Democrat James Taylor announces for state Senate, Republican Glenn Cobb runs for state House

Democrat James Taylor of Winston-Salem announced Wednesday that he is running in N.C. Senate District 32, and Republican Glenn Cobb became the third candidate for the seat that Rep. Dale Folwell is vacating in House District 74.

Cobb, the chief staff executive for the Winston-Salem Regional Association of Realtors, said he would have the "courage to make tough choices" to "improve our economy, produce more jobs, enhance commerce throughout the state and restore the traditional conservative values our community stands for."

Two other Republicans, state Rep. Larry Brown, whose current House District 73 vanished during redistricting, and Forsyth County Commissioner Debra Conrad, have previously announced they will run. Folwell is running for lieutenant governor.

Taylor, a member of the Winston-Salem City Council, became the first candidate officially in the race for the Senate District 32 seat.

Taylor won his first elected office in 2009, when he gained a four-year term on the city council.

If he wins, Taylor would replace Sen. Linda Garrou, D-Forsyth, who announced Tuesday that she would not run for re-election. Redistricting removed her home from her district and would require that she run in the heavily Republican Senate District 31 against state Sen. Pete Brunstetter, a powerful Forsyth County Republican.

Taylor said his experience with the city council shows he can work well with Democrats and Republicans to get things done. He said his campaign would "focus on the most important priorities facing the majority of North Carolina's residents, including maintaining and creating good-paying jobs, investing in education, reducing crime … and repairing our aging roads and bridges."

Taylor said children are badly affected when they don't have opportunities, education and strong families. He said state lawmakers must work together to improve those conditions.

Although state Rep. Earline Parmon, D-Forsyth, has expressed interest in Senate District 32, she has said she would wait to make a decision after Rep. Larry Womble, D-Forsyth, announces his plans. Womble was seriously injured in a December auto accident.

Cobb said his political experience includes working as a field representative for the U.S. Senate campaign of Jim Broyhill in 1986 and four years working for Gov. Jim Martin in the Department of Human Resources. Cobb also ran a district office for Rep. Alex McMillan, who represented the 9th Congressional District in the Charlotte area.

Cobb has served as director of business development for a national health-care firm, then started his own health-care company, which he sold in 2000. He worked as a commercial real estate broker until starting with the Realtors' group and the Home Builders Association in 2004.

Cobb stresses that he's not a "career politician" and that his "vast business experience will help provide a better perspective on how our state needs to move forward."

Glenn Cobb

 Current office: not an incumbent

Running in: N.C. House District 74

Party: Republican

Age: 48

Occupation: chief staff executive for the Winston-Salem Regional Association of Realtors.

Education: bachelor's degree in public policy analysis from UNC Chapel Hill, 1986.

Family: wife, Lori, two children.

Political experience: has held no previous elective office

Other relevant experience: serves on Forsyth airport commission and has served in local issues and government affairs with the Greater Winston-Salem Chamber of Commerce. Active in arts, theater and church activities at Calvary Baptist Church.

Main reason for running: to bring private-sector experience to government, promote business and job creation and provide consistent conservative voice.

 James Taylor

 Current office: Winston-Salem City Council, elected in 2009; term ends in 2013.

Running in: N.C. Senate District 32

Party: Democratic

Age: 30

Occupation: counselor at Winston-Salem State University.

Education: bachelor's degree in criminal justice from N.C. Central University.

Family: wife, Deanna, and three children

Political experience: represents city's Southeast Ward.

Other relevant experience: worked for Boys & Girls Club, the Salvation Army, the N.C. Department of Juvenile Justice and was director of the Forsyth County Juvenile Drug Treatment Court.

Main reason for running: to bring in good-paying jobs, invest in education, reduce crime and repair roads and bridges.