DAVIS

July 26. By Dave Yochum. It looks like Tom Davis, who opposed NC Rep. Charles Jeter in the GOP primary, will be appointed to fill Jeter’s District 92 seat in the General Assembly.

He has already been endorsed by a wide variety of Republican leaders, including: Mecklenburg County Commissioner Jim Puckett; Huntersville Mayor John Aneralla; Huntersville Mayor Pro Tem Danny Phillips; Cornelius Mayor Pro Tem Woody Washam; and Cornelius Commissioner Dave Gilroy.

Charles Jeter resigned abruptly Monday and will not run for reelection, catching prominent electeds by surprise. Jeter came late to the anti-toll party; business and political leaders had sought to shore him up. With Rep. John Bradford, he was one of the sponsors of HB 954 which would have cancelled the I-77 contract with Cintra. While it passed overwhelming in the House, it never gained traction in the Senate and ultimately failed in June.

Charles Jeter is the president of Intermodal FCL Inc., a trucking company, and a leader in the Republican-dominated legislature. As conference chairman in the NC House, Jeter helped marshal resources to elect Republicans.

Chaz Beasley is the Democratic candidate for District 92, which includes parts of Huntersville, Charlotte, Pineville and Steele Creek, as well as Charlotte-Douglas International Airport.

“My interactions with Rep. Jeter have been positive, and he has maintained a level of respect for which I am grateful,” Beasley stated in an email to supporters. “Although Rep. Jeter and I do not agree on every issue, I appreciate and respect the fact that he has devoted four years of his life to District 92.”

Beasley said the campaign is focused on the road ahead, despite not facing his expected opponent.

“This race was never about who we’re running against – it’s about what we’re running for. We’re still running to ensure that everyone can participate in our economic success. We’re still running to guarantee every child has a quality public school education—and that we properly equip our teachers to accomplish that mission. And, we’re still running to ensure that everyone, regardless of background, can be embraced by our community.”

Jeter, in a prepared statement, said this was “one of the toughest decisions I’ve ever had to make in my life.”

“I love serving the people of North Carolina and I know today’s announcement will be letting my Republican colleagues down in a very tough election year fight. However, I simply cannot continue down a road that in the end forces me to make my wife and children anything less than the first priority in my life.”

On Facebook, Jeter’s wife, Jennifer Cox Jeter, referred obliquely to the I-77 toll issue which has gripped North Mecklenburg for years.

“Being in Raleigh for four years has taken a toll (no pun intended) on our kids, our marriage, his health and our business. He has missed countless baseball games, dance performances, beach trips, camping trips and even a family photo session. We decided for him to serve so he wants no sympathy for the things he missed out. But he has now made the decision to resign and it makes complete sense to me,” she wrote.
Sources in North Meck GOP politics said it is a given that Davis will fill in for Jeter, and Davis said he is ready, willing and able. “It would be a great honor to serve the citizens of District 92 and I look forward to receiving the support of the Mecklenburg County Republican Party Executive Committee,” he said.
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