(The Center Square) – Following the footsteps of her father, Democrat Rachel Hunt is headed to the lieutenant governor’s office of North Carolina.
She defeated Republican Hal Weatherman in a race called on Election Night, with all precincts being reported just after 2 a.m. Less than 100,000 votes separated the candidates, with Hunt earning a 49.4%-47.8% triumph.
The state senator from Mecklenburg County is the daughter of former two-time two-term governor Jim Hunt, owner of the same elected job from 1973-77 prior to two separate back-to-back terms (16 years) as governor.
For Weatherman, it’s the end of a tough battle. He fought past nine candidates to win the Super Tuesday primary, and a runoff in May against Jim O’Neill. Hunt carried the Democrats’ primary with 70% of the vote.
Hunt made abortion access and expanding access to health care a priority for her campaign. She espoused all the state party’s usual positions – including being strong on education, an advocate for local businesses, and taking a stand for the environment.
Weatherman, a political newcomer, has labeled himself a “principled conservative” and has prioritized school choice, “deporting illegals,” and putting North Carolina back to work. He campaigned on education; right to work; rural economic growth; agriculture; an overhaul of the emergency management system; support for law enforcement and the military; protection of the Second Amendment; free and fair elections; and, regarding abortion, advocacy for a “heart beat” bill.
The governor’s race, one of the 10 Council of State races, was also won by Democrat Josh Stein over Republican Mark Robinson. The group will be evenly split with five Democrats and five Republicans.
In other state executive office races:
• Attorney general: Democrat Jeff Jackson defeated Republican Dan Bishop 51%-49% in the nation’s only matchup of sitting U.S. House of Representatives members.
• Agriculture commissioner: Republican Steve Troxler turned back Democrat Sarah Taber 52.7%-44.8%.
• Insurance commissioner: Republican Mike Causey defeated Democratic state Sen. Natasha Marcus 52.2%-47.8%.
• Secretary of state: Incumbent Democrat Elaine Marshall secured her eighth term, downing Republican challenger Chad Brown 50.9%-49.1%. Stein’s administration will be the sixth governor with which she has worked since defeating racing legend Richard Petty 28 years ago.
• Secretary of labor: Republican Luke Farley won the race against Democrat Braxton Winston 52.9%-47.2%. Farley brought in 2.8 million votes, 300,000 votes more than Winston.
• Auditor: Republican Dave Boliek beat out Democrat Jessica Holmes 49.5%-47.5%. Libertarian Bob Drach also received 3%.
• Treasurer: Republican Brad Briner downed Democrat Wesley Harris 52.5%-47.5%.
• Superintendent of public instruction: In this hotly-contested race, Democrat Mo Green narrowly beat Republican Michele Morrow 51.1%-48.9%. Morrow unseated Catherine Truitt in the Super Tuesday primary.
