Graig Meyer Appointed To N.C. House District 50 Seat

HILLSBOROUGH- Democratic Party representatives from Orange and Durham counties met Thursday to appoint Graig Meyer to fill the N.C. House District 50 seat formerly occupied by Valerie Foushee.

Meyer is a Chapel Hill-Carrboro school administrator and coordinator of the Blue Ribbon Mentor Advocate program. He says he’s ready to usher in a new wave of Democratic leadership to help win back control of the General Assembly.

“We need Democratic leadership for the state of North Carolina that does more to promote our future than to think about where we are today or our past,” says Meyer. “We need Democratic leadership that thinks about where the state of North Carolina is going to be in twenty, thirty or fifty years.”

Meyer thanks the committee following his appointment to the N.C. House.

Meyer was one of seven candidates seeking the appointment. In the first round of voting, the four member executive committee split its votes between Meyer, attorney Drew Nelson, Orange County Commissioner Bernadette Pelissier, Chapel Hill Town Council member Laurin Easthom, and Durham Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor Danielle Adams. Candidates Travis Phelps and Tommy McNeill did not receive any votes.

After just a few moments of negotiation, the committee united behind Meyer, appointing him unanimously in the second round of voting.

Meyer’s appointment fills the House seat left vacant when Valerie Foushee was named last month to represent N.C. Senate District 23, taking the place of long-serving former State Senator Ellie Kinnaird.

The term of office expires in December of next year, but Meyer says he plans to run to keep the seat representing most of rural Orange and Northern Durham counties.

“To win the seat in District 50 requires you to get out and get to know people all across the district,” says Meyers. “This district is like microcosm of North Carolina: urban, rural, farmers, scientists- it’s a real mix. You have to make sure you can represent all those people and be aware of all the issues that impact the different communities in District 50. If you can do that, you can solve the problems faced all across North Carolina.”

Because the General Assembly is not in session until May 14, 2014, Meyer could find himself defending his new position in the May 6 primary before the legislature even convenes.

The Democratic Executive Committee will submit Meyer’s name to Governor Pat McCrory for appointment. The governor has a week to make the appointment official, but should he fail to do so, Meyer would automatically assume the office.

‹

N.C. Senate Hopefuls Vie For Open District 23 Seat

Seven N.C. Senate candidates turned out Wednesday night to make a bid for Ellie Kinnaird’s empty seat in the General Assembly.

Rep. Allen Buansi Wins Second Term in N.C. House to Represent Chapel Hill, Carrboro

Rep. Allen Buansi will represent Chapel Hill and Carrboro in the North Carolina House of Representatives for another two years.

District 50 Rep. Renée Price Set to Run for Re-Election in 2024

Rep. Renée Price, who represents Orange County and Caswell County, announced her run for re-election during a birthday and fundraising event.

Orange County Chair Discusses Commissioner Vacancy, Appointment Plan

Orange County uses appointment process when a commissioner's term goes unfinished. The deadline for District 2 applicants is Friday's night.

2022 Midterm Election Results for State and Local Races

Here are the reported voting totals for select 2022 elections across Orange County, Chatham County and North Carolina.

NC Governor Wants Changes to How UNC Governing Boards Chosen

Written by GARY D. ROBERTSON Gov. Roy Cooper on Tuesday announced a new commission tasked with making recommendations on changing how the boards guiding the University of North Carolina system and its 17 member schools are chosen, bidding to broaden their membership by political leanings, race and gender. The Democratic governor essentially blamed the Republican-controlled […]

Renée Price Earns Nomination to NC House District 50 in Orange, Caswell Counties

Current Orange County Commissioner Renée Price is the Democratic nomination to represent Orange and Caswell Counties in the North Carolina House of Representatives. “It is a wonderful day,” Price told Chapelboro after gaining the Democratic nomination. Price said a lot of the issues from her primary campaign will carry over into her general election campaign […]

2022 Primary Elections Results for Local Races

Primary Election Results Tuesday marks Primary Election Day across North Carolina. Polls opened at 6:30 a.m. in the state and will close at 7:30 p.m. Voters in line when polls close are still eligible to vote. Voters must go to their precinct location to vote on Election Day. More information regarding voting locations and […]

Orange County: District 50, Mask Mandate and Shopping Local

Chair of the Orange County Commissioner Renee Price joins 97.9 The Hill's Brighton McConnell on Wednesday, November 24. She discusses her recent announcement to run for District 50 in the North Carolina House of Representatives. Plus: Price shares details into why the indoor mask mandate has been extended and a new manufacturing facility recently announced near Mebane.

Hillsborough Commissioner Matt Hughes Sets Sights on NC House District 50

As political dominos continue to fall around the 2022 elections, a Hillsborough town commissioner is joining the race for North Carolina’s House District 50. Matt Hughes, who has served on the town’s Board of Commissioners since 2018, announced his intentions to run for the district, which covers most of Orange County and all of Caswell […]

›