RALEIGH — Incumbent Republican Valerie Zachary won the race for North Carolina Court of Appeals seat 14, retaining her spot over challenger Democrat Ed Eldred.
Results are not yet official, however, Zachary had a nearly 5% margin of victory over Eldred.
Zachary is a partner at the Zachary Law Offices in Yadkinville, where she has practiced for the last 26 years.
Gov. Pat McCrory appointed Zachary to the Court of Appeals in 2015, and the following year, she was elected to that seat for an eight-year term.
Zachary received her juris doctorate cum laude from the Harvard Law School in 1987. She graduated with honors from Michigan State University in 1984 with a bachelor’s degree in multidisciplinary studies with concentrations in French, economics and political science.
Zachary is from Yadkin County and married to former statehouse Rep. Lee Zachary. The couple have three adult daughters and two grandchildren.
Eldred received his undergraduate degree from UNC Chapel Hill in 1995 and his law degree from the UNC Chapel Hill School of Law in 2006.
The 51-year-old Eldred is an appellate and trial attorney with Parry Law Firm in Chapel Hill. In the past, he has been a law clerk for multiple judges on the N.C. Court of Appeals and was an appellate attorney at the firm of Wyrick Robbins.
Additionally, Eldred has been involved in Carrboro Planning Board and the Mental Health Association of the Triangle.