This week’s primary election brought nearly 900,000 North Carolina voters to the polls, resulting in an overall 14% voter turnout. While the number of actual voters who cast their ballot doesn’t break a record for a primary election in this state, the loss by 5 incumbents in the General Assembly, as well as a decrease in turnout by Democratic voters statewide, are strong indicators that it’s going to be a very interesting November.
A few of the races of special interest to physicians included the forced run-off by Eric Mansfield, MD, an ENT from Fayetteville, who is vying for Senator Shaw’s open seat in Cumberland County. Dr. Mansfield was the leading vote-getter in the Democratic primary with 34.8% of the vote; however, he will now face a runoff election on June 22nd against Lula Crenshaw, since 40% of the vote was not attained.
Representative Jeff Barnhart of Cabarrus County succeeded in defeating his primary opponent Larry Pittman by nearly 20 percentage points on Tuesday. Representative Barnhart has been a strong advocate for physicians throughout his five terms in office, and it’s now assured that he will serve a sixth term, since there is no Democratic opponent in November’s general election.
Alternatively, Representative Bruce Goforth of Buncombe County lost a contentious primary to Democratic challenger Patsy Keever. Representative Goforth holds a position of long-standing leadership in the House and has served the medical community and patients alike in his role on the House Health Committee and as Chair of the House Insurance Committee. Keever will now face Republican Mark Crawford in November.
Representative Wil Neumann lost his primary on Tuesday in his run for Senator Hoyle’s open seat in Senate District 43. Rep. Neumann, who is currently serving his second term in the House, was defeated by Kathy Harrington who received nearly 60% of the vote in Gaston County. Representative Neumann’s ability to reach across party lines was recognized throughout the House, serving as a Vice Chair of the Health Committee while in the minority party.
For more information on Primary Election results across the State, click here:
May 2010 NC Primary Election Results.
