|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Democrats in North Carolina reclaimed the state House on Tuesday, signaling a sea change in Raleigh’s balance of power and an end to the GOP’s 16-year grip over the General Assembly.
Democrats also won enough seats to break the GOP supermajority in the state Senate, according to the Associated Press. But with all precincts reporting in key races, they appeared just shy of taking the majority in that chamber, though one race was in recount territory early Wednesday.
Split control within the General Assembly could create substantial gridlock over the next two years and bring the GOP’s policy agenda to a standstill. To get almost anything accomplished, both parties will need to agree and get buy-in from Democratic Gov. Josh Stein. This will prove particularly challenging as lawmakers work to reach consensus on a two-year spending plan by the end of June 2027.
If any bills get to Stein’s desk that he dislikes, his veto would almost assuredly be sustained. In his first two years in office, Republicans have overridden nearly all of the bills he’s objected to.
At an Election Night party alongside fellow Democrats, House Democratic Leader Robert Reives shared some of what is in store for the next two years.
“In January 2027, the North Carolina House of Representatives will be under Democratic control,” Reives said. “Relief is coming on its way. No more looking at the papers scared of what’s getting ready to happen. No more wondering how many more times you’re going to be undercut and kicked in the gut. You are going to be able to look at at least one chamber in your government and know we’ve got nothing else on our minds except to take care of you.”
Republican House Speaker Destin Hall said in a statement that the results were disappointing. “I congratulate Robert Reives and his caucus on their victory tonight, and I look forward to working with him in the next biennium,” he said.
Democrats were on track to oust a number of influential Republicans, including Sen. Michael Lee of New Hanover County, who was running to be the next leader of the chamber, and Rep. Tricia Cotham of Mecklenburg County.
The power shift was part of a Democratic surge in this election that lifted Roy Cooper to the U.S. Senate, the first Democrat North Carolina has elected to that office since 2008, and flipped at least one U.S. House seat for their party. Cooper’s lead over Whatley was nearly 20 points with all precincts counted. That would be the biggest U.S. Senate victory for Democrats in the state since 1974.
When Republicans lose ground in the state legislature on the heels of an election, they typically hold votes in November or December to strip the governor’s power or advance legislation that would likely fail to become law if they waited for the following session.
GOP lawmakers are scheduled to return to Raleigh on November 16-19, and then again later in the month.
