Paul Yelverton Coble (born October 19, 1953, in Raleigh, North Carolina) served one term as Mayor of Raleigh, North Carolina from December 1999 to December 2001. Coble served on the Wake County Board of Commissioners from 2006 to 2014,[1] and served as chairman of the board from 2010 to 2012.[2] In 2015, he became the Legislative Services Officer for the North Carolina General Assembly.[3]

Paul Coble
Chair of the Wake County Board of Commissioners
In office
2010–2012
Preceded byTony Gurley
Succeeded byJoe Bryan
Member of the Wake County Board of Commissioners
from the 7th district
In office
2006–2014
Preceded byHerb Council
Succeeded byJohn Burns
36th Mayor of Raleigh
In office
December 7, 1999 – December 2001
Preceded byTom Fetzer
Succeeded byCharles Meeker
Member of the Raleigh City Council
In office
1993–1999
Personal details
Born (1953-10-19) October 19, 1953 (age 70)
Raleigh, North Carolina, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
SpouseConnie Kearney Coble
Residence(s)Raleigh, North Carolina
Alma materWake Forest University
Websitewww.paulcobleforcongress.com

Early life edit

Coble is the son of Jack and Betsey Coble and the nephew of the late U.S. Senator Jesse Helms. He attended Needham B. Broughton High School, earned a Bachelor of Science degree at Wake Forest University in business. In 1992, he completed a Registered Health Underwriter designation through Northeastern University.[4]

Political career edit

Coble served on Raleigh City Council from 1993 to 1999. While on the council, he served as chairman of the budget committee and the planning committee. He also served as mayor pro tem. Councilman Coble worked to cut the tax rate four times. Like his predecessor, Mayor Tom Fetzer, he was a conservative Republican.[citation needed] He was sworn in as Mayor on December 7, 1999, after winning the 1999 Raleigh mayoral election.[5] Coble served until 2001. During Coble's term as mayor, the city had to rapidly respond to a record 25-inch snow storm and opened the Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts. Coble focused on public safety issues and promoted a program to prosecute gun violence under Federal laws.

Coble ran for reelection in 2001, facing Democrat Charles Meeker. On the first ballot, with a voter turnout of about 40,000 people, Coble received 49.15% of the votes while his opponent garnered 47.65%. In the subsequent run-off election voter turnout climbed to approximately 50,000 and Meeker defeated Coble, 50.97% to 48.87% of the votes.[6] The following year, Coble ran unsuccessfully for a seat in the North Carolina State Senate against Democrat Eric Reeves. Reeves won with 49.29% of the votes to Coble's 48.38%.[7]

In 2006, Coble sought a comeback to elective office by running for an open seat on the Wake County Board of Commissioners. He handily defeated Air Force veteran Rodger Koopman 54.42% to 45.58%.[8] Coble served as chairman of the Public Safety Committee and serves on the Wake County Fire Commission. He was re-elected to the commission in 2010, defeating Wake County attorney and former Wake County Democratic Party chair Jack Nichols. Coble served as chairman of the commissioners for two terms, in both 2011 and 2012. In private life, Coble was in the insurance business. He is married to Connie Coble and has two daughters, Courtney and Paige.

In December 2008, Coble downplayed reports that he was considering running for Governor of North Carolina in the 2012 election, challenging Bev Perdue.[9] Instead, he later announced that he would run for the U.S. House in North Carolina's 13th congressional district, then occupied by U.S. Representative Brad Miller.

2012 Congressional Run edit

Coble,[10] former U.S. Attorney George E.B. Holding,[11] and 2010 nominee Bill Randall[12] ran for the Republican nomination. Former Winston-Salem city council member Vernon Robinson[13] and Nathan Tabor, who ran unsuccessfully in the 5th district in 2004,[14] had both planned to seek the Republican nomination in the 13th district in 2012, but Robinson instead ran in the 8th district,[15] while Tabor declined to run as a result of changes made to the district in redistricting.[16] On May 8, George Holding won the Republican primary with almost 44 percent of the vote.[17]

Electoral history edit

2014 edit

Wake County Board of Commissioners 7th district general election, 2014[18]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic John Burns 171,981 54.53%
Republican Paul Coble (incumbent) 143,393 45.47%
Total votes 315,374 100%
Democratic gain from Republican

2012 edit

North Carolina's 13th congressional district Republican primary election, 2012[19]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican George Holding 37,341 43.51%
Republican Paul Coble 29,354 34.21%
Republican Bill Randall 19,119 22.28%
Total votes 85,814 100%

2010 edit

Wake County Board of Commissioners 7th district general election, 2010[20]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Paul Coble (incumbent) 141,687 51.99%
Democratic Jack Nichols 130,841 48.01%
Total votes 272,528 100%
Republican hold

2006 edit

Wake County Board of Commissioners 7th district general election, 2006[21]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Paul Coble 107,730 54.42%
Democratic Rodger Koopman 90,232 45.58%
Total votes 197,962 100%
Republican hold

2002 edit

North Carolina Senate 16th district general election, 2002[22]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Eric Miller Reeves (incumbent) 25,799 49.29%
Republican Paul Coble 25,323 48.38%
Libertarian Jason Mara 1,215 2.32%
Total votes 52,337 100%
Democratic hold

2001 edit

2001 Raleigh mayoral election[23]
Candidate Votes %
Paul Coble (incumbent) 19,279 49.15%
Charles Meeker 18,692 47.65%
Joel Cornette 767 1.96%
Write-in 489 1.25%
Total votes 39,227 100%
2001 Raleigh mayoral election run-off[24]
Candidate Votes %
Charles Meeker 25,655 50.97%
Paul Coble (incumbent) 24,599 48.87%
Write-in 83 0.16%
Total votes 50,337 100%

1999 edit

1999 Raleigh mayoral election[25]
Candidate Votes %
Paul Coble 23,700 50.13%
Stepanie Fanjul 23,437 49.57%
Write-in 144 0.30%
Total votes 47,281 100%

References edit

  1. ^ Quillin, Martha; Hui, T.Keung (November 4, 2014). "Wake County Commissioners: Democrats sweep four seats". Retrieved March 11, 2019.
  2. ^ News & Observer: Wake commissioners tap Coble
  3. ^ WRAL.com
  4. ^ "Paul Coble is newest General Assembly Employee". The Locker Room. 2015-08-18. Retrieved 2020-05-24.
  5. ^ "History of Raleigh". City of Raleigh. February 16, 2018. Archived from the original on March 5, 2018. Retrieved February 27, 2018.
  6. ^ Specht, Paul A.; Bennett, Abbie (October 15, 2017). "Charles Francis calls for runoff against Raleigh Mayor Nancy McFarlane". The News & Observer.
  7. ^ Wake County Board of elections 2002 results Archived 2011-11-13 at the Wayback Machine
  8. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2011-11-13. Retrieved 2011-10-18.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  9. ^ Coble: Stop the Madness Archived 2012-09-28 at the Wayback Machine
  10. ^ Miller, Joshua (July 28, 2011). "North Carolina County Commissioner Jumps Into Race". Roll Call. Retrieved July 29, 2011.
  11. ^ "Holding to run for Miller's seat". The News & Observer. July 13, 2011. Retrieved February 19, 2012.
  12. ^ Miller, Joshua (August 8, 2011). "Race Ratings: GOP Looks for Major Gains in North Carolina". Roll Call. Retrieved August 11, 2011.
  13. ^ "Vernon Robinson says he'll run for Congress again". The News & Observer. July 7, 2011. Retrieved July 7, 2011.
  14. ^ Bonner, Lynn (July 7, 2011). "Kernersville man seeks to unseat Miller". The News & Observer. Retrieved July 7, 2011.
  15. ^ "Vernon Robinson on the move". The News & Observer. August 15, 2011. Retrieved August 16, 2011.
  16. ^ Miller, Joshua (July 21, 2011). "Between the Lines: New N.C. Map Also Displaces Some Candidates". Roll Call. Retrieved February 18, 2012.
  17. ^ News & Observer: U.S. House, District 13: Holding defeats Coble in GOP primary
  18. ^ [1] North Carolina State Board of Elections.
  19. ^ [2] North Carolina State Board of Elections.
  20. ^ [3] North Carolina State Board of Elections.
  21. ^ [4] Wake County Board of Elections.
  22. ^ [5]North Carolina State Board of Elections.
  23. ^ [6] Wake County Board of Elections.
  24. ^ [7] Wake County Board of Elections.
  25. ^ [8] Wake County Board of Elections.

External links edit

Political offices
Preceded by Mayor of Raleigh
1999–2001
Succeeded by
Preceded by
Herb Council
Member of the Wake County Board of Commissioners
from the 7th district

2006–2014
Succeeded by
John Burns
Preceded by Chair of the Wake County Board of Commissioners
2010–2012
Succeeded by
Joe Bryan