© 2024 254 North Front Street, Suite 300, Wilmington, NC 28401 | 910.343.1640
News Classical 91.3 Wilmington 92.7 Wilmington 96.7 Southport
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
CAPE FEAR MEMORIAL BRIDGE: Updates, resources, and context

Republican incumbents hang onto their seats in Brunswick County primaries

A group of colorful political signs staked in the ground in front of the polling location at the Leland Cultural Arts Center, which is a tan one-story building with a tall red pillar. It's a sunny afternoon.
Nikolai Mather
One of the 2024 primary polling locations in Brunswick County.

Frank Williams and Pat Sykes win, Dana Varnam takes Register of Deeds nom, plus Bald Head Island approves beach bonds.

Preliminary results for Super Tuesday in Brunswick County show that incumbents were mostly able to keep their seats.

Longtime incumbent Frank Williams defeated political newcomer Erik Tammaru for the Republican nomination to district 5 of the Brunswick County Commission. Williams told WHQR that his platform was focused on updating the county's unified development ordinance and securing more housing for the burgeoning workforce.

"I certainly am honored to serve the county where I grew up," he said.

Williams will face Democrat Jonathan Damico in the general election.

Fellow incumbent Pat Sykes also secured a nomination, defeating her challenger Jwantana Gardner Frink with about 79% of the vote. Sykes ran on a similar platform to Williams, advocating for revisions to the UDO. She also advocated for lowering the county tax rate.

"I'm not saying the other commissioners are wrong," she said. "I'm just saying that I focus on the needs more so than the little extras that we don't really need."

Elsewhere on the ballot, Dana Varnam defeated Deanna Slate in an open race for the Republican nomination for Register of Deeds. Varnam will face Rochelle Beatty in the general election this November. Voters also approved two bonds to fund beach renourishment for Bald Head Island.

As of right now, there's no word on Bob Fulton, who needs over 5,000 signatures to qualify as an unaffiliated general election candidate for Brunswick County Commission. Fulton's campaign manager Art Hill told WHQR that the board of elections still has to count his signatures.

Click herefor more information about the Brunswick County Board of Education.

Nikolai Mather is a Report for America corps member from Pittsboro, North Carolina. He covers rural communities in Pender County, Brunswick County and Columbus County. He graduated from UNC Charlotte with degrees in genocide studies and political science. Prior to his work with WHQR, he covered religion in Athens, Georgia and local politics in Charlotte, North Carolina. In his spare time, he likes working on cars and playing the harmonica. You can reach him at nmather@whqr.org.