NC Legislative Update

By Cady Thomas

Activity Updates

Remaining 2022 Legislative Sessions

The NCGA is in session today through the 18th but there will be no votes taken. Senator Phil Berger confirmed last week that he also does not want to have a voting session in December stating “I think I’m gonna go tell Santa Claus what my wishes are for Christmas rather than spending time with my friend.”

Legislative Meeting

Members of NCGo!, including CRMCA member Greg Dean and CRMCA lobbyist Cady Thomas, met with Senators Vickie Sawyer, Tom McInnis, and Mike Woodard this week to discuss continued revenue sources for NCDOT. It was a good meeting and we look forward to working with them in the 2023 legislative session.

COVID

Numbers

Numbers as of November 9, 2022:

• 3,255,540 total cases

• 27,264 deaths

• 583 people – 7 day average of those hospitalized

• 73% of adult population fully vaccinated, 63% of total population fully vaccinated

Election News

Recap

The entire NC General Assembly, one US Senate and 14 US Congress seats were on the ballot tonight in NC. The Council of State (including the governor) is not on the ballot again until 2024.

Congressman Ted Budd (R) beat Cheri Beasely (D) for the US Senate seat vacated by retiring Senator Richard Burr (R).

The NC Congressional delegation is now evenly divided between Democrats and Republicans. We anticipate these districts to be redrawn in advance of the 2024 elections as the current maps were decided by the NC courts.

The NC House partisan divide is now 71 R and 49 D and the NC Senate is now 30 R and 20 D. The NC Senate gained a Republican supermajority, but the House was unable to do the same. Therefore, Governor Cooper’s veto remains relevant.

The NC Supreme Court had two seats on the ballot held by Justice Robin Hudson who retired this year, and Justice Sam Ervin, IV who was seeking reelection. Court of Appeals Judge Richard Deitz (R) beat Court of Appeals Judge Lucy Inman (D). Justice Ervin lost his reelection bid to Trey Allen (R), changing the partisan split to 5-2 from 4-3.

US Congress

NC gained a new congressional seat this election. The partisan split is now 7 Democrats and 7 Republicans. District 13 was the only toss up race and was won by Democrat Wiley Nickel.

Legislature

New Members of the General Assembly

New House Members:

• District 6 –  Joe Pike, a Harnett County restaurant owner

• District 8 –   Gloristine Brown, Bethel’s mayor

• District 13 – Celeste Cairns of Carteret County, an auditor and accountant

• District 21 – Ya Liu, a Duke Law faculty member

• District 34 – Tim Longest, an attorney

• District 41 –  Maria Cervania — a Wake County commissioner, biostatistician, epidemiologist and researcherDistrict 47 –  Jarrod Lowery, a community relations manager at Mountaire Farms

• DIstrict 44 – Charles Smith, an attorney

• District 45 – Frances Jackson

• DIstrict 50 – Renee Price

• District 70 – Brian Biggs, a REALTOR

• District 71 -Kanika Brown

• District 78 – Neal Jackson, a Baptist pastor

• District 83 – Kevin Crutchfield, a farmer, business owner and real-estate developer

• District 112 – Trica Cotham

• DIstrict 117 – Jennifer Balkcom, a mortgage loan officer and member of the county planning board.

New Senator Members:

• District 5 – Kandie Smith, motivational speaker

• District 10 – Benton Sawrey, an attorney

• District 13 – Lisa Grafstein, attorney

• District 16 – Gale Adcock, nurse

• District 23 – Graig Meyer

• District 36 – Eddie Settle, a farmer who owns a printing business

• DIstrict 47 –  Brad Overcash, an attorney and local Republican Party leader

• District 48 – Tim Moffitt, a REALTOR

Opponents Can Be Friends

Political rivals that were actually friends used to be common in government. Senator Thom Tills and Cal Cunningham provide a glimpse of civility after a hard fight.