Runoff primary race results

WTVD-AP
Wednesday, July 16, 2014
Runoff primary race results
Voters in some areas went to the polls Tuesday to decide five local runoff races.

Wake County District Attorney-GOP

RALEIGH -- The race for Wake County District Attorney is now set.

Republican attorney John Bryant will face Democrat Lorrin Freeman in the general election.

Freeman has served as Wake County Clerk of Superior Court for the past seven years.

This will be the first time in decades that Wake County voters will elect a new district attorney.

Colon Willoughby served as Wake D.A. for nearly 30 years before he retired earlier this year.

Orange County Sheriff-Democrats

HILLSBOROUGH, N.C. -- A Democrat will be the new sheriff in Orange County since no Republicans filed for the position.

Charles Blackwood defeated David Caldwell, Jr.

Blackwood replaces Sheriff Lindy Pendergrass in January.

Pendergrass is retiring after 32 years as sheriff. He endorsed Blackwood for office.

Click here for the latest returns.

House 6th District-GOP

Walker beats Berger Jr. in bitter race for GOP nod

GREENSBORO, N.C. -- A harsh Republican Party fight for a shot at an open North Carolina congressional seat goes to Mark Walker.

GOP voters in the district that runs along the Virginia border from Mount Airy to north of Raleigh picked Baptist minister Mark Walker of Greensboro over Phil Berger Jr. of Eden. Berger is the Rockingham County district attorney and son of powerful state Senate leader Phil Berger.

Walker won 56 percent of the vote in unofficial returns and now advances to face Democrat and retired University of North Carolina system administrator Laura Fjeld in November.

The winner will replace 30-year GOP incumbent Howard Coble in the heavily Republican 6th Congressional District.

Tuesday's Republican primary runoff featured Walker and Berger trading accusations of cronyism, lying, and incompetence.

House 5th District-Democrats

Josh Brannon wins runoff for US House nomination

RALEIGH -- Democrats in northwestern North Carolina have picked Josh Brannon as their candidate for face incumbent Republican Virginia Foxx for a seat in Congress.

Brannon captured more than 60 percent of Tuesday's vote in unofficial returns to defeat Gardenia Henley and take the Democratic Party nomination in the 5th Congressional District.

Brannon is a software developer from Watauga County making his first run for elective office. He finished first in May's inconclusive primary election.

Henley ran for of Winston-Salem mayor last year and sought the Democratic nomination for governor in 2012.

Foxx is in her tenth year in office and this fall is seeking a sixth term.

State House 23rd District-Democrats

Willingham wins runoff for NC House seat next year

ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. -- A Democratic Party re-do for a seat in the state House goes to Shelly Willingham.

Willingham of Rocky Mount won nearly 52 percent of the vote in unofficial returns to beat R. B. "Rusty" Holderness of Tarboro in their runoff election on Tuesday. They were the top two vote-getters in May's primary election for the job to represent Edgecombe and Martin counties.

The seat is one of 58 in the 120-member House that is not contested in November, meaning Willingham will take the seat in January.

The district is now represented by Democrat Joe Tolson, who decided not to seek re-election after 18 years in office.

Willingham is a former county commissioner and former school board member. Holderness is a business owner and served on the school board.

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