The newly-minted Constitution Party of North Carolina held its nominating convention this weekend. Joe Guarino, a friend of The Haymaker and the boss at The Triad Conservative, is the new party’s treasurer. He has identified on his blog the TEN candidates who have received the party’s blessings to run under its banner in November thus far:

Tony Keech who will be running for County Sheriff in Beaufort County against Republican Ernie Coleman and Al J. Whitney, the Democrat;

Kevin Hayes who will be running for North Carolina House District 4 against Republican Jimmy Dixon in eastern North Carolina;

Mark Crowe who will be running for North Carolina House District 42 around Fayetteville against Democrat Marvin Lucas and Republican Daniel Travieso;

Allen Poindexter who will be running for North Carolina House District 90 around Mount Airy and Surry County against Republican Sarah Stevens and also Democrat John Wiles;

Stuart Collins who will be running for North Carolina Senate District 37 in Charlotte against Democrat Jeff Jackson and Republican Nora Trotman;

Sharon Hudson who was nominated to run for North Carolina Senate District 41 outside of Charlotte against Republican Jeff Tarte and Democrat Natasha Marcus;

Greg Holt who will be running for Craven County Commissioner District 1 against Tom Mark and Jeff O’Neill;

Jerry Jones who will be running for Greene County Commissioner District 3 against Natasha Sutton;

Peggy Lanier who will be running for Pender County Commissioner District 3 against George Brown; and

David Fallin who will be running for the U.S. House of Representatives in the 7th congressional district around Wilmington and the eastern stretch of I-40 against Republican David Rouzer and Democrat Kyle Horton.

According to Guarino, candidates can still file for office with the Constitution Party through the end of June — IF they want to be on the November ballot.

My first thoughts? I think it is smart that the party is starting small. Get some people elected locally. Then try to move up the political food chain.

Some of these candidates look a little quixotic. Some of the races could be interesting.

In Greene County, an incumbent county commissioner named Jerry Jones will be running in November under the Constitution Party ballot.

Take Tony Keech in the Beaufort County sheriff’s race. According to media reports, Keech was separated from the sheriff’s department in 2011. County officials came after him with lawyers to collect an alleged debt to the tune of $5,300 and change. Keech’s alleged debt? $150.

Kevin Hayes is running against our *favorite* MEAN OLD MAN Jimmy Dixon in NC House District 4. He was an unsuccessful Libertarian candidate against Dixon in 2012.

Greg Holt is a disenchanted former Republican seeking a Craven County board of commissioners seat. He lost in the Republican primary in May. Craven County has a conservative streak that could offer some surprises in November.

Sharon Hudson, another friend of The Haymaker, is running for NC Senate District 4’s seat currently held by Jeff Tarte. She ran unsuccessfully in 2014 as a Republican for Thom Tillis’s old House seat. Hudson is the former VP of the North Mecklenburg Republican Women and the co-chairman of the Tea Party group Lake Norman Conservatives. She could make things a little more nerve-wracking for Tarte — who was already locked in a tight general race with a Democrat. Tarte has really gotten under the skin of small-government fans in and around his district. Hudson could give those unhappy folks somewhere to park their vote in May.

David Fallin, running against congressman David Rouzer, lost a Pender County commissioner GOP primary race by THIRTY votes in May. He will be on the ballot in November for the 7th congressional district’s general election.