Buncombe Statehouse candidates to debate Aug. 29; Tillis to speak

Posted on by Jake Frankel
Early voting starts Thursday, May 26, for the June 7 primary.

This Friday, Aug. 29, promises to be an intense day in local politics, as all four Buncombe County Statehouse candidates debate and U.S. Senate candidate Thom Tillis speaks at a breakfast event.

The gathering, organized by the Council for Independent Business Owners, will likely be the only event before election day where Republican N.C. House Rep. Tim Moffitt and Democratic challenger Brian Turner will face-off in person. They’re fighting for control of District 116, which encompasses a wide swath of conservative-leaning western Buncombe County, from Sandy Mush to Arden and Biltmore Forest.

Meanwhile, in District 115, Democrat John Ager is challenging incumbent Republican Nathan Ramsey. The district is nearly evenly divided between registered Republican and Democratic voters and includes Weaverville, Black Mountain and Fairview, where they both live and operate farms. They will also debate at the forum, answering questions from members of the business group.

Democratic Rep. Susan Fisher, who represents District 114, which encompasses most of Asheville, has no Republican opponent in the fall.

Tillis, a Republican, is running against Democratic Sen. Kay Hagan to represent North Carolina in the U.S. Senate. He will speak and answer questions at the CIBO event but Hagan will not be in attendance.

The event starts at 7 a.m. and takes place on the Enka Campus of A-B Tech, at 1459 Sand Hill Road. Members of the public are welcome to attend and a buffet breakfast catered by Chick-fil-A will be available for $10.

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About Jake Frankel
Jake Frankel is an award-winning journalist who enjoys covering a wide range of topics, from politics and government to business, education and entertainment.
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2 thoughts on “Buncombe Statehouse candidates to debate Aug. 29; Tillis to speak”

  1. bsummers

    Will Reps. Moffitt and Tillis be asked about how the drone bill became law, the private toll future for our interstates, or the Export-Import Bank? Just a few things that as ALEC Board members they have to support, but that conservatives in District 116 and NC in general are hopping mad about…

  2. kennydicus

    Thanks to Mountain Express and their efforts to make Asheville and NC a pure Democratic city and state. We don’t need a 2 party system here. We want to be pure democratic like Detroit, Newark, Stockton, and Memphis who have prospered under pure democratic control. The poor will rise under democrats and thanks to Mountain Exp and their support of Lois Lerner and her supporters, we can eliminate the Tea Party and have a pure Socialist society where the Mtn. Exp. will be the only news source that the surfs will have access to.

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