North Carolina’s 12th Congressional District – Vacant
North Carolina’s 12th congressional district is one of the most notorious districts in the entire nation. Nicknamed the “I-85 district”, it stretches from Charlotte and the way to the Triad cities of Greensboro, High Point, and Winston-Salem, encompassing almost every Black neighborhood in the western part of the state. Republicans, in drawing the legislative maps, made the 12th even narrower and more Democratic. President Obama took nearly 80% of the vote here in 2012.
Democratic Primary
Mel Watt represented the district since it was reestablished in 1993. His departure to run Fannie Mae has produced a huge field vying to capture his seat. Among the more serious candidates are State Senator Malcolm Graham, State Representative Alma Adams, State Representative Marcus Brandon, and George Battle, General Counsel for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg School System. About half of the district lies in Mecklenburg County, so a candidate from that area is favored. But right now the frontrunner seems to be Alma Adams, who represents a district in Greensboro and is known for her varied collection of hats. Adams has received significant support from women’s groups, in particular EMILY’s List.
Representative Brandon is also from Greensboro but has failed to attract much support. While Brandon is the only openly gay member of the General Assembly, he has been unable to leverage his contacts in the gay community to rise above the other candidates. One reason for this is Brandon’s relatively good relationship with his colleagues in the Republican legislature and his support of vouchers, which is anathema to the Democratic base.
The race will almost certainly go to a runoff, and the runoff will almost certainly feature a candidate from Charlotte. Two are vying for that title: Senator Malcolm Graham and George Battle. While Graham is the best-known, Battle is generating a lot of excitement and late support and seems to have the momentum right now. But he might come up just short against the better-established and better-known Graham. Whoever emerges from this “Charlotte mini-primary” will probably go up against Adams.
General Election
Republicans have actually landed a strong recruit here: Vince Coakley, a well-known Charlotte news reporter, TV anchor, and broadcaster. In Coakley, a black Republican, the GOP sees someone who can communicate their platform appealingly to minority voters. But let’s be clear here: Coakley has no chance of winning. Getting 30% of the vote would be a moral victory for him. To get nominated, Coakley will have to beat Leon Threatt, a pastor.
Counties in district: Cabarrus (part), Davidson (part), Forsyth (part), Guilford (part), Mecklenburg (part), Rowan (part)
Primary Rating: Tilt Adams
District Rating: Solid Democratic
2012 Result
Mel Watt – 79.6%
Jack Brosch – 20.4%
Voter Registration
63.5% Democrat
21.2% Unaffiliated
15.0% Republican
57.9% Black
33.6% White
8.5% Other
Results in Other Elections
2012 President
78.5% Obama
20.8% Romney
2012 Governor
71.4% Dalton
26.9% McCrory
2010 Senate
72.2% Marshall
26.3% Burr
2008 Senate
77.9% Hagan
19.8% Dole
John Wynne is the “conservative voice” at PoliticsNC, where he also provides polling analysis and commentary on legislative campaigns. When not writing about politics, he enjoys gardening and listening to opera. Contact: johncwynne@gmail.com.
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