In the May Democratic primary, challengers Susan Evans and Vickie Adamson defeated incumbents Erv Portman and John Burns, arguing that they weren’t sufficiently supportive of public schools. While we endorsed Burns and Portman, Evans and Adamson were both excellent and qualified candidates: Evans is a former school board member, and Adamson has been a leader in the PTA and has a background in finance. We’re endorsing them in the general election over inferior Republican challengers.
The same goes for the three incumbent Democrats facing Republican opposition this fall—Sig Hutchinson, Matt Calabria, and Greg Ford. Hutchinson is well known for his advocacy of greenways and greenspace; Calabria is one of the board’s most energetic progressives, tackling everything from affordable housing to hunger to living wages; and Ford, a former principal, understands education policy like few others.
The Board of Commissioners—which is elected countywide—is a smart, thoughtful, progressive body that has represented Wake County well since the Democrats took control in 2014. Don’t change that dynamic now.
