HIGH POINT – Marcus Brandon has one race to go to win his first general election campaign, but the 35-year-old Democrat realizes he’s already accomplished an amazing political feat.  On Tuesday, Brandon defeated four-term Rep. Earl Jones, D-Guilford, in the 60th State House District Democratic primary. He won by a margin of 20 percentage points in the district that covers parts of High Point, Greensboro and southern Guilford County.

Defeating an incumbent in any party primary is one of the rarest victories for a challenger. Brandon, a Guilford County native who moved to High Point a year ago, said he was able to advance to the general election through on-the-ground organizing, door-to-door campaigning and enough fundraising to allow his message of change to reach voters.

“Jobs is the biggest issue right now. People are not working. They are tired of their representatives sitting around a table deciding what’s best for them,” Brandon said during an interview Thursday at his Thissell Street home and campaign office east of downtown High Point.The longtime Democratic Party organizer will face Republican Lonnie Wilson of High Point in the Nov. 2 general election in the Democratic-leaning district. The winner will take the oath of office when the N.C. General Assembly convenes for the 2011 session in late January. Jones will serve until the start of next year’s session.