RALEIGH, NC -- Redistricting and the retirement for one long-serving North Carolina congresswoman is bringing change in the state's primary elections.
Democratic U.S. Rep. Larry Kissell beat Lumberton lawyer Marcus Williams on Tuesday and looks ahead to a tough fall re-election contest in an 8th Congressional District that has been redrawn to favor Republicans.
Among the five running on the GOP side are two-term state Rep. Fred Steen II, marketing business owner Richard Hudson, and dentist Scott Keadle.
Incumbent congressmen Patrick McHenry, G.K. Butterfield, and Mel Watt easily won party primaries to advance to the November elections in separate districts.
State Rep. Patsy Keever beat Asheville Mayor Terry Michelle Bellamy to win the Democratic nomination in the 10th Congressional District and the right to take on McHenry in the fall.