news-record.com

GREENSBORO — County Commissioner Bruce Davis is calling out state Sen. Katie Dorsett, who Davis says pulled out of her re-election campaign at the last minute to keep away Democratic challengers and clear the way for Gladys Robinson, her chosen successor.

Davis ran against Dorsett in the Democratic primary two years ago.

He said he would have entered the District 28 race had he known Dorsett wasn’t running again. But she didn’t make that widely known. In fact, Dorsett initially filed to run but pulled out Friday, the final day for candidates to file.

“I have been interested in that seat,” Davis said. “But the way this was done, the public has been cheated out of a choice. We cannot pass down our seats to people because they’re our friends.”

Dorsett said she told Robinson of her decision in time for her to file. She decided to support Robinson because she is a friend who has wanted the seat for eight years, she said.

Davis said that’s not a good  reason.

Two Democrats — Robinson and Greensboro’s Evelyn Miller — have filed for the seat. Both got in under the wire.

Four Republicans will run for a shot at the seat, including Greensboro Councilwoman Trudy Wade. Davis said Dorsett could have allowed a stronger field of Democrats by letting others in the party know her true plans.

“There are candidates with more experience who might have run,” Davis said. “As someone with more experience, who has been a past chairman of the Guilford County Board of Commissioners, I think I would be a good candidate.”

Davis has been a strong advocate for his hometown of High Point as a commissioner. Most of the city is covered by District 28, he said, but a High Point resident hasn’t held the seat for 20 years.

“There are a number of other people in High Point who would make good candidates,” Davis said.

Dorsett said she doesn’t see why she needed to inform Davis of her decision.

“If he wanted to file, he could have filed at any time,” Dorsett said. “I didn’t keep him from doing anything.”

Davis said he has let Dorsett know he was interested in the seat in the past and thinks that pulling out when she did was at least partially a way to keep him from running.

Davis filed to run for re-election to his District 1 commissioners seat last month and can’t run in both races. But he says he’s exploring all his options, such as mounting a write-in candidacy for the state Senate seat or running as an independent.

Davis, a retired Marine who places a miniature Marine Corps flag next to an American flag at his seat during board meetings, said he isn’t giving up yet. 

“I haven’t ruled out anything,” he said.

Contact Joe Killian at 373-7023 or joe.killian@news-record.com