NEW HANOVER COUNTY — The competition to fill the impending vacancy left by long-time District Attorney Ben David is already the most expensive in two decades due to one candidate’s tenfold fundraising advantage. Two local judicial races also show significant campaign donation disparities ahead of the November election.
READ MORE: Sen. Lee, Commissioner Scalise lead fundraising efforts in NHC races ahead of November election
David has served as DA for the Sixth Prosecutorial District — which covers New Hanover and Pender counties — for two decades before announcing last fall he would resign on Sept. 3, 2024. David’s goal was to provide time for new candidates to campaign for his position.
Democratic candidate Rebecca Zimmer Donaldson will face off against Republican Jason Smith this November.
A Wilmington native who has served as assistant district attorney for over a decade, Donaldson has raised $298,056 for the 2024 election, more than tenfold Smith’s $26,163 total.
Donaldson’s fundraising efforts for the position are also the steepest the county has seen so far this millennium. The 2004 election was the region’s most expensive district attorney contest for two decades — David raised $60,339 against Republican candidate Jennifer Harjo, who brought in $56,913. David ran unopposed for five consecutive four-year terms after beating Harjo, New Hanover County’s public defender.
Donaldson received a cumulative $36,575 from Zimmer Development associates, $28,900 from Reeds Jewelers employees, $19,200 from construction firm Evolve Companies, and $12,800 from Kirk and Macey Engelbright of Wilmington-based film studio Dark Horse Studios. Donaldson is related to Zimmer Development president Jeffrey Zimmer and Reeds president Alan Zimmer.
Thirty-six individuals gave $6,400, including criminal defense lawyer Rhett Pollock, Novant Health oncologist Andrew Schreiber, boat dealership MarineMax vice president Rob Fritsky, Honeycutt Construction president David Honeycutt and McAdams Homes principal Adam Sosne. Sosne has also proven a top donor to local candidates Sen. Michael Lee (R-New Hanover), and commissioners Dane Scalise and Jonathan Barfield.
Smith has been an assistant district attorney since 2010. He previously worked in the private sector and served in the United States Army before retiring as a captain in 2005.
Smith’s top donors are Scott Sullivan — president of the Bruce Cameron Family Foundation and retired co-founder of Cameron Management — and Castle Hayne-based criminal defense attorney William Peregoy; each donated $2,500 to the candidate.
His second highest donation is $1,500 from the Lower Cape Fear Republican Women. Smith received a cumulative $1,250 from attorneys with Woody White Law Firm, including $500 from the firm’s owner, former state senator and New Hanover County commissioner Woody White.
Local attorneys — including Melissa Gott, criminal defense lawyer Josh Lopez, and former state senator Thom Goolsby — each donated $1,000 to Smith’s campaign. Griffin-Estep Benefit Group president Henry Estep, a top contributor to other local candidates including Sen. Lee, also gave $1,000.
Court races
Four candidates are competing for one Superior Court and one District Court seat in the 2024 election for New Hanover and Pender County. Other judges with expiring terms this year — Superior Court Judge Kent Harrell, Chief District Court Judge Julius Corpening, and District Court judges Sandra Ray, Jeffrey Noecker, and Robin Wicks Robinson — are running unopposed.
North Carolina judges in the Superior Court serve eight-year terms; District Court judges serve four-year terms. Superior courts hear cases involving felony crimes, civil cases requesting more than $25,000 in damages, and appeals from District Courts — which generally handle less severe criminal charges and civil cases with under $25,000 in damages.
North Carolina previously had public election financing and nonpartisan judicial elections, but switched to partisan elections for district and superior races in 2018. The state’s 2022 judicial elections broke state records for campaign financing, according to nonprofit policy institute Brennan Center for Justice.
Superior Court Judge Phyllis Gorham served New Hanover and Pender counties for 18 years before announcing her retirement in November 2023. Democrat Ricardo Jenson was appointed by Governor Roy Cooper to fill the vacancy at the beginning of the year. Jensen and Republican Max Ashworth — who have both served as New Hanover County public defenders — are competing for her vacant seat.
Ashworth is the county’s top judicial fundraiser with $65,963 compared to Jensen’s $17,577 haul.
Ashworth’s notable donors include $3,000 from Henry Estep, $3,000 from David Stertzer — a consultant with Wilmington-based Wamberg Genomic Advisers — $1,500 from Woody White, $1,000 from Wrightsville Beach Alderman and Cape Fear Commercial Senior Vice President Hank Miller, and $1,000 from Thom Goolsby.
Jensen is his own top donor, with $4,286. He received $500 donations from Winnabow-based attorney Kenneth Hatcher, Sheffield Oil Company Chief Operating Officer Marlon Sheffield, and Coast Guard Acquisitions Manager Barton Randall. Other notable donations to the incumbent include $250 from former district 7 senate Democratic candidate Marcia Morgan and $100 from Wilmington councilmember Salette Andrews.
Incumbent Democratic District Court Judge Richard Russell Davis also faces a challenge from Republican candidate Richard Forest Kern, a family law and land use attorney. Davis has raised $10,453, almost five times more than his competitor’s $2,688
Davis’ top donations include $2,000 from Peter Davis, president of Wrightsville Beach-based PRD Builders, and $1,000 donations from local attorneys including Thom Goolsby, criminal defense lawyer James McGee, and DWI attorney Alexander Hall.
Kern previously ran for the District Court seat in 2016 and had $1,008 saved from his earlier campaign to rollover to his 2024 run. His biggest donation in 2024 is $1,800 from home builder Linda Kerr.
[Update: This article has been updated to note Judge Ricardo Jensen was appointed to fill Superior Court Judge Phyllis Gorham’s vacancy.]
Tips or comments? Email journalist Peter Castagno at peter@localdailymedia.com.
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