In the race for the North Carolina Senate District 25 seat, Rockingham Mayor Gene McLaurin went up against New London retired teacher Gene McIntyre, both newcomers. Unofficial General Election vote totals from Tuesday show McLaurin as the new state senator for the district, which includes Richmond, Scotland, Anson and Stanly counties. Both men were vying for the open seat left by Democrat William Purcell who decided not to run for re-election.
According to the North Carolina State Board of Elections, McLaurin received 14,281 votes, or 75.8 percent, in Richmond County, and 44,023 votes, or 52.92 percent, in the entire district.
McIntyre received 4,552 votes in Richmond County, or 24.2 percent, and in the entire district he received 39,163 votes, or 47.08 percent.
As the mayor of Rockingham and as president of the Swink-Quality Oil Company, McLaurin has trumpeted his experience in both the public and private sectors as experience that North Carolina politics is in need of.
“I am overwhelmed by the support I got at home and throughout the district,” said McLaurin Tuesday night after all results were tallied.
“The message I try to convey is that I believe Democrats and Republicans have to work together and I’ve got a record of reaching across the isles,” McLaurin said. “I did that for years as mayor of Rockingham and I plan to do that when I get to Raleigh. I want us to get the economy back on track, get unemployment rates down and get people back to their jobs. I believe the quality of education is key to our economic prosperity and I’m going to Raleigh with a clear message. I will stand up for open government, as I have in Rockingham. I’m excited about the next level of government. I’m just so grateful to everyone. I can’t say enough about the support I received from my wife Donna and our three kids.”
McIntyre, a Republican, currently serves on the board of commissioners in Stanly County, where he worked in education for 33 years as a teacher and assistant principal.
“I thank all the folks who voted for me,” said McIntyre after results were in. “I thank the folks that worked so hard on our campaign and I’m glad we ran a good, clean race. I wish McLaurin well.”
— Staff Writer Dawn M. Kurry can be reached at 910-997-3111, ext. 15, or by email at dkurry@heartlandpublications.com.
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