2022 Primary Election: Results across the tri-county region

SOUTHEASTERN N.C. — Unofficial primary election results are in. The outcomes reveal which candidates will represent their political parties in races for their sought-after office this November.

All precincts in the tri-county area have reported, but local boards of election must still canvass the results to finalize totals.

In the U.S. Senate race, Ted Budd won the Republican nomination and will face Democratic winner Cheri Beasley for outgoing Sen. Richard Burr’s seat. The former state chief justice, Beasley blew her competition away with 81% of the votes. Budd earned 58% of Republican support but did face some more competition with Former Gov. Pat McCrory on the ballot. However, Budd’s Trump endorsement appears to have pushed him past the finish line, and McCrory ended the night with just 24% of voters statewide.

Congressman David Rouzer, campaigning for a fifth term in the U.S. House, declared his victory over Republican challenger Max Southworth-Beckwith early into the night. He collected 38,945, 79%, of votes. Charles Graham is his Democratic opponent in the general election, winning the bid with just over 31% of the votes, a ballot count of 12,947.

“Today’s turnout should send a strong message to liberal elites in Washington — Republican enthusiasm is strong and voters are looking for solutions and leaders who put American families first,” Rouzer said.

In New Hanover County, sitting chairwoman Julia Olson-Boseman was knocked out of her spot in the election after she finished with just 22% of the votes, a tally of 5,579. She is nearing the end of her four-year term along with Rob Zapple. Zapple, however, will have a shot at another term after garnering 44% of the votes. He will appear on November ballots along with fellow Democrat Travis Robinson, who was the second top-vote getter at 32%. Republicans Tom Toby and LeAnn Pierce also earned their spots with 31% and 30% of the votes, respectively. Voters will choose from two of the four names in the general election.

There are four seats up for grabs on the New Hanover County Board of Education. Democrat Veronica McLaurin-Brown and Republican Pat Bradford came out on top for their respective parties. McLaurin-Brown garnered 11,852 ballots, 26%, and Bradford tallied 11,659, 22%. The candidates will go up against Dorian Cromartie and sitting board member Judy Justice, both Democrats, and Republicans Melissa Mason, Josie Barnhart and incumbent Pete Wildeboer.

Democratic board of education candidates Jennah Bosch and Nelson Beaulieu, a current school board member, are just three votes separated. That could change as election officials finalize votes, or it could trigger a recount. Beaulieu had 7,296 votes and Bosch received 7,293.

School board candidate Chris Sutton lost out on the Republican bid with just 8,217 votes, while all his opponents surpassed the 10,000 mark.

With a 4,000 vote lead, longtime New Hanover County Sheriff Ed McMahon defeated his Democratic competition, Kelvin Hargrove. He must still face Matt Rhodes this fall to keep his job as sheriff.

Just under 20% of New Hanover County’s voters showed up to the polls, 30,939 residents. Brunswick County’s turnout was 18%, 22,170 out of 121,109 registered voters.

Incumbent Brunswick County commissioner Marty Cooke won of the three Republican candidates for District 2 and will run unopposed in November. As for the school board, Republican member Robin Moffitt outpaced her competition, Todd Coring, with 64% of the ballots and will face Democrat Bil Flythe for the District 3 seat. Steve Gainey took the lead as the Republican candidate in District 5 and will go up against Democrat Cameron Hankins, who did not have a primary, similarly to Flythe.

In Pender County, 17% of voters were at the polls this election, equating to 8,092 of 45,974 registered citizens. Only Republicans ran in the primaries for local offices. Sheriff Alan Cutler will run for re-election. Commissioner candidate Jerry Groves will advance with more than 1,000 votes ahead of the incumbent George Brown for the District 3 seat, while Jimmy Tate exceeded Joe Cina with about 350 more supporters.

See the full results in detail below.

New Hanover County

Brunswick County

Pender County

Statewide

U.S. Senate

U.S. House of Representatives, District 7

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