A longtime Gaston County commissioner is officially launching a bid for higher office. Mickey Price, a Republican who has represented Belmont for 13 years announced this week a campaign for the N.C. House of Representatives in District 109.
The seat represents southeast Gaston County and is currently held by Rep. Dana Bumgardner, also a Republican. He was elected in 2012 and is in the middle of a two-year term. Price acknowledged last fall he was considering a bid for the District 109 seat, but was still weighing his options. He said he wanted to be fairly sure the field wouldn’t be too crowded, as it was in 2012. Bumgardner defeated three other challengers in the GOP primary that year, before coasting to victory in the general election.
“It was a four-man race last time,” said Price. “That split the votes up and he was able to win.”
Two years ago, Bumgardner was also the lone Republican candidate opposing the Garden Parkway, a proposed toll road through the district. Since then, the state has changed its formula for funding road improvements and taken away money that was long earmarked for the parkway. Bumgardner’s toll-road stance was largely responsible for his winning election.
“His one issue was (being against) the parkway, which is gone now, so that shouldn’t be an issue this time,” Price said.
Bumgardner said he was aware Price had been contemplating a campaign in District 109. But he said he’s prepared for the challenge. “I look forward to the race,” he said. “But even more important than that, I look forward to comparing my conservative record in the House to his record on the county commission. For now, that’s about all I have to say about it.”
Price, who turns 65 in March, said he considered running against former Democratic state Sen. David Hoyle several years ago. But a run for state office makes more sense now, he said. “I’m at the stage of my life where if I’m going to do it, now is the right time,” he said. “Family-wise and work-wise, it’s just working out very well.”
He said his main reason for running will be to push for Medicaid reform, to cut the costs of the program.
“I think I can help them out in Raleigh when it comes to Medicaid,” he said. “I just think there are some requirements and limitations we need to look at.”
You can reach Michael Barrett at 704-869-1826 or twitter.com/GazetteMike.