(My personal choices after studying the candidates)

For those voting in the following towns, areas, or places: Mooresboro, Broad River, Grover, Kings Mountain, Lattimore, Lawndale, Rippy, Shelby, Shanghai. (Info on the one difference for those in Casar, Fallston, Kingstown, Mulls, Oak Grove, Polkville, Waco will be at the end of this guide.)

President: Donald Trump
Senate: Thom Tillis
House of Representatives District 5: Virginia Foxx
Governor: Dan Forest
Lieutenant Governor: Mark Robinson
NC Atty. Gen.: Jim O’Neill
NC auditor: Tony Street
NC Commissioner of Agriculture: Steve Troxler
NC Commissioner of insurance: Mike Causey
NC Commissioner of labor: Josh Dobson
NC Secretary of State: E.C. Sykes
NC superintendent of public instruction: Catherine Truitt
NC Treasurer: Dale Folwell
NC Supreme Court Chief Justice, seat one: Paul Newby
NC Supreme Court associate Justice, seat two: Phil Berger Jr.
NC Supreme Court associate Justice, seat four: Tamara Barringer
NC Court of Appeals judge, seat four: April Wood
NC Court of Appeals judge, seat five: Fred Gore
NC Court of Appeals judge, seat six: Chris Dillon
NC Court of Appeals judge, seat seven: Jeff Carpenter
NC Court of Appeals judge, seat thirteen: Jefferson Griffin
NC State Senate, District 44: Ted Alexander
NC House of Representatives, District 111: Tim Moore
NC District Court Judge, seat 27B, seat 2: no one
NC District Court Judge, seat 27B, seat 3: Jeanette Reeves
NC District Court Judge, seat 27B, seat 4: Brad Champion
NC District Court Judge, seat 27B, seat 5: Jamie Hodges
NC District Court Judge, seat 27B, seat 6: Justin Brackett
Cleveland County Board of commissioners: Ronnie Whetstine, Kevin Gordon, Johnny Hutchins
Cleveland County Board of Education: Robert Queen, Joel Shores, Greg Taylor, Rodney Fitch, Ron Humphreys
Register of deeds: Betsy Harnage
Soil and Water Conservation District supervisor: Myron Edwards

For Casar, Fallston, Kingstown, Mulls, Oak Grove, Polkville, Waco : This is District 110. The difference in your ballot will be:

NC House of Representatives, District 110: Kelly Hastings
*Note: All of these races are essential. But some of these “down ballot” races are far more than essential; they are utterly crucial. Oftentimes people simply vote for a President, then either do not vote for anyone else, or split their votes on crucial races. This year, more than ever, some of these races mean everything.

Let’s begin with the governor’s race. I view it as nearly as important as the presidency. Roy Cooper has been everything I do not want a governor to be. Among other things, not only has he not be an ally of Christians and churches, he has often shown himself to be an active adversary. Dan Forest has consistently been a friend of churches and Christians, as well as a man who shows staunch allegiance to the Constitution, and understands that it is a document that places limits on government, not a document that spells out certain privileges that the all-powerful government condescends to grant us, and can at its pleasure take away from us.

Now let’s look at the Thom Tillis v. Cal Cuningham for Senate race. Media outlet Vox says, “The road to a Democratic Senate majority runs through North Carolina. Everybody I spoke to expects an extraordinarily tight Senate race. The outcome could very well decide which party controls the Senate in 2021.” In other words, this is not just about Thom Tillis, it is about a potential “Senate Majority Leader, Chuck Schumer.” If Tillis loses, that is exactly what will happen. I cannot even begin to imagine that horrible scenario. Vote Tillis, and make sure everyone else understands the stakes here and does so as well.

Now the judicial races. Every single one of them is crucial. These “boring” races actually determine much of what happens for the rest of your life. Do not skip these; they matter.

Now the Tim Moore v. Jennifer Childers race for District 111. Understand that this is not just about a single representative seat out of hundreds. Tim Moore is actually the Speaker of the NC House. He is the second most powerful figure in the entire state, and he has been rock solid in that role. He has taken a stand for things that are right even when he knew it would bring the very wrath of hell down on him. Reward this man for doing right: vote for him.
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Bo Wagner can be reached by email at 2knowhim@cbc-web.org, and you can get any of his books by clicking the “Store” link above.