Republican state Rep. Erin Paré has secured reelection in southern Wake County’s House District 37, defeating Democratic challenger Safiyah Jackson with about 52 percent of the vote.
“This campaign was about fighting for a better future for all families in District 37,” Jackson said in a press statement on Wednesday. “Although we didn’t secure the win, I remain motivated to keep pushing for progress.”
Paré was first elected in 2020. She chairs the health committee in the General Assembly and has supported the Republican agenda to expand private school vouchers—a program critics say is designed to systematically defund public education. Paré has also backed contentious bills limiting classroom discussion of race and LGBTQ+ issues.
Her campaign’s final week was marked by allegations of voter intimidation at polling sites. As reported by the INDY, poll workers allege a years-long pattern of intimidiation and harassment by both Paré and her husband, Wayne, targeting poll greeters, especailly women.
Paré declined to comment on these claims when contacted by the INDY.
Her victory in southern Wake County, including Holly Springs and parts of Fuquay-Varina, reinforces Republican control in Wake County’s more conservative-leaning southern district.
Correction: Paré is chair of the health committee in the General Assembly, not the education committee.
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