(The Center Square) – Chris Measmer, chairman of the county commissioners, is the choice of the Cabarrus County Republican Party to fill the vacated District 34 seat in the North Carolina Senate.
Measmer, upon formal appointment within seven days by first-term Democratic Gov. Josh Stein, will succeed Sen. Paul Newton. He resigned March 26 and begins a new job April 21 at Carolina as vice chancellor and general counselor for the nation’s oldest public university.
The county political party made the announcement on Monday. The release said Measmer was chosen ahead of two former state representatives, a former chief District Court judge, a mayor, a town council member, a chief financial officer, a former congressional candidate, a community organizer and a county commissioner.
Measmer is a second-generation business owner, past vice chairman on the state level for the National Federation of Independent Business and is in his seventh year as a county commissioner. He’s been on a number of boards in the county.
Measmer earned his undergrad at George Washington University. He also studied in Greece and Italy.
Through Saturday, according to the State Board of Elections voter registration database, the largest voting blocs in the county among more than 156,000 on record are unaffiliated (38.3%), Republicans (32.9%) and Democrats (27.4%).
Newton was also the party’s majority leader. Sen. Michael Lee of New Hanover County succeeded him in that role.
