Democrats may have weakened GOP control in North Carolina’s state legislature

This article was written by: ROB SCHOFIELD, GALEN BACHARIER AND LYNN BONNER -

Republicans will remain in power in both houses of the North Carolina legislature when lawmakers convene in January, but they appear to have lost their veto-proof supermajority in the state House after Tuesday’s election.

In the current General Assembly, the GOP holds exact 60% supermajorities in both the House (72-48) and Senate (30-20). As of early Wednesday morning, however, unofficial results appeared to show that Democrats had picked up a net gain of one seat in the House, thus reducing the majority to 71-49.

“For too long, the supermajority has operated without checks, pursuing extreme agendas that left too many North Carolinians behind,” House Minority Leader Robert Reives said in a statement late Tuesday night.

“Tonight, voters made it clear that they want a government that prioritizes working families, access to quality education, affordable healthcare, and the safeguarding of our fundamental rights.”

The national Democratic Leadership Campaign Committee issued a statement that said the results mark “a monumental shift in the balance of power in North Carolina and is a testament to the DLCC’s work alongside many partners and allies to challenge unchecked Republican power in the state.”

Senate Republicans, on the other hand, appear to have increased their margin to 31-19, though at least two races– one for each party — are currently led by less than 40 votes each. Senate leader Phil Berger (R-Rockingham) touted the continued control as a testament to his party’s policymaking.

“Tonight’s results affirm (voters’) continued support of the policies that make North Carolina the best state in the nation to live, work, and raise a family,” Berger said.

“Our platform of low taxes, job creation, quality education, and educational freedom spoke to North Carolinians then. Now, the voters are returning Republican majorities to the legislature for the eighth consecutive election.”

In a news conference Wednesday, Berger and Rep. Destin Hall (R-Caldwell), who is expected to be the next House Speaker, praised their party’s wins. And they don’t expect the supermajority’s status to radically alter their plans.

“I don’t think it changes our agenda … whether we’re at 72 or 71 (members),” Hall said. “I don’t know that it’s going to substantively change what we end up doing.”

He added that he was “confident” there were Democrats who Republicans will “be able to work with on specific policy items.”

If the tentative result in the House holds, it would significantly enhance the power of Democratic Governor-elect Josh Stein when the legislature convenes in 2025. He would be able to veto bills with much less risk of seeing those vetoes overridden.

“Yesterday, North Carolinians sent a clear message that they believe we will go further when we go together, not as Democrats, Republicans or independents, but as North Carolinians,” Stein said in a statement Wednesday morning.

“The issues facing our state – rebuilding western North Carolina, creating good jobs, strengthening public schools, ensuring safe neighborhoods, and protecting personal freedoms – are not partisan issues; they are North Carolina issues. To build a brighter future for everyone in our state, we must come together across our differences and get to work. I’m ready to go.”

Whether the result will hold, however, remains an open question. Some races remain extremely close, and all are unofficial.

What’s more, in 2023, Republican House leaders succeeded in convincing Rep. Tricia Cotham, then a Democrat from Mecklenburg County, to switch parties months after the election as the House convened for its new session. It was Cotham’s seat that cemented the GOP supermajority in the House.

Whether a similar switch might be possible in the coming months is unknown, but Cotham, who was leading her opponent on Tuesday, was appointed co-chair of a pair of House education committees as a partial reward for her action.

Among the notable race results in the North Carolina legislature:

• Cotham, now a Republican, was leading Democratic challenger Nicole Sidman by 275 votes, according to unofficial results. That is within the margin for Sidman to request a recount.
• Rep. Ken Fontenot (R-Wilson) lost to Democratic challenger Dante Pittman.
• Democrat Woodson Bradley is ahead of Republican Stacie McGinn in a Senate district currently held by Sen. Rachel Hunt by 27 votes. It will almost certainly go to a recount.
• Sen. Lisa Grafstein (D-Wake) defeated Republican Scott Lassiter by just over 4,000 votes to retain her seat. Grafstein is the only out LGBTQ+ state senator. She notably moved after Republicans “double-bunked” her with a fellow Democrat in the latest round of redistricting.
• Democrat Bryan Cohn was narrowly ahead of first-term Republican Frank Sossamon in a district that includes Granville and Vance counties.
• In a Mecklenburg County House district that Republican Rep. John Bradford is vacating, Democrat Beth Helfrich has defeated Huntersville Republican Mayor Melinda Bales.

The head of the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee said breaking the supermajority in North Carolina means the end of “unchecked Republican power.”

“That unchecked GOP power ends today with Gov.-elect Josh Stein and an incoming Democratic caucus that can sustain his vetoes of extreme Republican overreach,” DLCC President Heather Williams said.

“Democrats will play a key role in holding Republicans accountable as we work together to eventually overcome the egregious gerrymandering and other structural barriers to true representation in North Carolina.”

Election night results are unofficial and vote totals will likely change over the coming days as local boards of election consider provisional, military, and overseas civilian ballots. The state Board of Elections is scheduled to meet Nov. 26 to certify the results.