WS Chronicle

BY TODD LUCK 

THE CHRONICLE

A short ballot with important votes awaits voters during the June 7 primary.

The race for the fifth district, N.C. Supreme Court, and a re-do of the extremely close South Ward City Council race are on the ballot for the second primary.

Fifth District U.S. House of Representatives  

Incumbent: Republican Virginia Foxx 

Democrats

Josh Brannon is a software developer from Watauga County who lost to Foxx in 2014 by 22 percent. He says he’ll champion education, economic equality and getting big money out of politics. One of his campaign themes is taking the country back from the richest one percent, who according to Brannon, have too much control over its politics.

“And we can do it by convincing every-one we know just how much is at stake, and getting them to vote for those who Brannon believe in opportunity for everyone, not just the one percent,” said Brannon on his website. joshforushouse.com.

Jim Roberts, an Army veteran and former pest control entrepreneur from Mount Airy, is running on issues like creating jobs, defending social security, preventing medical errors, and stopping “corporate domination” of public policy. He also rails against trade deals he says have cost jobs, which he promises to oppose or repeal.

“The average American working class family has been under assault for the last forty years and unfortunately their representatives in congress have been passing laws that are against their constituent’s interests while their rhetoric is exactly the opposite,” said Roberts on his website. www.jimrobertsforcongress.com

Charlie Wallin is an assistant food services director at Appalachian State University and has served as Democratic Party chair in the fifth district. His priorities include education funding, capping student loan interest, raising the minimum wage to at least $10 an hour, banking oversight, and environmental issues.

“We have real issues and problems in

this district that need to be addressed,”said Wallin at a debate held at the Forsyth County Democratic Party headquarters earlier in May. “We need somebody who’s serious and who wants to take on Virginia Foxx and wants to send her packing.” www.charliewallinforcongress.com

Republicans

Virginia Foxx of Banner Elk is a conservative Republican first elected in 2004. She is running for her seventh term in the U.S. House of Representatives. Among her priorities are repealing the Affordable Healthcare Act and reducing the deficit. She opposes any action on immigration “before our current laws are effectively enforced and our border is completely secure.” She’s been endorsed by the National Rifle Association, Family Research Council, and National Right to Life. www.virginiafoxx.com

Pattie Curran of Kernersville is an Army veteran and activist who’s been interviewed by FOX News and News Max for her fight to repeal the Affordable Healthcare Act. Her other issues include religious liberty, reducing the deficit, gun rights, and enforcing immigration laws.

N.C. Supreme Court Incumbent: Robert H. (Bob) Edmunds

Robert H. (Bob) Edmunds of Greensboro has served on the state Supreme Court since 2001. He’s a Navy veteran with more than 30 years of judicial experience as a United States district attorney, a private attorney, and appeals court judge.

Michael R. (Mike) Morgan of Raleigh has served as Superior Court judge for the last 11 years. He was also a district court judge for five years and a state administrative law judge. He’s a lifetime member of the NAACP and was among the first black students to integrate New Bern school system in 1964. www.judgemichaelmorgan.com

Daniel Robertson of Advance has served as a law clerk, general council of Bank of America and currently at his own private practice. According to a statement he sent to Ballotpedia, he’s running for Supreme Court to ensure the law is applied equally to everyone “regardless of their wealth, power, connections or politics.” ballotpedia.org/Daniel_G._Robertson

Sabra Jean Faires of Wake County is an of counsel attorney at Bailey & Dixon, LLP. She was a plaintiff in the lawsuit that got this year’s first-ever state Supreme Court retention election struck down, resulting in the judicial primaries on the June 7 ballot. sabrajeanfairesforjustice.com

South Ward City Council Winston-Salem City Council South Ward

Incumbent: Molly Leight (who isn’t seeking re-election)

Carolyn Highsmith is president of the Konnoak Hills Community Association. She’s also vice-president of the New South Community Coalition and serves on the board of Neighbors for Better Neighborhoods. She’s been a community advocate for years and helped organize the Ministers’ Conference’s effort to educate property owners on appealing tax reappraisals that devalued their land. She won the March 15 primary by just six votes, before the State Board of Elections ordered a re-election due to election errors. www.facebook.com/carolynforsouthward

John Larson is vice president of restoration at Old Salem Museum and Gardens. Larson, an Army veteran, is a longtime South Ward resident who has spearheaded efforts to preserve city land-marks and worked to protect the Main Street Corridor in the Business 40 improvement negotiations. He is a current Larson member of the Creative Corridors Board and the Old Salem Residents Association. He is endorsed by current South Ward City Council Member Leight. johnlarsonforsouthward.com