Two challengers plan to run for county commissioner in the Stewartsville district.

Democrat Carol H. McCall and Republican Bill Owens each filed on Wednesday. The district is currently represented by J.D. Willis and Guy McCook, who have each already filed for re-election.

Also filing this week was Harold Johnson, a Republican candidate for U.S. Congress in the 8th District of North Carolina.

McCall

If elected, McCall said the focus would be unemployment and economic growth.

we need to make pride in our community stronger so that young people don't leave," McCall said. "We need to provide the opportunities that will make them want to stay."

A board member with the Scotland County Chapter of the American Red Cross and a retired county employee with more than 30 years' experience, McCall said that running for political office was something she "always knew" she wanted to do.

"As a former social worker for the Scotland County Department of Social Services, I know this county in a way that many haven't had the opportunity to know," she said. "I realize that one person can't change things alone. It will take a community effort of elected and unelected people to create opportunities for people to stay in Scotland County and raise their children here."

Married to Scotland County native Wilson McCall, the couple have two children and three grandchildren. McCall holds a bachelor's of science degree from Guilford College in Greensboro, moving with her family to Laurinburg in 1968.

Owens

Owens said he is running on a four-point platform.

He says he wants to lower the tax rate to boost job creation, improve the runway at the Laurinburg-Maxton Airport and market the airport to businesses, increase transparency on county spending and seek alternatives to the "proposed mega landfill."

Owens, a retiree, has volunteered for the past six years with the Hospital Auxiliary and the past two years with Hospice.

He has also served in several positions with the Scotland County Republican Party, including as vice chairman and treasurer.

Owens lives at 1203 Dunbar Drive in Laurinburg with his wife, Hazel. They have two children and a grandson who live in Macon, Ga.

Owens is the first Republican to file for this seat and currently faces no competition in May.

Johnson

Johnson said he would fight for the families in the 8th District.

“I’ve had the privilege of talking and visiting with voters across all 10 counties and what matters to the 8th District matters to me," he said. "The good people of this District have supported me for 30 years and now it is my turn to fight for our rights and our families in Congress."

Johnson spent decades on the air at WSOC as a sportscaster, where he was tagged “The Big Guy.”

“This district has been hit hard by the economic downturn over the past couple of years and Washington has failed to return jobs to the District. It is unacceptable that while $173 million in stimulus funds were awarded in the 8th District, only 160 temporary jobs have been created according to the government’s own Recovery website. How is that money helping families? The people of this District deserve better representation in Congress to make sure their hard-earned tax dollars are being spent wisely.”

Johnson has lived in North Carolina since 1958. He received his degree in Economics from Lenior-Rhyne University. Harold served as a Marine at Camp Lejeune.

His wife, Linda, died of cancer in 2006 after 44 years of marriage. They have three children and nine grandchildren.