Candidate filing for the 2024 election closed on Friday, with new districts, new candidates and new rules shaking things up. Combing through the documents, some interesting storylines arise.

Virginia Foxx gets primary challenger

Arch-conservative Rep. Virginia Foxx will defend US House District 5 against primary challenger Ryan Mayberry, a former chair of the Alexandra County Commission with a background in real estate and construction. He does not yet seem to have a website or any campaign finance information filed, so it remains to be seen how serious he is about it.

All-Republican race in US House District 6

Once a Blue-heavy district that encompassed the three cities of the Triad and has been represented by Rep. Kathy Manning (D) since 2020, the 6th District is now R+9, with slivers of Guilford and Forsyth pinned to Davidson, Davie and Rowan counties, with a chunk of northwest Cabarrus. Manning didn’t even bother to file for re-election, calling the new districts “flagrantly gerrymandered” in a press release.

Rep. Cecil Brockman gets primary challenger

Brockman, in NC House District 60, skipped an important veto override vote on gun legislation before Rep. Tricia Cotham defected to the GOP, allowing the measure to pass. He also voted with Republicans on several key issues this term. His challenger is James Adams, former president of the High Point NAACP.

John Blust is back

Blust, who served in both the NC Senate and House, met his political demise in the 17-way primary for US House District 13 in 2016, in which Ted Budd won on his way to the Senate. Blust is back in another fat primary for NC House District 62, vacated when Rep. John Faircloth announced his retirement, against four other Republicans including former High Point City Council member Britt Moore.

Laurelyn Dossett runs for NC Senate

It appears as if the Americana musician Laurelyn Dossett will be running in the Democratic primary against Ronda Mays, a school social worker, in NC Senate District 31, held since 2014 by Sen Joyce Krawiec (R), who announced her retirement this year.

Gardenia Henley is back

The perennial candidate will face incumbent Sen. Paul Lowe in the Senate District 32 Democratic primary.

New faces on Winston-Salem City Council

Incumbents Jeff MacIntosh (northwest Ward) and Kevin Mundy (Southwest Ward) will not be seeking re-election.

Remember: The primary is on March 5, 2024; early voting starts Feb. 22. Look for our election guide on the streets in late February.

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