(The Center Square) – More than two dozen candidates for the General Assembly appear to have guaranteed seats in 2024 with no primary or general election challenger.
Following the close of candidate filing on Friday, Democrats have filed to run in 168 of the General Assembly’s 170 races in 2024, while Republicans are represented in 137.
Those figures include one guaranteed Republican seat and two dozen for Democrats – five Senate seats and 19 House seats.
The only Republican who will not face any competition in 2024 is Lincoln County’s Jason Saine, who served as House conference chair in 2023.
Others running for seats in the lower chamber who will not be challenged include 15 incumbent Democrats and four new Democrats, with most in the state’s urban areas.
Incumbents include Reps. Deb Butler of New Hanover County; Vernetta Alston of Durham; Marcia Morey of Durham; Zack Hawkins of Durham; Abe Jones of Wake; James Roberson of Wake; Frances Jackson of Cumberland; Cynthia Ball of Wake; Renee Price of Orange; Amos Quick of Guilford; Kanika Brown of Forsyth; Mary Belk of Mecklenburg; Terry Brown of Mecklenburg; Carolyn Logan of Mecklenburg; and Becky Carney of Mecklenburg.
New House Democrats without challengers include Julia Greenfield running to replace Democratic Rep. John Autry in Mecklenburg County; Aisha Dew to replace Democratic Rep. Kelly Alexander in Mecklenburg; Jordan Lopez to replace Republican Rep. Tricia Cotham in Mecklenburg; and Brian Turner to replace Democratic Rep. Caleb Rudow in Buncombe County.
Cotham is running in a new House District 105, while Rudow is running for Congress in District 11, challenging incumbent Republican Rep. Chuck Edwards.
The close of filing on Friday also came with 21 incumbent state lawmakers not seeking reelection next year, including 10 who are running for other offices.
There are six incumbents in the Senate who won’t be back: Sens. Jim Perry, R-Lenoir; Mary Wills Bode, D-Wake; Joyce Krawiec, R-Forsyth; Natasha Marcus, D-Mecklenburg; Rachel Hunt, D-Mecklenburg; and Dean Proctor, R-Catawba.
Marcus is running for insurance commissioner, while Hunt is running for lieutenant governor.
In the lower chamber, 15 incumbents are not seeking reelection besides Alexander, Autry and Rudow, including: Speaker Tim Moore, R-Cleveland; Jon Hardister, R-Guilford; John Faircloth, R-Guilford; Wayne Sasser, R-Stanly; Kristin Baker, R-Cabarrus; Jeffrey Elmore, R-Wilkes; Grey Mills, R-Irdell; John Bradford, R-Mecklenburg; and Wesley Harris, D-Mecklenburg.
Everitt is running for state Senate, Hardister is running for labor commissioner, Mills is running for the 10th Congressional District, Bradford is running for the 8th Congressional District, Moore is running for the 14th Congressional District, and Harris is running for state treasurer.
Despite the 24-1 advantage for Democrats among those seeking seats in the General Assembly without primary or general election challengers, political observers expect redistricting maps approved this year will likely produce Republican supermajorities in both chambers.
A congressional redistricting map is expected to result in a congressional delegation split 7-7 between Democrats and Republicans to a 10-4 delegation favoring Republicans, though both the state Senate and congressional maps face legal challenges.
