Five Republicans are competing for the open seat in N.C. Senate District 41 in Mecklenburg County, the most crowded GOP primary in the upper house this year.

No Democrats filed for the seat, meaning the May 8 primary will serve as the deciding vote for who will represent the district in the state legislature. As of the February 29 filing deadline, the district was one of 10 open seats in the state Senate.

Under newly drawn state redistricting maps, district 41 now encompasses northern Mecklenburg County, skirts the eastern border of the county, and reaches down to southeast Charlotte. The district is entirely different from its last iteration under the old maps — which included parts of Gaston, Lincoln, and Iredell counties.

The district leans Republican. Just over 39 percent of the district’s 122,869 registered voters are Republican. Another 32 percent of voters are registered Democratic. Twenty-eight percent identify themselves as unaffiliated.

The five candidates: John Aneralla, Robby Benton, Donald Copeland, Troy Stafford, and Jeff Tarte.

Aneralla, former chairman of the Mecklenburg County Republican Party and a candidate in Senate District 40 in 2010, said “the role of government in citizens’ lives should be as limited as absolutely possible.”

If elected, he listed five priorities in Raleigh: Promoting private sector job creation through lowering taxes and eliminating regulations; limiting government spending; defending traditional, values “including the right to life, traditional marriage, and our Second Amendment rights”; and lowering energy costs by cutting the gas tax and allowing offshore drilling and “fracking.”

Cornelius Mayor Jeff Tarte calls himself a supply-sider on economics. If elected, he said, “I would definitely look to control spending, keep it in the programs we’re chartered to do by the constitution, and try to eliminate things.”

Tarte said that his greatest asset is experience and background. “I’m the only one who has ever been elected. We’ve cut taxes four times. We have an unbelievable performance record.”

At the same time, he shied away from naming his political philosophy as either “moderate” or “conservative,” saying that labels “always get you in trouble.” He described himself as closely aligned with House Speaker Thom Tillis, R-Mecklenburg, in his approach.

“I will tilt toward getting results over trying to win the ideology argument,” he said.

Benton, who didn’t respond to interview requests, grew up in Charlotte and owns RAB Racing. A former Mallard Creek volunteer firefighter, Benton lives in Huntersville.

Benton says on his website that state legislators need to lower the state gas tax in order to remain competitive in the supply of goods and services; make a strong effort to reduce the burden on taxpayers; and reduce government regulation that hinders growth.

Benton also says that he supports the proposed constitutional amendment defining marriage as the union of one man and one woman, banning civil unions and same-sex marriage in North Carolina. He backs a voter identification law that was approved by the General Assembly and vetoed by Democratic Gov. Bev Perdue in 2011.

Copeland is a native of the area, attended Davidson College, and earned his medical degree from UNC-Chapel Hill in 1963. Copeland, who lives in Cornelius, has practiced medicine for more than 40 years, and still works part time as a clinical physician in a county health department.

He told Carolina Journal that he considers stabilizing property taxes a hot-button issue in his district — specifically for longtime residents who are retired. “We have people here who are having to take out loans so they can pay their taxes,” he said.

Among his priorities other priorities are limiting state spending, funding the budget with existing revenues, and encouraging industries in the state to increase jobs and wages, according to a questionnaire (PDF download) by the Free Enterprise Foundation.

Troy Stafford, who didn’t respond to interview requests, lives in Cornelius and is partner in a Charlotte law firm. He earned his J.D. in law from Campbell University in 1991.

According to his website, Stafford has served on the board of the Mecklenburg County D.A.R.E. and the Ronald McDonald House of Charlotte. He cites property taxes, adequate police and fire protection, improved roads, and a quality education system as priorities for district 41.

“If elected, I would concentrate my efforts on originating and supporting legislation that advances education with appropriations that currently exist,” Stafford said. “I would support the recruitment of businesses large and small to locate within my district and grow jobs and economic development.”

Kristy Bailey is a contributor to Carolina Journal. CJ Associate Editor David N. Bass contributed reporting to this story.