Elaine Marshall has won more races statewide than anyone living in North Carolina

Former North Carolina agriculture commissioner candidate Jenna Wadsworth said Secretary of State Elaine Marshall had an unprecedented political record.

“Sec. Marshall has won more races statewide than likely anyone else living in North Carolina at this point or is damn close,” Wadsworth tweeted.

Wadsworth tweeted the claim as part of a message urging Democrats to consider the strength of the candidates before proceeding with another white candidate for the US Senate.

The current seat holder, Republican Richard Burr, has said he will not stand for re-election in 2022. On the same day as his tweet, Senator Jeff Jackson said. announced his candidacy for the US Senate.

We asked ourselves: is it true that Secretary of State Elaine Marshall has won more statewide races in North Carolina than anyone else?

Wadsworth said she was not only thinking of the general election but the primaries as well when she tweeted her statement about Marshall.

However, we will focus on the general election for several reasons. For one thing, in North Carolina, the primaries are not open to all voters. We also struggled to find official primary documents dating back decades.

So we scoured the internet archives, contacted state political parties, and consulted the UNC School of Government. Librarian Alex Hess. It seems Wadsworth is right.

The “statewide” part means we only look at senators, governors, Board of state members and judges. And the “living” part is the key.

Elected seven times

If you consider all the candidates alive or dead, Marshall doesn’t hold the record for winning the most statewide elections in North Carolina. This record probably belongs to the end Thad Eure, who has been elected Secretary of State 13 times and served for 53 years. The late former Commissioner for Agriculture Jim graham, who has won nine times, appears to have won the second statewide races.

Marshal, 75, was elected Secretary of State Seven times dating from 1996.

She ran for the US Senate twice, losing the Democratic primary in 2002, then winning a runoff in 2010, but losing to Burr in the general election.

When it comes to races won statewide, Marshall’s closest contender appears to be Governor Roy Cooper. Cooper has won six statewide races since 2000. Before winning governor races in 2020 and 2016, voters elected Cooper’s attorney general four times.

If we look at the primaries, Marshall appears to be tied for winning the most races for a position statewide.

When we include the three primary Marshall won, his tally stands at 10 statewide election victories. When Cooper is four primaries are counted, he also lands at 10 statewide wins. Former Govt. Jim hunt also won 10, if you count each of the primaries he won before winning four terms as governor and one as lieutenant governor.

Prior to Hunt’s tenure, governors could only serve one term and were not allowed to run for office.

Other notables of North Carolina

The incumbent has served North Carolina’s best people well over the years. Here’s a quick look at notable current and former politicians who have won multiple statewide races.

US Senators: The End Jesse helms was elected to the Senate five times and served for 40 years.

Burr won three terms and Thom Tillis won two terms in the US Senate. Before running for the Senate, neither ran a statewide race.

Other recent senators – Kay Hagan, Elizabeth Dole, John Edwards, Lauch Faircloth – each serve a term.

Governors: Of North Carolina’s other living former Governors, Mike Easley has won the most races statewide. He won two terms as governor and two as attorney general. Former Governor Jim Martin won two terms, while Pat McCrory and Bev Perdue each served one term. Perdue, for her part, also won two terms as lieutenant governor.

Council of State: Several commissioners and members of the Council of State have won at least five races statewide.

The end Jim long won six terms as insurance commissioner. Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler has won five consecutive terms since 2004. Darling Berry won five terms as labor commissioner before retiring in 2020. Rufus edmisten won three races for Attorney General and two for Secretary of State.

Judges: North Carolina judges are unlikely to hit Eure’s record – or even Marshall’s mark – as they’re serving eight-year sentences and legally barred from working full-time over 72 years.

Linda McGee retired last month as the oldest member judge of the court of appeal in state history, winning three races after being named in 1995.

Our decision

Wadsworth said Marshall “has won more races statewide than likely anyone else living in North Carolina at this point.”

It seems she is right. We assess this statement as true.