LUMBERTON — Once again David Edge has done what other Republicans have been unable to do in Robeson County and that is winning a third term on the Robeson County Board of Commissioners.
He defeated his challenger, Democrat Ray Cox, by a sizable margin in the District 6 race with Edge bringing in 2,944 votes, 59 percent, compared with Cox’s 2,104, or 41 percent, according to North Carolina Board of Elections. Some votes still had to be counted.
Edge, 65, said he felt a sense of anticipation as he always does when he runs for re-election, but was somewhat confident that he was going to come out on top.
“I’m glad that it’s over,” he said. “I’m looking forward to being a part of making change on the board.”
He believes the two newly elected commissioners, especially Faline Locklear Dial, being the new female to the commission, will help with that change. Dial and incumbent Lance Herndon were unopposed on Tuesday. Dial will replace Noah Woods, who did not seek re-election.
“I think she is going to be a good asset to the board,” he said. “She is a business person, and I believe she is going to be very good for the board, I really do.”
Cox was unavailable for comment.
Edge’s road to a third term was not a smooth one.
Edge faced competition in the May 8 Republican primary, running against fellow Republican, Ronald G. Hammonds. Wins in May and on Tuesday leave Edge as the sole Republican on the board.
Edge said a lot of politicians, even some on the county board, call themselves Democrats, but share his political ideology.
“There are a lot of good Republicans disguised as Democrats,” he said. “These guys, when they get in that back room, are totally different and hide who they are. I speak my mind.”
Edge is the owner of Image Supply Inc. in Lumberton, which he started when he was 23, and is a graduate of Cape Fear High School. He said “the School of Hard Knocks” has helped him survive and thrive politically as a Republican.
“I like to look at the facts and some (politicians) will only put something together that will benefit them,” he said. “They’re playing politics and there is no place for it in business. County government is a big business and there is a lot money running through it.”
Once sworn in he will continue to speak out on behalf of better government despite not being a part of the political majority, Edge said. He also wants to try again to form an advisory board geared toward bringing new business to the county.
Berlester Campbell, who died on Sept. 28, was also on the ballot. The Robeson County Democratic Party will pick his replacement, and it could decide the balance on the board.
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