First GOP assembly since 1898

N.C. Republicans celebrated a victory 112 years in the making Tuesday night.

Republican candidates won enough seats to gain the majority in the N.C. Senate, which they have not had since 1898.

Unofficial results also show Republicans gaining the majority in the state’s House of Representatives.

The Republicans have not held the majority in the state House since the 1994-1998 period. In the 1994 election, they were two votes shy of controlling the Senate.

But some Democratic candidates celebrated victory Tuesday night.

Sen. Ellie Kinnaird, D-Orange, won re-election against her Republican challenger Ryan Hilliard. Unofficial results show she won 65 percent to 35 percent.

Kinnaird’s campaign manager, Lee Rafalow, cited her integrity, work to protect the environment, involvement with social justice issues, and relationships with student groups as factors in her victory.

Rep. Joe Hackney, D-Chatham, also won re-election. Both Hackney and Kinnaird won by large margins in Democratic Orange County.

“It’s going to make it difficult to get things done,” said Jim White, chair of the Orange County Democratic Party.

The division will be shown in how the two parties propose to arrange the budget and appropriate funding for the UNC-system.

Republican control of the General Assembly will make appropriating funds, including funds for the university system, difficult, said members of the Orange County Democratic Party.

Kinnaird and other Democrats will have to work with Republicans who may not share the same support for university funding.

“I worry about the priority of the budget,” she said.

Another point of contention between the two parties will be redistricting, which will take place after the 2010 census comes out.

Kinnaird remarked, “there may be some very difficult times ahead.”

Contact the State & National Editor at stntdesk@unc.edu.