By Kylie Marsh
Kylie.marsh@triangletribune.com
DURHAM – Candidates introduced themselves to the public at the Durham People’s Alliance’s candidate mixer at Motorco Music Hall Tuesday evening.
The offices up for election are Durham County sheriff; clerk of superior court; district, superior and appellate court judges; school board members; district attorney; N.C. State House and Senate; and the U.S. Congress.
The room was packed, both for audience members and the candidates, who were only allowed a strict one-minute slot to make remarks.
North Carolina State Senator Natalie Murdock spoke on behalf of incumbent U.S. House of Representatives Valerie Foushee. Murdock lauded Foushee’s track record of introducing legislation on health care, climate change, protections for immigrants and impeachment of President Donald Trump.
“She is no stranger to fighting; she is no stranger to delivering,” Murdock said.
Challenging Foushee is Nida Allam, vice chair of the Durham County Board of Commissioners. Allam said she would champion working families, a living wage and Medicare for all.
The room gave special attention to N.C. Supreme Court Justice Anita Earls, who discussed being part of a Democratically-controlled court that opposed unconstitutional gerrymandering and voter ID laws and ruled that “every student in the state is entitled to a sound, basic education.” Earls also revealed her breast cancer diagnosis on social media this week.
Wake County District Court Judge Christy Walczyk will run against Attorney James Whalen for the N.C. Court of Appeals Seat 3. Walczyk said she is the only woman running in the race, and, if elected, will be the only remaining Democratic woman to sit on the bench of 15 judges.
Whalen served as an appellate attorney for former N.C. Attorney General Josh Stein fighting against gerrymandering.
Attorney Ameshia Chester-Cooper will run against Attorney Myra Griffin for Superior Court Seat 2. Chester-Cooper is special deputy attorney general at the N.C. Department of Justice. Griffin, a former assistant AG, is in her second term as vice-chair of the N.C. Industrial Commission.
Incumbent Judge Dorreta Walker is being challenged by Attorney Keith Bishop for District Court Judge Seat 2.
For Seat 5, incumbent Judge Clayton Jones said “a personal matter” has made this year’s race “different” for him, following endorsements from the People’s Alliance in years past. “I’m asked to actually trust the criminal justice system,” he said. Jones is being challenged by Attorney Christy Malott.
Incumbent District Attorney Satana Deberry, who is running for a third term, said she delivered on every promise. “I have shown clear progressive values,” she said. “We have seen crime decrease, we have seen more community participation, we have seen the jail population go down so we can spend more money on our schools and our parks.”
Challenger Jonathan Wilson, Esq. said Durham deserves “a district attorney that is going to rebuild that trust that has been lost over the years between the community and the district attorney’s office.”
Incumbent Sheriff Clarence Birkhead is being challenged by Johnny Hawkins.
“We’ve accomplished a lot over these past several years, but there’s more to do,” Birkhead said. Those things include continuing to refrain from collaborating with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, as well as improving conditions in the Durham County Jail.
Hawkins introduced himself as having 38 years of experience in law enforcement and corrections, including working with the N.C. Department of Public Safety and chief of detention at the Durham County Sheriff’s Office. He said he wants to focus on a “community-focused” safety initiative that engages youth to curb gun violence and work closely with Durham’s HEART program.
Several school board candidates listed problems with transparency and teacher pay in Durham Public Schools. Incumbent and current board of elections chair Bettina Umstead said she knows there is more to do.
Other school candidates are Nadeen Bir, Dilcy Burton, Rachel Waltz, Davit Melikian, Natalie Bent Kitaif, Lauren Sartain, Peter Crawford, Gabrielle Rivero, Jerome Leathers, Kristy Moore and Xavier Cason.
Incumbent Sophia Chitlik is being challenged by former city council member DeDreana Freeman for the N.C. Senate. “We need effective leadership now more than ever,” Chitlik said, speaking of her track record supporting child care, maternal health and “holding the Republicans accountable.”
Freeman said her campaign is about “more than just being progressive.”
“This is about liberation,” she said. “We have a lot to do; a lot of ground to make up, because we have a fascist in the White House.” The two will face Republican LaKeshia Alston.
