ROCKINGHAM — One former municipal leader has joined the growing list of challengers in the race for the Richmond County Board of Commissioners.
Jesse McQueen, who previously served on the Hamlet City Council, filed Dec. 11 to run for commissioner as a Republican, according to records with the N.C. State Board of Elections.
A former police officer, McQueen served 14 years and 10 months on the Hamlet board before stepping down in late 2024 because of moving outside the city limits.
McQueen will face several other candidates in the Republican primary: incumbent Commissioner Jason Gainey; and challengers Terry Lewis, Laverne Schultz and Melissa Schoonover.
Linda Ross is so far the only Democrat to file for that race. Incumbents Robin Roberts, Justin Dawkins and Dr. Rick Watkins have yet to file.
Three potential candidates — Michael Legrand, Brandon Streeter and Jason Mabe — are running unaffiliated with any of the four state-recognized political parties and each have to gather signatures from 4% of the county’s registered voters.
State records show that candidates have also filed in several state and federal races.
Joe Parfitt, of Southern Pines, also filed Dec. 11 to run against state Rep. Ben Moss, R-Richmond for the District 52 seat in the N.C. House of Representatives. Moss was first elected to the seat in 2020 and has won every subsequent reelection.
A third Democrat, Jesse Oppenheim of Charlotte, has entered the race for the 8th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. He will face Richmond County’s Kevin Clark and Union County’s Colby Watson in the Democratic primary.
That seat is currently held by Republican U.S. Rep. Mark Harris, who has filed for reelection.
Records show that another Republican, Margot Dupre of Charlotte, has entered the U.S. Senate race to represent North Carolina. She will face at least three other candidates in the primary: Michael Whately, Donald Brown and Elizabeth Temple.
The winner of that primary will go on to face the Democratic victor, either former governor Roy Cooper or Daryl Farrow.
Other races on the ballot include:
Filing closes at noon Dec. 19. Filing fees vary and potential candidates should contact the Board of Elections for more information.
The primary election, and school board election, is scheduled for March 3, 2026.
Editor's Note: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated the year Rep. Ben Moss took office. The text has been updated to reflect the correct year, 2020. Corrected on 12-12-2025 at 10:04 PM.
