Pro-environment candidates win majority in NC House, close gap in NC Senate
A historic “blue wave” election crashed over the pro-polluter leadership of North Carolina’s General Assembly (NCGA), flipping control of the NC House and coming to the brink of a tie in the NC Senate.
Where North Carolina flipped
The NC House of Representatives went from a 71-47 Republican majority over Democrats (with 2 representatives unaffiliated), to an apparent 71-48 Democratic majority (with 1 representative unaffiliated). Five of the apparent Democratic wins are still subject to recounts.
The NC Senate went from a 31-19 Republican supermajority to 24 Democrats and 25 Republicans. One race remains too close to call as the count of provisional ballots continues. If that seat goes to the Democratic candidate, then the Senate would be tied at 25-25. Lt. Governor Rachel Hunt, a Democrat, would break the tie for Democratic control of the chamber.
How we played our part
We and our affiliated organizations played a key role in the election outcomes. Through the Conservation Votes PAC (CVP), NCLCV spent $2 million to elect environmental champions to the NC General Assembly (NCGA). Separately, the Conservation PAC (CPAC) contributed $20,000 to elect environmental champions to the NCGA, as well as the re-election of NC Supreme Court Justice Anita Earls.
“Last week, voters stood up to Republican politicians who consistently sided with polluters and tried to elect themselves with surgical precision. We hope Republicans in the General Assembly got the message loud and clear, and will choose to stand up for their voters this time,” said Dan Crawford, NCLCV’s senior director of public affairs. “Voters made it very clear: they want a government free from corruption that works for their benefit, not for the profit of billionaires and greedy corporations like Duke Energy. We’ve played a critical role in electing enough pro-environment lawmakers to flip the NC House, and we look forward to working with the new leadership to protect our state’s environment and its people.”
Win for our democracy
Carrie Clark, NCLCV’s executive director spoke on the historic win for our democracy. “Beyond clean air, clean water, and affordable, clean energy, North Carolinians elected leaders who will fight for a fair, representative democracy,” she said. “Voters overcame concerted efforts to gerrymander and cumbersome voting restrictions. The results of these elections are a clear sign that voters are paying attention, and they will hold their elected officials accountable. It is a clear sign that we still have a representative, thriving democracy.”
See the details of which legislative winners received NCLCV-affiliate assistance in their victories here.
We won big, now what?
Now comes the more important part: delivering clean air, water, and energy. Democrats must take this historic win and use it to prioritize our state and its people. We will continue to work with lawmakers to make a greener, more affordable future for our state and country. However, that is only made possible through our donors. Help us make the most of these wins by becoming a recurring donor. Your donations help us advocate for our environment at the General Assembly and in communities across the state.
Thank you for being a part of the conservation voters movement. We look forward to working with you to bring a brighter, cleaner future for all North Carolinians.