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Voters in most state legislative districts covering Guilford County don't have choices, thanks to the advantages of incumbency. That leaves three, including one where voters have to choose a replacement for Kay Hagan, who's giving up her seat in Raleigh to run for the U.S. Senate.

State Senate, District 27

Following in Hagan's footsteps won't be easy for Democrat Don Vaughan or Republican Joe Wilson.

Vaughan, a former Greensboro city councilman, cites his experience and knowledge of the political system. Wilson, a real-estate consultant who ran unsuccessfully for Greensboro City Council, believes he can better represent constituents because he has no obligations to Raleigh power brokers.

Yet Hagan's productive Senate career illustrates the teamwork it takes to deliver the goods for the folks back home. Vaughan, 56, is better suited to build relationships with legislative leaders. He projects a broader statewide vision than Wilson, 46, who seems more at ease discussing local issues.

Vaughan supports a stronger state education system, more state funding for law enforcement and growing the economy through job creation. Wilson also lists as priorities new jobs and crime control. But he wants to limit the ability of municipalities to annex land, which is vital to orderly growth.

Vaughan claims more than 25 years of successful law practice as part of his advantage in experience. But in 2002, his application to be placed on indigent defense lists in Guilford County was disapproved by the Committee on Indigent Appointments. The decision was based on his ability, committee chairman Charles A. Lloyd said last week.

While Vaughan served on the City Council from 1991 to 2005, he seldom took a leadership role. In Raleigh, he will have to work very hard to match Hagan's accomplishments.

State House, District 58

Veteran Greensboro lawmaker Alma Adams, whose stylish headwear is her trademark, keeps adding new hats to her wardrobe.

Adams, 62, who is seeking an eighth term in House District 58, is an appropriations chairwoman and helped craft the state budget. She is chairwoman of the Legislative Black Caucus, among other key leadership posts. She faces, for the third consecutive election, Republican Olga Morgan Wright, 49. And, again, Adams is the stronger choice.

Adams has served well and long enough that her experience and influence benefit Guilford County. She has been particularly effective in advocating for the poor, and pushed hard for an increase in the state's minimum wage, which rose from $5.15 to $6.15 in 2007. Despite hailing from the home of Lorillard, she co-sponsored a bill in 2006 that banned smoking in all state legislative buildings.

Adams has had some less-distinguished moments. She argued, for a while, that there was nothing wrong with some Legislative Black Caucus Foundation scholarships going to relatives of caucus members, a practice that has since ended.

For her part, Wright, a paralegal, is spirited and determined. Every campaign she seems to manage to get under Adams' skin because she simply won't go away.

Wright says Adams has not done as well by her constituents as she should.

She describes District 58, which spans much of east Greensboro and reaches to the Alamance and Randolph county lines, as "broken."

She cites poverty, housing and education as issues, and she has a point. But she probably overestimates the ability of one elected official to transform the community. Adams has the experience and the numbers. District 58 is heavily Democratic.

State House, District 59

House District 59 sees the third contest between Democrat Maggie Jeffus, 73, and Republican Jim Rumley, 51. Last time we endorsed Rumley; this time we're not endorsing either candidate.

In 2006, we thought the Browns Summit real-estate broker was raising the right issues -- especially concerning corruption in the General Assembly -- and had the drive to tackle district concerns in Raleigh. This time around, Rumley seems less focused, which makes it hard to believe he would be an effective legislator.

Still, Rumley continues to point out problems that need addressing, such as the last General Assembly's decision to approve so many capital projects without first putting them on the ballot.

With 16 years in office, Jeffus is Guilford County's senior legislator. She is a friendly woman who is a chairwoman of the House appropriations committee, a retired teacher who has been involved in the Greensboro community for decades. It should be a no-brainer to endorse her. Except that it isn't.

Jeffus has failed to take on controversies that cry out for strong stands. The most egregious recent example was her belated and weak criticism of the corrupt practices of former N.C. Rep. Thomas Wright.

And on the legislature's decision to approve capital projects without putting them to voters, she lamely defends the action, saying the projects "were needed right away" and were "seen as a jobs program."

Jeffus showed some spine recently when she was one of a handful of legislators to oppose an override of Gov. Mike Easley's veto of a bill allowing the towing of boats too big for our roads. But usually not rocking the General Assembly's boat is Jeffus' mode of operation.