Republicans maintained their veto-proof majorities in General Assembly gaining a seat in the Senate while losing one in the House.

 

In the Senate, Republican challenger J.R. Britt easily defeated incumbent Democrat Jane Smith in District 13, 55 percent to 45 percent. No other incumbents were defeated.

 

The GOP lost two House seats. In Wake County, Democrat Joe John defeated incumbent Republican Marilyn Avila in District 40 by slightly more than 300 votes and in District 49, Democrat Cynthia Ball bested incumbent Rep. Gary Pendleton 48.7 percent to 47.2 percent. The GOP flipped three other seats. In House District 46 (Bladen, Columbus, and Robeson counties), Republican Brenden Jones beat Democrat Tim Benton, 60-36, in the race to replace Democratic incumbent Ken Waddell. In House District 51 (Harnett and Lee counties), former GOP state Rep. John Sauls defeated Democratic incumbent Brad Salmon, 56-44. And in District 119 in the southwestern mountain counties, Republican Mike Clampitt defeated incumbent Democratic Rep. Joe Sam Queen by roughly 300 votes.

 

In Mecklenburg County, Democrats won District 88, in which Mary Belk defeated incumbent Republican Rob Bryan by 50.6 percent to 49.4 percent; and District 92, where Democrat Chaz Beazley defeated Republican Beth Danae Caulfield, 55 percent to 45 percent in the seat vacated by retiring incumbent Republican Charles Jeter.

 

In the northeastern corner of the state’s House District 6, Republican Beverly Boswell narrowly defeated Democrat Tess Judge (appointed by local Democrats to take the place on the ballot of her husband Warren Judge, who died Sunday) by a 51.5-48.5 percent margin