Edwards looks to fill Humphrey seat

Three weeks before the candidate filing period begins, Harry Edwards has already thrown his hat in the ring to fill County Commissioner Chris Humphrey’s seat.

Edwards, 31, is currently chairman of the Lenoir County Republican Party and is also a self-employed business consultant.

He announced Saturday he would run for Humphrey’s District 2 seat — which serves La Grange, the Falling Creek area and the outskirts of Kinston — a day after Humphrey announced he was running for the seat of outgoing state Sen. Charlie Albertson, D-Duplin.

“If people are wondering what to expect out of me, they won’t see a whole lot of difference in the voting history of that seat and me taking it over,” Edwards said. “I will hold the line that has been held out of that seat.”

Humphrey, who is also a Republican, has often cast the lone vote against annual county budgets, arguing for greater spending and tax reductions than his fellow commissioners proposals.

Humphrey has also opposed contributing $500,000 in taxpayer funds to the proposed Woodmen of the World community center and spending $3.4 million to provide a natural gas line for Sanderson Farms’ Kinston facilities.

“I think that, over time, not properly dealing with the budget has put us in this situation, so I think there needs to be some fundamental changes in the balance sheet of Lenoir County,” Edwards said.

He added: “I know what it’s like to have to say, ‘not right now,’ or to hold off on an item because the money’s not there. I treat county residents’ money like it’s my own, and I will vote not to spend it if it’s not there.”

Edwards, who grew up within District 2, has been involved in local politics since 2006, when he served as the Lenoir County coordinator for Judge Rusty Duke’s campaign for the state Supreme Court that year. He also became the secretary of the Lenoir County GOP during 2006.

“To me, there’s two sides of dealing with issues, and that’s the activist side and the side that’s able to vote on them,” he said. “I fee like I’ve put my time in on the activist side of the desk, and I think I’m qualified, with that seat being vacated, to sit on the decision-making side.”

David Anderson can be reached at 252-559-1077 or danderson@freedomenc.com.

Harry Edwards at a glance:

Age: 31

Residence: Castle Oaks

Political affiliation: Republican

Occupation: Business consultant

Education: B.A., business administration, Mt. Olive College 2009, Bethel Christian Academy 1996

Associations: National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors, Lenoir County Planning Board, Boys and Girls Club of Lenoir County board, Kinston Rotary, Lenoir County Fair Association, Lenoir County GOP, Emmanuel F.W.B. Church, La Grange