Valerie Foushee and Courtney Geels win U.S. House District 4 nominations

N.C. Sen. Valerie Foushee, D-Chatham, Orange, won the Democratic nomination for the fourth congressional U.S. House district seat and Courtney Geels won the Republican nomination, according to unofficial primary election results. 

Foushee finished with 40,531 votes on Tuesday night, winning 46.15 percent of the vote. Nida Allam, who finished with 32,424 votes, or 36.92 percent, was the next closest candidate in the Democratic race. 

She also defeated candidates Clay Aiken,  Ashley Ward, Crystal Cavalier, Matt Grooms, Stephen Valentine and Richard Watkins for the position.

Foushee thanked voters for their support and faith on Twitter on Wednesday. She said that she is grateful that they trust her to serve them in congress. 

"I am eager to serve and deliver for the people of the fourth district and address the big challenges we face as a country," Foushee said in a tweet. "Thank you, thank you, thank you, to everyone that supported me throughout."

Courtney Geels finished with 19,526 votes, winning 64.59 percent of the Republican vote. She defeated Robert Thomas, who finished with 10,705 votes, or 35.41 percent.

Geels thanked her voters for their support and said she would like to get to know those she did not get to meet prior to the primary regardless of their party affiliation. 

"Thank you for voting for me and sticking with me," she said. "I would like to be very accessible, and I'd really like to represent people and see the life, liberty and pursuit of happiness experienced for all of my constituents."

Foushee and Geels will face off in the general election in November.

The district includes Orange, Durham, Alamance, Person and Granville counties. U.S. Rep. David Price, D-N.C. currently holds the seat, but he announced in October that he would not seek re-election this year.

Foushee's platform includes abortion rights, criminal justice reform and equity in education.

If elected, Foushee will seek to decriminalize the possession and use of marijuana for people over 21, end cash bail, support increased environmental regulations and funding for the United States Environmental Protection Agency and prioritize more sustainable alternatives like solar and wind energy.

She would also push for the passage of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, the For the People Act, the John Lewis Voting Rights Act and the Green New Deal.

"We face major challenges, from an attack on voting rights and reproductive rights to the climate crisis and much more," Foushee said on Twitter. "We cannot afford to fight each other in these desperate times. That is why I refused to engage in the divisiveness during this campaign."

Geels' platform includes freedom of speech, education and removing vaccine mandates.

If elected, Geels will work to support parents. She believes that federal money designated for education should go directly to parents so they can choose public, private, charter or home schools for their children.

She also will promote community college education, fight for individual rights, work to preserve the right to bear arms, vote to defund Planned Parenthood and amend Section 230 of the Communication Decency Act.

"I would like to amend that Section 230 to say if they choose to censor any one person, then they are liable for everything said on their platform," she said. "I would like to stop the censorship and promote freedom of speech."

Nida Allam, the runner-up to Foushee in the Democratic primary, thanked the people and organizations who supported her in the election on Tuesday night.

"Thank you to everyone who has made this campaign an incredible, joyful, powerful movement all across #NC04," she said in a Twitter thread. "Even though we might not see the result we hoped for tonight, this is not a loss."

She added that it was a joy and an honor to organize with young people.

Robert Thomas, the other Republican candidate, said he wanted to congratulate Geels on her win.

"She ran a great race," he said. "We had a very cordial relationship, and I sincerely hope she succeeds in what she wants to do."

@sarahchxi

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