Politics

Two commissioners, three constitutional officers draw no election opponents

By Lightning Reports, Published: March 4, 2022

Two Henderson County commissioners and all three of the county's constitutional officers appeared to have cruised to re-election without opposition when filing closed for this year's election at noon Friday.

Barring an unprecedented write-in campaign for their post, commissioners William G. Lapsley and Rebecca McCall, Clerk of Superior Court J. Tyler Ray, Register of Deeds Lee King and Sheriff Lowell Griffin will win new terms in the Nov. 8 general election. The only contest for a Board of Commissioners seat will be for the District 1 seat, where School Board Vice Chair Amy Lynn Holt is challenging five-term incumbent Michael Edney.

Meanwhile, the field for the 11th Congressional District grew to 15 with the addition of two more candidates — Republican Kristie Sluder of Weaverville and Democrat Jay Carey of Hendersonville. And state Rep. Tim Moffitt, a Republican seeking the 48th state Senate District seat, got a general election opponent when Democrat Stephanie A. Justice of Columbus signed up to run. Democrat Michael Greer O'Shea ensured a general election contest for the House District 117 seat, which also has a three-person Republican primary.

Here are candidate filings through the end of qualifying:

• 11th Congressional District: Democrats Marco Gutierrez, Bynum M. Lunsford, Katie Dean, Bo Hess, Jay Carey, Jasmine Beach-Ferrara; Republicans Madison Cawthorn, Bruce O’Connell, Wendy Marie-Limbaugh Nevarez, Chuck Edwards, Michele V. Woodhouse, Rod Honeycutt, Kristie Sluder, Matthew Burril; Libertarian David Adam Coatney.
• Henderson County School Board (nonpartisan): Jay Egolf, Dot Case, Mary Ellen Kustin, Aaron Purcell, Alyssa Norman, Heather Sowry Ray, Vance McCraw, Sheila Dale, Eric Parlow.
• State Senate District 48: State Rep. Tim Moffitt, R, Stephanie A. Justice, D.
• House District 113: State Rep. Jake Johnson, R, David Rogers, R.
• House District 117: Chelsea Walsh, R, Dennis Justice, R, Jennifer Capps Balkcom, R, Michael Greer O'Shea, D.
• New 29B District Court judge seat: Jason R. Hayes, R, Abe Hudson, R.
• District 42 District Attorney: Andrew Murray, R, Mary Ann J. Hollocker, R.
• Henderson County Board of Commissioners District 1: Michael Edney, R, Amy Lynn Holt, R.
• Henderson County Board of Commissioners District 3: Bill Lapsley, R.
• Henderson County Board of Commissioners District 4: Rebecca McCall, R.
• Henderson County Clerk of Superior Court: J. Tyler Ray, R.
• Henderson County Register of Deeds: William Lee King, R.
• Henderson County Sheriff: Lowell Griffin, R.