The race to fill the U.S. House of Representatives seat long occupied by congressman Mike McIntyre, D-N.C., was called by the Associated Press shortly after 9 p.m. on Election Day as a win for Republican candidate David Rouzer.
Rouzer nearly unseated McIntyre in 2012, when he lost by less than 700 votes. Rouzer attributed part of his success to name recognition from that campaign and his tenure as state Senator.
“That’s a key component in any race: your name identification, and familiarity that the voters feel with you,” Rouzer said.
Rouzer defeated Democratic candidate and New Hanover County Commissioner Jonathan Barfield, Jr. and Libertarian J. Wesley Casteen.
With 58 with 213 precincts in District 7 reported, Rouzer led with 55 percent of votes compared to Barfield’s 42 percent and Casteen’s 3 percent
Rouzer pledged to support replacement of the Affordable Care Act with a patient-centered alternative, repealing rules and regulations hindering business growth, and maintenance of North Carolina’s beaches, inlets and waterways while in Washington.
“As I’ve said all across this district and during the entire course of this campaign, I think we’ve got to get back to God and common sense. We’re going to turn this country around, and that’s where we are,” Rouzer said.
His first priority, however, is assembling the team to run his office in Washington. During a Sept. 10 fundraiser at Wrightsville Beach Mayor Bill Blair’s house, Rouzer suggested some of McIntyre’s staff might be recruited during the change of hands, but he declined to comment on those hints on Election Day.
“Time will reveal that,” he said, “Probably within the next four or five weeks.”
email [email protected]
