Election Results a Mixed Bag in North Carolina and Mecklenburg County

Election Day wrapped in North Carolina at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, but the counting had just begun. While it appears that Donald Trump has once again won the presidency, with Republicans taking control of the US Senate, there were plenty of other election results across the state that we were also keeping our eyes on. 

One of the first races to be called on Tuesday night was the gubernatorial one, with Democratic Attorney General Josh Stein beating out Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson to fill Gov. Roy Cooper’s seat in the governor’s mansion. 

“I am honored to serve as your next governor,” Stein tweeted before 10 p.m. on Tuesday. “Tonight, we came together to resoundingly embrace a vision that is optimistic, forward-looking, and welcoming.” 

That election result was no big surprise, as much of the Republican Party all but abandoned Robinson following reporting from CNN in September that uncovered disturbing remarks he had made on online forums before even launching his political career. 

Robinson was also known for his extreme and hateful rhetoric targeting members of the LGBTQ+ community and other vulnerable populations. 

“North Carolinians soundly rejected the divisive, hateful rhetoric of Mark Robinson tonight – because most North Carolinians don’t want our state to be led by an anti-LGBTQ+ extremist,” said Adam Polaski, communications and political director for the Asheville-based Campaign for Southern Equality. 

“Our state will be much better off under the leadership of Governor-elect Stein, and we look forward to working with his administration to undo some of the harm caused by North Carolina’s anti-LGBTQ+ laws, including the ‘Don’t Say LGBTQ+’ law impacting schools and the laws prohibiting transgender youth from accessing health care or playing school sports.”

Perhaps even more impactfully, thanks to Democrat Dante Pittman’s win in NC House District 24, Republicans no longer hold a super-majority in the North Carolina General Assembly, which allows Stein to exercise his veto power.

Other statewide races saw much closer results than the gubernatorial race, many of which remained too close to call until after midnight. You can view the NC Board of Elections’ results dashboard here. 

NC Supreme Court Justice Allison Riggs may lose her seat on the bench, as challenger Jefferson Griffin ended the count up by less than 10,000 votes out of more than 5.4 million cast, according to the unofficial results. That race will likely go to a recount. If Griffin’s lead holds, the makeup of the court will shift further right with a six-one Republican majority. 

Council of State

Democrats won four of the 10 Council of State seats below Stein on the ballot, including closely watched races for lieutenant governor, where NC Sen. Rachel Hunt beat out Republican Hal Weatherman to replace Robinson; and attorney general, where US Rep. Jeff Jackson beat out Trump acolyte Dan Bishop to replace Stein. 

In the race for NC Superintendent of Public Instruction, Maurice “Mo” Green scratched out a win against Michelle Morrow, who like Robinson is known for her extreme rhetoric and action, from her presence at the Jan. 6, 2021, riots in Washington D.C. to calling for Barack Obama’s public execution on social media. 

Longtime Democratic Secretary of State Elaine Marshall won her seventh term in that seat, this time beating Republican challenger Chad Brown. 

Republicans won or kept their seats as state auditor (Dave Boliek), commissioner of agriculture (Steve Troxler), commissioner of insurance (Mike Causey), and treasurer (Brad Briner). Republican Luke Farley also beat out former Charlotte Mayor Pro Tem Braxton Winston to become NC commissioner of labor. 

US Congress and the NC General Assembly

In the US Congress, Rep. Alma Adams has kept her seat while Mark Harris, who won a seat in the US House in 2019 but stepped down after being implicated in a voter fraud investigation, easily won a seat in the newly drawn eighth district. 

In perhaps the most-watched race for any seat in the state legislature, Republican Tricia Cotham, who infamously flipped parties in April 2023 shortly after winning her seat in District 112 as a Democrat, looks to have barely beat out challenger Nicole Sidman to represent the NC House’s newly drawn District 105.

According to the NC Board of Elections, Cotham won by just 275 votes, placing that race within the margin that would justify a recount.  

Democrats kept or won seats in all other NC House districts that land inside Mecklenburg County: Nasif Majeed (District 99), Julia Greenfield (100), Carolyn Logan (101), Becky Carney (102), Laura Budd (103), Brandon Lofton (104), Carla Cunningham (106), Aisha O. Dew (107). 

In the NC Senate, Democrats Mujtaba A. Mohammed (District 38), DeAndrea Salvador (39), Joyce Waddell (40), and Caleb Theodros (41) kept or won seats. In the 42nd district, which covers southeastern Mecklenburg County, an extremely tight race saw Democrat Woodson Bailey beat out Republican Stacie McGinn by just 27 points. 

Woodson released a statement acknowledging that a recount would come, but claiming victory, confident that that count would hold. 

“I am honored that the voters of Senate District 42 have chosen me to represent them in Raleigh,” Bradley wrote. “We’ve run a campaign that focuses on the people of this district and the issues they care about. As your next State Senator, I will bring this focus to Raleigh to tirelessly fight for the people of this district and to protect and strengthen our fundamental freedoms.”