Longtime collegues Sens. Ellie Kinnaird and Howard Lee, both D-Orange, are running against each other in the Democratic primary in the newly drawn Senate District 23.
Lee and Kinnaird have together represented Orange County since 1997.
Senate District 16, which encompassed Orange, Chatham, Moore and portions of Lee and Randolph counties, was divided into several one-member districts -- including Senate District 23 -- during redistricting.
The change was mandated by a N.C. Superior Court judge who ruled that multimember districts are in violation of the N.C. Constitution. The N.C. Supreme Court upheld the Superior Court decision.
Lee said he is disappointed with the way the districts turned out.
"It's absolutely horrible," Lee said. "I regret more than I can express the situation we have been put in. It has put a damper on my spirit during this campaign."
Kinnaird said the voters are now faced with a tough decision.
"I think it's very unhappy for our longtime supporters who don't want to make a choice," Kinnaird said.
But Lee, co-chairman of the N.C. Senate Appropriations Committee, said his r
