RALEIGH — Former state Sen. Wesley Meredith (R-Cumberland) announced last week that he would run against current state Sen. Kirk DeViere (D-Cumberland). DeViere defeated Meredith by 433 votes in 2018. Meredith was one of six GOP senators who lost a seat to a Democrat in 2018.
In his announcement, Meredith focused on the state budget impasse and said DeViere’s support for Gov. Roy Cooper’s veto was throwing away “the largest infusion of cash in the history of our community.” DeViere and Cooper have been vocal supporters of Medicaid expansion for able-bodied adults. Meredith called DeViere a “one issue Senator,” saying the freshman senator was “so fixated on winning the battle for Medicaid expansion that he is losing the war for the citizens of Cumberland County.”
Following Meredith’s announcement, DeViere tweeted: “It’s simple folks: Medicaid Expansion works and it helps families live more healthier lives.” DeViere also tweeted his support for Cooper’s veto of a teacher pay increase that the governor said was not enough and for the veto of a bill that would have required illegal immigrants identified by the court system to be removed from the voter rolls.
DeViere is a former Fayetteville city councilman and owner of an advertising and PR agency. Meredith is also a former Fayetteville city councilman and works as a landscape contractor. He previously served four terms in the state Senate where he was majority whip and chaired the Transportation, Commerce and Insurance committees.
