3 weeks, 3 Republicans leaving Congress. And that’s just the start of NC’s retirements
Correction added Dec. 21; see story for details.
Candidate filing for the 2020 elections in North Carolina was more about who’s not running than surprises from new candidates.
Three Republican members of Congress announced over three weeks that they are retiring. Former Republican Gov. Pat McCrory decided not to run for governor again, after a poll showed him leading in a GOP primary. And high-profile General Assembly leaders in both parties are bowing out of the 2020 election.
Who’s leaving Congress
U.S. Rep. Mark Meadows announced this past week that he wouldn’t run, even though his House district, in western North Carolina, still leans Republican after congressional districts were ruled partisan gerrymandered districts and redrawn. Instead, he hinted that he’s eyeing a role in the Trump administration. Trump was impeached the day before his announcement. Nineteen candidates are seeking Meadows’ seat.
U.S. Rep. George Holding decided to retire rather than run in a district that now leans Democrat.
“I should add, candidly, that, yes, the newly redrawn Congressional Districts were part of the reason I have decided not to seek reelection,” Holding said when he announced he wouldn’t run, The News & Observer previously reported. He also said he might return to public office in the future.
U.S. Rep. Mark Walker, who was floated as a possible primary opponent to U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis in 2020 or perhaps lieutenant governor, decided not to run for anything in 2020.
His district also now leans Democrat.
Walker, and McCrory too, are already looking to 2022 and that Senate race when U.S. Sen. Richard Burr retires.
Who’s leaving the statehouse
In the statehouse, several Republicans aren’t seeking reelection, though the two top leaders are running: Senate leader Phil Berger of Eden and House Speaker Tim Moore of Kings Mountain.
However, Sen. Harry Brown, the Republican Senate majority leader, is retiring. So is Republican Rep. Linda Johnson, who is senior chair of the powerful House Appropriations Committee, which controls the budget, and also chair of the K-12 education committee. Other Republicans not seeking reelection include Rep. Debra Conrad, Rep. Chuck McGrady, Sen. John Alexander and Sen. Rick Gunn.
Brown, a Jacksonville businessman and lead budget writer for the Republican-led Senate, said it was time to focus on his family and businesses.
Conrad said she would be involved in business and politics.
On the Democrat side, Sen. Floyd McKissick Jr. of Durham is leaving before his current term is up. McKissick, who was appointed to the N.C. Utilities Commission by the governor, already said his goodbyes in the Senate and will formally step down when he is sworn in to the new post. Once he resigns, his party will appoint someone to serve the rest of his term, and voters will elect someone for the seat in the fall.
Three Democrats won’t seek new terms in the legislature because they are running for lieutenant governor. Rep. Yvonne Lewis Holley, Rep. Chaz Beasley and Sen. Terry Van Duyn are all seeking the Democratic nomination for the lieutenant governor’s office. The position does not hold a lot of power, but is often used as a stepping stone to run for higher office.
Republican Sen. Andy Wells is also running for lieutenant governor. There are 15 candidates — nine Republicans and six Democrats — in the primary. (Wells’ title has been corrected.)
Current Lt. Gov. Dan Forest, a Republican, is running against Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper for governor. Republican N.C. Rep. Holly Grange is also seeking a gubernatorial bid, so will leave the House.
The candidate filing period ran Dec. 6 through Friday, with a flurry of candidates filing in the final days so there are primary and general election contests for most seats.
The General Assembly reconvenes Jan. 14 for a short session and there’s still a possibility the Senate will hold a vote to override Cooper’s veto of the state budget, which the House already overrode.
North Carolina’s primary is March 3.
For more North Carolina government and politics news, listen to the Domecast politics podcast from The News & Observer and the NC Insider. You can find it on Megaphone, Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, Stitcher or wherever you get your podcasts.
This story was originally published December 21, 2019 at 1:39 PM.
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