Chatham County Commissioner Karen Howard was one of two local names to file for the 2020 elections in Chatham last week.
The week also saw filings in other races, particularly in the state’s U.S. Senate race and for Superintendent of Public Instruction.
Howard, who has served District 1 since 2016, is seeking her second term in office. She also was a member of the Chatham County Board of Education for one term from 2012-2016. District 1 covers northeast Chatham County and a total population of 12,842.
Timothy Winters of Chapel Hill filed Monday as a challenger for the District 1 Chatham County Board of Education seat currently held by Melissa Hlavac, who filed for re-election Dec. 6. Winters’ entry into the race sets up what would be the first contested school board race since 2014, when current board members Del Turner and Jane Allen Wilson defeated Mia Munn and Angela Millsaps, respectively.
The school board’s District 1 covers most of the commissioners’ District 1 as well as an area farther west covering Briar Chapel and the northern part of Manns Chapel Road.
U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis filed Dec. 9 to seek his second term. A former state legislator, Tillis has propped up his endorsements of and from President Donald Trump in recent months after facing questions over whether or not he would face a primary challenger.
“It has been a tremendous honor serving the people of North Carolina in the United States Senate these past five years as we have worked together to move our state and Nation forward,” Tillis wrote on his campaign Facebook page. “I am confident that the initiatives I have partnered on with President Donald J. Trump to cut taxes, create jobs, secure our border, confirm conservative judges, rebuild our military and reform the Department of Veterans Affairs have made life better for all North Carolinians.”
Media reports had stated Trump was going to endorse U.S. Rep. Mark Walker (R-6th District), who currently represents Chatham in Congress, to replace Tillis. Now, according to a Dec. 13 report from Politico, Trump will instead back any Walker effort for a different office, including replacing U.S. Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) when Burr retires in 2022.
Walker announced Monday night he would not seek re-election to his 6th District seat. The district was redrawn in recent court-ordered redistricting, making his current seat more likely to be won by a Democrat, according to analysts. Walker said in a statement that he would instead turn his eyes to replacing Burr in three years.
“I believe the best way we can continue to serve the people of North Carolina is as a United States Senator,” Walker said. “After we have secured more conservative policy and Republican electoral victories for North Carolina. We will take a look at the 2022 Senate race and we are thankful to have President Trump’s support.”
The press release also indicated that Walker was serving as a co-chair for Trump’s re-election campaign in North Carolina.
Additionally, the first Republican to throw their name in the hat for Superintendent of Public Instruction, current State Rep. D. Craig Horn (R-Union), filed Dec. 10. Five Democrats have filed for the seat, which is currently held by Republican Mark Johnson. Johnson had announced his intention to seek the Lieutenant Governor seat, but he has not yet filed, according to the State Board of Elections.
Filing concludes Friday.
Reporter Zachary Horner can be reached at zhorner@chathamnr.com or on Twitter at @ZachHornerCNR.