Second Primary Run-off Election: Mattie Lawson Prevails | Eastern NC Now

   Mattie Lawson won the run-off, for the NC House, District 6 Republican nomination, just as she won the first primary, but with one massive difference: It was by a much wider margin this second time around.

   In North Carolina, the politician seeking the nomination of their party, by virtue of the primary, must win 40% of the vote in that primary, irrespective of the number of contestants in that race. It is; however, the responsibility of the candidate coming in second in that race to call for the second election.

   In this primary season, there was a plethora of run-offs, obviously, with candidates who felt they may fair better a second time. Such was the case with life long Democrat-turned-Republican Arthur Williams, who lost the first primary, held May 5, 2012, in a three way split by a margin of 37.14% of the outstanding vote to Mattie Lawson to 36.21% of the vote for himself.
Not so many voted today in the second primary run-off, but when they did - most of them voted for Mattie Lawson: Above.     photo by Stan Deatherage
   The big difference in this primary run-off is that the third candidate in the primary split, Jeremy Adams was also from Dare County (Nags Head), which led one to logically construe that with Adams out of the race, Mattie Lawson would be the logical nominee after a second primary. In this second primary run-off, irrespective of endorsements for Arthur Williams by primary opponent Jeremy Adams, by Democrat politician-turned-Republican Congressman Walter Jones, and in hushed tones, NC House Speaker Thom Tillis, Mattie Lawson won, and her victory was huge. Some say that the Arthur Williams camp "worked hard, but just came up a bit short." I'll say that's the understatement of the year: Above.
   Mattie Lawson won big by virtue of these impressive unofficial numbers: Beaufort County - Lawson won by 778 to 532 / 59.39% to 40.61%; Dare County - Lawson won by 635 to 143 / 81.62% to 18.38%; Washington County - Lawson won by 62 to 39 / 61.39% to 38.61%; Hyde County - Lawson won by 37 to 27 / 57.81% to 42.19%.

   Influential endorsements for Arthur Williams, negative, and rather dubious campaign tactics by the loser notwithstanding, Mattie Lawson won large by employing the grass roots efforts of others who wanted a real conservative Republican to represent them in Raleigh, North Carolina, not a well connected one.

   It has been remarked to me, by Washington, NC political insiders, that they were supporting Arthur Williams because Mattie Lawson could not win against Dare County Democrat Paul Tyne in the general election. After witnessing the phenomenal drubbing that Arthur Williams took, after outspending Mattie 8 to 1, I would not be so sure about that. The grass roots' efforts by supporters works. And guess what: The internet works too, and we, supporters of Mattie, have an overwhelming, insurmountable lock with this group, and on this platform.

   Publisher's note: This tremendous win by Mattie Lawson, and her grass-roots supporters, is, naturally, the lead story of this second primary run-off. We will have a second post on the other races very soon.