November 17, 2016 
by Tony Adams, Adams and Associates Government Relations

North Carolina Republicans maintained their veto-proof majorities in the General Assembly in the 2016 General Election. Lawmakers’ campaigns came against a backdrop of hyper-partisanship, acrimonious social legislation, and slippery coattails from unpredictable presidential, gubernatorial, and US Senate races.

Republicans have controlled the General Assembly since 2011, when they took charge of both the House and Senate for the first time since Reconstruction. During the 2015–2016 legislative session, they controlled the Senate 34-16 and the House 74-45 with one GOP-leaning unaffilated member.

By controlling three-fifths of seats in each chamber since 2013, they held supermajorities, which allowed them to override any veto by the governor if nearly all GOP members supported it.

To end the supermajority, Democrats needed to win either five net seats in the Senate or four net seats in the House.

All 50 Senate seats were up for election, but 15 senators faced no challengers and most seats were not considered truly competitive, a result of legislative districts drawn to favor Republicans. The Senate election results for 2016 were 35 Republicans and 15 Democrats. Of all 120 House seats up for election, 58 House members had no challengers and about 15 seats were considered up for grabs. Election results showed the Republicans maintaining their majority and controlling 74 seats.

Two of the most surprising results ocurred in Wake County, where well known and influential Republican Rep Marilyn Avila was defeated by Democrat Joe John. Avila has served in the House since 2006. In another unexpected result in the Raleigh area, Republican Rep Gary Pendleton, a retired brigadier general, was defeated by Democrat Cynthia Ball.

In the Senate, 7 incumbents did not run for re-election. They were: Republicans Buck Newton, Stan Bingham, Fletcher Hartsell, Bob Rucho, Dan Soucek, and Tom Apodaca. Democratic Senator Josh Stein also did not run for relection. Newton ran for Attorney General and lost to Stein in that contest. Rucho was the powerful chairman of the Senate Finance Committee and Apodaca was chairman of the Senate Rules Committee.

In the House, 15 incumbents did not run for re-election. They were: Republicans Rick Catlin, Leo Daughtry, James Langdon, Charles Jeter, Paul Stam, Rayne Brown, Dan Bishop, Jackie Schaffer, Mike Hager, Chris Whitmire, and Roger West. Democrats Tricia Cotham, Nathan Baskerville, and Ken Waddell also did not run for re-election. In addition, unaffiliated Paul Tine did not run.

Senate Results

Incumbent Republican Winners in General Election with Democratic Opponents:
Bill Cook—Beaufort (District 1), Norman Sanderson—Pamlico (District 2), Michael Lee—New Hanover (District 9), Greg Murphy—Pitt (District 9), John Bell—Wayne (District 10), Ron Rabin—Harnett (District 12), Pat McElraft—Carteret (District 13), John Alexander—Wake (District 15), Tamara Barringer—Wake (District 17), Chad Barefoot—Wake (District 18), Wesley Meredith—Cumberland (District 19), Rick Gunn—Alamance (District 24), Tom McGinnis—Richmond (District 25), Trudy Wade—Guilford (District 27), Shirley Randleman—Wilkes (District 30), Dan Bishop—Mecklenburg (District 38), Jeff Tarte—Mecklenburg (District 41), David Curtis—Lincoln (District 44), Deanna Ballard—Watauga (District 46), Warren Daniel—Burke (District 46), Ralph Hise—Mitchell (District 47), and Jim Davis—Macon (District 50).

Incumbent Republicans with No General Election Opponent:
Harry Brown—Onslow (District 6), Louis Pate—Wayne (District 7), Bill Rabon—Brunswick (District 8), Brent Jackson—Sampson (District 10), Phil Berger—Rockingham (District 26), Jerry Tillman—Randolph (District 29), Joyce Kraviec—Forsyth (District 31), Andrew Brock—Davie (District 34), Tommy Tucker—Union (District 35), Andy Wells—Catawba (District 42), and Kathy Harrington—Gaston (District 43).

Republicans Elected for First Time:
Rick Horner—Wilson (District 11), Danny Earl Britt—Robeson (District 13), Cathy Dunn—Davidson (District 33), Paul Newton—Cabarrus (District 36), and Chuck Edwards—Henderson (District 48).

Incumbent Democratic Winners in General Election with Republican Opponents:
Jay Chaudhuri—Wake (District 16), Ben Clark—Hoke (District 21), Mike Woodard—Durham (District 22), Valerie Foushee—Orange (District 23), Gladys Robinson—Guilford (District 28), Jeff Jackson—Mecklenburg (District 37), Joel Ford—Mecklenburg (District 38), and Joyce Waddell—Mecklenburg (District 40).

Incumbent Democratic Winners in General Election with No Opposition:
Erica Smith-Ingram—Northampton (District 3), Angela Bryant—Nash (District 4), Don Davis—Greene (District 5), Dan Blue—Wake (District 14), Floyd McKissick—Durham (District 20), Paul Lowe—Forsyth (District 32), and Terry Van Duyn—Buncombe (District 49).

House Results

Incumbent Republican Winners in General Election with Democratic Opponents:
Bob Steinburg—Chowan (District 1), Larry Yarborough—Person (District 2), Michael Speciale—Craven (District 3), Susan Martin—Wilson (District 8), Phil Shepard—Onslow (District 15), Chris Millis—Pender (District 16), Frank Iler—Brunswick (District 17), Jeff Collins—Nash (District 25), Larry Strickland—Johnston (District 28), Chris Malone—Wake (District 35), Nelson Dollar—Wake (District 36), David Lewis—Harnett (District 53), Mark Brody—Union (District 55), John Hardister—Guilford (District 59), John Faircloth—Guilford (District 61), Bert Jones—Rockingham (District 65), Justin Burr—Stanly (District 67), Dean Arp—Union (District 69), Pat Hurley—Randolph (District 70), Debra Conrad—Forsyth (District 74), Allen McNeill—Randolph (District 78), Larry Pittman—Cabarrus (District 82), Linda Johnson—Cabarrus (District 83), Rena Turner—Iredell (District 84), Sarah Stevens—Surry (District 90), Jonathan Jordan—Ashe (District 93), Jeff Elmore—Wilkes (District 94), John Bradford—Mecklenburg (District 98), Bill Brawley—Mecklenburg (District 103), Dana Bumgardner—Gaston (District 109), and Michelle Presnell—Yancey (District 118).

Incumbent Republicans with No General Election Opponent:
Jimmy Dixon—Duplin (District 4), George Cleveland—Onslow (District 14), Ted Davis—New Hanover (District 19), John Szoka—Cumberland (District 45), James Boles—Moore (District 52), John Blust—Guilford (District 62), Stephen Ross—Alamance (District 63), Dennis Riddell—Alamance (District 64), Craig Horn—Union (District 68), Lee Zachary—Yadkin (District 73), Donny Lambeth—Forsyth (District 75), Carl Ford—Rowan (District 76), Harry Warren—Rowan (District 77), Julia Howard—Davie (District 79), Sam Watford—Davidson (District 80), Josh Dobson—McDowell (District 85), Hugh Blackwell—Burke (District 86), Mitch Setzer—Catawba (District 89), John Fraley—Iredell (District 95), Jay Adams—Catawba (District 96), Jason Saine—Lincoln (District 97), John Torbett—Gaston (District 108), Kelly Hastings—Gaston (District 110), Tim Moore—Cleveland (District 111), and Chuck McGrady—Henderson (District 117).

Republicans Elected for First Time:
Beverly Boswell—Dare (District 6), Holly Grange—New Hanover (District 20), Donna McDowell—Johnston (District 26), Linda Hunt-Williams—Wake (District 37), Brenden Jones—Columbus (District 46), John Sauls—Lee (District 51), Larry Potts—Davidson (District 81), Destin Hall—Caldwell (District 87), Kyle Hall—Stokes (District 91), Andy Dulin—Mecklenburg (District 104), Scott Stone—Mecklenburg (District 105), David Rogers—Rutherfordton (District 112), Cody Henson—Transylvania (District 113), Mike Clampitt—Swain (District 119), and Kevin Corbin—Macon (District 120).

Incumbent Democratic Winners in General Election with Republican Opponents:
Bobbie Richardson—Franklin (District 7), Duane Hall—Wake (District 11), Susi Hamilton—New Hanover (District 18), Paul Luebke—Durham (District 30) (died after election, with a replacement to be named), Grier Martin—Wake (District 34), Yvonne Lewis Holley—Wake (District 38), Gale Adcock—Wake (District 41), Bill Richardson—Cumberland (District 44), Graig Meyer—Orange (District 50), Robert Reives—Lee (District 54), Beverly Earle—Mecklenburg (District 101), and John Ager—Buncombe (District 115).

Incumbent Democratic Winners in General Election with No Opposition:
Howard Hunter—Hertford (District 5), George Graham—Lenoir (District 12), Larry Bell—Sampson (District 21), Bill Brisson—Bladen (District 22), Shelly Willingham—Edgecombe (District 23), Jean Farmer-Butterfield—Wilson (District 24), Michael Wray—Northampton (District 27), Larry Hall—Durham (District 29), Henry Michaux—Durham (District 31), Rosa Gill—Wake (District 33), Darren Jackson—Wake (District 39), Marvin Lucas—Cumberland (District 42), Elmer Floyd—Cumberland (District 43), Charles Graham—Robeson (District 47), Garland Pierce—Scotland (District 48), Verla Insko—Orange (District 56), Pricey Harrison— Guilford (District 57), Cecil Brockman—Guuilford (District 60), Ken Goodman—Richmond (District 66), Evelyn Terry—Forsyth (District 71), Ed Hanes—Forsyth (District 72), Rodney Moore—Mecklenburg (District 99), Becky Carney—Mecklenburg (District 102), Carla Cunningham—Mecklenburg (District 106), Kelly Alexander—Mecklenburg (District 107), Susan Fisher—Buncombe (District 114), and Brian Turner—Buncombe (District 116).

Democrats Elected for First Time:
Terry Garrison—Vance (District 32), Joe John—Wake (District 40), Cynthia Ball—Wake (District 49), Amos Quick—Guilford (District 58), Mary Belk—Mecklenburg (District 88), Chaz Beasley—Mecklenburg (District 92), and John Autry—Mecklenburg (District 100).

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