RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - On the night state House Speaker Thom Tillis clinched the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate, one of his most vocal critics within his own legislative caucus lost his seat.
In House District 95, Rep. Robert Brawley of Iredell County lost to challenger John Fraley, a longtime textile executive and consultant from Mooresville.
Brawley resigned as co-chairman of the House Finance Committee last year after publicly accusing Tillis of mishandling bills and performing legislative maneuvers to protect favored industries and colleagues. The fight became public when Brawley read a letter lambasting Tillis on the House floor.
Fraley decided to challenge Brawley. His aggressive campaign has included mailers citing the intraparty feud.
Brawley accused Tillis and his allies of recruiting Fraley to unseat him. Fraley and a Tillis spokesman said that’s not true.
Brawley served in the House for 18 years in the 1980s and ’90s before returning in 2013.
In the Democratic primary for Senate District 3, high school teacher Erica Smith-Ingram of Northampton County defeated six-term incumbent Sen. Clark Jenkins of Edgecombe County. Smith-Ingram had been endorsed by the State Employees Association of North Carolina.
Republican Rep. Roger Younts of Davidson County lost to primary challenger Sam Watford, a Davidson county commissioner.
Younts was appointed to the legislature last July to fill the term of departing Rep. Jerry Dockham, who had joined the state Utilities Commission. Local Republican leaders voted 3-2 in favor of Younts, who as the county party treasure voted for himself, edging out Watford. Younts and others prevented another local GOP leader from voting by telephone.
In House District 5, Democratic Rep. Annie Mobley lost to challenger Howard J. Hunter III, a Hertford County commissioner. Mobley has represented the district for four terms.
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