U.S. Rep. Patrick McHenry won soundly Tuesday and will defend his seat in November against a Democratic nominee best-known for heroics in the Navy.
About 67 percent of the Republican voters in the 10th congressional district cast their ballots for McHenry, a lawmaker from Cherryville, over attorney Lance Sigmon of Newton, with 96 percent of precincts reporting.
"Decency and civility matter," McHenry said after declaring victory. "A campaign on issues and ideas is what the voters want. Winning by such a large margin is a statement to issues and results speaking louder than wild accusations."
In the Democratic primary, Hickory attorney and former sailor Daniel Johnson led retired engineer Steve Ivester, also of Hickory, with 60 percent of the vote and 96 percent of precincts reporting.
"We feel confident and we're getting ready to start focusing on November and moving forward," Johnson said.
The Republican primary was particularly contentious. Sigmon accused McHenry of putting Americans' lives at risk by posting video online of himself in Baghdad talking about how close enemy fire had come to visiting lawmakers. Looking to the fall, McHenry said he would show that he reflected the conservative values of his district. On Tuesday, he jabbed at his Democratic opponent Johnson, calling him "the trial lawyer (House Speaker) Nancy Pelosi recruited."
Johnson has said McHenry contributes to the breakdown of the legislative process by being combative in Congress, and he thinks the public is ready for new leadership.
Johnson gained notoriety in 1999 when he ran to help a fellow sailor who got trapped by a dangerous tow line on a Navy ship. They survived, but both were badly injured, and Johnson lost his lower legs in the accident.
Johnson has shown that he can raise money, but McHenry had a substantial fundraising advantage going into the primary.
McHenry had $326,000 in the bank, while Johnson had $166,000 as of April 16.The partisan makeup of the district is stacked against Johnson -- only 36 percent of its voters have registered as Democrats. About 65 percent of the district voted for Bush in 2004 and in 2000, years when the president squeaked out a win nationally.
But Johnson said Democratic turnout will be great in the fall, there are many independents in the district, and he thinks Republican voters will come to the polls "with an open mind."
