NEW HANOVER COUNTY, N.C. (WECT) – A New Hanover County Board of Education member said Wednesday that his campaign efforts helped flip control of the board to Democrats, who swept all four open seats in Tuesday’s election.
Although David Perry’s seat wasn’t on the ballot, he said he played an active role in the race by targeting two Republican colleagues he has publicly clashed with: Pat Bradford and Josie Barnhart. During the general election campaign, Perry launched advertisements and a website sharply criticizing both incumbents.
Bradford and Barnhart entered Tuesday as the top two vote-getters in the spring primary. Neither won reelection.
While the outcome mirrored broader local and national Democratic gains, Perry credited his campaign with tipping the scales.
“I do think that … my ads and the website did have the effect that it was looking for as far as Pat Bradford and Josie Barnhart,” Perry said. “I think you can tell just by the fact that those were the top two primary vote-getters in the primary, and they finished seventh and eighth respectively. So I think it was effective.”
Perry said he is now focused on governing alongside the incoming majority.
“I’m hoping that… I can form some good working relationships as far as you know being able to talk to each other, hear each other out, and even agree to disagree when, you know, have to,” Perry said.
Barnhart posted a statement saying she is proud of her campaign and remains focused on student success. Bradford has not responded to multiple requests for comment.
The new board members will be sworn in next month. Democrats will hold majority control of the New Hanover County School Board for the first time in four years.
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