The 2004 North Carolina Senate elections were held on November 2, 2004, to elect members to all fifty seats in the

North Carolina Senate The North Carolina Senate is the upper chamber of the North Carolina General Assembly, which along with the North Carolina House of Representatives—the lower chamber—comprises the state legislature of North Carolina. The term of office for e ...

. The election coincided with the elections for other offices including the

Presidency A presidency is an administration or the executive, the collective administrative and governmental entity that exists around an office of president of a state or nation. Although often the executive branch of government, and often personified by a ...

U.S. Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and powe ...

Governorship A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political r ...

U.S. House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...

Council of State A Council of State is a governmental body in a country, or a subdivision of a country, with a function that varies by jurisdiction. It may be the formal name for the cabinet or it may refer to a non-executive advisory body associated with a head o ...

, and

state house State may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Literature * ''State Magazine'', a monthly magazine published by the U.S. Department of State * ''The State'' (newspaper), a daily newspaper in Columbia, South Carolina, United States * ''Our S ...

. The

primary election Primary elections, or direct primary are a voting process by which voters can indicate their preference for their party's candidate, or a candidate in general, in an upcoming general election, local election, or by-election. Depending on the ...

was held on July 20, 2004, with a primary run-off occurring on August 17, 2004. These elections were the first to use new district lines drawn by the General Assembly to account the for changes in population amongst each of the districts after the 2000 census. The 2002 election had been conducted under a map ordered by the

North Carolina Superior Court The Superior Court is North Carolina's general jurisdiction trial court. It was established in 1777 and is North Carolina's oldest court. Jurisdiction and administration The Superior Court is the trial court of general jurisdiction in North Caroli ...

Results summary

† - Incumbent not seeking re-election

Incumbents defeated in primary election

* John Carrington (R-District 15), defeated by

Neal Hunt Neal K. Hunt (born September 17, 1942) is an American real estate businessman and politician who served as a Republican member of the North Carolina General Assembly representing constituents in Wake County in the fifteenth district of the Nor ...

(R)

Incumbents defeated in general election

Cecil Hargett Cecil Hargett, Jr. is a businessman and politician, a former Democratic member of the North Carolina General Assembly, representing the state's sixth Senate district, including constituents in Jones and Onslow counties. He is a real estate inves ...

(D-District 6), defeated by Harry Brown (R) *

Joe Sam Queen Joe Sam Queen (born June 18, 1950) is a North Carolina politician and architect. He has served in both the North Carolina Senate and the North Carolina House of Representatives. Political career Queen represented the state's 47th Senate distr ...

(D-District 47), defeated by Keith Presnell (R) * Bob Carpenter (R-District 50), defeated by

John Snow John Snow (15 March 1813 – 16 June 1858) was an English physician and a leader in the development of anaesthesia and medical hygiene. He is considered one of the founders of modern epidemiology, in part because of his work in tracing the so ...

(D)

Newly created seats

*District 7, won by

Doug Berger Douglas E. Berger is an American attorney, former prosecutor and politician who served as a member of the North Carolina General Assembly representing the state's 7th Senate district for four terms, starting in 2005. A member of the Democratic Pa ...

(D) *District 30, won by Don W. East (R) *District 40, won by

Malcolm Graham Malcolm Graham may refer to: * Malcolm Graham (footballer) (1934–2015), English footballer who played for Barnsley and Leyton Orient *Malcolm Graham (politician) Malcolm Graham (born January 14, 1963) is a former Democratic member of the Nor ...

(D) *District 44, won by

Jim Jacumin Jim Jacumin (born November 15, 1936) is an American politician who served in the North Carolina Senate The North Carolina Senate is the upper chamber of the North Carolina General Assembly, which along with the North Carolina House of Repres ...

(R)

Seats eliminated by redistricting

* Tony Moore (R-District 5) lost a redistricting race to John Kerr (D) * Bob Rucho (R-District 39) didn't seek re-election after the 40th district was merged with his district * R. B. Sloan Jr. (R-District 41) lost re-nomination to James Forrester (R-District 42) after the 42nd district was merged with the 41st district *

Virginia Foxx Virginia Ann Foxx ( Palmieri;Foxx, Virginia Ann
. ''Biographical Directory of ...

(R-District 45) ran for the

U.S. House The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they c ...

after the 30th district was merged with her district.

Detailed results

Districts 1–25

District 1

Incumbent Democratic President Pro Tempore

Marc Basnight Marc Basnight (May 13, 1947 – December 28, 2020) was an American politician who served as a Democratic member of the North Carolina State Senate, representing the 1st district, from 1984 through his resignation just before the start of what wo ...

has represented the 1st district since 1985.

District 2

Incumbent Democrat Scott Thomas has represented the 2nd district and its predecessors since 2001.

District 3

Incumbent Democrat

Clark Jenkins Samuel Clark Jenkins is an American politician who served as a Democratic member of the North Carolina General Assembly representing the state's third Senate district from 2003 to 2015. His district included constituents in Edgecombe, Martin, a ...

has represented the 3rd district since 2003.

District 4

Incumbent Democrat

Robert Lee Holloman Robert Lee Holloman (1953 – January 8, 2007) was a Democratic member of the North Carolina General Assembly who represented the state's fourth Senate district, including constituents in Bertie, Chowan, Gates, Halifax, Hertford, Northampto ...

has represented the 4th district since 2003.

District 5

The new 5th district includes the homes of Incumbent Democrat turned Republican Tony Moore, who has represented the 5th district since 2003 and Incumbent Democrat John Kerr, who has represented the 7th district and its predecessors since 1993. Kerr defeated Moore in the general election.

District 6

Incumbent Democrat

has represented the 6th district since 2003. Hargett lost re-election to Republican Harry Brown.

District 7

The new 7th district includes all of

Franklin Franklin may refer to: People * Franklin (given name) * Franklin (surname) * Franklin (class), a member of a historical English social class Places Australia * Franklin, Tasmania, a township * Division of Franklin, federal electoral d ...

, Granville, Vance, and

Warren A warren is a network of wild rodent or lagomorph, typically rabbit burrows. Domestic warrens are artificial, enclosed establishment of animal husbandry dedicated to the raising of rabbits for meat and fur. The term evolved from the medieval Angl ...

Counties. Democrat

won the open seat.

District 8

Incumbent Democrat

R. C. Soles Jr. Robert Charles Soles Jr. (December 17, 1934 – February 5, 2021) was a Democratic member of the North Carolina Senate, representing the 8th district from 1977 to 2011. His district included Brunswick, Columbus and Pender counties. From 1969 ...

has represented the 8th district and its predecessors since 1977.

District 9

Incumbent Republican Minority Leader

Patrick J. Ballantine Patrick J. Ballantine (born March 17, 1965) is an American attorney and politician who was a United States Republican Party, Republican member of the North Carolina General Assembly, rising to become the North Carolina General Assembly#North Car ...

had represented the 9th district and its predecessors since 1995. Ballantine ran for

Governor A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...

and resigned his seat on April 20, 2004. Fellow Republican Woody White was appointed to replace him on May 5, 2004. White ran for re-election to a full term, but he lost re-election to Democrat

Julia Boseman Julia Olson-Boseman is an American politician, who served as a Democratic member of the North Carolina Senate. She represented the state's ninth Senate district, covering all of New Hanover County, from January 2005 to January 2011. She ran i ...

District 10

Incumbent Democrat Charles Albertson has represented the 10th district and its predecessors since 1993.

District 11

Incumbent Democrat

A. B. Swindell Albin Blount Swindell IV (born October 14, 1945) is an American politician who was a Democratic member of the North Carolina General Assembly representing the state's eleventh Senate district, including constituents in Nash and Wilson counties. ...

has represented the 11th district and its predecessors since 2001.

District 12

Incumbent Republican Fred Smith has represented the 12th district since 2003.

District 13

Incumbent Democrat David Weinstein has represented the 13th district and its predecessors since 1997.

District 14

incumbent Democrat

Vernon Malone Vernon Malone (December 20, 1931 – April 18, 2009) was a Democratic member of the North Carolina General Assembly representing the state's fourteenth Senate district from 2003 until his death in 2009. His district included constituents in ...

has represented the 14th district since 2003.

District 15

Incumbent Republican John Carrington has represented the 15th district and its predecessors since 1995. Carrington lost re-nomination to fellow Republican

, who won the general election.

District 16

Incumbent Democrat

Eric Miller Reeves Eric Miller Reeves (born October 18, 1963) is an attorney and a North Carolina state Senator. Early life and education Reeves graduated from St. Mark's School of Texas in 1982 where he was a member of the wrestling team and won the Texas Sta ...

has represented the 16th district and its predecessors since 1997. Reeves retired and Democrat

Janet Cowell Janet Cowell (born July 19, 1968) is the former North Carolina State Treasurer, serving from 2009 to 2017, and is the first woman to hold that position in North Carolina. She was previously a two-term member of the Raleigh City Council and a tw ...

won the open seat.

District 17

Incumbent Republican Richard Y. Stevens has represented the 17th district since 2003.

District 18

Incumbent Democrat

Wib Gulley Wilbur P. (Wib) Gulley (born July 31, 1948) is an attorney and former state and local elected official from Durham, North Carolina. Mayor Gulley served as Mayor of Durham for two terms, from December 1985 to December 1989. As Mayor, Gulley initia ...

, who had represented the 18th district and its predecessors since 1993, resigned on March 19, 2004. Ralph Alexander Hunt was appointed to finish Hunt's term on April 21, 2004. Hunt didn't seek a full term and Democrat

Bob Atwater Robert "Bob" Atwater is a Democratic member of the North Carolina Senate The North Carolina Senate is the upper chamber of the North Carolina General Assembly, which along with the North Carolina House of Representatives—the lower chamber� ...

won the open seat.

District 19

Incumbent Democratic Majority Leader

Tony Rand Anthony Eden Rand (September 1, 1939 – May 1, 2020) was an American attorney and politician who served as a member of the North Carolina General Assembly from 1981 to 1989 and again from 1995 to 2009. Early life Rand was born in southern Wake ...

has represented the 19th district and its predecessors since 1995.

District 20

Incumbent Democrat

Jeanne Hopkins Lucas Jeanne Hopkins Lucas (December 25, 1935 - March 9, 2007) was the first African-American woman elected to serve in North Carolina's state Senate. Lucas was born in Durham, North Carolina to Robert Hopkins and Bertha Holman Hopkins. She attended E ...

has represented the 20th district and its predecessors since 1993.

District 21

Incumbent Democrat Larry Shaw has represented the 21st district and its predecessors since 1995.

District 22

Incumbent Republican

Harris Blake Harris Durham Blake (November 3, 1929 – June 9, 2014) was a Republican member of the North Carolina General Assembly representing the state's twenty-second Senate district, which included constituents in Harnett, Lee and Moore counties. ...

has represented the 22nd district since 2003.

District 23

Incumbent Democrat

Eleanor Kinnaird Eleanor Gates 'Ellie' Kinnaird (born November 14, 1931) is a North Carolina politician who served as a Democratic member of the North Carolina General Assembly representing the state's 23rd Senate district from January 1997 until her resignatio ...

has represented the 23rd district and its predecessors since 1997.

District 24

Incumbent Republican Hugh Webster has represented the 24th district since 1995.

District 25

Incumbent Democrat Bill Purcell has represented the 25th district and its predecessors since 1997.

Districts 26–50

District 26

Incumbent Republican Phil Berger has represented the 26th district and its predecessors since 2001.

District 27

Incumbent Democrat

Kay Hagan Janet Kay Hagan (née Ruthven; May 26, 1953 – October 28, 2019) was an American lawyer, banking executive, and politician who served as a United States Senator from North Carolina from 2009 to 2015. A member of the Democratic Party, she previo ...

has represented the 27th district and its predecessors since 1999.

District 28

Incumbent Democrat

Katie G. Dorsett Katie Grays Dorsett (July 8, 1932 – July 6, 2020) was a Democratic member of the North Carolina General Assembly representing the state's twenty-eighth Senate district from 2003 to 2010. Her district included constituents in Guilford County, No ...

has represented the 28th district since 2003.

District 29

Incumbent Republican Jerry W. Tillman has represented the 29th district since 2003.

District 30

The new 30th district includes all of Alleghany, Stokes, Surry, and Yadkin counties and has no incumbent. Republican Don W. East won the open seat.

District 31

Incumbent Republican Hamilton Horton Jr. has represented the 31st district and its predecessors since 1995.

District 32

Incumbent Democrat

Linda Garrou Linda Garrou (January 17, 1943 – March 19, 2022) was a Democratic member of the North Carolina General Assembly representing the state's thirty-second Senate district since 1999 until 2012. Her district includes constituents in Forsyth coun ...

has represented the 32nd district and its predecessors since 1999.

District 33

Incumbent Republican

Stan Bingham Stanley Walker Bingham (December 29, 1945 – October 27, 2022) was an American politician, a Republican member of the North Carolina General Assembly representing the state's thirty-third Senate district, including constituents in Davidson an ...

has represented the 33rd district and its predecessors since 2001.

District 34

Incumbent Republican Andrew C. Brock has represented the 34th district since 2003.

District 35

Incumbent Republican

Fern Shubert Fern H. Shubert is a former Republican member of the North Carolina General Assembly representing the state's thirty-fifth Senate district, including constituents in Mecklenburg and Union counties. An accountant from Marshville, North Carolina ...

has represented the 35th district since 2003. Shubert ran for

. Fellow Republican Eddie Goodall won the open seat.

District 36

Incumbent Republican Fletcher L. Hartsell Jr. has represented the 36th district and its predecessors since 1991.

District 37

Incumbent Democrat

Dan Clodfelter Daniel G. Clodfelter (born June 2, 1950) is an American politician and attorney from North Carolina. He served as a Democratic member of the North Carolina General Assembly representing the State's thirty-seventh Senate district, which include ...

has represented the 37th district and its predecessors since 1999.

District 38

Incumbent Democrat Charlie Dannelly has represented the 38th district and its predecessors since 1995.

District 39

The new 39th district includes the homes of incumbent Republicans Bob Rucho, who has represented the 39th district and its predecessors since 1997, and

Robert Pittenger The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of ''Hrōþ, Hruod'' ( non, Hróðr) "fame, glory ...

, who has represented the 40th district since 2003. Rucho retired and Pittenger was elected here.

District 40

The new 40th district is based in Mecklenburg County and had no incumbent. Democrat Maclom Graham won the open seat.

District 41

The new 41st district includes the homes of incumbent Republicans R. B. Sloan Jr., who has represented the 41st district since 2003, and James Forrester, who has represented the 42nd district and its predecessors since 1991. Forrester defeated Sloan in the Republican primary and was re-elected here.

District 42

The new 42nd district overlaps with much of the former 44th district. Incumbent Republican Austin M. Allran, who has represented the 44th district and its predecessors since 1987, was re-elected here.

District 43

Incumbent Democrat David W. Hoyle has represented the 43rd district and its predecessors since 1993.

District 44

The new 44th district includes all of

Burke Burke is an Anglo-Norman Irish surname, deriving from the ancient Anglo-Norman and Hiberno-Norman noble dynasty, the House of Burgh. In Ireland, the descendants of William de Burgh (–1206) had the surname ''de Burgh'' which was gaelicised ...

and

Caldwell Caldwell may refer to: People * Caldwell (surname) * Caldwell (given name) * Caldwell First Nation, a federally recognized Indian band in southern Ontario, Canada Places Great Britain * Caldwell, Derbyshire, a hamlet * Caldwell, East ...

counties and has no incumbent. Republican

won the open seat.

District 45

The new 45th district includes the homes of Incumbent Republicans

Virginia Foxx Virginia Ann Foxx ( Palmieri;Foxx, Virginia Ann
. ''Biographical Directory of ...

, who has represented the 45th district and its predecessors since 1995, and John Garwood, who has represented the 30th district and its predecessors since 1997. Foxx ran for the

and Garwood was re-elected here.

District 46

Incumbent Democrat Walter H. Dalton has represented the 46th district and its predecessors since 1997.

District 47

Incumbent Democrat

has represented the 47th district since 2003. Queen lost re-election to Republican Keith Presnell.

District 48

Incumbent Republican

Tom Apodaca Thomas Michael Apodaca (born November 8, 1957) is a lobbyist and former Republican member of the North Carolina General Assembly representing the state's forty-eighth Senate district, including constituents in Buncombe, Henderson, and Transylvan ...

has represented the 48th district since 2003.

District 49

Incumbent Democrat

Martin Nesbitt Martin Hughes Nesbitt (born November 29, 1962) is an American businessman and public figure. Nesbit is co-CEO of the Vistria Group, a Chicago-based private equity firm. Nesbitt is on the boards of directors of publicly traded companies CenterPoi ...

has represented the 49th district since his appointment in 2004. Nesbitt was elected to a full term.

District 50

Incumbent Republican Bob Carpenter has represented the 50th district and its predecessors since 1989. Carpenter lost re-election to Democrat

Notes

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:North Carolina Senate Election, 2004

2004 2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and its Abolition (by UNESCO). Events January * January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight 6 ...

2004 state legislature elections in the United States Senate, North Carolina