Davis out, Corbin in for state senate race in 2020

    Franklin – North Carolina Sen. Jim Davis will not run for re-election in 2020, and state Rep. Kevin Corbin will give up his House seat in a bid to take the vacant senate seat.
    Davis (R-Franklin) is serving his fourth term as state senator representing District 50, which includes Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Jackson, Macon and Swain counties. Corbin, also a Republican from Franklin, is serving his second term in the state House after he was re-elected in 2018. He represents District 120, which includes Cherokee, Clay, Graham and Macon counties.
    Both seats are up for election in 2020. What those districts will look like come Election Day is a question mark, though, after a North Carolina court ruled Sept. 3 that the state’s legislative district map was unconstitutional.
    The Republican-led General Assembly was ordered to redraw the maps by Wednesday, Sept. 18, without using demographic data to create a partisan advantage. The process must be public, and an appointed “referee” will review the maps before they are enacted.
    Davis and Corbin held a press conference at Macon County Republican Headquarters on Saturday afternoon. More than 100 residents from across both districts turned out to hear the announcement.
    Davis shared his experiences during his tenure as a senator. He spoke about his early days as a Macon County commissioner, his razor-thin 161-vote margin of victory for his first term in the Senate in 2010, and the impacts that he and fellow Republicans have made in regard to tax rates and health care.
    Despite his love for the job, he said he felt ready to pass the torch.
    “Words cannot express my gratitude to those who worked hard and sacrificed to create the foundation on which I stood,” Davis said. “I am proud of my record, and now it is time to go home to my wife and my family.”
    Davis ended his remarks with an official endorsement of Corbin’s candidacy. Corbin, also a former Macon County commissioner, who has served in the N.C. House since 2016, said he wasn’t considering leaving the House when Davis first told him of his plans.
    But after talking things over with Senate leadership and being promised a “lateral move” to maintain influence for western North Carolina, he decided a transition would be for the best.
    “I was approached by Senate leadership about running and began to have conversations about my potential roles in that chamber,” Corbin said.
    “After a few months, they convinced me that it is the right move for both the caucus and myself. …
    “I will be in the position to help whoever takes my seat as to continue to advocate for far-western North Carolina. They have convinced me that it is a win-win for my district. It’s not about me at all. If it was, I would stay put in the House.”
    A primary election is scheduled for March 3, 2020. The filing deadline is Dec. 20.
    Corbin also said he will aspire to be as strong an influencer in the Senate as Davis has been.
    “What a pleasure it has been to serve in the House with Jim Davis in the Senate,” Corbin said. “Jim Davis is a statesmen. … It’s all about the influence you have with your peers, and Jim Davis has that.”
    Macon County Republican Party Chair Carla Miller was amazed by the heavy turnout for the event. She said that the difference made by local politicians on the state level has been an inspiration.
    “It’s amazing to me that this little village in western North Carolina near the Georgia border can produce this much talent,” Miller said. “It’s a great day to be a Republican.”