5 things you need to know about NC legislative races in 2024
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Candidate filing closed Friday, ending the two-week period when North Carolinians who want to pursue higher office officially begin their run for election.
Filing went largely as expected, with most of the people we thought were running — or retiring — doing exactly that.
- But it also ended with some surprises.
Here are some of our biggest takeaways, now that we know for sure who's running in 2024, and who isn't.
Wake County Senate district shakeup
Democratic state Sen. Mary Wills Bode, who represented northern Wake and Granville County in Senate District 18, will not run for re-election, she announced last week.
- That came as a surprise to some political observers, as Bode comes from a family of politicians and has only served one term in the state Senate.
- In a post on X, Bode said she needed to focus on returning some of the sacrifices her family has made in order for her to serve.
Democratic state Rep. Terence Everitt will now run to replace Bode, after the governor asked him to do so, WRAL reported.
- Everitt previously said he wouldn't run for re-election in order to spend more time with his family. That changed after Bode dropped out.
- "When the governor asks you to do something, if it's at all within your power to help, you do it," Everitt said, according to the outlet.
No challenger for NC's most powerful Republican
Despite an effort to oust Republican Senate leader Phil Berger, no Republicans will run against the 12-term state senator.
- That all but ensures Berger will remain in power of the state Senate.
The intrigue: In fact, not a single Senate Republican will face a primary opponent in March, despite concerns that the chamber's decision to take up controversial issues in Republican circles, like Medicaid expansion, would lead to primary challenges.
- Many state House Republicans, by contrast, will face opponents in the primary.
Rising Senate Republican retires
Republican state Sen. Jim Perry, a prolific fundraiser who has been climbing the ranks in the state Senate, made a last-minute decision to retire from office.
- The move could be a blow to other Senate Republicans, who may have benefitted from Perry's ability to rake in donations, and it could change the future of who leads Republicans in the chamber.
Tricia Cotham gets an easy primary
Republican state Rep. Tricia Cotham, who ran in 2022 as a Democrat but flipped parties earlier this year, is not facing any Republican challengers in the primary, making her re-election campaign slightly easier.
- Three Democrats, however, will face off in a primary in hopes of challenging Cotham in November.
Democrats file in almost every legislative race
North Carolina Democrats have at least one candidate that filed in all but two state legislative seats — a major victory for the party after it left some 25% of legislative races unchallenged in 2022, Center Square reports.
In case you missed it: Democratic Congressman Wiley Nickel won't run for re-election, he announced last week. He cited Republicans' gerrymander of the state's congressional districts as his reason for stepping aside.