(The Center Square) – To help generate a Republican winner in the northeastern part of the state for the first time since 1882, the General Assembly redrew the congressional map for two of the 14 seats North Carolina sends to the U.S. House of Representatives.
Rocky Mount Mayor Sandy Roberson, one of the first names announcing intention to unseat Rep. Don Davis, D-N.C., and with the most flush campaign coffers, has withdrawn candidacy. Roberson said the redraw of the 1st Congressional District wasn’t what he signed up for and the fiscal concerns for his city will be his challenge to tackle.
Carteret County Sheriff Asa Buck, Lenoir County Commissioner Eric Rouse, Atlantic Beach lawyer and small business owner Ashley-Nicole Russell and Currituck County state Sen. Bobby Hanig are in the Republican primary through Friday’s filings. No Democrats are in, though Davis has indicated he will file and if victorious move from his Snow Hill home.
No law dictates a congressional member live within the district; Davis said he wants to live with constituents.
Deadline to file is Friday at noon.
No candidate was in better financial condition for the 1st Congressional District through Sept. 30, according to the Federal Election Commission. Roberson’s cash on hand was more than $2.3 million.
Hanig’s cash on hand was more than $246,000. As for Davis, if he runs, his cash on hand was at better than $1.5 million. Buck, Rouse and Russell had no electronic filings on the FEC site.
The other congressional district changing slightly was the 3rd where Rep. Dr. Greg Murphy has filed for reelection. Libertarian Austin Ayers of Ayden is also filed. Murphy’s cash on hand is more than $2.1 million, Ayers is at $0 with minimal activity electronically.
The maps just recently cleared a series of litigation hurdles. It was Oct. 22 when the General Assembly passed the maps, generating the sixth different version in as many elections.
Roberson on Thursday said he will focus on his city and its financial problems. Rocky Mount’s Abdul Baloch, chief internal auditor, resigned at the end of September just after Roberson said the city has to reduce spending by at least $30 million through July.
“The findings are deeply troubling,” Roberson said in a YouTube video describing multiple years of spending millions more each month than what collections would support. First-term Republican state Auditor Dave Boliek’s office is analyzing.
Roberson didn’t name Baloch or any others in his message. Baloch, a five-year employee, had at times filled in as the city finance director.
City Manager Elton Daniels got his promotion in April. Keith Rogers Jr. had the role from March 2023 until going on administrative leave in August 2024. Rogers eventually resigned in a financial settlement with Rocky Mount and is administrator of Charles City County in Virginia between Richmond and Williamsburg.
