TONIGHT, AND BILL O’NEIL JOINS US NOW WITH THIS STORY. SAM WATFORD SAYS THAT DAVIDSON COUNTY VOTERS HAVE ELECTED HIM TO OFFICE EIGHT DIFFERENT TIMES. THREE TIMES AS A COUNTY COMMISSIONER AND FIVE TIMES AS A MEMBER OF THE NORTH CAROLINA HOUSE. THE LAST TIME THESE TWO CANDIDATES COMPETED FOR THE SAME OFFICE WAS 2018. EDDIE GALLIMORE WON THAT STATE SENATE RACE, SAID WATFORD BLAMES THE LOSS ON A VOTE OVER CONCEALED CARRY PERMITS. WAS I WAS WELL KNOWN ALL OVER THE COUNTY AND ALL OVER THE DISTRICT AND STILL THE ISSUE WITH THE CONCEALED CARRY PERMIT THING, AND THAT’S WHAT JUDGING THAT’S WHAT DID ME IN. THERE’S NO THERE’S NO DOUBT ABOUT THAT. THEY BROUGHT HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN HERE IN LITTLE COUNTY LIKE OURS AND SPENT AGAINST ME. WATFORD STAGED A COMEBACK IN 2020, WINNING THIS SEAT ON EDUCATION. WE ASKED THE CANDIDATE ABOUT TEACHER PAY IN THE LAST BUDGET. DO YOU THINK THE REPUBLICANS GAVE TEACHERS ENOUGH OF A RAISE THIS YEAR? EVERYBODY GOT A RAISE AND THAT’S ALL YOU CAN SAY. THINGS ARE EXPENSIVE. THEY REALLY ARE. SO THERE’S NO YOU CAN’T SAY, WELL, DID WE GIVE THEM ENOUGH OF A RAISE, YOU KNOW. WELL I JUST YOUR OPINION. DID YOU DO YOU THINK THEY GOT ENOUGH OF A RAISE. OH MY. I MEAN, MY MY FAMILY’S ALL TEACHERS AND I’M REALLY I LIVE WITH IT. WE GOT THEY GOT A LITTLE RAISE. THAT’S ALL I CAN SAY. WELL, IS YOUR FAMILY HAPPY WITH IT? IF THEY’RE TEACHERS, WERE THEY HAPPY WITH THE MONEY THEY RAISE? YES, THEY ARE. THEY BETTER THAN NOT GETTING ANY AT ALL. WATFORD SAYS HE OPPOSES LEGALIZING RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA, BUT HIS POSITION ON MEDICAL USE IS NOT CLEAR. I’VE HEARD SOME GOOD ARGUMENTS IN FAVOR OF THE MEASURE. IS THERE SOMETHING YOU THINK YOU COULD VOTE FOR? MEDICAL THAT DEPENDS ON HOW IT’S WRITTEN AND WHAT IT IS. AND SO AS IT IS NOW, IT’S NOT SOMETHING YOU COULD SUPPORT IT. AND THERE’S ANOTHER THING I’LL POINT OUT THAT I’VE BEEN DOING THIS LONG ENOUGH TO WHERE I DON’T I DON’T COMMIT TO YOU OR ANYBODY ELSE ON ANYTHING. IF YOU NEVER COMMIT TO ANYTHING, YOU DON’T EVER HAVE TO ANSWER, WHY DID YOU DO THIS? OR WHY DID YOU DO THAT? I DO LIKE THE SOUND OF MEDICAL MARIJUANA, AND IT LOOKED GOOD. BUT AS FAR AS YES AND NO, AND I WILL AND I WON’T. I’M NOT GOING TO SAY THAT TODAY. I NEVER DO. WOULD YOU LIKE TO ELIMINATE THE INCOME TAX IN NORTH CAROLINA? WE NEED TO WORK IT ON DOWN A LITTLE BIT. WE REALLY DO, UH, ELIMINATE IT, ELIMINATE IT COMPLETELY. I CAN’T SEE THAT HAPPENING IN MY TIME DOWN THERE. IT’S STILL A VERY LARGE PART OF THE BUDGET. WATFORD’S OPPONENT IN THE GOP PRIMARY IS A LONGTIME FRIEND. THE ONLY THING HE SAID THE NEGATIVE ABOUT YOU IS THAT YOU WERE ONCE A DEMOCRAT. IS THAT TRUE? THAT’S TRUE. THAT’S VERY TRUE. WATFORD SAYS HE SWITCHED PARTIES WHEN HIS FATHER IN LAW, A REPUBLICAN NAMED JOE HEGGIE, RAN FOR LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR BACK IN THE MID 90S. WATFORD, HIS OPPONENT NEXT MONTH IS EDDIE GALLIMORE, THE PRIMARY IS MARCH 5TH, EARLY VOTING IS ALREAD