N.C. Rep. Rachel Hunt was among several state legislators to file for reelection on Dec. 2 at the Mecklenburg County Board of Elections. Justin Vick/MMHW photo
Bill Brawley fills out paperwork with the
support of Charlotte City Councilman Ed Driggs by his side Dec. 3 at the Mecklenburg County Board of Elections. Justin Vick/MMHW photo
CHARLOTTE – The 2020 election will likely include a rematch of the tightest N.C. House race from 2018.
N.C. Rep. Rachel Hunt officially filed for reelection to her District 103 seat on Dec. 2 with members of Mecklenburg County’s Democratic legislative delegation. Republican Bill Brawley filed the next day accompanied by Charlotte City Councilman Ed Driggs.
Both may wind up with opponents in March primaries, as residents have until Dec. 20 to declare their candidacy with the Mecklenburg County Board of Elections.
Unofficial results from Election Day 2018 showed Brawley with a 52-vote edge over Hunt, which would have earned him the designation of being the only Republican to win a House race in Mecklenburg County.
However, Hunt won the race by 68 votes after additional absentee ballots were counted.
The battleground for the 2020 race has changed.
District 103 includes fewer voters from Mint Hill. Only precinct 220, which votes at the Mint Hill Masonic Lodge, remains. The district includes all of the Matthews precincts, as well as nine precincts within Driggs and Tariq Bokhari’s Charlotte City Council districts (precincts: 85, 90, 91, 96, 99, 103, 113, 118 and 227).
Brawley, of Matthews, said this will be the fifth different district he’s run in. He served eight years in the N.C. House.
“It has changed so many times that almost every precinct that’s in my district now has been in my district previously,” he said. “They know who I am.”
Hunt, of Charlotte, also expressed optimism for the 2020 race.
“We’re excited,” she said. “We know how to work hard and we’re ready to do it again. We’ll do exactly what we did before, which is knock on doors, raise money and talk to people.”
Hunt said she’d like to continue working toward expanding access to affordable healthcare and increasing education funding, especially for teacher pay.
“I ran in 2018 because the General Assembly in Raleigh was not focused on the right priorities,” she said. “While we have made some progress in the last year, I know there is still much work to be done. I will continue fighting to raise teacher pay to/above the national average, provide affordable health care, and invest in early childhood education.”
Brawley would like to help end political gridlock on education, human trafficking and state road improvements. He’s also concerned about repeat violent offenders.
On the web: www.hunt forhousenc.com or www.brawleyfornchouse.com.
Leave a Reply