With election day right around the corner, races across the state are heating up. The outcome of elections after November 6th could change the power dynamic of the General Assembly. Republicans currently have a 34-15 majority in the North Carolina Senate. All 50 Senate seats are up for election and Democrats would need to win six Senate seats to break the three-fifths supermajority.
McGuireWoods Consulting has published an interactive state by state analysis of race that you can view here.
Election Forecast: Spotlight on the North Carolina State Senate
A key question this year is whether Democrats can flip enough seats to break the Republican supermajority. The Republicans currently hold a 34-15 majority in the Senate. Federal judges ruled in 2017 that 28 of the state’s House and Senate districts were unlawfully drawn. The legislature redrew the map in a manner that has left traditionally “safe” seats for incumbents vulnerable.
In the contested elections, many factors will figure into the races: the district’s partisan voting habits, fundraising and advertising efforts, local and statewide news and the power of incumbency. The Civitas Institute has identified 12 battleground Senate races.11 of these districts have Republican incumbents and one with a Democratic incumbent. These races are key in what could be a potential shift in the balance of power in the legislature.
Chart source: NC CIVITAS
N.C. Senate Races
Voters across North Carolina have or will be heading to the polls to vote for who represents them in the N.C. State Senate. Changes in districts, competitive races, and political rhetoric from the national level will factor into many races. In past years, many candidates have ran unopposed but this year all 50 seats are challenged. Our friends at North Carolina Free Enterprise Foundation have broken down the candidates for each Senate seat across the State.
Election Resources
To see more about North Carolina Elections, candidate breakdowns, and fundraising numbers, check out these fantastic charts from our friends at the NC Free Enterprise Foundation:
McGuireWoods State by State Analysis
2018 Candidate Tracker - NC Free Enterprise Foundation
NC BAR Survey
Judicial Voter Guide
Vote Tracker
