North Wake News

Democrat Allen Wellons will face Republican Lisa Barnes for a state Senate seat to represent Nash County and part of Johnston County in North Carolina’s November general election.

Smithfield attorney Wellons seeks a return to the Senate after an 18-year absence. Barnes, a Spring Hope native, wants to trade her House District 7 seat for a move to Senate District 11.

“Looking toward November and beyond, I will remain committed to engaging with the people who help our communities thrive — and whom I hope to serve in the Senate,” Barnes said to The Wake Weekly.

Democrat Allen Wellons

Barnes campaigned on issues she listed as critical needs. These include affordable health care, growth of the state’s economy and promoting jobs, The Wake Weekly reported.

Barnes won the Republican primary with 12,576 votes (68.1%). She defeated Johnston County Commissioner Patrick Harris, who had 5,279 votes (28.58%). Retired Col. Dennis Nielsen came in a distant third with 613 votes (3.32%).

Barnes, a former Nash County commissioner, chose to run for the state Senate after a single term in state House District 7. She defeated incumbent Democrat Bobbie Richardson with 58% of the vote in the House race to represent Franklin County and part of southern Nash County. In her primary win against Glen Bradley, she received 70% of the vote.

Barnes raised more in the first quarter than Wellons, with $65,700. Her contributions come from farmers in Nash and Johnston counties and from people across the state and nation. Some of her notable contributors include the owner of Stallings Oil in Middlesex, Jeffery Stallings; billionaire and Rocky Mount resident Steve Wordsworth; and John G. Gardner Jr., the nephew of former Lt. Gov. Jim Gardner, well known in the North Carolina GOP.

Her primary opponent Harris raised almost all his $7,575 in campaign contributions from Johnston County donors.

Wellons also said his campaign will focus on more affordable health care. Other issues in his general election campaign include expanding Medicaid and investing in eastern North Carolina’s people and farm economies. The Democratic primary was about issues that can unite people, Wellons said, not partisan politics or issues that divide them.

“For too long, the people of Senate District 11 have not felt the power of their vote, this district has been gerrymandered to favor one political party over the other,” Wellons said to The Wake Weekly. "This year, that changes, Senate District 11 is one of the most competitive legislative races in North Carolina. Our campaign is going to fight for every single vote.”

The candidates entered the general election campaign with landslide primary victories.

Wellons received 12,504 votes or more than 60% of those cast in the Democratic primary. Albert Pacer received 8,126 votes (39.39%).

The bulk of Wellons’ $54,320.84 raised in the first quarter came from a $30,000 check he wrote to his campaign. PGA golfer Grady Neal Lancaster is his most notable donor. His primary opponent Pacer reported no campaign contributions.

Wellons served three terms in the state Senate from 1996-2002.