Wake lawmakers pick up challengers

Two incumbent Republican lawmakers from Wake County picked up Democratic challengers Wednesday.

In the Senate, Wake County Board of Education member Susan Evans announced she will challenge incumbent Sen. Tamara Barringer in November 2016.

Evans was first elected to the school board in 2011. Her current term expires in December 2016.

Barringer is serving her third term in the Senate. She handily defeated Democrat Bryan Fulghum, 58 to 42 percent, in the 2014 general election.

In the House, Cynthia Ball announced she will challenge Rep. Gary Pendleton for his District 49 seat.

Pendleton, a retired brigadier general, is serving his first full term in the House. He was appointed to the seat in August 2014 to succeed Dr. Jim Fulghum, who passed away in office.

Last November, he narrowly defeated Democratic challenger Kim Hanchette, 52 to 48 percent.

Ball, a certified mediator, is serving her second term on Raleigh's Civil Service Commission. She has not held elected office before.

Neither Pendleton nor Barringer currently has a primary challenger.