[FreedomPoster]

>>>>If Nifong didn't run with a (D) next to his name on the ballot, and wasn't appointed by one, then I don't think of it as a "Democrat scandal". But it's interesting that he is a Democrat.

>>He ran in the "D" primary

And in the general election, I believe with a "D" next to his name. In a town where the primary pretty much is the election, though I think he almost got nailed by a write-in, in the general election.

Pinging some locals for clarification.

[Locomotive Breath]

The primary election was in May. Nifong ran in the "D" primary against two other candidates. Because Durham is so heavily "D", there were no "R" candidates and no "R" primary. The extent of Nifong's behavior was only suspected at that time. Nifong won only a plurality in the primary.

In the November general election, Nifong ran against two other candidates. Having won the "D" primary, Nifong was on the ballot as a "D". There was no official "R" candidate on the ballot. Cheek who is a "D" got enough signatures on a petition to be on the ballot but was listed as "unaffiliated". After getting on the ballot, Cheek decided he didn't really want the job and announced that, if elected, he would not serve. An "R" candidate Monks wanted the job but did not get enough signatures by the deadline to be listed on the ballot by name, but he did get enough signatures to be validated as a write-in candidate so that if people wrote in his name it would count. Against an empty chair and a true write in candidate, Nifong got about 49% of the vote.