March 2020 NC House Primaries -- Complete List

Whole lotta primarying going on here!

Both Democratic and Republican NC House incumbents have primaries on March 3. Some of these will not be serious contests -- maybe most of them. An * indicates a district worth watching for a possible incumbent ouster or winners suggesting a possible flip next November. I've accepted the electability ratings proposed by political scientist Michael Bitzer based on partisan registrations in the newly drawn General Assembly districts.

NOTE: NC Senate primaries will be profiled in a subsequent post.

Dist. 3, Craven -- Arch conservative Mike Speciale is retiring, so there's a pile-up of Republicans who want to replace him: Jim Kohr, Steve Tyson, Guy Smith, and Eric Queen. Winner will face Democrat Dorothea White. Rated "Lean Republican."

*Dist. 5,Gates, Hertford, and Pasquotank-- Democratic incumbent Howard Hunter III (1st elected 2016) will face Keith Rivers, president of the Pasquotank chapter of the NAACP. Winner will face Republican Donald Kirland in this "Lean Democratic" district.

Dist. 6, Currituck, Dare, Hyde, and Pamlico -- Republican Bobby Hanig (elected 2018) will face Rob Rollason. Winner will face Democrat Tommy Fulcher in the general. Rated "Likely Republican."

*Dist. 9, Pitt -- Democrats Brian Farkas and Jake Hochard vie for the privilege of facing off against incumbent Republican Perrin Jones (appointed to the seat Sept. 2019). Rated "Competitive -- Lean Democratic."

*Dist. 12, Pitt and Lenoir -- Democrats Lenton Credelle Brown, Deonko Brewer, and Virginia Cox-Daugherty contend for the right to take on incumbent first-term Republican Chris Humphrey. Rated "Competitive -- Lean Republican."

Dist. 14, Onslow -- Republican incumbent George Cleveland (1st elected in 2004) will face Cindy Edwards. The winner will take on Democrat Marcy Wofford in November. Rated "Likely Republican."

Dist. 15, Onslow -- Republican incumbent Phil Shepard must get by Mark Price in this "Likely Republican" district to face Democrat Carolyn Gomaa in November.

*Dist. 19, Brunswick and New Hanover -- Open seat created by redistricting, so primaries on both sides. Republicans David A. Perry and Charlie Miller; Democrats Marcia Morgan (who also ran in 2018) and James Dawkins. Rated "Lean Republican."

Dist. 20, New Hanover -- Incumbent Republican Ted Davis Jr. (1st elected 2012) must get by Justin LaNasa before facing Democrat Adam Ericson. (We're surprised that Democrat Leslie Cohen decided not to run again.) Rated "Lean Republican."

*Dist. 21, Sampson and Wayne -- First-term incumbent Democrat Raymond Smith Jr. must face challenger Eugene Pearsall before encountering Republican Brent Heath. Rated "Lean Democratic."

Dist. 22, Bladen and Sampson -- Two Democrats, Albert Kirby and Martin "Tony" Denning, vie for the right to take on incumbent Republican Bill Brisson (1st elected 2006 as a conservative Democrat). Rated "Lean Republican."

Dist. 24, Wilson -- Incumbent Democrat Jean Farmer-Butterfield (1st elected 2002) faces John G. McNeil. Winner will go up against Republican Mick Rankin. Rated "Lean Democratic."

*Dist. 25, Nash -- Two Republicans, John Check and Steve A. Matthews, will struggle for the privilege of running against first-term incumbent Democrat James Gailliard. Also on November ballot: Libertarian Nick Taylor. Rated "Competitive -- Lean Democratic." 

Dist. 26, Johnston -- Republican incumbent Donna McDowell White must defeat challenger Justin Tate before facing Democrat Linda Bennett. Rated "Likely Republican."

Dist. 27, Halifax and Northampton -- Incumbent Democrat Michael H. Wray (1st elected 2004) faces two other Democrats -- Jerry McDaniel and Kelby Hicks. Winner will go up against Republican Warren Scott Nail. Rated "Likely Democratic."

Dist. 33, Wake -- Incumbent Democrat Rosa Gill (1st elected 2008) must overcome Antoine Marshall before facing Republican Frann Sarpolus next fall. Also on November ballot: Libertarian Sammy Brooks. Rated "Likely Democratic."

Dist. 35, Wake -- Two Republicans, Alma Peters and Fred Von Canon, compete for the right to run against incumbent first-term Democrat Terence Everitt. Also on Nov. ballot: Libertarian Michael Nelson. Rated "Competitive -- Lean Democratic."

Dist. 36, Wake -- Two Republicans, Kim Coley and Gil Pagan, compete to take on incumbent first-term Democrat Julie von Haefen. Also on Nov. ballot: Libertarian Bruce Basson. Rated "Competitive -- Lean Democratic."

*Dist. 37, Wake -- Three Republicans -- Erin Paré, Jeff Moore, and Anna Powell -- compete to take on first-term Democrat Sydney Batch. Also on Nov. ballot: Libertarian Liam Leaver. Rated "Competitive -- Lean Republican."

*Dist. 38, Wake -- Democratic incumbent Yvonne Holley is quitting to run for Lt. Gov. Two Democrats want her seat -- Quanta Monique Edwards and Abe Jones. Winner will take on Republican Kenneth Bagnal. Also on Nov. ballot: Libertarian Richard Haygood. Rated "Likely Democratic."

*Dist. 43, Cumberland -- Primaries on both sides. Democratic incumbent Elmer Floyd (1st elected 2008) faces Kimberly Hardy. The two Republicans -- Clarence Goins Jr. and Diane Wheatley. Used to be a heavily Democratic seat before the most recent redistricting. Now rated "Competitive -- Lean Republican."

Dist. 44, Cumberland -- Incumbent Democrat Billy Richardson (1st elected 2014) faces Terry Johnson. Winner will be up against Republican Heather Holmes. Rated "Likely Democratic."

*Dist. 45, Cumberland -- Two Democrats, Frances Vinell Jackson and Keith Byrd, want the right to oppose incumbent Republican John Szoka. After redistricting, rated "Competitive -- Lean Republican."

Dist. 52, Moore -- Republican incumbent James "Jamie" Boles Jr. (1st elected 2008) must overcome Bob Temme before facing Democrat Lowell Simon (who also ran for the seat in 2018). Rated "Likely Republican."

Dist. 53, Harnett -- Two Democrats, John C. Fitzpatrick Sr. and Sally Weeks Benson, compete for the opportunity to lose to incumbent Republican David Lewis. Also on Nov. ballot: Libertarian Zach Berly. Rated "Likely Republican."

*Dist. 56, Orange -- Incumbent Democrat Verla Insko (1st elected in 1996) must get by Joe Parrish and then there's no Republican opponent for November.

*Dist. 59, Guilford -- Incumbent Republican Jon Hardister faces Allen Chappell in March before going up against Democrat Nicole Quick in November. Rated "Competitive -- Lean Republican" after redistricting.

Dist. 60, Guilford -- Two Republicans, Frank Ragsdale and Ryan A

Blankenship, want the right to go up against Democratic incumbent Cecil Brockman. Rated "Likely Democratic."

Dist. 64, Alamance -- Incumbent Republican Dennis Riddell (first elected 2012) must get by Peter McClelland before facing Democrat Eric Henry next November. Rated "Lean Republican."

*Dist. 66,Montgomery, Richmond, and Stanly-- Two Republicans -- Ben Moss and Joey Davis -- are battling to take on incumbent Democrat Scott Brewer (appointed to the seat in May 2019). Rated "Lean Republican."

Dist. 71, Forsyth -- Incumbent Democrat Evelyn Terry (1st elected 2012) must get by Kanika Brown to sail home with no Repub opponent in November.

*Dist. 72, Forsyth -- Two Democrats, Amber Baker and Lashun Huntley, are running for this open seat. Former Democratic incumbent Derwin Montgomery withdrew to run for US Congress in the 6th CD. Primary winner will face Republican Dan Lawlor in November. Rated "Likely Democratic."

Dist. 75, Forsyth -- Incumbent Republican Donny Lambeth (first elected 2012) must shrug off fellow Republican Jacob Baum before facing the winner of the Democratic primary: perennial candidates Gardenia Henley and Elisabeth Motsinger. "Likely Republican."

*Dist. 80, Davidson -- Republican incumbent Steve Jarvis is stepping down to run for NC Senate. Three Republicans want the seat: Sam Watford, Haley Sink, and Roger Younts. Winner faces Democrat Wendy Sellars (who also ran in 2018). "Likely Republican."

*Dist. 82,  Cabarrus -- Long-serving Republican incumbent Linda Johnson is stepping down. Three Republicans want the seat: William G Hamby Jr., Parish Moffitt, and Kristin Baker. So do two Democrats: Aimy Steele (who previously ran in 2018) and William F. Pilkington. "Lean Republican."

*Dist. 83, Cabarrus and Rowan -- Bless his heart, incumbent Republican Larry Pitts (serving since 2011, when he was appointed to the Dist. 82 seat. After redistricting, was elected in Dist. 83). Pitts might pulverize fellow Republican Jay White before having a return match with Democrat Gail Young in Nov. She ran also in 2018. "Lean Republican."

*Dist. 93, Watauga and Ashe -- Incumbent first-term Democrat Ray Russell has a late-filing challenger, Turner Doolittle. Republican in the race: Ray Pickett, former town commissioner of Blowing Rock. "Lean Republican."

*Dist. 102, Mecklenburg -- Sumthin's in the water! Incumbent Democrat Becky Carney (first elected 2002) has three primary challengers: Leroy Dean, Jonathan Peebles, and Anthony E.

Forman. Also a Republican opponent in November: Kyle Kirby. "Likely Democratic."

*Dist. 117, Henderson -- Long-serving Republican incumbent Chuck McGrady is retiring. Fellow Republicans Tim Moffitt (previously served in the House 2010-2015) and Dennis Justice want the seat. So do Democrats Josh Remillard and Danae Aicher. "Likely Republican."

*Dist. 119, Haywood, Jackson, and Swain -- Incumbent Democrat Joe Sam Queen (previously served in the House; reelected to the seat in 2018) must wait to see which Republican he'll face next November -- either Mike Clampitt (who previously also held the seat) and Ron Mau.

Uncontested NC House and Senate Races in 2020

Candidate filing in North Carolina for the 2020 General Elections ended yesterday at noon. North Carolina Democrats did better at recruiting candidates than the NCGOP. Here are the uncontested NC House and Senate races:

One correction to NC Senate District 41 noted below:

NC House

Democrats Running Unopposed

District 29 -- open seat (Democratic incumbent Mary Ann Black is retiring) -- candidate Vernetta Alston, unchallenged -- Durham County 

District 30 -- incumbent Marcia Morey, unopposed -- Durham County 

District 39 -- incumbent Darren Jackson, unopposed -- Wake County

District 50  -- incumbent Graig Meyer, unopposed -- Caswell and Orange counties 

District 56 -- incumbent Verla Insco, unopposed -- Orange County 

District 61 -- incumbent Pricey Harrison, unopposed  -- Guilford County 

District 71  -- incumbent Evelyn Terry, unopposed -- Forsyth County 

District 106  -- incumbent Carla Cunningham, unopposed -- Mecklenburg County

Republicans Running Unopposed 

District 67 -- incumbent Wayne Sasser, unopposed -- Cabarrus and Stanly counties

District 94 -- incumbent Jeff Elmore, unopposed -- Alexander and Wilkes counties

District 110 -- incumbent Kelly Hastings, unopposed -- Cleveland and Gaston counties

NC Senate

Democrat Running Unopposed

District 41 -- incumbent Natasha Marcus, unopposed by a Republican but she does have a Constitution Party candidate filed against her --  Mecklenburg County

Republicans -- All Have Democratic Opponents 

Earthquake in the NC-11

Woke this morning to news that Rep. Mark Meadows of the NC 11th Congressional district is stepping down and won't run for reelection. Why he would wait until one day before the close of filing -- deadline in North Carolina is tomorrow at noon -- is unclear, but isn't it entertaining to imagine the Republican machine in the 11th in full panic mode this morning? They probably knew, right? Surely Meadows shared his plans so the party could come up with a strong contender. But I'm giddy, thinking of the possibilities.

One answer is here: "Meadows told Politico that it’s possible he could leave the House before his term ends in January 2021." There's the plan. They'll appoint the winner of the now certain 2020 Republican primary to the seat, and ... advantage goes to the incumbent. We will be watching which candidates get filed by noon tomorrow, including, we bet, a bunch of conservative wildcats (Hendersonville, we're looking at you) who aren't in on the Meadows Plan (whatever that is). I bet there's a death-scramble to the state Board of Elections --- by guys who aren't on Mark Meadows' short list -- that might keep me off the highway. No telling who'll file.

The other side of certainty -- prospects for the eventual Democratic primary winner tics upward with Meadows gone. (More on the latest Democrat to file in the 11th, see below.)

To explain his going at this time, consider this assessment of Meadows: "...he does not enjoy being in the House minority and spends much of his time at the White House huddling with Trump." He's become the Trump Whisperer, which just happens to coincide with his search for a lucrative bump-up in salary. Possibly he's bored that he can't jerk kinks like he used to:

The Meadows Bio

Meadows plotted a rapid rise to power and influence in Republican Washington, one propelled by his early willingness to challenge the GOP establishment. He almost instantly leaped from anonymous backbencher to oft-quoted conservative insurgent in 2015.

Just before the House left for its summer recess — and on his own birthday — Meadows filed a motion to remove then-Speaker John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) from his perch, seizing on years of growing dismay on the hard right. Within two months, Boehner would announce his resignation.

Meadows, as a co-founder and later chairman of the House Freedom Caucus, went on to play a pivotal role over the speakership of Rep. Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) — inserting himself and the Freedom Caucus into virtually every major legislative decision in the House. This made Meadows a power player rivaling only the speaker himself. [reporting by the team Wagner, Costa, and DeBonis]

UPDATE ON REPUBLICAN CONTENDERS:
Lynda Bennett is first out of the gate. Is she the Chosen One? The Asheville Tea Party supports her.





The New Democrat in the Race

[On December 12th, I did a quick and preliminary profile of Democrats who've already been running in the 11th: Steve Woodsmall, Michael O'Shea, and Moe Davis. Moe Davis, especially, might be catching fire. His speech at the pro-impeachment rally in Asheville on the 18th got wide social media attention.]

Now add Gina Collias, (announced yesterday), lawyer and real estate broker from Cleveland County (Shelby), same county that Speaker Tim Moore sprang from. But get this: until recently she was a registered Republican. She actually ran in the 2018 Republican primary against Patrick McHenry in the 10th CD, got less than 14% of the vote (to McHenry's 70% -- yikes). Maybe it was because she was defending the Affordable Care Act and other "moderate" positions to Republican primary voters who do not "heart" RINOs, primary voters who like a little carbolic on their morning cereal.

Collias ran as a moderate Republican, no kidding. She defines herself on her website:

Gina had been a Republican for much of her life. After the 2016 election, however, Gina became concerned over the tone, discourse, and direction of the country. In her effort to bridge differences and bring people together, Gina founded the national group “Rational Republicans” on Facebook [private group]. Gina envisioned the site as a place where Democrats, Republicans, and Independents could have civil discourse. It was a success, and the dialogue and conversation continue to this day.

Although Gina is moderate on issues such as fiscal policy, she realized that, as a woman who has always held positions that are socially progressive, her values and ideology more closely mirrored the Democratic Party.

Gina is a pro-choice, pro-civil rights, pro-education, and pro-environment advocate. She has spoken at the Woman’s March, advocated for sensible gun laws, appeared at union conferences and believes all Americans have the right to decent health care.

These are the positions that the Democratic Party has fought for and principles Gina has always held.

Gina Collias's home in Cleveland County was recently remapped out of the 10th CD and into the 5th (same thing happened to David Wilson Brown who has now filed against Virginia Foxx). Don't know when exactly Collias signed the paper to change her party affiliation, but it had to be within the last two months. Because on her website as of October 7th she was still running as a Republican against Patrick McHenry in the 10th.

Her over-long introductory video is wily (either in a clever way or an actionable way) in that Collias invokes Lillian's List, with historic photos of Lillian Exum Clement, the pioneering Democratic woman from Asheville who became the first woman elected to the NC House (at a time that women couldn't even vote). The assumption might sprout in an unwary mind that Lillian's List, the powerful statewide Democratic women's PAC, has endorsed Collias, which ain't the case. Lillian's List doesn't endorse in Federal races.

The Body Count -- Ambassador Bill Taylor

A Reoccurring Feature on Who's Jumping Off Luxury Liner Trump

Bill Taylor is being pushed off. Acting ambassador to Ukraine, Taylor, who was a star witness during the House impeachment inquiry against President Trump, will step down from the position after the Republican Senate refused to extend Taylor's approval beyond early January (ambassadors are Senate-confirmed). Officially, Senate Republicans made no mention of Taylor’s participation in the impeachment inquiry for playing a role in their decision to allow his temporary assignment as ambassador to expire. Do you believe it was not an important factor?

Taylor was assigned to the post in June following Trump’s abrupt dismissal of then-ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch.

Both Taylor and Yovanovitch gave testimony to the House during its impeachment inquiry. Both testimonies proved to be important to the drafting of the pair of articles of impeachment filed last week. During his testimony, Taylor said that one of his staff members overheard the telephone conversation between Trump and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky in which Trump allegedly asked Zelensky to investigate Joe Biden’s son, Hunter Biden, in exchange for the release of military aid.

Taylor also testified that he lodged a complaint about the proposal to withhold the military aid, characterizing the idea as “crazy.”

Acting ambassador to Ukraine, Bill Taylor, who was a star witness during the House impeachment inquiry against President Donald Trump, will step down from the position, it was announced this week.

Taylor was assigned to the post in June following Trump’s abrupt dismissal of then-ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch. Republicans in the Senate declined to extend Taylor’s role beyond early January.

Both Taylor and Yovanovitch gave testimony to the House during its impeachment inquiry. Both testimonies proved to be important to the drafting of the pair of articles of impeachment filed last week. During his testimony, Taylor said that one of his staff members overheard the telephone conversation between Trump and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky in which Trump allegedly asked Zelensky to investigate Joe Biden’s son, Hunter Biden, in exchange for the release of military aid.

Taylor also testified that he lodged a complaint about the proposal to withhold the military aid, characterizing the idea as “crazy.”





Trump’s personal lawyer and former New York City mayor, Rudy Giuliani, previously accused Taylor of deliberately denying visas for Ukrainians with “direct evidence” that would verify claims that Hunter Biden and Democrats were involved in a “criminal conspiracy” in the Eastern European nation.

It is unclear whether Taylor’s participation in the impeachment inquiry played a role in Senate Republicans’ decision to allow his temporary assignment as ambassador to Ukraine to expire, but it was likely an important factor.


Acting ambassador to Ukraine, Bill Taylor, who was a star witness during the House impeachment inquiry against President Donald Trump, will step down from the position, it was announced this week.

Taylor was assigned to the post in June following Trump’s abrupt dismissal of then-ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch. Republicans in the Senate declined to extend Taylor’s role beyond early January.

Both Taylor and Yovanovitch gave testimony to the House during its impeachment inquiry. Both testimonies proved to be important to the drafting of the pair of articles of impeachment filed last week. During his testimony, Taylor said that one of his staff members overheard the telephone conversation between Trump and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky in which Trump allegedly asked Zelensky to investigate Joe Biden’s son, Hunter Biden, in exchange for the release of military aid.

Taylor also testified that he lodged a complaint about the proposal to withhold the military aid, characterizing the idea as “crazy.”

Trump’s personal lawyer and former New York City mayor, Rudy Giuliani, previously accused Taylor of deliberately denying visas for Ukrainians with “direct evidence” that would verify claims that Hunter Biden and Democrats were involved in a “criminal conspiracy” in the Eastern European nation.

It is unclear whether Taylor’s participation in the impeachment inquiry played a role in Senate Republicans’ decision to allow his temporary assignment as ambassador to Ukraine to expire, but it was likely an important factor.

Here's What To Do When Voters Don't Like Your Candidates and Hate Your Agenda

This is happening right now in Wisconsin: Judge Paul V. Malloy of the Ozaukee County Circuit Court has thrown the state into chaos by issuing an order that the Wisconsin Elections Commission forthwith and immediately remove some 215,239 registered voters state-wide from the voting rolls, individuals located disproportionately in large Democratic cities and in counties with major universities.

215,239 sinners who will be cast out of the Kingdom of Heaven. Their sin? They were flagged by a national database as having possibly moved their residence. Tsk tsk. They should re-register at the new address. More, a rightwing group decided to exercise their imaginations in pressing for the harshest penalties of the law for failing to update residence. And thereby hangs the lawsuit which led to Judge Malloy's ruling (see more below).

So the Wisconsin Elections Commission, being good stewards of citizen rights, mailed -- snail-mailed, mind you -- in October 234,039 letters to addressees that had been picked out by the national Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC), a multistate partnership that shares voter registration information, as possibly having moved their residences since the last election. (Some 29 states plus DeeCee belong to the ERIC network and share data. North Carolina does not belong.)

It's one of ERIC's specialities -- identifying people who may have moved -- whether just upstairs to a bigger apartment or to a different state. Place of residence is the great and universal touchstone for ballot access, and people who move need to re-register.  That's reasonable, especially if enforcement is based on something more reliable than the accuracy of snail-mail. (And you might notice the disparity in numbers above -- 215,239 targeted for removal out of 234,039 letters sent out. That's because some 18,800 voters did return confirmation of their residence. The numbers were likely rounded up by Mark Joseph Stern, but thank gawd for his detailed reporting!)

Those Elections Commission letters were based on addresses of record, which were in turn based on hand-written voter information (often illegibly scrawled) on voter registration forms, which is in turn entered into a massive database by human technicians who are, yes, only human. Small errors can lead to big consequences. 234,039 letters went out into The Great Silence, bearing possible penalties for silence.

The Elections Commission planned -- until they got sued by a conservative group -- to spend the next 12 to 24 months "working with local officials to assess individuals who do not respond to the notice. If officials make an 'individualized determination' that there is 'sufficient reliable information' that a voter has moved, their registration will be 'deactivated' ” (Stern). In other words, the commission was going to investigate each case before removing anyone, and in any event, no action would come until after the 2020 primary election (at least).

The Lawsuit That Judge Malloy Exploited

That was the Wisconsin Elections Commission plan before the Bradley Foundation, which reportedly "bankrolls reactionary causes," saw an opening and filed a lawsuit in deep red Ozaukee County before a Republican judge. Its lawsuit was based on a complaint filed by another reactionary group, the Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty. The institute cited a state law which says: “Upon receipt of reliable information” that a voter has moved, the commission (or municipal clerk) must send them a letter saying, in short, “We think you have a new address.” If the voter does not respond “within 30 days of the date the notice is mailed,” they must be deactivated.

That language depends entirely on the words reliable information. The Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty claimed that the ERIC "Movers Report" constitutes reliable information -- no need for Wisconsin Elections Commission investigation -- and Judge Malloy bought that argument. Along with the argument that the commission shirked its duties by not removing those 200,000+ people on the 30-day mark from their October letter. Thirty days, long expired. The judge was delighted to say his hands were tied. Jigs up for voters who don't answer their mail.

The Elections Commission is fighting back, claiming irreparable harm and the potential for 2020 chaos as would-be voters find out at the last minute that they're no longer registered. Plus the suit is based on the capricious and arbitrary claim that ERIC's data-mining constitutes "reliable information" under Wisconsin statute. The Elections Commission argues that its own mandated responsibility to maintain voter rolls can't be outsourced to non-state agencies.

The commission will appeal, but everyone is pointing out that it'll eventually land with the Wisconsin Supreme Court, which is 5-2 majority conservative. The conservative argument against "irreparable harm": Wisconsin allows election-day registration. The only problem: same-day registration also requires proof of residence, and most voters don't carry around electric bills in their pockets.

Abandoning the Life Raft for a Sinking Ship

I'm trying to understand the thinking of Congressman Jeff Van Drew of the New Jersey 2nd District. News leaked over the weekend that he had gone to the White House and had told the Twitterman that he would leave the Democratic Party and become a Republican. Because he disagrees with impeachment.

He's also reportedly got very low polling numbers, with some 58% of his constituents already wanting a different congressperson. A poll of likely Democratic primary voters was even worse after he announced that he would not be voting for impeachment (even though he promised at the time to remain a Democrat).

The bad polling may be the only explanation that makes any sense, especially since Trump likely told him he'd personally campaign for him if he became a Republican. Van Drew is willing to join the corrupt party of Trump in a bizarre attempt to save his own skin.

His staff did not react well to the news. They're not willing to follow him onto that political Titanic. Six top staffers have resigned: Van Drew's legislative director and deputy chief, two other deputy chiefs of staff, his communications director, a legislative staff assistant, and his director of constituency relations have all signed a resignation letter: “Sadly, Congressman Van Drew’s decision to join the ranks of the Republican Party led by Donald Trump does not align with the values we brought to this job when we joined his office.”

Van Drew is a dentist. He previously served in both the New Jersey General Assembly and the state's senate before running for the open NJ-2 seat in 2018, taking almost 53% of the vote. Technically, he's been in the U.S. Congress for less than a year -- he only took office on January 3 of this year. That's fast for pulling a party switcheroo, but ... bless his heart!

There's already a Democrat, Brigid Harrison, who announced that she was considering a primary run against Van Drew. His switch of parties will open a wide path for her to seize the nomination.

The Body Count -- Several at the Pentagon

A Reoccurring Feature on Who's Jumping Off Luxury Liner Trump

On December the 12th, the Pentagon confirmed that its top Asia policy official, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs Randall Schriver, plans to leave the department after being in the role since January 2018.

Inside Defense reported:

Schriver ... will be the latest in a series of senior-level departures from the Defense Department's civilian policy shop run by Under Secretary John Rood, which has yet to replace David Trachtenberg, Rood's former deputy who resigned in July, and Robert Karem, who left his post as the assistant secretary of defense for international security affairs in October.

Additionally, in November, Mark Mitchell resigned as acting assistant defense secretary for special operations and low-intensity conflict. He succeeded Owen West, who resigned after 18 months on the job.

In May, Schriver warned U.S. companies about the risks of doing business with the Chinese government or entities backed by Beijing amid the onset of new U.S. supply chain security initiatives.

On December 13th, Jimmy Stewart, Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, announced his resignation after a little over a year on the job, making him the second top official this week to say they would step down.

Defense Secretary Mark Esper did not give a reason for Stewart's leaving.

Damon Circosta Voted Yes

SBOE Chair Damon Circosta

Background here on the sudden last-minute switcheroo of ESandS electronic voting machines by a company that seems to have sandbagged the State Board of Elections (SBOE) into accepting what experts say is untested and eminently hackable voting equipment.

Congrats, Mecklenburg County! These machines are what your local elections officials will be using in 2020.

And, as expected, SBOE Chair Damon Circosta sided with the two Republicans on the board and split with his fellow Democrats.

The Bird That Defecates in the Nest Before Leaving It

Matt Bevin, campaigning (unsuccessfully)
with Donald Trump

Matt Bevin, the Republican jerk who was governor of Kentucky until he was defeated last month by Democrat Andy Beshear, has issued 428 pardons and commutations since his defeat, including these:

A man convicted of reckless homicide. 

A convicted child rapist. 

A man who murdered his parents at age 16. 

A woman who threw her newborn in the trash after giving birth in a flea market outhouse. 

A man who was convicted in the sexual assault of a 15-year-old boy at a party. 

A man who was convicted on two counts of murder for killing a pastor and his wife while driving under the influence in 2011. The pardon came while the man was on probation for a separate assault offense.

Bevin has been particularly benevolent toward those whose close relatives have hosted fundraisers for him:

A man who was convicted in 2017 of reckless homicide, robbery, impersonating a peace officer, and tampering with evidence for his role in a 2014 home invasion that resulted in the death of Donald Mills -- the man had served just two years of his 19-year sentence when Bevin pardoned him to time served. The pardoned man's brother had hosted a fundraiser for Bevin and donated to him over the years.

Naturally, since Bevin is Bevin, the former victims of the pardoned ones were apparently not notified that their victimizers were coming out of jail. They found out about the pardons through the press, along with local prosecutors.