Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles beat four Democratic challengers with nearly 87% of the vote in Tuesday's partisan municipal primaries. The first-term mayor will face Republican and perennial candidate David Michael Rice in November.
"We still have more work to do as we head into November, and I want to continue to earn the honor of being your mayor," Lyles said on Twitter after her victory.
In the race for City Council's at-large seats, incumbent Democrats Braxton Winston, James Mitchell, Dimple Ajmera, and Julie Eiselt moved on to the fall ballot. Republican Joshua Richardson, who had no opponent in the primary, will also be on the November ballot for the four City Council at-large seats.
Incumbent Democratic councilwoman Lawana Mayfield will not be moving on to the fall ballot. She represents District 3 but ran for an at-large seat this year, coming up short against the four incumbents.
Incumbent Democrats Larken Egleston of District 1 and Matt Newton of District 6 also beat primary challengers Tuesday, as did Republican Ed Driggs of District 7. Malcolm Graham won a four-person Democratic primary for District 2, Victoria Watlington won a three-person Democratic primary for District 3 and Renee Perkins Johnson won a six-person Democratic primary for District 4.
Graham, a former state senator, said Charlotte's crime and housing challenges compelled him to run.
"The rise in crime rate over 75 homicides, the issue of affordable housing and gentrification along West Trade Street, Beatties Ford corridor, the RNC coming to Charlotte and my belief that the council did not provide thoughtful consideration around that decision all inspired me to seek a seat on the Charlotte City Council to bring some mature steady leadership," Graham said.
The general election will be Nov. 5.
