Donnie Loftis (born September 7, 1956) is an American politician who has served in 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 ...

since November 2021. A member of the

Republican Party Republican Party is a name used by many political parties around the world, though the term most commonly refers to the United States' Republican Party. Republican Party may also refer to: Africa *Republican Party (Liberia) * Republican Part ...

, he represents the 109th district, which contains part of

Gaston County Gaston County is a county in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 227,943. The county seat is Gastonia. Dallas served as the original county seat from 1846 until 1911. Gaston County is included in the C ...

. Loftis previously served as chair of the Gaston County board of commissioners and as chair of the board of directors of CaroMont Health. He resigned the latter position on May 4, 2020, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic in North Carolina, after spreading COVID-19 misinformation and posting on his personal Facebook page that Gov. Roy Cooper's stay-at-home order amounted to "tyranny". Loftis was also present at the U.S. Capitol riot on January 6, 2021. He wrote on social media on January 6 that he "got gassed three times and was at the entrance when they breached the door". When asked by a reporter in October 2021 about his involvement, he claimed that he "had absolutely zero involvement in the rioting and categorically condemn the storming of our Capitol building that day".

Early life and career

Gaston County board of commissioners

CaroMont Health

North Carolina House of Representatives (2021–present)

Loftis previously ran for the 109th district seat in the

in 2012. In the four-candidate Republican primary won by Dana Bumgardner, he placed fourth with 19.1% of the vote.

Appointment

After Rep. Bumgardner died in office on October 2, 2021, from liver cancer, the county Republican Party convened to recommend a candidate to replace him. The governor, Roy Cooper, was then required to appoint this candidate to the North Carolina House of Representatives within seven days. Loftis defeated county commissioner Ronnie Worley and Bumgardner's daughter Lauren Bumgardner Current to win the party endorsement on October 21. Loftis was sworn in on November 1, 2021. His seating led to a walk-out by House Democrats to protest his involvement in the U.S. Capitol riot.

Bobbie Richardson Bobbie J. Richardson (born December 25, 1949) is an American politician. She is the former Chair of the North Carolina Democratic Party, former First Vice Chair of the North Carolina Democratic Party and a former Democratic member of the Nor ...

, chair of the

North Carolina Democratic Party The North Carolina Democratic Party (NCDP) is the North Carolina affiliate of the Democratic Party. It is headquartered in the historic Goodwin House, located in Raleigh. Governor Roy Cooper is a North Carolina Democrat. Since the 2010 passage of ...

, said in a statement that "today marks a new low for General Assembly Republicans, because instead of condemning those actions and rejecting the rhetoric that incites violence, they are welcoming a Capitol insurrection participant with open arms".

Committee assignments

2021-2022 session

*Appropriations *Appropriations - Transportation *Health *Homeland Security, Military, and Veterans Affairs *Local Government *Transportation

Electoral history

2022

2012

2008

2004

References

External links

Official House website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Loftis, Donnie 1956 births Living people People from Gastonia, North Carolina 21st-century American politicians County commissioners in North Carolina Republican Party members of the North Carolina House of Representatives Protesters in or near the January 6 United States Capitol attack