Good morning, readers.
Earlier this week, the INDY published a Q&A with North Carolina Senate District 22 candidate Sophia Chitlik Abram, who is facing off in the Democratic primary against incumbent Mike Woodard.
Abram has lived in Durham since 2017. She works primarily as an impact investor in early-stage startups led by women and people of color in the health and wellness sector. Abram is a first-time candidate for the NC General Assembly. Her previous experience in politics includes working as a field organizer for the Obama campaign in 2008 and as a strategist for the U.S. Department of Labor starting in 2011.
Woodard is a household name in Durham with a long history of public service. He first ran for state Senate back in 2012, beating Kerry Sutton, an attorney, in the Democratic primary before defeating Republican candidate Milton Holmes. This year will mark the first election Woodard has faced a primary challenger since taking office 12 years ago. Before he was a state Senator, Woodard served on the Durham City Council for eight years from 2005 to 2013.
District 22, which previously included chunks of the more conservative Person County and Caswell County, now only includes parts of Durham County. Abram says she wants to bring “new energy” to the recently redrawn district. She has already received an endorsement from the Durham Committee on the Affairs of Black People, giving her early momentum.
You can read more about Abram here. The two Democratic candidates will face off in the primary election on March 5. Whoever succeeds will likely be the winner come the general election in November. Their only competition is three-time Libertarian candidate Ray Ubinger, who received just two percent of votes in 2022 and, according to a 2022 candidate questionnaire, “is not asking anyone to vote for me.”
Have a good long weekend. We’ll be back in your inbox again on Tuesday.
— Justin
Durham
ICYMI: A candidate for the only competitive seat on the Durham Public School board this cycle was accused of sexual harassment in a meeting last Saturday. More on the allegation here.
Wake
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an independent candidate for president this year, will hold a rally in Raleigh today.
Wells Fargo is leaving its longtime space in the Fayetteville Street tower in downtown Raleigh.
Orange
Orange County awarded funding to 10 local climate action projects.
North Carolina
North Carolina will experience more severe weather today with the risk of storms, winds, flooding, and isolated tornadoes.
Today’s weather
Sunny with a high of 64 degrees. Chance of showers and storms later in the day.
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