Republicans Fall One Seat Short Of NCGA Supermajority, Limiting Veto Override Power

By Brianna Kraemer
Carolina Journal

Though the North Carolina General Assembly has retained strong Republican majorities in both the House and Senate following Election Day results, GOP lawmakers fell one seat shy of maintaining the supermajority they have enjoyed for the past two years.

The 3/5 supermajority enabled the legislature to repeatedly override Democrat Gov. Roy Cooper’s vetoes of legislation. With Democrat Josh Stein handily besting Republican Mark Robinson to win the governor’s mansion, the power to easily override partisan vetoes with a supermajority was a high priority for state Republicans.

Republicans in the state Senate needed to keep its 30-20 advantage in order to retain a supermajority, which they successfully accomplished.

In contrast, the Republicans needed the North Carolina House to keep its 72-48 composition; data from the State Board of Elections website shows Republicans winning 71-49, one seat short of the 60% supermajority. 

Republicans needed all 17 “lean Republican” seats and all three toss-up seats, as outlined in the John Locke Foundation’s Civitas Partisan Index, to reach the vaunted veto-proof majority. In the end, Republicans were ward off Democrats in races like House District 115, which leaned Republican by two points, but saw incumbent Democrat Lindsey Prather triumph. Democrats also picked up a seat in House District 98, one of the toss-up districts located on the north side of Charlotte. Democrat Beth Gardner Helfrich outperformed Republican candidate Melinda Bales by over 4%. 

Rep. Ken Fontenot was the Republican incumbent running for reelection in the highly competitive District 24 around Nash and Wilson Counties. The region leaned slightly in Democrats’ favor, with Fontenot coming up 871 votes (2%) short of his Democratic challenger, Dante Pittman. Just to the north, in District 25, Republican Rep. Allen Chesser was able to hold onto his seat in a tight bid against Lorenza Wilkins. Chesser was one of two vulnerable Republicans — along with Rep. Bill Ward, who secured a victory in District 5 — who were the target of left-wing attack ads seeking to derail the supermajority.

Another key race that went in Republicans’ favor was House District 105, where Republican Rep. Tricia Cotham secured the victory with 27,093 votes compared to Democrat challenger Nicole Sidman’s 26,818. Cotham made headlines after switching parties following the 2022 election, which gave House Republicans their supermajority leverage and fired up Democrats who felt betrayed in her Mecklenburg County district.

On the Senate side, several tight races swung in Republicans’ favor, such as Senate District 11, where Sen. Lisa Stone Barnes held on to her seat by over two points against Democrat challenger James Mercer.

A razor thin margin emerged in District 18, north of Raleigh, where Republican Ashlee Bryan Adams received 59,089 votes to Democrat challenger Terence Everitt’s haul of 59,051 — a mere 38-vote difference, and close enough to trigger a recount.

It wasn’t the closest race in the Senate, as an even tighter contest in District 42 among two new candidates was separated by just 27 votes., Democrat Woodson Bradley came out on top, barely, over Republican candidate Stacie McGinn, 61,572 to 61,545, respectively. In southeast Charlotte, this senate race was considered one of just a few toss-up districts across North Carolina. 

At roughly 1:00 am Wednesday morning, Senate Leader Phil Berger, R-Rockingham, released a statement celebrating the Senate’s supermajority victory. He promised to continue honoring the Republican platform of low taxes, job creation, quality education, and educational freedom.

“Since 2010, North Carolinians have put their faith in Republicans to guide the state,” said Berger. “Tonight’s results affirm their continued support of the policies that make North Carolina the best state in the nation to live, work, and raise a family. I can confidently say Republicans will retain a supermajority in the Senate and will hold a strong majority in the House.”

Though overriding a Gov. Josh Stein in 2025 will require more than a simple caucus meeting and headcount, both chambers have Republican majorities for the eighth consecutive election. Notably, select Democrats who will remain in the House have sided with Republicans on veto overrides in the past.

In reaction to the results, online commenters pointed to the diluting effect of Libertarian and Constitution Party candidates had for state Republicans, while former and future President Donald Trump still crossed the finish line to secure a national victory for the GOP. Some pointed to policy as an explanation, with Libertarian voters expressing frustrations over the lack of Republican action on constitutional carry at the state level despite, adequate supermajorities.