A state House primary in northeastern North Carolina could determine the fate of Gov. Josh Stein's vetoes.
Former state Rep. Michael Wray, D-Northampton, is challenging current Rep. Rodney Pierce, D-Halifax, in the Democratic primary. The left-leaning district stretches from Warren County to Northampton County along the Virginia border, and whoever wins the primary is likely to be elected in November (although there is a Republican candidate, Kenneth Bentley).
Wray was known for voting with Republicans on veto overrides, but he says his work across party lines helped bring millions of state dollars to a low-wealth district.
"I brought home more than $200 million in state funds to help our county governments, our cities and towns, our community organizations and nonprofits," he said in an email. "These funds went to build a new county courthouse, to renovate a county office building, to keep a nursing home open, to purchase new fire trucks and help fund workforce training programs at our community colleges. My focus is on results."
Pierce says that money came at a cost.
"My opponent essentially exchanged his vote for pork," he said. "In a manner of speaking, he sold us out. He voted to defund our public schools. He voted to put more guns on the street. He voted to poison our air and water, and didn't speak up for us when it came to Republicans trampling on our voting rights as it relates to the redistricting lawsuits."
Pierce was recently endorsed by Gov. Josh Stein, who told WUNC that Pierce is "a strong leader and an effective voice for his district and for rural communities across the state, and I'm excited to support him and his vision for a safer and stronger North Carolina."
So far, it's the only competitive primary where the governor has made an endorsement, but he isn't ruling out further endorsements.
Wray says Democratic Party leaders want to have a legislator they can control. "They are willing to put party purity ahead of good public policy," he said. "I am my own man. The people here at home know that. The people in Raleigh do too. I will do what’s right and what’s best for the people here at home. Finally, the governor doesn’t get to decide who’s going to serve our district in the state House, our voters do, and I will take my message to them and let them decide."
If Wray wins the March primary, he could help Republicans override Stein's vetoes starting in the 2027 session. Pierce says that makes his district "the most important Democratic primary campaign in the state."
"My race will determine whether or not Gov. Stein's vetoes will be upheld," he said. "Not only that, but it's key in us holding the seats that we currently have, flipping more seats and working our way towards the majority in the state legislature."
Claims of racist comments
Wray has been under fire from fellow Democrats over claims he'd made racist remarks in the past. Sen. Graig Meyer — who recently held a fundraiser for Pierce — said in a Substack newsletter that a decade ago, Wray told him to “watch out for the Blacks.”
Former state Rep. Raymond Smith commented on Meyer's post that when he first met Wray in 2018, Wray told him "I think Whites should marry Whites and Blacks should marry Blacks; don’t you?"
Wray denies ever making those comments.
"Mr. Meyer's allegations and Mr. Smith's allegations are totally false and without merit," he said in an email. "It’s a digital tar and feathering. Those discussions never took place and are the wild imaginations of my political enemies – attempting to score points. It's interesting because I will put my moral character against Mr. Meyer's any day of week. And Mr. Smith is still sore that I supported Sen. (Toby) Fitch in a tough primary several years, so both men have motives to lie and to attack me and my campaign."
Party-switching supporters?
Wray recently posted on Facebook to encourage registered Republicans to change their party affiliation to support his campaign.
"Are you a Republican and want to support me in the primary election against Rodney Pierce?" Wray wrote. "You can change your party affiliation to UNAFFILIATED, but you must do so BEFORE FEBRUARY 6TH. If you make the switch, remember that on election day, you must ask for a Democratic ballot in order to vote for Michael."
Pierce says the move should show Democrats that Wray belongs in the other party. "It doesn't surprise me at all that he would make overtures to Republicans to switch their affiliation to meddle in our affairs," he said. "That just goes to show you who he is. I just wish he would just go ahead and go over there and run as a Republican, because to me, that's who he is."
'In God We Trust' controversy
Wray is running ads criticizing Pierce for being one of only 17 Democrats who opposed a House bill to display the phrase "In God We Trust" in the House and Senate chambers.
"If he won't represent our values, why should we send him back to Raleigh?" the ad says of Pierce.
Pierce says he wasn't opposing having the phrase displayed in the Legislative Building. Instead, he was concerned that funding for the display would come from outside private donors who might be seeking favorable treatment from the government.
"That's like what a certain somebody is doing in D.C., and allowing private businesses and entities and individuals to pay for things as it relates to the government," Pierce said, referring to private fundraising to fund a new White House ballroom. "This is the people's house, paid for with the people's money. And the moment we start letting private entities be involved in the affairs of state on that level, we open ourselves up to a Pandora's box of problems."
