The 2016 United States Senate election in North Carolina was held November 8, 2016 to elect a member of the
United States 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 pow ...
to represent the State of
North Carolina
North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...
, concurrently with the
2016 U.S. presidential election, as well as
other elections to the United States Senate in other states and
elections
An election is a formal group decision-making process by which a population chooses an individual or multiple individuals to hold public office.
Elections have been the usual mechanism by which modern representative democracy has operate ...
to the
United States 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 house, lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the United States Senate, Senate being ...
and various
state
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 ...
and
local elections
In many parts of the world, local elections take place to select office-holders in local government, such as mayors and councillors. Elections to positions within a city or town are often known as "municipal elections". Their form and conduct vary ...
. Primary elections were held March 15.
Incumbent
Republican
Republican can refer to:
Political ideology
* An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law.
** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...
Senator
Richard Burr
Richard Mauze Burr (born November 30, 1955) is an American businessman and politician who is the senior United States senator from North Carolina, serving since 2005. A member of the Republican Party, Burr was previously a member of the United S ...
won re-election to a third term in office against Democratic former State Representative
Deborah K. Ross
Deborah Ross (née Koff, June 20, 1963) is an American lawyer and politician who has served as the U.S. representative for since 2021. Her district is based in Raleigh. A member of the Democratic Party, Ross served as a member of the North Ca ...
and Libertarian
Sean Haugh
Sean Newton Haugh (born November 17, 1960) is an American politician and pizza delivery man who has run for Senate in North Carolina under the Libertarian Party nomination in 2002, 2014 and 2016. He currently resides in Durham, North Carolina. ...
.
Republican primary
There had been speculation that Burr might retire,
but he said in September 2014 that he was "planning" on running
and reaffirmed this in January 2015. If Burr had retired, the seat was expected to draw significant interest, with potential Republican candidates including U.S. Representatives
George Holding
George Edward Bell Holding (born April 17, 1968) is an American politician, lawyer, and former federal prosecutor who is a former United States Representative for North Carolina's 2nd congressional district from 2017 to 2021. He previously repr ...
,
Mark Meadows
Mark Randall Meadows (born July 28, 1959) is an American politician who served as the 29th White House chief of staff from 2020 to 2021. A member of the Republican Party, he also served as the U.S. representative for North Carolina's 11th c ...
, 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 ...
, Labor Commissioner
Cherie K. Berry, Lieutenant Governor
Dan Forest
Dan Forest (born October 15, 1967) is an American politician who served as the 34th lieutenant governor of North Carolina from 2013 to 2021. He is the son of former congresswoman Sue Myrick. An architect by trade, he was the Republican nominee ...
, Agriculture Commissioner
Steve Troxler
Steve W. Troxler (born 1952) is an American farmer and Republican politician. He serves as the Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services for North Carolina. Because of a contested election due to lost ballots in the November 2004 statewi ...
, State Senator
Philip E. Berger, and former Ambassador to Denmark
James P. Cain.
[
]
Candidates
Declared
* Greg Brannon
Gregory J. Brannon (born August 17, 1960) is an American physician and political activist. A native of Los Angeles, California, Brannon is a graduate of the University of Southern California and Chicago Medical School. After completing his resid ...
, physician, Tea Party activist and candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2014
* Richard Burr
Richard Mauze Burr (born November 30, 1955) is an American businessman and politician who is the senior United States senator from North Carolina, serving since 2005. A member of the Republican Party, Burr was previously a member of the United S ...
, incumbent U.S. Senator[
* Larry Holmquist, businessman and Tea Party activist
* Paul Wright, former ]Superior Court
In common law systems, a superior court is a court of general jurisdiction over civil and criminal legal cases. A superior court is "superior" in relation to a court with limited jurisdiction (see small claims court), which is restricted to civil ...
Judge, candidate for Governor in 2012
File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gather ...
and nominee for NC-04 in 2014
Declined
* Mark Meadows
Mark Randall Meadows (born July 28, 1959) is an American politician who served as the 29th White House chief of staff from 2020 to 2021. A member of the Republican Party, he also served as the U.S. representative for North Carolina's 11th c ...
, U.S. Representative ( running for re-election)
Polling
Results
Democratic primary
Candidates
Declared
* Kevin Griffin, businessman
* Ernest Reeves, retired U.S. Army captain, candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2014 and candidate for Mayor of Greenville in 2015
* Chris Rey, Mayor of Spring Lake
* Deborah K. Ross
Deborah Ross (née Koff, June 20, 1963) is an American lawyer and politician who has served as the U.S. representative for since 2021. Her district is based in Raleigh. A member of the Democratic Party, Ross served as a member of the North Ca ...
, former state representative
Declined
* Dan Blue
Daniel Terry Blue Jr. (born April 18, 1949) is an American politician and attorney serving as a member of the North Carolina Senate, representing the state's 14th Senate district, and is the Senate minority leader.
Early life and education
Bl ...
, Minority Leader 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—comprises the state legislature of North Carolina. The term of office for e ...
and candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2002
File:2002 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 2002 Winter Olympics are held in Salt Lake City; Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and her daughter Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon die; East Timor gains East Timor independence, indepe ...
[
* ]Roy Cooper
Roy Asberry Cooper III (born June 13, 1957) is an American attorney and politician, serving as the 75th governor of North Carolina since 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as the 49th attorney general of North Carolina from 20 ...
, North Carolina Attorney General
The Attorney General of North Carolina is a statewide elected office in the U.S. state of North Carolina. The attorney general is a constitutional officer responsible for representing state agencies in legal matters, supplying other state offici ...
( running for Governor)
* 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 ...
, North Carolina State Treasurer
The North Carolina State Treasurer is a statewide elected office in the U.S. state of North Carolina responsible for overseeing the financial operations of state government. The current state treasurer is Dale Folwell.
The office of state treasur ...
[
* ]Cal Cunningham
James Calvin "Cal" Cunningham III (born August 6, 1973) is an American lawyer, politician, and retired military officer. A member of the Democratic Party and a lieutenant colonel in the United States Army Reserve, he served one term as a North ...
, former state senator and candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2010
File:2010 Events Collage New.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2010 Chile earthquake was one of the strongest recorded in history; The Eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland disrupts air travel in Europe; A scene from the opening ceremony of ...
[
* Joel Ford, state senator
* ]Anthony Foxx
Anthony Renard Foxx (born April 30, 1971) is an American lawyer and politician who served as the United States Secretary of Transportation from 2013 to 2017.
President Barack Obama nominated him in April 2013, and he was confirmed by a 100–0 v ...
, United States Secretary of Transportation
The United States secretary of transportation is the head of the United States Department of Transportation. The secretary serves as the principal advisor to the president of the United States on all matters relating to transportation. The secre ...
and former Mayor
In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well a ...
of Charlotte
Charlotte ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located in the Piedmont region, it is the county seat of Mecklenburg County. The population was 874,579 at the 2020 census, making Charlotte the 16th-most populo ...
[
* ]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 previ ...
, former U.S. Senator
* Duane Hall, state representative
* Larry Hall
Lawrence Kendall Hall (June 30, 1940 – September 24, 1997) was an American singer mostly known for his one-hit wonder song called " Sandy" in 1959. The disc reached number 15 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart.
Background
Hall was born in ...
, Minority Leader of the North Carolina House of Representatives
The North Carolina House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the North Carolina General Assembly. The House is a 120-member body led by a Speaker of the House, who holds powers similar to those of the President pro-tem in the North Ca ...
[
* Jeff Jackson, state senator][
* ]Allen Joines
James Allen Joines is an American politician currently serving as the mayor of Winston-Salem, North Carolina. In 2009, he was also appointed chairman of the North Carolina Economic Development Board. Political career
Joines, a Democrat, was elect ...
, Mayor of Winston-Salem
Winston-Salem is a city and the county seat of Forsyth County, North Carolina, United States. In the 2020 census, the population was 249,545, making it the second-largest municipality in the Piedmont Triad region, the 5th most populous city in ...
(running for re-election)[
* ]Grier Martin
David Grier Martin III (born October 21, 1968) is an American politician and attorney serving as a Democratic member of the North Carolina General Assembly, representing the state's 34th district. His district includes the northern part of Ral ...
, state representative[
* ]Nancy McFarlane
Nancy Pletcher McFarlane is an American pharmacist and politician. She served as the 61st mayor of Raleigh, North Carolina, the state capital. She was elected to lead the city in the 2011 election, and succeeded Charles Meeker, who had declined ...
, Independent
Independent or Independents may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups
* Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in the New Hope, Pennsylvania, area of the United States during the early 1930s
* Independ ...
Mayor of Raleigh
Raleigh (; ) is the capital city of the state of North Carolina and the seat of Wake County in the United States. It is the second-most populous city in North Carolina, after Charlotte. Raleigh is the tenth-most populous city in the Southeas ...
[
* ]Mike McIntyre
Douglas Carmichael "Mike" McIntyre II (; born August 6, 1956) is an American attorney and politician who was first elected to represent North Carolina's 7th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1996. He served for 18 ...
, former U.S. Representative[
* Charles Meeker, former Mayor of ]Raleigh
Raleigh (; ) is the capital city of the state of North Carolina and the seat of Wake County in the United States. It is the second-most populous city in North Carolina, after Charlotte. Raleigh is the tenth-most populous city in the Southeas ...
(running for Labor Commissioner)
* Brad Miller, former U.S. Representative[
* ]Thomas W. Ross
Thomas Warren Ross Sr. is an American public official who served as the president of the University of North Carolina system from 2011 to 2016. He succeeded Erskine Bowles on January 1, 2011. Formerly, he was president of Davidson College, a pri ...
, outgoing President of the University of North Carolina
The University of North Carolina is the multi-campus public university system for the state of North Carolina. Overseeing the state's 16 public universities and the NC School of Science and Mathematics, it is commonly referred to as the UNC Sy ...
system
* Heath Shuler
Joseph Heath Shuler (born December 31, 1971) is an American businessman, former NFL quarterback, and former U.S. Representative for from 2007 to 2013. He is a member of the Democratic Party and was a member of the Blue Dog Coalition during ...
, former U.S. Representative[
* ]Josh Stein
Joshua Stein (born September 13, 1966) is an American lawyer and politician who serves as the 50th and current Attorney General of North Carolina, a position he has held since 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Stein previously served as a ...
, State Senator (running for Attorney General
In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general or attorney-general (sometimes abbreviated AG or Atty.-Gen) is the main legal advisor to the government. The plural is attorneys general.
In some jurisdictions, attorneys general also have exec ...
)
* Allen M. Thomas, Mayor of Greenville
* Beth Wood
Beth A. Wood (born April 22, 1954) is an American politician and accountant serving as the Auditor of North Carolina since 2009. A Democrat, she is the first woman to hold the office. Born in New Bern, she initially worked as a dental hygienist b ...
, State Auditor (running for re-election)
Polling
Results
Libertarian primary
Candidates
Declared
* Sean Haugh
Sean Newton Haugh (born November 17, 1960) is an American politician and pizza delivery man who has run for Senate in North Carolina under the Libertarian Party nomination in 2002, 2014 and 2016. He currently resides in Durham, North Carolina. ...
, pizza delivery man and nominee for the U.S. Senate in 2002
File:2002 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 2002 Winter Olympics are held in Salt Lake City; Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and her daughter Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon die; East Timor gains East Timor independence, indepe ...
and 2014
General election
Candidates
* Richard Burr
Richard Mauze Burr (born November 30, 1955) is an American businessman and politician who is the senior United States senator from North Carolina, serving since 2005. A member of the Republican Party, Burr was previously a member of the United S ...
( R), incumbent U.S. Senator
* Deborah K. Ross
Deborah Ross (née Koff, June 20, 1963) is an American lawyer and politician who has served as the U.S. representative for since 2021. Her district is based in Raleigh. A member of the Democratic Party, Ross served as a member of the North Ca ...
( D), former state representative
* Sean Haugh
Sean Newton Haugh (born November 17, 1960) is an American politician and pizza delivery man who has run for Senate in North Carolina under the Libertarian Party nomination in 2002, 2014 and 2016. He currently resides in Durham, North Carolina. ...
( L), pizza delivery man and nominee for the U.S. Senate in 2002
File:2002 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 2002 Winter Olympics are held in Salt Lake City; Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and her daughter Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon die; East Timor gains East Timor independence, indepe ...
and 2014
Debates
Endorsements
Predictions
Polling
;With Burr
;With Berger
Results
See also
* United States Senate elections, 2016
The 2016 United States Senate elections were held on November 8, 2016. The presidential election, House elections, 14 gubernatorial elections, and many state and local elections were held on the same date.
In the elections, 34 of the 100 seat ...
References
External links
;Official campaign websites (Archived)
Richard Burr (R) for Senate
Deborah Ross (D) for Senate
Sean Haugh (L) for Senate
{{2016 United States elections
North Carolina
North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...
2016
File:2016 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Bombed-out buildings in Ankara following the 2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt; the impeachment trial of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff; Damaged houses during the 2016 Nagorno-Karabakh ...
United States 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 pow ...