Tuesday, March 3 has been dubbed “Super Tuesday” by the national media, thanks to the numerous state primary elections taking place.

North Carolina is one the states holding its primary election this coming Tuesday, and in addition to the high-profile presidential race that dominates the headlines, numerous state and local offices have competitive primary races on the ballot.

In the Neuse News coverage area, the race for the Republican nomination in NC Senate District 7 has generated plenty of mailers, yard signs, and phone calls. 

The race pits incumbent Sen. Jim Perry, who was selected by the Republican party to replace Senator Louis Pate, who retired in January 2019, against Goldsboro attorney Billy Strickland.

Perry said throughout the primary campaign, conservative voters have expressed concerns to him about Second Amendment issues, the delayed implementation of NC’s voter ID constitutional amendment and the push for Medicaid expansion. 

Strickland said he believes voters in the 7th District are concerned about protecting Seymour Johnson AFB in Goldsboro, as well as “fiscal responsibility and reducing regulations,” and the lack of infrastructure funding for public schools. 

Perry said in his year in the NC Senate, he has learned more about the complex process of shepherding bills through the legislature, and has sponsored legislation for agricultural relief and disaster relief that benefited the district, as well as funding for disaster mitigation as well as rural infrastructure. 

Experience as an attorney, Strickland said, has allowed him to represent people against those who would take advantage of them, and he hopes to do the same as a state senator. His priorities, he said, would be to advocate for disaster relief for farmers and for criminal justice reform.

In other races in the Neuse News coverage area, several Democrats are vying for the nomination to run against incumbent Chris Humphrey (R) in the NC House District 12 race.

Deonko Brewer and Virginia Cox-Daugherty of Kinston and Lenton Credelle Brown of Grifton are the candidates in that race.

Three Democrats are vying for two At-Large nominations for election to the Lenoir County Board of Education.

Incumbents Bruce Hill and Merwyn Smith are being challenged by Les Lipford of Kinston. 

For Lenoir County Board of Education District 3, the race is between Richard Bogan of Kinston and Kimberly Outlaw of La Grange for the Democratic nomination. 

In Greene County, Democrats Berry Anderson and Albert Barron are vying for the nomination for the race for Greene County Board of Commissioners, District 3.

Three Republicans are on the ballot for two nominations to run for the Greene County Board of Education. Those candidates are Joey Rackley, Mason R. Dyer and Brandon Johnson.