2026 Elections

[Vrede too]

They must be very very desperate. Dementia Don is continuing his red state push by coming to NC to campaign for US Senate candidate Michael Whatley vs shoe-in former Gov Roy Cooper.

My plans:
I know this will bore most of you, but this gives me a sample ballot and a score sheet for after the election.

US Senate: Roy Cooper (D) Won, of course
US House of Representatives District 11: Jamie Ager
Is this the year we flip NC11? WON! He even won Henderson County, wow.

Judicial races: I'm going to be lazy and shun my usual research in favor of voting a straight D ballot. I figure anyone running as an R in 2026 has zero decency and integrity. If SoupySales cares to share dirt on any of the Ds I will open his posts and consider the input. I'm not likely to vote R but I may leave the line blank.

NC Supreme Court Associate Justice Seat 1: Anita Earls (D)
She has the money to run a bunch of TV ads. WON!
NC Court of Appeals Judge Seat 1: John S. Arrowood (D) WON!
NC Court of Appeals Judge Seat 2: Tobias (Toby) Hampson (D)WON!
NC Court of Appeals Judge Seat 3: Christine Marie Walczyk (D) WON! It's a blue judicial wave.

NC State Senate District 48: Doyle G. Brown, Jr. (D)
Incumbent Tim Moffitt (R) has been terrible for a long time. I believe he was O Really's State House Rep years ago. Moffitt (R) won
NC House of Representatives District 117: Lynne Russo
There are several reasons why we might flip 117. WON! Oh my.

There are a bunch of Henderson County races where only Rs are running: Judges, District Attorney, Board of Commissioners, Clerk of Superior Court, Register of Deeds, Sheriff. Yuck. I want to criticize the local Dems for being lazy and defeatist, but it's not like I've thrown my hat in the ring, even since retirement. Back in Missoula I worked on countless campaigns and even ran for office, but I just haven't gotten worked up about it here in Hooterville. Maybe I'll do goofy write-ins if I don't just leave the races blank.

There was a crowd of candidates and supporters pitching outside my precinct. I talked to a lot of them and even flipped a couple of my votes. These conversations often got around to my being unaffiliated. I then cracked a couple of folks up by saying it's because Dems by and large are too con for me.

Henderson County Board of Education (You may vote for THREE):
Only two Ds are running . More power to them.
Reid J. Barwick (D) #5
Mary Ellen Kustin (D) WON! #2

NONPARTISAN ELECTIONS

Henderson County Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor
Meh, unless I learn otherwise I'll leave it to those most affected to decide. I punted.
City of Hendersonville Mayor:
Jennifer Hensley, chiropractor, calls herself "Dr"
https://jennhensleyformayor.com
Laudable Resume, decent Issues, scant Endorsements, high class website.
She was outside my precinct. Very pleasant but turns out she's a Republican. That settled it for me.
Jerry Smith, Jr., attorney and former teacher
https://jerrysmithformayor.com
Laudable Resume, decent Issues, no Endorsements , high class website. WON!
I may have to research this race further or punt. SoupySales?

City of Hendersonville City Council (You may vote for TWO):

2024: All-female City Council is seated in historic first

Gina Baxter (i) Nonprofit Professional
https://baxterforhvl.com
Resume. Slim Ballotpedia entry and website
I got talked into voting for her by her husband . She is the top vote getter.

Jeff Groh owns two small businesses
https://groh4council.com
Convention of States. Advocates "for an Article V convention of states to rein in an out-of-control federal government." Nope, not looking further. #3

Melinda P. Lowrance (i) pastor steward and chairwoman of the Trustee Board for St. Paul Tabernacle A.M.E. Zion Church
No website
Melinda P. Lowrance has not yet completed Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey.
I hate voting against the only Black but c'mon, put some effort into getting my vote. #2

Brett Werner Retail Food Safety Officer with the South Carolina Department of Agriculture. South Carolina
https://betonbretthvl.com
Okay Resume, except for the South Carolina thing . Good on the Issues, no Endorsements I did vote for him, he was outside me precinct. #4

Do the female incumbents want my vote? I hate breaking up the historic all-female City Council, but I'm leaning towards exclusively voting for Brett Werner or perhaps voting for him and Gina Baxter. SoupySales?

REFERENDA

"Constitutional amendment to require all voters, not just those presenting to vote in person, to present photo identification before voting."
MAGA voter suppression, Against
Passed

"Constitutional amendment to keep the State income tax rate from being raised higher than three and one-half percent (3.5%)."
GQP scheme to hamstring effective government, Against
Passed

"Constitutional amendment requiring limits on property tax increases by local governments."
GQP Big Brother plot against local control, Against
Passed

Henderson County Open Space Preservation Bonds
For
The "farms and forests measure". PASSED!

A good night overall.

[Vrede too]

TEXAS GOES BLUE!

Including Senator, Governor and others.

Sen Collins has conceded in Maine. Don't let the door hit you . . .

[GoCubsGo]

TEXAS GOES BLUE!

Including Senator, Governor and others.

Sen Collins has conceded in Maine. Don't let the door hit you . . .

Clap emoji!

[Vrede too]

TEXAS GOES BLUE!

Including Senator, Governor and others.

Sen Collins has conceded in Maine. Don't let the door hit you . . .

Clap emoji!

I can go to bed earlier than I expected.

US Senate races in LA and MS are too close to call. WOW.

[GoCubsGo]

It's probably gonna be 55 in the Senate.

Who knows about the House?

What's amazing is most of these races were not as close as the polls. Republicans were probably over polled. They were hesitant to respond to polls when DonOld is on the ticket, this time they were eager to defend him.

[O Really]

Talirico is up there with Obama and Clinton in speech making. Running for President in 6 years. You heard it here first.

[GoCubsGo]

Talirico is up there with Obama and Clinton in speech making. Running for President in 6 years. You heard it here first.

He's gonna have good competition. And it'll probably be ten years.

[GoCubsGo]

You guys heard it here first!

I don't want to get ahead of my skies, but there are two additional senate seats from jd and Marco up for grabs. Total of 33 seats this cycle.

Could the Senate turn too?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Unit ... _elections

DonOld is underwater in Florida and Ohio.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/politics/elec ... r-AA1RuAKI

viewtopic.php?p=222114#p222114

Vrede didn't believe me!

[Vrede too]

Talirico is up there with Obama and Clinton in speech making. Running for President in 6 years. You heard it here first.

He's gonna have good competition. And it'll probably be ten years.

KS sends its first Dem US Sen since 1932.

NC flipped a bunch of US House seats including some "safe" GQP seats.

[Vrede too]

You guys heard it here first!

I don't want to get ahead of my skies, but there are two additional senate seats from jd and Marco up for grabs. Total of 33 seats this cycle.

Could the Senate turn too?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Unit ... _elections

DonOld is underwater in Florida and Ohio.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/politics/elec ... r-AA1RuAKI

viewtopic.php?p=222114#p222114

Vrede didn't believe me!

What I actually posted:

Idk emoji. It will take 4 flips. 3 gets us a tie which Just Deranged will break.

Not so different from your asking a question.

[GoCubsGo]

-0-? It will take 4 flips. 3 gets us a tie which Just Deranged will break.

It may be tighter than we think, Susan Collins MAY finally the boot. Kamala won Maine. North Carolina is up for grabs too.