County voters buck national Republican trend

By Carey Phillips

Republican Elizabeth Dole swept to victory in the U.S. Senate race without help from county voters, and the GOP likewise claimed six of seven judicial races statewide. Nationally, Republicans regained control of the U.S. Senate and increased their majority in the House of Representatives.

However, Jackson County voters went with Democrats in every race and overwhelmingly approved a measure to elect commissioners for staggered terms starting in 2006.

Returns brought mixed results for Jackson County's two General Assembly members. While Phil Haire of Sylva was elected to a third term in the N.C. House, Cullowhee's Dan Robinson lost his bid for a third term in the N.C. Senate.

Turnout in Jackson County was 39.8 percent.

Leading the ticket locally among contested races was sheriff-elect Jimmy Ashe. After defeating incumbent Jim Cruzan in the Democratic Primary, Ashe crushed Republican Curtis Lambert 6,152-2,962.

Democrat Brian McMahan rolled past Republican Dodie Blaschik 5,724-3,096 in the commissioners race from District 2.

Democrat Joe Cowan was elected commissioner from District 3 with 4,844 votes to 3,830 for Republican Linda Belcher.

In District 4, Democrat Eddie Madden won over Republican Arnold Nicholson 5,194-3,606.

Jackson County Democrats running unopposed and their vote totals included:

Stacy Buchanan, commission chairman, 5,873; Roberta Crawford, commissioner District 1, 5,808; Frank Watson, clerk of court, 6,448; and Joe Hamilton, register of deeds, 6,464.

Electing commissioners on staggered terms was approved 5,696-2,141. Under the measure, the two district commissioner candidates receiving the most votes in 2006 will be elected to four-year terms. The other two winners will serve two years and be eligible to seek four-year terms in 2008. The office of chairman will not be affected.

Haire carried Jackson County with 5,113 votes to 3,915 for Republican Kaye Matthews of Haywood County. Complete returns from the 119th District showed Haire winning 11,110-9,056.

Haire will be a member of a 120-member state House that appears it will be divided 60-60 among Democrats and Republicans.

Robinson won Jackson County 4,750-4,230 over Republican Bob Carpenter of Macon County. Redistricting forced the matchup between the two incumbents. Carpenter won the 50th District race with 29,329 votes to 22,511 for Robinson.

Despite Robinson's loss, Democrats look like they will hold a 28-22 margin in the state Senate.

Incumbent Republican Charles Taylor was elected to the U.S. House. Locally, Democrat Sam Neill won 4,633-4,390, with 166 votes for Libertarian Eric Henry. District Attorney Charles Hipps was unopposed for re-election. The Democrat received 6,038 votes in Jackson County.

Dole became the first woman to be elected to the U.S. Senate from North Carolina. However, Democrat Erskine Bowles carried Jackson County 4,949-4,133, with 118 votes for Libertarian Sean Haugh.

Republicans Bob Orr and Edward Brady were elected to the N.C. Supreme Court. Jackson County voters went with Democrat Bob Hunter over Orr 4,626-3,953 and Democrat G.K. Butterfield over Brady 4,677-3,748.

The only Democrat to buck the statewide judicial trend was Martha Geer, who edged Republican Bill Constangy for a seat on the N.C. Court of Appeals. Geer won here 4,954-3,474.

The other Court of Appeals races were won by Republicans, although Democrats carried Jackson County. Local totals were:

George Barrett over Rick Elmore 4,796-3,617; Hugh Campbell over Eric Levinson 4,863-3,597; Loretta Biggs over Sandford Steelman 4,870-3,563; and Wanda Bryant over Ann Marie Calabria 4,787-3,562.

The Court of Appeals and Supreme Court races will become non-partisan in 2004.

Five candidates ran unopposed for non-partisan races. The local vote totals were:

Marlene Hyatt, Superior Court judge, 4,985; Danny Davis, District Court judge, 4,221; Brad Letts, District Court judge, 4,149; Steve Byant, District Court judge, 4,289; and John Wittekind, soil and water supervisor, 4,332.

Voters approved a constitutional amendment allowing the state's Nature and Historic Preserve to accept property by the General Assembly enacting a bill rather than by a joint resolution. The measure passed in Jackson County 4,887-2,485.

Tuesday's results will not become official until after Friday's vote canvass.

Back to Archive: 11/07/02.