CHARLOTTE — Republican City Councilmember Edwin Peacock III announced on June 27 that he will seek re-election to a third term in his at-large seat on city council.
Endorsed twice by the Mecklenburg LGBT Political Action Committee (MeckPAC), Peacock was first elected to council in 2007. Peacock currently serves as chairman of the council’s Environmental Committee and is a member of the Public Safety and Budget Committees.
“It’s an honor to serve the citizens of Charlotte. My work is not done and I want to continue to serve the community,” Peacock said in a statement.
In 2007, Peacock was the only Republican endorsed by MeckPAC. In 2009, he shared that honor with at-large candidate Georgia Belk, wife of Mecklenburg County Judge Bill Belk. Despite those endorsements, WCNC reported just weeks after the 2009 election that Peacock, along with fellow Republicans Andy Dulin and Warren Cooksey, would not support extending domestic partner benefits to same-sex partners of city employees.
qnotes reached out to but was unable to speak with Peacock for comment or clarification regarding his views on domestic partner benefits.
This year’s city election will include openly lesbian candidate LaWana Mayfield. She is challenging incumbent District 3 Councilman Warren Turner in their Democratic primary on Sept. 13. Mayfield is the fourth openly gay or lesbian person to seek election to local office in Charlotte.
Incumbent David Howard, a Democratic at-large councilmember, has also announced he’ll run for re-election. According to The Charlotte Observer, Mayor Pro Tem Patrick Cannon is also expected to run for re-election. Neither Cannon nor Howard were endorsed by MeckPAC in 2009, though the group said the candidates were “receptive” to LGBT issues and “open-minded and positive about LGBT equality,” but might “not be as effective an advocate as a candidate receiving full endorsement.”
The 2011 elections will also pit one-term Democratic Mayor Anthony Foxx against challenging Republican Scott Stone. Foxx is the first African-American elected mayor since Harvey Gantt. Stone is endorsed by former Republican Mayor Pat McCrory.
Candidate filing for council and mayoral races opens on July 25. : :