A special election was held on September 10, 2019, to fill the vacancy in in the United States House of Representatives for the remainder of the 116th United States Congress. Walter B. Jones Jr., the incumbent representative, died on February 10, 2019.
Parties held primaries to decide their nominees. In order to win a party nomination outright, under current state law, a candidate must exceed 30% of the vote to avoid a runoff (presuming that the second-place finisher calls for that runoff). There must be 30 days of absentee voting prior to each election, according to state law. Filing began on March 4 and ended March 8, as set by Governor Roy Cooper. Twenty-six candidates filed with the State Board of Elections by the filing deadline: 17 Republicans, 6 Democrats, 2 Libertarians, and 1 Constitution Party candidate. All candidates filed are affiliated with a political party. Five candidates advanced after the first primary elections: two Republicans, one Democrat, one Libertarian, and one Constitution Party candidate.
Cooper set the primary date of April 30, in which the Democrats selected Allen Thomas, Libertarians selected Tim Harris, and in the Constitution Party primary businessman Greg Holt won by default, but no Republican achieved 30% of the vote. Voting for the Republican primary runoff occurred on Tuesday, July 9, between two candidates that are both physicians, Greg Murphy and Joan Perry. Approximately 70 minutes after polls closed, Murphy was declared the winner by the Associated Press.
The general election was held on September 10, 2019. Murphy won the seat.
With the decision by the State Board of Elections to hold a new election to redo the 2018 U.S. House election in North Carolina's 9th district, this became one of two congressional district special elections in North Carolina in 2019, the other being the 9th district's special election held on the same day. This was the first time two U.S. House special elections were held in the same state on the same day (not on Election Day) since the May 3, 2008, elections in Louisiana's 1st district and 6th district.
Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee Greg Murphy, state representative from the 9th district
Eliminated in runoff Joan Perry, pediatrician
Eliminated in primary Kevin Baiko, doctor Paul Beaumont, Currituck County Commissioner Graham Boyd, farmer Celeste Cairns, accountant Gary Ceres, library technician Chimer Davis Clark Jr., small businessman Don Cox, singer Francis De Luca, former president of Civitas Institute Phil Law, Marine Corps veteran and candidate for U.S. Representative in 2016 and 2018 Jeff Moore, small businessman Michele Nix, Vice Chair of the North Carolina Republican Party Mike Payment, Currituck County Commissioner Eric Rouse, Lenoir County Commissioner Phil Shepard, state representative from the 15th district Michael Speciale, state representative from the 3rd district
Declined Harry Brown, state senator from the 6th district and incumbent North Carolina Senate Majority Leader George G. Cleveland, state representative from the 14th district Scott Dacey, former vice-chairman of the Craven County Board of Commissioners and candidate for U.S. Representative in 2018 Pete Gilbert, Pasquotank County Republican Party Chairman Ed Goodwin, state representative from the 1st district Taylor Griffin, former aide to Jesse Helms and candidate for U.S. Representative in 2014 and 2016 Bobby Hanig, state representative from the 6th district Chris Humphrey, state representative from the 12th district Keith Kidwell, state representative from the 79th district Pat McElraft, state representative from the 13th district Joe McLaughlin, former Onslow County Commissioner, candidate for U.S. Representative in 2008, candidate for North Carolina Commissioner of Insurance in 2016, and candidate for state representative in 2018 Carl Mischka, chairman of the 3rd congressional district Republican Party Executive Committee Frank Palombo, candidate for U.S. Representative in 2012 Norman W. Sanderson, state senator from the 2nd district Sandy Smith, small businesswoman Bob Steinburg, state senator from the 1st district Paul Wright, Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor Area 5 Dare County Ashley Woolard, 2010 Repubulican nominee for US Congress (NC-01)2010 United States House of Representatives elections in North Carolina, 2012 US presidential elector NC Third Congressional District List of 2012 United States presidential electors, former chairman Beaufort County Republican Party
Endorsements
First round
Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error CelesteCairns PhilLaw JeffMoore GregMurphy JoanPerry EricRouse PhilShepard MichaelSpeciale Other UndecidedAtlantic Media & Research (R)Atlantic Media & Research (R) April 24–27, 2019 253 ± 6.1% 2% 3% 6% 14% 9% 4% 7% 6% 5% 44%
Results
Runoff Results
Democratic primary Candidates Nominee Allen Thomas, former mayor of Greenville and executive director of Global TransPark
Eliminated Richard Bew, former U.S. Marine Corps colonel Gregory Humphrey, former journalist Ike Johnson, Democratic nominee for State House district 14 in 2018 Dana Outlaw, mayor of New Bern Ernest T. Reeves, Democratic nominee for North Carolina's 3rd congressional district in 2016
Declined Ollie Nelson, retired U.S. Marine, educator, and pastor George Parrott, businessman Scott Thomas, District Attorney for North Carolina's 4th prosecutorial district
Endorsements
Results
Libertarian primary
Candidates
Declared Shannon Bray, U.S. Navy veteran, author, cybersecurity expert Tim Harris, U.S. Marine Corps veteran, IT engineer, candidate for North Carolina Senate for the 2nd district in 2018
Results
Constitution primary
Candidates
Nominee (by default) Greg Holt, businessman
General election During the early voting period for this election, Hurricane Dorian battered the eastern coast of the United States, necessitating early voting to be halted in several counties on the Outer Banks until the storm had passed. This also happened in the election for North Carolina's 9th congressional district.
Predictions SourceRankingAs ofThe Cook Political ReportAugust 26, 2019Inside ElectionsSeptember 4, 2019 Sabato's Crystal Ball September 5, 2019
Endorsements
Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error GregMurphy (R) AllenThomas (D) Other UndecidedGAJ Solutions (R)GAJ Solutions (R) August 26–28, 2019 500 ± 4.0% 51% 40% 3% 6%
with generic Republican and generic Democrat Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error GenericRepublican GenericDemocrat UndecidedStrategic Partners SolutionsStrategic Partners Solutions May 18–19, 2019 400 ± 4.9% 49% 41% –
Fundraising Campaign finance reports as of August 21, 2019Candidate (party)Total receiptsTotal disbursementsCash on handGreg Murphy (R)$901,590.47 $803,487.06$98,103.41Allen Thomas (D)$564,575.49$476,025.52 $88,549.97Source: Federal Election Commission
Results
Despite the clear victory, 61.7% is the lowest Republican vote share in this district since 2012.
See also List of special elections to the United States House of Representatives
Notes Partisan clients
Additional candidates
References
External links Official campaign websites Greg Holt (C) for Congress Greg Murphy (R) for Congress Allen Thomas (D) for Congress