FLAT ROCK, N.C.—North Carolina voters went to the polls today to select which candidates will run in the state’s general election.
Their votes may have far-reaching consequences for America. As a battleground state, North Carolina will likely prove competitive between Republicans and Democrats this year.
But voters in Flat Rock, a town in North Carolina’s 11th Congressional District, appeared to be overwhelmingly conservative.
Of the eight voters interviewed by The Epoch Times, all voted in the Republican Party primary, and one was independent.
Several voters said the integrity of elected leaders was their main concern going into the 2022 election.
“Truth, fact, integrity, doing the right thing. doing your job, and actually showing up to vote would be lovely,” said voter Heather Johnston.
Leading North Carolina Senate candidates Rep. Ted Budd (R) and former governor Pat McCrory have indulged in a campaign filled with mudslinging and false advertising.
Voter David Howe, Johnston’s husband, said the cutthroat campaign had turned him off both candidates.
“That is one of the main considerations,” he said. He added that recent changes in the Republican party have also made him question whom to vote for.
“It’s not Reagan’s Republican Party anymore,” he said. “It’s totally changed.”
Most voters besides Howe and Johnston supported Budd. One of them, Brian, said he was persuaded to vote for Budd by former President Donald Trump’s endorsement.
“I’ve been a big Trump supporter since day one. I still am,” Brian said. “Occasionally, the Trump-supported person doesn’t win, but 99 percent of the time they do.”
But voters were most concerned about the integrity of the 11th District’s incumbent, Rep. Madison Cawthorn (R). In the past several weeks, Cawthorn has been implicated in several scandals. Several voters also said that they were voting against Cawthorn because he was absent at congressional votes.
“Everything that he has—and hasn’t—done has been not what we elected him to do,” said Brian about Cawthorn.
“When he first came on the scene, he was young and brash and a breath of fresh air,” said voter Susanne Suchan. “But, you know, some of the things that have been revealed…”
“The air doesn’t smell so good anymore,” her husband Gregory Suchan chimed in.
Independent Everett Gourley said he had entered the Republican primary only to vote against Cawthorn. He didn’t know enough about other candidates to vote either for or against them, he said.
“He’s just not an ethical person. And we need people in government that are serious and know what they’re doing,” Gourley said.
Although voters were united against Cawthorne, they were divided between House Representative candidates Chuck Edwards, Wendy Nevarez, and Rob Honeycutt.
“I think credibility, honesty, and not doing things that would call public attention to you that are dishonorable are important,” said voter Bonnie Dean.
Several voters said that so many candidates ran for office in 2022 that it was challenging to research them all and make an informed decision on whom to vote for.
“It’s been very difficult to get adequate information on the candidates. It'd be nice to have a pro and con of the candidates or a couple of sentences on vital issues,” said Susanne Suchan.
On policy, most 11th district voters who were interviewed sided with Republican priorities.
“I support conservative views, and I support a strict constructionist view of the Constitution, getting back to the meaning of the letter of the Constitution,” said Jennifer Suchan.
