(The Center Square) – A little more than two weeks from the opening of candidate filing, North Carolina’s election races are beginning to take shape.
The 2024 election primary is part of Super Tuesday on March 5, along with 12 other states. The general election is Nov. 5. The filing period opens at noon Dec. 4 and closes at noon Dec. 15.
Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper is in his second four-year term, the limit of consecutive terms allowed. All 170 seats in the General Assembly will be on the ballot. North Carolinians also elect 14 members to the U.S. House of Representatives. The U.S. Senate seats are not on the ballot again until 2026 (Sen. Thom Tillis) and 2028 (Sen. Ted Budd).
In Council of State races, according to candidate announcements and published reports, the following – listed alphabetically by party, candidate – are expected candidates:
• Governor: Democrats Mike Morgan, Josh Stein; Libertarians Shannon Bray, Mike Ross; Republicans Dale Folwell, Bill Graham, Mark Robinson, Andy Wells. Morgan is formerly a state Supreme Court justice, Stein is attorney general, Folwell is state treasurer, Robinson is the lieutenant governor.
• Lieutenant governor: Democrats Ben Clark, Rachel Hunt; Republicans Deanna Ballard, Peter Boykin, Jeffrey Elmore, Marlenis Hernandez Novoa, Allen Mashburn, Sam Page, Hal Weatherman, Seth Woodall. Robinson was elected in 2020 and is running for governor.
• Attorney general: Tim Dunn, Charles Ingram, Jeff Jackson; Republicans Dan Bishop, Thomas Murry. Jackson and Bishop are members of the U.S. House of Representatives. Stein was elected in 2016 and is running for governor.
• Commissioner of agriculture: Democrat Sarah Taber; Republican Steve Troxler. Troxler has served in the capacity since February 2005.
• Commissioner of insurance: Democrat David Wheeler; Republican Robert Brawley. Republican Mike Causey was elected in 2016 and has not announced if he will seek a third term.
• Secretary of state: Democrat Elaine Marshall; Republicans Darren Eustance, Chad Brown, Jesse Thomas. Marshall has served the office since January 1996. Thomas dropped out of the governor’s race Nov. 3.
• Secretary of labor: Democrat Braxton Winston; Republicans Luke Farley, Jon Hardister, Travis Wilson. Josh Dobson said in December he would not seek reelection.
• Auditor: Democrat Luis Toledo; Republicans Dave Boliek, Jack Clark, A.J. Daoud, Charles Dingee, Jim Kee. Beth Wood, a Democrat, has tendered a resignation effective Dec. 15; the governor will appoint her successor to fill the rest of the term.
• Treasurer: Democrats Gabriel Esparza, Wesley Harris; Republican John Bradford. Folwell won in 2016 and 2020 and is running for governor.
• Superintendent of public instruction: Democrats Katie Eddings, Mo Green; Republican Catherine Truitt. Truitt won election in 2020.