Early results show Cook leading in state senate race, Judge-Boswell race is tight By IRENE NOLAN

With 68 percent of the precincts reporting at about 9:30 p.m., Republican incumbent Bill Cook had a commanding lead over his Democratic challenger, Brownie Futrell, in the race for the state Senate’s District 1.  Cook had 62 percent of the vote to Futrell’s 38.

The race for state House of Representatives District 6, pitting two Dare County commissioners against each other, is much tighter.  At 9:30 p.m. with 70 percent of the precincts reporting, the late Warren Judge had 51 percent of the vote to Boswell’s 49.  If Judge wins, his wife, Tess, will accept the votes for her late husband.

At 9:30, Dare County had only 10 of 16 precincts reporting — about 62 percent of the vote.  Judge and Boswell were also in a close race — 52 percent for Judge to Boswell’s 48.  Cook led Futrell 60 to 40 percent.

In Hyde County, all precincts have reported, and Judge took 57 percent of the vote  to 43 percent for Boswell.  Cook had 53 percent of the vote, compared to Futrell’s 47.

In Dare County, all Republican candidates for county commissioner were running ahead of their Democratic challengers.

At the top of the ticket, with about 79 percent of the precincts reporting, Republicans were doing well with both Presidential candidate Donald Trump, Gov. Pat McCrory, and U.S. Sen. Richard Burr leading in their races.