Rep. Donna White Loses House Seat; Sawrey, Strickland Win Reelection

JOHNSTON COUNTY – Democrat L’Bertrice Solomon defeated longtime Republican state Rep. Donna White Tuesday, while Republican Sen. Benton Sawrey survived a much closer challenge and Rep. Larry Strickland won reelection by a comfortable margin.

Rep. White Defeated In District 26

Solomon received 21,655 votes, or 52.99 percent, to defeat White in N.C. House District 26.

Rep. White received 19,212 votes, or 47.01 percent.

The margin was 2,443 votes, with Solomon finishing nearly six percentage points ahead of the incumbent.

Solomon is a Johnston County resident who serves as Chief Public Health Officer for Docs On Da Block. Her professional background includes work in hospital settings and community health outreach, helping families obtain care and navigate the health care system. She is also a minister.

During the campaign, Solomon emphasized health care access, public education, affordability, housing and managing Johnston County’s continued growth.

White, a registered nurse and aging specialist, has served five terms in the N.C. House and is chairwoman of the House Health Committee and the Appropriations, Health and Human Services Committee.

She was the first woman from Johnston County elected to the N.C. House.

Sawrey Wins Close Senate Race

The closest of the three Johnston County legislative contests came in N.C. Senate District 10, where Sawrey held off Democrat Pat LeGrand by 1,254 votes.

Sawrey received 43,863 votes, or 49.70 percent, while LeGrand received 42,609 votes, or 48.28 percent.

Libertarian Kevin Terrett received 1,782 votes, or 2.02 percent.

Sawrey, a local attorney and lifelong Johnston County resident, is completing his second term in the Senate. He chairs the Senate Health Care Committee and the Appropriations on Health and Human Services Committee.

Strickland Wins Reelection

The N.C. House District 28 contest was considerably less competitive.

Republican incumbent Larry Strickland received 17,117 votes, or 58.30 percent, compared with 12,241 votes, or 41.70 percent, for Democrat D. Matthew Bailey.

Strickland won by 4,876 votes.

Strickland, a Pine Level real estate appraiser and farmer, has served five terms in the House. He is a senior chairman of the House Appropriations Committee.

The election results remain unofficial until the canvass process is completed.