Senate Dist. 11: Do-Gooder Retired Army Colonel vs. a Sweat-Shop Owner

 

Civitas rates Senate District 11 as D+1, statistically a "toss-up." So on paper, at least, it looks like a good prospect for a Democratic flip, and all the Democrats need to break the Republican super-majority is one additional seat. Dave's Redistricting rates it an even 50% Democratic to 48.5% Republican.

James Mercer, Democrat

He's a retired Army Lt. Colonel. There's a big-gun Democratic push behind him (he's been endorsed and aided by the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, and Gov. Cooper campaigned with him), but he's up against a popular Republican woman legislator, and this may prove to be a tough slog.

His LinkedIn account says he's Director of Military Studies at NC Wesleyan College, and he's got a history of expertise in emergency management. He spent a year in Iraq in 2003-'04. In 2017, he founded the Mercer Foundation, Inc. (for which he serves as the President and CEO ), "a non-profit and social enterprise providing a children’s feeding program, an emergency rental and utility assistance program for low-income individuals/families and a transitional housing program for homeless veterans in Nash and Edgecombe County, NC." (website). "We equip disabled veterans with the necessary tools, education and vocational training and provide balanced meals for children in high risk environments" (Mercer Foundation website). The foundation is a high-minded operation, and commendably Mercer pays himself zero out of its funds. Charity Navigator gives the foundation a score of 61.

Mercer has been on the Nash Community College Board of Trustees for six or seven years and was named  chair of the board in 2023. He's worked for the community college in the Continuing Education Department for three years, teaching public safety and emergency management classes, rescue, and Firefighter I and Firefighter II classes.

Demographically, Senate Dist. 11 is 36.6% Black.

Lisa Barnes, Republican (incumbent)

First elected in 2020, she is completing her second term in the Senate. I wrote about her in 2020:

She previously served a couple of terms as a Nash County commissioner and then moved up to the NC House (District 7) in the elections of 2018, defeating incumbent Democrat Bobbie Richardson in the rare blue-to-red flip that year. It didn't take her long to opt for further advancement when Rick Horner announced his retirement. She's clearly a rising star for the NCGOP.

She's also clearly somewhat out of step with other North Carolina Republicans because she nowhere plays the Trump card and she doesn't parade the label "conservative." She strikes a much more moderate tone and is clearly more interested in economic development for her rural district than she is in conservative social hot-buttons (she's pushed the expansion of broadband in rural areas). That does not mean, however, that she's ever shown any interest in bucking her Republican caucus in the NC General Assembly.

She's still keeping a muted presence on social media. She hasn't posted to her Twitter feed since her win in 2020, and her anemic Facebook page is dedicated to community boosting. She doesn't go near MAGA. She and her husband own a corporate farm (the husband is listed as sole owner, but still) growing mainly sweet potatoes. In March of this year, the farm was fined $187,000 because of the heat-related death of a Mexican worker: "The Department of Labor said Barnes Farming violated three worker safety rules, including not providing breaks, not having adequate access to water and not having adequate emergency response procedures." "Although a 10-gallon water cooler was available to the workers, no cups were provided. Employees were forced to put their heads under the spigot and open their mouths to get water" (NCVoices).

Seems like a potent campaign issue. Will James Mercer seize it? Don't see any evidence yet.

Lisa Barnes did vote to override the governor's veto of the new 12-week abortion ban in the state, but if Democrat Mercer has a contrasting stance on abortion, he doesn't state it on his website. So I doubt he'll campaign against her on that issue.