High Point Primary Endorsements

Before I get into the endorsements, some major changes need to be highlighted:

First, this is the first full election cycle in which my endorsements will be based on personal beliefs rather than who's best for the creative community because while Greensboro's is compromised, High Point's is too transient to be a reliable force.

Second, the fact that Jay Wagner is stepping down as mayor after only two terms (while his predecessor only served one term) shows that the politicos here are way more disciplined than the career climbers in Greensboro.

Third, while the races are officially nonpartisan, the drastic rightward shift of the Republican Party in Raleigh (as well as nationwide) has led me to automatically disqualify anyone running locally if they identify with that party.

Mayor

Candidates: Cyril Jefferson, Victor Jones, Gene Kininmonth, Richard Siddiqui

Based on what I said above, both Ward 5 representative Jones and Siddiqui already fail the test. Kininimonth's positions were once suitable when I used to think that centrism was the way to go, but Ward 1's Jefferson has the better plan.

At-Large

Incumbent: Britt Moore

Challengers: Sam Carr, Amanda Cook, Willie H. Davis, Kenneth Harper, Orel Henry, Shazia Iqbal

The second seat holder (Tyrone Johnson) is running for the vacant Ward 2 seat. The top vote-getter, Moore, has ditched his political independence for the GOP, which tells me that he may have higher political ambitions like a county or state seat next year or 2026.

Harper was going to run for the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Richard Burr on the Constitution Party ticket until that party fell short of enough signatures to get back on the 2022 ballot. As a result, Harper was forced to switch to the crowded GOP field where he languished. If running as a Republican is a nonstarter for me, then being a part of the CPNC, which is even further to the right, is an even worse look in my eyes.

Iqbal not only failed the party affiliation test, but she didn't respond to Triad City Beat's questionnaire. 

The same thing about Iqbal also applies to Carr but with more reasons. Carr is HPU's candidate the same way Don Scarborough was six years ago with one major difference: the former is a Millennial/Gen Z cusper who will use City Council as a steppingstone whereas the latter (and Baby Boomer) used it as a capstone. In other words, Nido Qubein will have a puppet in City Hall for more than one term.

Davis has the backing of the Guilford County Democratic Party, but he has gone 0-for-4 running in Ward 1. While there's a 50/50 chance of him advancing, he's more likely to be 0-5 after either next Tuesday or next month as he's a perennial candidate at this point.

Cook gets my first vote because she is all in with the One High Point Commission on reparations. The unaffiliated Henry gets my second vote by default.

Ward 1

Candidates: Glenn Chavis, Henry Harris, Vickie McKiver

Either Chavis or McKiver would be a fine choice.

High Point Since 2017

Things have changed quite a bit over the last six years. The ballpark got built without the county commissioners' help as HPU's Nido Qubein chipped in. In the spring of 2018, the City Council doubled the terms of every member from two years to four years, which took effect with the 2019 elections.

Of course, the pandemic took its toll on the Furniture City. On the creative side, the High Point scene...it's so hard to keep up with who's still around. After all, the Furniture Market still has its grip on downtown. It's been my prediction that if anything, Downtown High Point is headed for a future where the area around Truist Point thrives while the rest of the area continues its decline due to the furniture showroom owners' tight grip.

The coverage of local matters has been very lacking as the Enterprise has put everything behind a paywall and it and the local news stations are in the pockets of the business interests. I couldn't find anything on redistricting until after it happened. Recently, residents were told to stop putting yard waste and recyclables into plastic bags after the ordinances went into effect or to face fines. My work schedule precludes me from attending any City Council meetings on Mondays.