Democrat Michael Cherry will face Republican Vance Aydlett in the fall general election for the District 1 Currituck County Board of Commissioners seat after handily beating long time incumbent Ernie Bowden on Tuesday.

Aydlett easily defeated Republican Keith Hill of Corolla in the primary.

An Outer Banks businessman and former member of beach rescue, Cherry won every precinct in the primary. Cherry garnered 51 votes to Bowden's 7 in Carova Beach and won 119- 19 in the Whalehead precinct, which includes Corolla.

"I know I worked harder than any other candidate," Cherry said Wednesday. "It's been in my blood since my father was commissioner."

Bowden's last defeat came in 1988 to Cherry's father, Marshall Cherry. Bowden regained the seat in 1992 and has remained since.

Cherry's win was a surprise for a political newcomer, but Bowden had lost support, particularly on the Currituck Outer Banks. In recent years, he often proposed upgrading at least one road in the four-wheel-drive area using occupancy taxes. Residents there opposed every attempt.

Bowden also took the unpopular stance that the Corolla wild horses descended from farm ponies rather than from Spanish mustangs about 400 years ago.

Aydlett is a lifelong resident of Knotts Island, the one precinct where Cherry's 89 votes narrowly topped Bowden's 84.

Aydlett could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

In the District 2 race, Democrat Jerry Wright won a close race against Roy Lee Etheridge and will run in the fall against Republican John D. Rorer, who was unopposed in the Republican primary. Wright had run on the platform that the current Board of Commissioners allowed too much unfettered property rezoning that could alter the rural nature of the county.

"A lot of folks on the other side have concern about the impacts of it," he said Wednesday.

At-large winner Democrat Stanley Griggs will face former Commissioner Paul O'Neal, who was unopposed in the Republican primary, in the fall after winning a close race against William Etheridge Sr.

"I have fairly good name recognition and a long time standing in the county," Griggs said.

Griggs opposes too much government control over landowners who want to rezone land from agriculture to residential to get its greatest value, while O'Neal supports more controlled development.

Jeff Hampton, (252) 338-0159, jeff.hampton@pilotonline.com