Following two weeks of filing for the 2016 primary election, only one local incumbent and two in U.S. Congress have attracted competition.

Competitive races with direct representation of Rowan include: the 12th Congressional District, 5th Congressional District and 77th District in the N.C. State House.

Incumbent U.S. Rep. Alma Adams, a Democrat seeking re-election, has competition from Winston-Salem resident Gardenia Henley, a Democrat. Adams worked in higher education as an administrator and art professor before being elected to the U.S. Congress in 2014. Adams also served in the N.C. General Assembly.

Henley most recently ran for the 5th Congressional District in 2014. She also ran for governor in 2012. On her website, Henley says she worked as a professor at Strayer University in Arlington, Va. and the U.S. Department of State. She is also an Air Force veteran.

In the 5th Congressional District, incumbent U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx, a Republican, has competition from Kernersville resident Pattie Curran, also a Republican. Foxx has served in the U.S. House since 2005. She has worked in higher education and served in the N.C. Senate.

Curran is a stay-at-home mom who’s been a social worker, political activist and served in the Louisiana Army National Guard. She also formed a nonprofit group to combat Swachman-Diamond Syndrome, an inherited condition that can reduce output of certain white blood cells, result in a malfunctioning pancreas and skeletal abnormalities.

The final race with primary competition as of Friday afternoon is the 77th District seat in the N.C. House. Incumbent U.S. Rep. Harry Warren, a Republican, has competition from University of North Carolina at Charlotte master’s degree student Andrew Poston. Warren is running for his fourth term. It’s Poston’s first time running for office.

Warren is a human resources specialist. Poston is studying for a master’s degree in teaching at UNCC.

Races without competition for incumbents in the 2016 primaries include the 8th Congressional District, 76th N.C. House District, 25 N.C. Senate District, 34th N.C. Senate District, Rowan County Commissioner and Rowan’s Kannapolis School Board seat.

All Rowan U.S. Reps vote for visa waiver bill

President Barack Obama asked and the U.S. House delivered.

The U.S. House voted to strengthen the U.S. Visa Waiver Program, which allows citizens of 38 countries to travel to the United States without a visa for stays of 90 days or less when they meet certain requirements. The bill passed this week is designed to strengthen the program’s security and ensure those entering the U.S. aren’t security threats.

It received overwhelming support with 407 U.S. House representatives voting in favor and 19 voting against. Only Democrats were among the 19 no votes. U.S. Rep. Alma Adams, D-12, voted for the bill.

President Obama called on Congress to pass such a bill during a televised speech last week.

U.S. Rep. Richard Hudson, R-8, compared the bill to one that gained national attention earlier this year to strengthen vetting of Syrian and Iraqi refugees. Hudson called the visa waiver bill common-sense measure to keep terrorists out of America.

“The stakes have never been higher as radical Islamic terrorists continue to look for any opportunity to infiltrate America to kill us and carry out their barbaric attacks in our communities,” Hudson said in a prepared statement. “We know thousands of radicalized people with Western passports have traveled to Iraq and Syria to fight with terrorists groups like ISIS, and the House is taking decisive action to close security gaps these foreign fighters could exploit.”

U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-5, said national security is the federal government’s No. 1 job and the bill reduced the risks terrorists pose to America.

“We need a comprehensive review of how foreigners gain admittance to the United States — whether through the refugee process, border crossings or visas – so we can take the necessary steps to protect America and her people,” Foxx said in a prepared statement.

McCrory supports bipartisan education bill

Gov. Pat McCrory this week praised passage of a bipartisan measure to replace the controversial No Child Left Behind Act.

After passing both houses of Congress with support from both parties, President Barack Obama signed The Every Student Succeeds Act on Thursday. One significant measure of the new education bill grants states the ability to adopt common core standards, but does not require it.

McCrory praised the bill for returning control of the education system to local and state levels and reducing standardized testing. He specifically thanked U.S. Rep Virginia Foxx, R-5, for her work in crafting the bill.

“This important and bipartisan legislation helps us achieve both goals, while maintaining high standards that are vitally important to our students’ success,” McCrory said in a prepared statement. “I would like to thank members of the North Carolina congressional delegation for their support of this measure, especially Senator Richard Burr and Representative Virginia Foxx for their tireless work on crafting the final version of the bill. I would also like to extend a special thank you to Senator Burr who successfully corrected an inequity in federal education funding that will yield an additional estimated $24 million annually for North Carolina teachers and students.”

Contact reporter Josh Bergeron at 704-797-4246.