On Tuesday morning, educator and advocate Blake E. Odum announced that he would be withdrawing from the pool of candidates vying to replace Guilford County Rep. Ashton Clemmons for NC House District 57.
As reported by TCB, Odum and six other candidates had announced that they were in the running to replace Clemmons after the three-term representative stated she was resigning from the seat she has held since 2018.
In a statement sent to press, Odum stated that he was withdrawing “in light of recent developments and the urgent need for cohesive and inclusive leadership within the party.”
“Odum’s decision to step aside is driven by a commitment to avoid dividing the precinct delegates’ votes and to prevent any potential distractions from the critical work ahead,” the statement reads. “He emphasized that it would be irresponsible to exert his political influence within Guilford County’s Democratic political realm stemming from his history as a strong democratic contender for Board of Education in 2020, which could significantly divide the voting power of D57’s precinct delegates and uplift political agendas not aligned with the district’s best interests.”
In the statement, Odum repeatedly called for the importance of having a person of color to lead the district, which is 47 percent Black. While Odum has not endorsed another candidate in the race, the two other Black candidates in the running are Linda Wilson and Irving Allen.
As stated in his interview with TCB, Odum expressed his passion for supporting HBCUs and education in the future.
“In the coming months, I will work with the Democratic Party, political organizations, community organizations, and partners across the country to embark on a tour to get our college students at HBCUs registered to vote using their campus addresses,” Odum said in the statement. “The power of Black college students, who number between 300,000 to 400,000, can significantly influence political outcomes, particularly through their strong presence on social media and other platforms.”
The person who will replace Ashton Clemmons will be decided on Aug. 3 by precinct officials from two districts.
Read past reporting about this race here.
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