Joe Biden projected to win NC Democratic presidential primary, other state primary winners declared
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) - CBS News projects former Vice President Joe Biden to win the North Carolina Democratic presidential primary, CBS News made the projection just after 7:30 p.m.
FOLLOW LIVE ELECTION RESULTS HERE.
CBS News tweeted that Biden excelled with black voters in North Carolina, getting over 60 percent of their vote. About 3 in 10 North Carolina Democratic voters are moderate, and more than half of those voters went for Biden. More than half of North Carolina Democrats wanted a return to Obama policies. Biden led with both men and women in the state.
Biden also performed well with older voters - 50 percent of those over age 45 and over went for Biden, while Bloomberg was second with just 14 percent, followed by Sanders with 13 percent of this age group.
Biden supporters showed up at Good Road Cider Works in SouthEnd to watch the results. The race for North Carolina was called early and voters were cheered. Emily Thomason decided at the last minute who to vote for. She says Biden gaining momentum at the last minute made the difference.
“He had a really good week,” Voter Emily Thomason said. “Really since Nevada - he came in second there. Just steamrolling that in South Carolina and now winning Virginia and North Carolina is really exciting.”
North Carolina voters went to the polls Tuesday to nominate candidates for everything from president to county commissioner.
There were 15 presidential candidates on the Democratic ballot, although many of them have dropped out of the race. There are also primaries for U.S. Senate, governor and state and local offices. North Carolina is one of 16 Super Tuesday contests that will choose a third of all the Democratic delegates - more than any other single day.
Democrats headed to their precincts to make their choice in the presidential primary with five choices left. The candidates included Biden, Bernie Sanders, Michael Bloomberg, Elizabeth Warren and Tulsi Gabbard.
CBS News reported that Bloomberg outspent Joe Biden more than 50:1 in North Carolina.
Other primary contests on the ballot are for seats in the U.S. Congress and the N.C. General Assembly, the Democratic and Republican candidates for governor and lieutenant governor, and Council of State positions. Many local governments across the state also have primary contests on the ballot.
A recently released poll by Elon University says North Carolina voters are making their selections based on specific issues, including healthcare, the economy, immigration, education, the environment, taxes, the political system, and guns and safety.
Thom Tillis won the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate, according to the Associated Press. Former state Sen. Cal Cunningham won against state Sen. Erica Smith and Mecklenburg County Commissioner Trevor Fuller in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate.
Tillis and Cunningham will face off in the general election.
Lt. Gov. Dan Forest won against N.C. Rep. Holly Grange in the Republican primary for governor, according to the Associated Press, and will run against current Gov. Roy Cooper in the general election.
With nearly all precincts in the state reporting, the Democratic primary race for North Carolina lieutenant governor appears to be headed for a runoff. With 95% of precincts reporting, Rep. Yvonne Lewis Holley led the Democratic field for lieutenant governor with 26%, followed by Sen. Terry Van Duyn with 20% and Allen Thomas and Rep. Chaz Beasley both with nearly 19%. Bill Toole and Ron Newton trailed.
Mark Robinson leads Republicans running for lieutenant governor with 32% of votes. Robinson was followed by state Sen. Andy Wells with 14%, Mark Johnson with 12% and John L. Ritter with 11%. Greg Gebhardt, Renee Ellmers, Scott Stone, Deborah Cochran and Buddy Bengel captured less than 10% of the vote each.
In the Democratic primary for North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction, candidates include Keith Sutton (D), Jen Mangrum (D), Constance Johnson (D), Michael Maher (D), and James Barrett (D). With most precincts reporting, Mangrum held a lead with nearly 33% of the vote, followed by Sutton with 26%. Johnson had 21% as of late Tuesday. Barrett and Maher trailed.
In the Republican primary for North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction, candidates include Catherine Truitt (R), D. Craig Horn (R). Catherine Truitt had 56% of the vote over Craig Horn, who had 43% as of late Tuesday.
According to the Charlotte Observer, Ella Scarborough and Pat Cotham, both longtime at-large Mecklenburg County commissioners, easily won their reelection bids Tuesday night. Scarborough captured 22.9 percent of the vote, with Cotham trailing slightly behind with about 21 percent. Political newcomer Leigh Altman, a public-interest attorney, had about 15 percent of the vote.
George Dunlap, chairman of the Mecklenburg County commissioners, defeated Democratic challenger Cade Lee. Dunlap secured almost 76 percent of the vote in the northeastern Charlotte district, with Lee taking about 24 percent.
The Associated Press reported that Alma Adams won the Democratic nomination for U.S. House in North Carolina’s 12th congressional district. Adams mentioned she was grateful for the votes and says she will continue to work hard for her constituents.
“My goal is to ensure that to each and every person has an equal opportunity to having affordable housing,” Adams said. “Safe and affordable housing and we don’t have people who can’t eat - that everybody who needs to have medication will have that. Everybody will have healthcare - those are things in my opinion are basic needs - education - those are basic - I’d like to put those in the Constitution.”
Adams showed up at the Biden watch party in Charlotte to greet supporters. She told them to keep going and don’t stop. She says Biden is a good person will restore goodness back to the White House and will be ready to lead on day one.
"He knows what to do," Congresswoman Alma Adams said. "He doesn't need on the job training and we're glad about it."
Adams also made comment in reference to presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg. Bloomberg pumped millions of dollars for campaign ads. He outspent Biden looking for a victory.
"You know you can't fool people," Adams said. "And money just won't buy love - so we love Joe. We love what he stands for. We love what we know he can do for our country."
The Associated Press reported that Cynthia Wallace won the Democratic nomination for U.S. House in North Carolina’s 9th congressional district. She will face Republican Dan Bishop in the general election.
Incumbent Rep. Becky Carney, D-Mecklenburg, received the Democratic nomination to retain N.C. House 102 seat with 65 percent of the vote. Carney will face Democrat Kyle Kirby in the general election.
Incumbent Mujtaba Mohammed held a big lead over Laura Anthony and Roderick Davis in the Democratic primary for NC State Senate District 38, with about 59 percent of the vote Tuesday night.
Incumbent Aretha Blake and Lynna Moen ran in the Democratic primary for North Carolina 26th Judicial District. With early voting and returns from all but five of the county’s 190 precincts tabulated late Tuesday, Blake had a 50,000-vote lead over Moen, according to the Charlotte Observer
Sitting Superior Court judge Casey Viser and District Court judge David Strickland ran in the Superior Court Republican primary for District 26, which includes south Charlotte, Matthews and Mint Hill. Viser led 57.2% to 42.8%, with all precincts counted. Viser will face former District Court Judge Alicia Brooks, a Democrat, in November.
Democratic incumbent Auditor Beth Wood defeated Luis Toledo by capturing 78% of the vote, with most precincts reporting. In the Republican primary, Anthony Wayne (Tony) Street led with 56% and Tim Hoegemeyer had 43%.
Republican incumbent Mike Causey was challenged by Ronald Pierce. With most precincts reporting, Causey had 64% of the vote. He will face former commissioner and Democrat Wayne Goodwin in the general election.
Jenna Wadsworth, Donovan Watson and Walter Smith competed in the Democratic primary for Agriculture Commissioner. The winner faces longtime incumbent Republican Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. Wadsworth led late Tuesday with 53% of the vote, followed by Smith with 31% and Watson with 15%.
Dimple Ajmera, Ronnie Chatterji and Matt Leatherman competed in the Democratic primary for Treasurer. Chatterji narrowly won and will face incumbent Dale Folwell in the general election.
Three Republicans competed in the primary for attorney general: Christine Mumma, Jim O’Neill and Sam Hayes. O’Neill was ahead with 46% of the vote, with nearly all precincts reporting. The winner will face incumbent Democratic Attorney General Josh Stein in the general election.
A $45 million bond referendum on the ballot in Rowan County for Rowan-Cabarrus Community College was approved by voters on Tuesday.
No photo identification is required for North Carolina voters. Polls opened at 6:30 a.m. and close at 7:30 p.m. Any voter who is in line at 7:30 p.m. will be allowed to vote.
Michael Dickerson, the county’s election supervisor, said elections officials in Mecklenburg County received 68,000 ballots during the early voting period. He explained that Mecklenburg County usually gets 30 to 35 percent voter turnout for a presidential preference primary.
Mecklenburg County voters cast their ballots on new machines during Tuesday’s primary. Dickerson said residents vote on one device and then take their ballot to be scanned on another machine.
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