The political pendulum always swings, and Tuesday’s election results tell us the pendulum was swinging much to the chagrin of just about any candidate affiliated with the Republican party persuasion.
“It swung off its axis,” said George Breece, the longtime political observer from Cumberland County. “A big blue wave that kept pounding and pounding and washed a number of Republican candidates off the beach, so to speak.”
The shellacking was felt from Cumberland County to Washington, D.C.
“The U.S. Senate race was over before it started,” Breece said about the race between former Gov. Roy Cooper and Michael Whatley, the former Republican National Committee chair. “It could be best described as a Cooper tsunami, with Senator-elect Cooper winning by 20% points and keeping his unbeaten streak intact from his days as a state representative to state senator to attorney general for 16 years to governor for eight years. He’s never lost an election.”
The second big shocker was U.S. Rep. Richard Hudson losing the 9th Congressional District seat to Richard Ojeda, who is a retired Army major.
“Richard Hudson loved being the congressman for Fort Bragg,” Breece said “He wore that as a badge of honor in the halls of Congress, and he delivered time and time again for Fort Bragg. Richard lost by 6,000 votes district-wide and lost Cumberland County in a blue tsunami by 17,000 votes.”
Another stunner was Janene Ackles’ victory over incumbent state Rep. Diane Wheatley in the House District 43 race.
“Janene had sought elective office before, never gave up, and pulled off a big win,” Breece said. “Diane Wheatley has served our community extremely well for many years, including as a member of the Cumberland County Board of Education, the Cumberland County Board of County Commissioners, and in the N.C. House. I don’t know anyone else who can say that about local public service.”
And Charles Evans is back for another term on the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners along with incumbent Veronica Jones, both decisive winners over Republican challengers Greg West and Ron Ross.
“Charles Evans continues to show his strong support from the citizens he loves to serve,” Breece said. “He led the ticket again by about 3,000 at last count and will return to the Cumberland County commission, where he will continue his commitment to helping and leading the way to fix our homeless issues and work to complete the Cumberland County Event Center. We will also see Charles leading the way and speaking up for those who have no voice, no home, no meal tonight. He is thought of by many as the conscience of those forgotten. The question now is who is elected chair and vice chair at their first meeting in December.”
And no surprise, Breece said, that Tom Hatch led the 16-candidate field for Cumberland County Board of Education.
“He learned a lot from his first try at elective office,” Breece said. “His candidacy this time was different, with a strategic twist that only some of the seasoned operatives would recognize. And this time he was endorsed by the Cumberland County Democratic Party affiliates. He did not get that endorsement in his previous candidacy. Even though the Cumberland County Board of Education seats are nonpartisan, being endorsed by Democratic Party affiliates in a big blue wave election was critical to his leading the ticket. He joins current Vice Chair Jacquelyn Brown and Broxie Pone, who had a very strong showing for her first time as a candidate. Broxie will only get stronger in future elections.”
Hatch received 26,038 votes for 11.43%, according to unofficial returns. Brown followed with 22,240 votes (9.77%), with Pone third with 20,680 (9.08%).
“I was certainly honored by the support and humbled to have the community’s trust, though it was definitely a surprise,” Hatch, a former Terry Sanford High School principal, said Wednesday.
Hope Mills Town Manager Chancer McLaughlin got the boot from town commissioners on June 22 when Mayor Pro Tem Hope Page and Commissioners Lisa Tremmel and Cynthia Hamilton voted not to renew McLaughlin’s contract in March 2027. McLaughlin, who is resigning November 20, has been hired as town manager for Angier, according to WRAL.
The 30th Annual Cumberland County Veterans Day Parade is 10 a.m. Saturday in downtown Fayetteville. It is presented by the Cumberland County Veterans Council in honor of county veterans, Fort Bragg soldiers, and military families.
Retired U.S. Army Col. Edna W. Cummings will be guest speaker for the Blue Star Memorial Veterans Day Ceremony scheduled for 11 a.m. on November 11 at N.C Veterans Park, 300 Bragg Boulevard. The annual event is presented by the Cross Creek-Briarwood Garden Club.
“Bill, correct me if I’m wrong, but weren’t the Cumberland County and Fayetteville election returns at one time held at your old stomping grounds, the former Fayetteville Observer building downtown on Hay Street,” R.W. “Buddy” Howard asked in an email about my Wednesday column. The piece remembered election nights of the past once held at the historic Cumberland County Courthouse downtown and later at the Holiday Inn Bordeaux on Owen Drive.
“Seems like I went there at least once or twice. I also attended a few election night returns ‘community parties’ at the Bordeaux Holiday Inn, formerly the Bordeaux Motor Inn. I remember walking into a couple of dimly lit lounges upstairs there off the ballroom, where victors were toasting their wins and losers were drowning their sorrows. The Bordeaux was a great place to meet your neighbors, press the flesh with the newly elected politicians and make new friends. Nostalgia still hasn’t gone out of style. Good column, Bill.” I worked at the Observer from 1973-2000, but I don’t recall hosting election gatherings downtown or later on Whitfield Road.
“It is with a heavy heart that we share the passing of Mr. Johnny Carter,” Cumberland County Extension Agent Lisa Childers wrote in an email. Carter was the longtime county farmer who inducted into the Cumberland County Agricultural Hall of Fame in 2022. “Mr. Johnny was well-revered in our agricultural community and will be dearly missed.” John Albert “Johnny” Carter died at age 79 on October 27. A funeral was held October 30 at Lebanon Baptist Church in Eastover.
“Great column,” Robert “Bob” Cogswell wrote in an email about my remembrance of Stewart Bell, late owner and operator of Bell’s Seed Store. “A good man gone too soon” Stewart Maxwell Bell died at age 64 on October 20.
“Bill, wonderful column about Stewart Bell,” Danny Highsmith wrote. “He was a wonderful gentleman who left us too early.”
“As a teacher, you don’t expect to attend the funeral of a former student,” Sandy Hurley wrote in an email about Stewart Bell. “I was Stewart’s first-grade teacher at Lucile Souders Elementary School on Ramsey Street in 1968. At the service Thursday (October 29), I pictured Stewart as the cute little six- year-old sitting in the semi-circle we had for reading. He was an attentive child and well-focused as a little one. You ask how can I remember 58 years ago? Easy. Students like Stewart are easy to remember. Bobbie, his mother, did all my substitute teaching. She was excellent and I trusted her with my little first graders. I still have and use the chocolate chess pie recipe she gave me. It was wonderful to see his sons talk about their dad. How proud Gwen is of the family she and Stewart raised. What a beautiful family legacy.”
Listen more and talk less. You’ll learn more than you might think. Just saying.
Kennon Jackson Jr. is excited about the 2-4-6 exhibit scheduled from 6–8 p.m. tonight at the Arts Council of Fayetteville | Cumberland County located at 301 Hay St. “2-4-6 gives four local artists the space to tell their stories on their own terms,” Jackson, the Arts Council president and chief executive officer, said in a news release. “Combining visual art with music invites visitors to spend time with each artist’s perspective and find connections to their own lives. We’re excited to build on our Local Artist Spotlight program by giving these artists room to grow, experiment and connect with our community.” The participating artists are Justin Chaplin, Hannah Corcoran, Timothy French, and Tiffany Ragin. No cost to attend.
Cape Fear Botanical Garden kicked off its $4.75 million “Always Growing” capital campaign to strengthen the nonprofit’s future, which includes a new environmental education pavilion to replace the garden’s 1970s-era picnic shelter at Pope Park. “Always Growing represents more than improvements to our facilities and landscapes,” Chris Hoffman, chief executive officer for the garden, said in a news release. “It is an investment in the future of Cape Fear Botanical Garden and the thousands of people who come here each year to learn, explore, celebrate and connect with nature. The tremendous support we have already received demonstrates how deeply our community values the garden. Now, we invite everyone to be part of this next chapter.”
The campaign also includes acoustical improvements to the Ralph and Linda Huff Orangery, one of the Garden’s signature spaces for celebrations, meetings and community gathering. Also, landscape upgrades, which will include renovations to the Wellons Arbor and Butler Gazebo.
Bill Kirby Jr. can be reached at billkirby49@gmail.com or 910-624-1961.
