Dunn drops out of Buncombe County commissioner race

Posted on by Jason Sandford

Joe Dunn, a former Asheville City Council member who signed up earlier this year to run for the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners, has announced in a letter that he has decided to drop out of the race.

“I have been torn between family and service to my community,” Dunn wrote.

“I have four wonderful grandchildren and a family that has always been supportive in the past. I no longer feel I should live my life and place my political future ahead of my family. Serving four years on Asheville City Council was an honor, but not without stress and worry about where this city is headed. The Buncombe County Commission is now taking on the same potential look as the current ‘progressive’ City Council. Voters had better wake up before it is too late.”

The WNC Citizens Blog has Dunn’s letter posted, and political bloggers Scrutiny Hooligans have some reaction.

The race for the Board of Commissioners now features seven candidates actively seeking four seats on the board: Democrats Holly Jones, K. Ray Bailey, Carol Peterson and Bill Stanley are running against John Carroll, Ron McKee and Don Yelton. Peterson and Stanley are incumbents.

Board Chairman Nathan Ramsey, a Republican, is facing a challenge from fellow commissioner David Gantt, a Democrat.

Commissioner David Young, who sought and lost the Democratic Party’s nomination for state treasurer this spring, is not seeking re-election.

In other local-election news, the filing period is still open for candidates seeking to run for four Buncombe County Board of Education seats. The filing period ends at noon on Aug. 1. The seats up for election are: an at-large seat and seats in the North Buncombe, Owen and Roberson school districts.

For more information about local elections, go to the Buncombe County Board of Elections Web site. The board is accepting applications for employment for elections.

The general election will be held Tuesday, Nov. 4. The last day to register to vote is Oct. 10. For more information, go to the North Carolina State Board of Elections Web site.

— Jason Sandford, multimedia editor

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13 thoughts on “Dunn drops out of Buncombe County commissioner race”

  1. Ralph Roberts

    Someone at MountainX missed a great opportunity for a headline like:

    DUNN ENOUGH

    DUNN FINISHED

    HE IS DUNN

    DUNN LEFT

    are just plain:

    JOE DUNN

  3. Ralph Roberts

    DUNN RUNNING

    OPEN THE OVEN, HE’S DUNN

    or just, simply,

    DUNN

    which I am ..

    another lesson on writing headlines the next time you guys miss it. ;-)

  5. Ralph Roberts

    DUNN NO.

    oh… Alexander, TP … the REAL center of Buncombe County.

    Dr. Dunn is from Asheville, which is but a mere suburb and a pretty insignificant one at that.

  9. Ralph Roberts

    I LOVES puns! I’m Macon them all the time. Like back in the days when everyone still smoked and the mason jar lid overflowed (we couldn’t afford no store bought ‘uns); I immediately said, “well, there goes ash fill.” It is just unfortunate that I was correct. With so many people now, the air has more smoke in it than back in the days when we did. (Rhymes with frog, does not smell as good.)

    Which reminds me, there used to be a brand of cigarettes made in town called ‘Asheville Air.’

    but I ain’t from Dunn. ;-)

  10. Ralph Roberts

    And if any of you out there DUNN understand why we had plenty of Mason jar lids lying about, you ain’t from around these parts and the moon does not shine in your cellar.

  12. Ralph Roberts

    A doctor named Dunn
    Lent his name to pun,
    When he finally wrote
    “For me do not vote.”
    Becoming my favorite one.

    okay, now this topic is Dunn.

  13. William P Miller

    I am sad to hear Joe Dunn has dropped out of the race. I was going to vote for him. I have known for years. He is a good man.

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