Democratic party officials in the district–a total of 30 were in attendance–voted tonight on who should replace the departing Rep. Linda Coleman. (Coleman is joining the Perdue Administration as director of the Office of State Personnel.) Three candidates were nominated from the floor: Jackson; Wake County Commissioner Lindy Brown; and Don Mial, an unsuccessful candidate for county commissioner in ’06. Jackson won an outright majority on the first ballot. The ballots were secret, and the precise count wasn’t announced. Party members said Mial and Brown, both African-Americans, may have blunted each other’s potential appeal. Jackson, meanwhile, thought he benefited from being the one candidate who was born in and has always lived in the Knightdale-Wendell-Zebulon area that is the heart of the district. Jackson has run twice previously for the seat.
Jackson’s selection is in the form of a recommendation to the governor, who is expected to make his appointment official within the next two weeks.