NC Runoff Election Preview: A look at the race for lieutenant governor

Republicans Hal Weatherman and Jim O'Neill are squaring off in a runoff for lieutenant governor. They offer very different visions for the office.

Republicans Hal Weatherman and Jim O’Neill speak to voters at an event in Cary on April 22, 2024. They are vying for their party’s nomination for lieutenant governor.

It’s not exactly the most important position in North Carolina politics.

The lieutenant governor is tasked with filling in when the governor leaves the state, administratively presiding over the state Senate and serving as a member on the State Board of Education, State Board of Community Colleges and Council of State.

But the power of the office has historically started and ended with a megaphone, where the lieutenant governor can use the title of second-highest ranking executive officeholder in the state to amplify issues and spark conversations.

In less than two weeks, voters will choose a Republican nominee to succeed Mark Robinson, the current lieutenant governor who is now running for governor. Voters’ options in the May 14 runoff election: Former political adviser Hal Weatherman and Forsyth County District Attorney Jim O’Neill.

Weatherman is running with Robinson’s support, while O’Neill is hoping a law-and-order message will resonate most with voters.

Let’s dive into the candidates’ very different strategies and plans for office…