In an election year marked by extraordinary divisiveness and sporadic violence, tensions are running even higher than usual in the final days before voters go to the polls.
North Carolina’s 46th house district has not been spared.
On Saturday, two candidates for the seat in the state legislature were attending a town festival in Bladenboro, N.C., when they crossed paths and an argument broke out between them.
Moments later, police were called to the scene to break up a physical altercation. When officers arrived, the candidates weren’t fighting, but they yelled for police to take control of the situation, according to the Bladen Journal.
After the dust settled, both candidates stormed off, vowing to file criminal charges against each other.
That’s about all that’s agreed upon.
Republican Brenden Jones says he was the victim of a surprise attack. Democrat Tim Benton says he was assaulted. Whatever the case, the confrontation brought the otherwise quiet district into the spotlight with just eight days to go until the election.
On Sunday, Jones made good on his promise to press charges against Benton and asked that the state Democratic Party remove him from the ticket. A criminal summons posted by Jones and the state GOP says Benton must appear in court on assault charges next month.
Jones said in a statement that Benton accosted him at the festival, “spewing profanity” and screaming at him in front of families and children. When Jones suggested they go across the street to settle the argument, Benton started nudging him with his shoulder, saying “I’m going to kick your ass by the end of the day,” according to Jones’ statement.
Then Benton exploded, Jones said.
“Benton proceeded to sucker punch his opponent, Brenden Jones, while Jones kept his hand in his pockets the whole time,” the statement read.
Jones added:
“Mr. Benton was completely overwhelmed with misplaced anger because he was being compared to Hillary Clinton, the presidential candidate for his very own party. His inexperience in the political workings of a campaign caused him to assault Brenden and draw even more attention to his own problems.”
Why was Benton so angry? Jones and state GOP officials say it was over a piece of mail.
State Republican Party Executive Director Dallas Woodhouse said in a statement that the party had recently sent out fliers comparing Benton to Hillary Clinton and advertising a “Tim Benton-Hillary Clinton agenda.” Among other things, the fliers accused Benton of wanting to expand Obamacare and create “sanctuary cities” for undocumented immigrants.
“It is clear this mail piece sent by the NC Republican Party struck a cord with democrat Tim Benton, who objects to being connected to Hillary Clinton, even though they both seem to think they are above the law,” Woodhouse said.
Benton rejected the allegations, giving a vastly different account of the fight in a statement Sunday.
According to Benton, Jones approached as Benton was walking through the festival with his wife and their 15-month-old grandson. He said the two of them stepped across the street because they were having trouble hearing each other over the commotion around them.
That was when Jones got aggressive, Benton said.
“Brenden began to raise his voice. He started shouting, became confrontational and belligerent,” Benton said.
Police arrived and asked Benton if he “wanted to take out warrants on Brenden for assaulting me,” the statement read. Benton said he initially declined to file charges, but after learning that Jones “falsely accused” him, he said, he’s reconsidering.
“I will say that I do not advocate violence but I will not be bullied by the Republican Party,” Benton said.
Jones and Benton did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Sunday.
The only witness account that has surfaced so far seems to support Jones’ version of the events.
Woody Hester told the Bladen Journal that the men began bickering outside the main gate of the festival when one of them suggested they move away from the crowd of attendees. As they crossed the street, “Benton kept nudging him with his shoulder the whole time,” Hester said.
“And then he just stepped back . . . and cold-cocked him,” she said.
Bladenboro Police Chief Chris Hunt said his officers were called about a fight and found Jones and Benton facing off behind Diamond Dave’s Grill on Main Street.
“When the officer got there, there was no fight. Each one said they had been hit by the other,” Hunt told the Fayetteville Observer.
The 46th District seat opened when the incumbent, Democrat Ken Waddell, announced he would not seek re-election. Jones lost a race for the seat against Waddell in 2014.
A third candidate for the seat, Libertarian Tom Howell Jr., was not involved Saturday.
(c) 2016, The Washington Post ยท Derek Hawkins
