More hats in NC’s 2024 ring

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Governor. Former congressman Mark Walker finally confirmed the worst kept secret in North Carolina politics.  He will officially be BIG NAME #3 in the GOP governor’s primary.  Lt. Gov Mark Robinson and state treasurer Dale Folwell have already announced their intentions to seek the nomination for the state’s top political job.

For the most part, we have no problem with Walker.  Though, there are two big sticking points with him:

  1. He campaigned promising to not support John Boehner for speaker.  His first vote after getting elected?  FOR John Boehner as Speaker of the US House.
  2. His role as “Public Official A” in the FBI’s probe of the attempted bribery of insurance commissioner Mike Causey.

Some are speculating that Walker’s entry hurts Folwell the most.  Actually, Walker and Robinson appeal to a lot of the same people in the party’s base. And it’s no secret that there is some bad blood between Robinson and Walker.  It will be interesting to watch the interaction between the two campaigns.

UNCG and The Triad are coming out big winners so far in the GOP governor’s race.  All three big names hail from The Triad area — Folwell from Winston-Salem, Walker and Robinson from Greensboro.  Robinson and Folwell are both UNCG alumni.

Lt. Governor.  The GOP field for this race is already packed with some major and some minor candidates.  The big names so far in the race are: political consultant Hal Weatherman, pastor and retired businessman Allen Mashburn, and state Rep. Jeff Elmore.

Rockingham County sheriff Sam Page has just announced his entry into the GOP primary for lieutenant governor.  Page serves the home county of senate president pro ten Phil Berger, and is known as a close Berger ally.

With three big names in this race with solid appeal to the Raleigh crowd, there could be an opportunity for Mashburn to slip past them all and into the winner’s circle on Election Day.

Auditor. Guilford County Commissioner James Upchurch has moved from the GOP primary for state treasurer to the one for state auditor.(Apparently, there is an active effort to clear the treasurer field for Blue Cross property – and Tillis underling – John Bradford.)