Who will replace Rep. Cary Allred in the House?

So far, "a bunch of folks" have said they're interested in the job, according to Alamance County Republican Party head Robert Simpson.

The most notable are County Commissioner Dan Ingle and former state Sen. Hugh Webster.

Also considering the post are attorney Keith Whited of Burlington, retired banker Steve Carter of Burlington, postal worker Kenneth Kruger of Graham.

Former secretary of state candidate Jack Sawyer was interested, but he does not live in the district, and Alamance GOP vice chairman Dennis Riddell took himself out of the running.

The party's 25-member executive committee will meet June 11 at the Alamance County Courthouse to choose among the candidates.

Gov. Beverly Perdue will then officially appoint their selection.

The races for open seats for lieutenant governor and state treasurer could be close contests, according to the latest results from Public Policy Polling.

But while most incumbents for Council of State offices enjoy "solid leads" in the latest survey, State Auditor Les Merritt, a Republican, trails Democratic challenger Beth Wood.

PPP surveyed 616 likely voters on May 8-9. The survey had a margin of error of plus or minus four percentage points.

The full results in the various Council of State races after the jump:

   Comments (0)

Jack Sawyer is officially running for secretary of state.

Sawyer now works as an attorney and Realtor in Burlington. He also serves as the director of Alliance Mutual Insurance Company in Greensboro.

He has served as the Alamance County chairman for Republican gubernatorial candidate Bill Cobey in 2004. That same year he was an alternate delegate to the Republican National Convention in New York City. He also has worked for several candidates as a volunteer, fundraiser and campaign treasurer.

Sawyer's political career began while he attended UNC-Chapel Hill. As a student, he was a summer intern for Sen. Jesse Helms in Washington, D.C.

He's been rumored to be running since early December.

Democratic incumbent Elaine Marshall, who has been in office since 1996, is running for re-election.

At least two more Republicans are running in 2008.

According to a post on N.C. Republican Roundtable, Burlington attorney Jack Sawyer is seeking the GOP nomination for secretary of state and Tryon resident Joe Johnson is running for superintendent of public instruction.

The blog does not name any Republicans for commissioner of insurance.