North Carolina primaries 2018: Democrats eye suburban districts in a deeply gerrymandered state

The 2018 midterms kick off in earnest on Tuesday, with voters heading to the polls for key primaries in Ohio, West Virginia, Indiana, and North Carolina.

The primaries will decide candidates for crucial House, Senate, and governor’s races — and in North Carolina, Democrats are hoping to make headway in the suburbs.

Former state lawmaker Linda Coleman and tech entrepreneur Ken Romley face off in a competitive Democratic primary to challenge incumbent Rep. George Holding in the Second District. Meanwhile, Democrat Dan McCready hopes to become the next Conor Lamb in the Ninth District. The suburban district outside Charlotte is heavily gerrymandered, but Democrats believe the Marine Corps veteran and solar energy entrepreneur has a chance to steal the seat from incumbent Rep. Robert Pittenger — who faces his own tough primary challenge.

In the 13th District, Kathy Manning, a philanthropist, former immigration lawyer, and major Democratic donor, is running on jobs and affordable health care. In 2018, that might be enough to mount a real challenge to Republican incumbent Ted Budd.

All of this is taking place in one of the most gerrymandered states in the country. About half of North Carolina voters are Democrats, but Republicans control 10 of the state’s 13 congressional districts. Republicans’ incredibly lopsided advantage could help determine control of the House in 2018, and it’s polarizing the state’s politics.