From Staff Reports

Former Buncombe County Board of Education member Lisa Baldwin filed for a state Senate seat, while former county Republican Party Chairman Chad Nesbitt filed to run for county commissioners’ chairman on Dec. 21 — the last day of filing for the 2016 elections.

What’s more, Democratic incumbents state Rep. Brian Turner and county Register of Deeds Drew Reisinger also gained Republican opposition on the same day.

Republican Kay Olsen of Leicester filed on the morning of Dec. 21 to run against Turner in House District 116, which includes most of the southern and western parts of the county. No other Republican filed.

In addition, Republican Pat Cothran of Leicester filed Dec. 21 to run against Reisinger for register of deeds, creating a rematch of the 2012 race that Reisinger won.