Voting begins soon in race to replace Walter Jones

In this Oct. 25, 2017, photo, Rep. Walter Jones, R-N.C. poses for a portrait in his office on Capitol Hill in Washington. As President Trump argued about what he said to the family of a soldier killed in Niger, a North Carolina congressman was quietly doing what he's done more than 11,000 times: signing a condolence letter to that family and others. Republican Rep. Walter Jones began signing the letters to families in 2003 as penance for his 2002 vote supporting war in Iraq. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

RALEIGH — Voters will soon begin to pick from among over two dozen candidates who have filed to run for an eastern North Carolina congressional seat empty since last month’s death of GOP Rep. Walter Jones Jr.

Traditional mail-in absentee balloting begins Friday in the 3rd Congressional District for the April 30 primaries for Republican, Democratic and Libertarian hopefuls.

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Twenty-six people turned in paperwork during last week’s candidate filing period to seek the seat. The filing period opened Monday, March 4 and ended Friday, March 8. There are 17 Republicans, six Democrats and two Libertarians. One Constitution Party candidate already advances to the general election, which will be held in July or September, depending on whether any primary runoff is required.

In addition to filing their notice of candidacy, each candidate was required to pay a $1,740 filing fee, which represents one percent of the salary paid to the office holder.

GOP candidates running in the Republican-leaning district include three current state legislators. A current mayor and ex-mayor are in the Democratic primary.

Democrats

Ike Johnson                        Jacksonville

Dana E. Outlaw                 New Bern

Richard Bew                       Newport

Ernest T. Reeves              Greenville

Gregory Humphrey         Beulaville

Allen Thomas                     Winterville

Constitution Party

Greg Holt                             New Bern

Libertarians

Shannon W. Bray              Apex

Tim Harris                            New Bern

Republicans

Phil Law                                Jacksonville

Michele Nix                        Kinston

Michael Speciale              New Bern

Greg Murphy                     Greenville

Gary Ceres                          Greenville

Chimer Davis Clark, Jr.    Morehead City

Graham Boyd                     Wake Forest

Celeste Caims                    Emerald Isle

Phil Shepard                       Jacksonville

Paul Beaumont                 Shawboro

Jeff Moore                          Raleigh

Joan Perry                           Kinston

Kevin Balko                         Moyock

Francis X. De Luca            Cary

Eric Rouse                           Kinston

Don Cox                               Belhaven

Mike Payment                   Grandy