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GREENVILLE, N.C. — Throughout this spring semester, Wyatt Gable has had more on his plate than just classes.
The East Carolina University junior was running to represent Onslow County in the North Carolina House of Representatives.
He defeated a 20-year incumbent, 84-year-old Rep. George Cleveland, in the March primary election.
Gable has some political experience. He said he worked on Sen. Ted Budd’s campaign, and he’s the president of his school’s chapter of Turning Point USA, a conservative student organization.
He says it was during the height of COVID-19 that he decided to run.
“I remember sending my current legislator, which would have been my future opponent, an email and sitting in microeconomics and never heard anything back. And I remember, you know, I felt like no one cared. No one wanted to do anything," Gable said.
If elected in November, Gable will be the youngest member of the legislature and not old enough to serve in the other chamber, the Senate.
A friend since childhood, James Scott said he was ready to help campaign for Gable, and the issue of age wasn’t too big of a hurdle for voters he talked to.
“There was a lot of excitement, especially people in Onslow County. A lot of people were really excited for a fresh new face, and there was the occasional ‘No, you’re too young,’ this, that and the other. But I got a lot of positive response from everybody," Scott said.
Gable still must face off against his Democratic opponent, Carmen Spicer, in November. In the meantime, he said he’s loading up on classes during the summer semester in the hopes that next spring, he’ll be driving to Raleigh for the legislative session.
