Overview:
• Evans and Jones led a field of six candidates.
• Incumbent Marshall Faircloth, a longtime commissioner, placed fifth out of the six.
Editor’s note: This article was updated on March 4 to add a comment from County Commissioner Marshall Faircloth.
Former Cumberland County Commissioner Charles Evans and Commissioner Veronica Jones on Tuesday won the two Democratic nominations for the commission’s at-large seats.
Commissioner Marshall Faircloth placed fifth in the slate of six candidates. Voters in the Democratic primary were asked to select two of the six.
“Congratulations to the winners! I am proud to have been of service to Cumberland County for all these years,” Faircloth told CityView via text message on Wednesday morning.
Evans and Jones will face Republicans Greg West and Ron Ross in the November election. West is a longtime member of the Cumberland County Board of Education.
Evans and Jones defeated Toni Stewart, former Fayetteville City Council Member Mario “Be” Benavente, Faircloth, and William “Toonk” Wesley.
The unofficial results:
- Charles Evans,, 12,340 votes, 32.39% – winner
- Veronica B. Jones, 7,433 19.51% – winner
- Toni Stewart, 5,872 15.41%
- Mario “Be” Benavente, 4,805, 12.61%
- Marshall Faircloth, 3,915, 10.28%
- William “Toonk” Wesley, 3,729, 9.79%
Evans previously served as a county commissioner from 2010 to 2022. Prior to that, he served on the Fayetteville City Council.
Why does he think he led the race?
“It’s only by the grace of God, man. It’s only by the grace of God,” Evans said. “The people know the sincerity of my heart. I love Cumberland County. I love serving the people of Cumberland County, and I think they want someone that cares about them.”
Jones is in her first term on the Board of Commissioners.
“I feel like I had a lot of support, and individuals appreciated the work that they’ve seen that I have done the last four years,” she said. Jones said she picked up many women voters because she is “one of the few women leaders here on the county side, so I think that played a big part of it, too.” She also cited her efforts to get out into the community to engage with her constituents.
Senior reporter Paul Woolverton can be reached at pwoolverton@cityviewnc.com.
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