Mecklenburg County voters reward political change

REV. RODNEY SADLER

Political newcomer Rev. Rodney Sadler beat incumbent state Rep. Carla Cunningham for the Democratic nomination in House District 106.

Mecklenburg County Democrats ditched dealmaking for progressive new voices.

Tuesday’s primary elections resulted in newcomers earning wins in legislative and county races while sweeping away longtime incumbents. Newcomer the Rev. Rodney Sadler won Mecklenburg’s most-watched race when he beat seven-term incumbent Rep. Carla Cunningham for the state House District 106 seat. Sadler won nearly 72% of the vote compared to Cunningham’s 21%.

Although a first-time candidate, Sadler’s campaign was well-heeled with more than $130,000 drawn to  its coffers and endorsements from more than 20 community leaders and the Black Political Caucus of Charlotte-Mecklenburg. 

District 106 is heavily Democratic, so Sadler is all but assured election in November. 

Cunningham’s vote to override Gov. Josh Stein’s veto of House Bill 318, which adds requirements on local law enforcement to help federal deportation efforts, infuriated Democrats and immigrant advocates. In a speech explaining her vote, Cunningham criticized immigrants who don’t assimilate.

“All cultures are not equal,” she told House colleagues during debate on the override.

That episode sparked a move among Democratic leaders to primary Cunningham. Stein endorsed Sadler as a more reliable bulwark against Republican overrides. Money and support flowed to Sadler, who pledged to support Democratic initiatives and Stein.

Another incumbent Democrat turned out of office was four-term Rep. Nasif Majeed, who lost his District 99 race to Veleria Levy, who piled up 67.5% of votes cast compared to his 27%. Majeed also has a history of siding with GOP lawmakers on overrides, which upset Democrats on the local and state level.

On the county board of commissioners, longtime District 2 representative commissioner Vilma Leake lost to challenger Monifa Drayton, who earned the BPC’s endorsement. Drayton carried 52% of votes cast compared to Leake’s 48%.

Primary takeaways

• Mecklenburg Democrats heeded Josh Stein’s endorsement. The governor’s endorsement carries weight – at least when in legislative races. He backed insurgents Sadler and Levy against established incumbents and the upstarts prevailed. 

The lesson: Cross Stein, lose seat.

• End of an era. Leake couldn’t conjure enough support from her base to turn back Drayton’s energetic campaign. Drayton, a former executive director of the Mecklenburg Democratic Party and a community advocate, was better at retail politics and her platform of better representation for the west Charlotte district against Leake, a commissioner for 17 years.

• Garry McFadden’s a survivor. The incumbent (and often controversial) Mecklenburg County sheriff won the Democratic primary with 34% of votes cast in a four-candidate race. McFadden, who was first elected in 2018, carried 34% of the vote, beating out a field where retired CMPD Sgt. Ricky Robbins (31%) and retired Chief Deputy Rodney Collins (27%) split most of the vote. Detention officer Antwain Nance was fourth with 8%.

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