The Rev. Rodney Sadler handily defeated incumbent state Rep. Carla D. Cunningham in the Democratic primary for North Carolina’s 106th House District, ending Cunningham’s more than decade-long tenure in the General Assembly. Vermanno Bowman also ran in the primary. With no Republican opponent filed, Sadler is positioned to represent the heavily Democratic Mecklenburg County district this fall.
Unofficial results from the North Carolina State Board of Elections show Sadler receiving 69.96% of the vote (7,716 votes), while Cunningham earned 21.77% (2,401 votes). Bowman received 8.27% (912 votes).
Sadler, a pastor and community advocate, centered his campaign on public schools, affordability, and immigrant rights. He received endorsements from Gov. Josh Stein, the Black Political Caucus of Charlotte-Mecklenburg, and the North Carolina Democratic Party Progressive Caucus.
Following the results, Sadler framed the outcome as a shift in the district’s political direction.
“Tonight, the voters of House District 106 have taken a decisive step forwards — leading the entire state towards a future where working families can thrive,” Sadler posted on social media. “For fifteen long years, extremist politicians in Raleigh have been putting profits over people: freezing the minimum wage at $7.25, slashing corporate taxes towards 0%, giving Duke Energy free rein to raise rates, and inviting ICE to terrorize our communities. They tell us to blame and fear each other based on the color of our skin or where we were born. Tonight, the people of North Charlotte have said loudly and clearly: enough is enough.”
Cunningham, a registered nurse with more than 30 years of health care experience, was first elected to the House in 2012. During the campaign, she pointed to her legislative record, including support for Medicaid expansion, mental health funding, and state appropriations for local nonprofits and community programs.
Despite her seniority, Cunningham’s reelection bid drew significant intraparty opposition. The challenge stemmed largely from her voting record, which at times broke with Democratic leadership. Most notably, she joined Republicans last year in overriding vetoes issued by Democratic Gov. Josh Stein. Those measures included legislation requiring local law enforcement to cooperate more closely with federal immigration authorities.
Cunningham retained backing from traditional local allies and law enforcement groups, including the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Fraternal Order of Police. She also secured endorsements from veteran Democratic state Sens. Dan Blue and Gladys Robinson, who cited her legislative experience and record of securing resources for the district.
