (R): GRNC-PVF recommends Mark Hollo (voting record 100%, survey 99%, GRNC ****) over incumbent Andy Wells (voting record 100%, survey NR). Although Wells votes right, he has refused to complete GRNC’s candidate survey. Meanwhile, while in the NC House, Hollo was a leader for gun rights supporters, including sponsoring pro-gun legislation. Challenger Ryan Huffman refused to answer GRNC’s survey, earning a 0-star evaluation, while Dustin Long submitted a 91% survey (****) but is untested. Vote Hollo for NC Senate.
District 44 (R): GRNC-PVF recommends incumbent David Curtis(voting record 100%, survey 100%, GRNC ****) over challengers David Curtis (survey NR, 0-star) and Martin Oakes (survey-NR, 0-star).
NC HOUSE
District 1 (R): For this open seat, GRNC-PVF recommends Edward Goodwin (survey 93%, GRNC ****) over Candice Hunter (survey-NR, 0-star).
District 3 (R): Scoring an perfect 100% on GRNC’s candidate survey and a recent pro-gun voting record of 96%, plus sponsoring pro-gun bills, GRNC-PVF recommends Michael Speciale (GRNC ****).
District 4 (R): GRNC-PVF recommends Jimmy Dixon (voting record 96%, survey 100%) over Nathan Ray Riggs (survey-NR, 0-star).
District 6 (R): With a strong voting record and history of sponsoring pro-gun bills, GRNC-PVF recommends incumbent Beverly Boswell(voting record 100%, survey 92%, GRNC ****) over challenger Bobby Hanig (survey 95%, ****).
District 7 (R): GRNC-PVF recommends Glen Bradley (voting record 100%, survey 100%, GRNC ****) over Lisa Stone Barnes (survey-NR, 0-star). In previous terms in the NC House, Bradley not only garnered a 100% pro-gun voting record, but also sponsored pro-gun legislation.Vote Bradley for NC House.
District 14 (R): GRNC-PVF recommends incumbent George Cleveland (voting record 100%, survey 100%, GRNC ****) over challenger Joseph R. McLaughlin (survey-NR, 0-star).
District 17 (R): GRNC-PVF recommends challenger Pat Sykes(survey 100%, GRNC ***) over anti-gun incumbent Frank Iler (***). In recent years, Iler has repeatedly voted against the interests of gun owners, including voting against the expansion of concealed carry and other reforms contained in HB 746. Iler is no friend of gun owners. Vote Sykes for NC House.
District 19 (R): GRNC-PVF recommends challenger Hunter Ford whose perfect 100% survey earned him GRNC’s highest 4-* (****) over anti-gun incumbent Ted Davis (GRNC **). Davis has repeatedly voted against the interests of gun owners and is among the most anti-gun Republicans in the legislature. Vote Hunter Ford for NC House.
District 35 (R): GRNC-PVF recommends challenger Isaac Burke(survey 100%, GRNC ****) over incumbent Chris Malone (voting record 75%, **). Malone frequently votes against gun owners, demonstrating clear antagonism toward the right to arms. Vote Isaac Burke.
District 44 (R): GRNC-PVF recommends Peter Petsche (survey 99%, GRNC ****) over Linda Devore (survey NR, 0-star).
District 48(R): GRNC-PVF recommends Russell Walker (survey 100%, GRNC ****) over John Imbaratto (survey 80%, ***).
District 52 (R): GRNC-PVF recommends incumbent Jamie Boles(voting record 94%, survey 90%, GRNC ****) over challenger Ken Byrd (survey 63%, *).
District 59 (R): GRNC-PVF recommends challenger Mark McDaniel(voting record 100%, survey 97%, GRNC ****) over incumbent John Hardister (voting record 98%, survey-NR, ****). Although Hardister is a solid candidate, McDaniel distinguishes himself as a gun rights leader who in previous service in the NC Senate helped ensure passage of concealed carry and sponsored numerous pro-gun bills and amendments. McDaniel will be a gun rights leader in the House.
District 67 (R): GRNC-PVF recommends incumbent Justin Burr(voting record 96%, survey 96%, GRNC ****) over untested challenger Wayne Sasser (survey 90%, ****).
District 79 (R): For this open seat, GRNC-PVF recommends Keith Kidwell (survey 100%, GRNC ****) over Jim Chesnutt (survey-NR, 0-star).
District 81 (R): GRNC-PVF recommends incumbent Larry Potts(voting record 100%, survey 96%, GRNC ****) over challenger Eric Osborne (survey 66%, *).
District 83 (R): GRNC-PVF recommends incumbent Larry Pittman(voting record 95%, survey 92%, GRNC ****) over challenger Michael Anderson (survey-NR, 0-star). Pittman is a true gun rights leader, regularly sponsoring pro-gun legislation and amendments, and sticking his neck out for gun owners. Vote Pittman for NC House.
District 90 (R): GRNC-PVF recommends incumbent Sarah Stevens (voting record 92%, survey 75%, GRNC ****) over challenger Allen Poindexter (survey-NR, 0-star).
District 93 (R): GRNC-PVF recommends incumbent Jonathan Jordon (voting record 98%, survey 93%, GRNC ****) over challenger Robert Block (survey-NR, 0-star).
District 96 (R): GRNC-PVF recommends incumbent Jay Adams (voting record 100%, survey 97%, GRNC ****) over untested challenger Taylor Huffman (survey-99%, ****). Adams is a leader for gun rights, sponsoring numerous pro-gun bills. Vote Adams for NC House.
District 97 (R): GRNC-PVF recommends incumbent Jason Saine (voting record 100%, survey 100%, GRNC ****) over untested challenger Nic Haag (survey-99%, ****).
District 110 (R): GRNC-PVF recommends incumbent Kelly Hastings (voting record 98%, survey 100%, GRNC ****) over untested challenger Charlene High (survey-NR%, 0-star).  Hastings was one of the sponsors for Castle Doctrine & Stand Your Ground legislation.
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Early Voting Starts April 19th For NC Primary

April 19, 2018 by

Tomorrow is the first day of early voting for the May Primary in North Carolina. The number of locations in a county will vary by both date and county. For example, in Buncombe County (Asheville area), there will be only one site available for early voting until Saturday, April 28th, when it expands to six locations. You can go to the NC State Board of Elections to find the locations for one-stop early voting in your county.

In anticipation of the opening of the early voting period, Grass Roots North Carolina has released their Remember in November candidate evaluations. They have both a sort by district and a sort by name file. Personally, I find the sort by district to be more helpful. The candidate evaluations are only for the state legislature and for Congress.

As GRNC notes, these are evaluations and not endorsements.

GRNC’s “Remember in November” project estimates candidates’ views on “assault weapons,” concealed handguns, gun storage laws, gun rationing, other gun control and the Second Amendment. THE EVALUATIONS HEREIN ARE NOT ENDORSEMENTS. We issued surveys first to a control group of gun owners and then to candidates. Next, we measured how closely each candidate’s views and voting record (if available) agree with the control group. Pay more attention to voting records than survey results unless, of course, you believe politicians never lie.

Also as a reminder, just because a candidate has “R” after his or her name, it doesn’t mean he or she supports gun rights. I have seen a snippet of a debate between Michelle C. Lexo and Tom McInnis regarding firearm issues. They are running for the Republican nomination in the NC Senate 25th District (Anson, Moore, Richmond, and Scotland Counties). Ms. Lexo says we need to look at “high capacity magazines” because she isn’t sure “they are needed”. “Other than that”, she says she supports the Second Amendment. Her opponent, Sen. Tom McInnis, replied “when guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns”.  I’ll let you decide who you’d rather have defending your firearm rights.