November 09, 201811/09/2018

Wilmington state Sen. Michael Lee comes up 38 votes short against challenger Harper Peterson

In likely the closest race of the night in North Carolina, former Wilmington Mayor Harper Peterson (D) appears to have narrowly bested incumbent Michael Lee (R) for the New Hanover area seat in the state Senate. A recount is possible with a result this close, and Sen. Lee can request one in the coming days after the official canvass of votes is complete. 

The race was a contentious one, with strong accusations against Lee from Harper and his supporters. They made clear they believed he gave an insufficient response to the "GenX" water pollution issue that was a major issue in the region. Peterson also blamed Lee for allowing the film industry to leave the area. Towards the end, opponents also lobbed an accusation against Lee that he pressured city officials to make decisions in order to help his own business interests. 

Current Wilmington Mayor Bill Saffo, a Democrat, wrote a letter (seen below) that may have satisfied some on the issue. But it was a contentious, and expensive, race to the end. 

The candidates respond to the results

At a post election victory rally, Peterson said he would push for "Medicaid expansion, and we're going to serve 600,000 plus of our citizens with good quality healthcare, create jobs, and lift up everybody in our community. And one more thing you asked. No, excuse me. You didn't ask. You demanded. And that was to bring film back to North Carolina where we created it!" he said to loud applause. "It's our industry! And we gave it away. When Michael Lee went to Raleigh, film went to Atlanta."

Lee, in a press release that suggests he hasn't conceded the race yet, said, “Heidi and I would like to thank so many people for the outpouring of support and hard work on my behalf in this important race for our community and the place we call home. A campaign like this requires the diligence and fortitude of many and we have been lucky to have you by our side. Thank you and please know we truly appreciate your support. We will know the outcome of this race in the coming weeks when all votes are tallied and certified in the canvass process.”

Impact of third party candidate, Libertarian Ethan Bickley

While it's true the race isn't officially over, Republicans couldn't help but notice the more than 3 percent of the vote gained by Libertarian candidate Ethan Bickley. Some candidates that identify as "libertarian," like Ron and Rand Paul (of Texas and Kentucky), run as Republicans so as not to split the vote. The North Carolina Libertarian Party, which ran candidates in this and many close races, does not seem to share this worry of diverting right-of-center votes from Republicans. 

If NC Senate District 9 and other races fall to Democrats, more discussion on the issue is likely to take place before the next election cycle.