NCGA Updates: March 2026 Primary Results and What This Means for November
March 3, 2026
Updated March 4, 2026
NOTE: All information is current as of 11:45am on March 4, 2026 with 100% of precincts reported. We’re updating the results below and will be making additional updates as final election results become available. Source: NC State Board of Elections
The polls have closed — and North Carolina's political landscape is shifting in real time.
As of 7:30 p.m. last night (8:30 p.m. for Halifax County!), all polls across the state have closed and results are in for the March 3, 2026 Primary Elections. They are now counting oversees, military, and provisional ballots. There usually aren't very many of those, but in the Berger race where Sam Page is ahead by just 2 votes, it would only take a few to change the outcome.
In our last post, we laid out everything you needed to know heading into the Primary Elections — the races to watch, the supermajority stakes in the NC General Assembly, and the candidates who could reshape NC heading into the 2027–2028 legislative session. Now, it's time to see how it has played out:
Federal
U.S. Senate race in November will be Roy Cooper (D) v. Michael Whatley (R).
In District 1, the winner is Laurie Buckhout (R). She will face incumbent Don Davis (D) in November.
In District 4, Valerie Foushee (D) holds a narrow lead over challenger Nida Allam (D). The winner will face Mahesh Ganorkar (R) in November.
State
Below, we break down the State Legislature key results and what they mean for the November General Election — and for the balance of power in the NC General Assembly.
Key Takeaways
NC Senate – Key Races
Senate District 26 – Sen. Phil Berger (R) v. Sam Page (R) are in a race too close to call – Sam Page leads by just 2 votes with all precincts reported. We definitely expect a recount here. It may be a while until we have an official winner.
Note: In close races like this one, North Carolina election officials will conduct a "Close Contest Audit" that cross-checks the margin of victory against any variances found in the sample hand-count and other post-election audits to confirm the outcome is statistically justified — all before results are officially certified at the county canvass meeting 10 days after Election Day.
Senate District 34 – Kevin Crutchfield (R) is the likely winner over incumbent Sen. Chris Measmer (R).
Senate District 1 – Jerry Tillet (R) is the likely winner and will face Melissa Zehner (D) in November. Note that in 2024’s General Election, Sen. Hanig (R) won this District with 57.2% of the vote.
What to watch in November
Significant leadership impacts pending results of the Senate District 26 Primary race (Sen. Berger vs. Page).
5 incumbent Senators are running unopposed in November (all Democrats)
Republican supermajority is at risk — a loss of just one Republican seat ends their 30–20 supermajority.
NC House – Key Races
Incumbent losses (Republicans)
District 65 – Seth Woodall (R) is the winner of this race. It appears incumbent Rep. Reece Pyrtle (R) will not be returning.
House District 79 – Darren Armstrong (R) is the winner of this race. It appears incumbent Rep. Keith Kidwell (R) will not be returning.
District 110 – Caroline Eason (R) is the winner of this race. It appears incumbent Rep. Kelly Hastings (R) will not be returning.
District 118 – Jimmy Rogers (R) is the winner of this race. It appears incumbent Rep. Mark Pless (R) will not be returning.
Incumbent losses (Democrats)
House District 106 – Winner Rev. Dr. Rodney Sadler (D) will run unopposed in November. It appears incumbent Rep. Carla D. Cunningham (D) will not be returning.
House District 23 – Winner Patricia Smith (D) will run against Brent Roberson (R) in November. It appears incumbent Rep. Shelly Willingham (D) will not be returning.
House District 99 – Winner Veleria M. Levy (D) will run unopposed in November. It appears incumbent Rep. Nasif Majeed (D) will not be returning.
Incumbent winners
District 27 – Winner and incumbent Rep. Rodney Pierce (D) will run against Kenneth Bentley Jr. (R) in November.
What to watch in November
Of the 4 Democrats that voted with Republicans on Veto Overrides this biennium, 1 resigned his seat (Cecil Brockman) and it appears the other 3 have lost their Primaries (Reps. Cunningham, Willingham, Majeed) and will not be returning to the General Assembly. They could still vote with Republicans to override vetoes during the upcoming Short Session.
9 incumbents are not seeking re-election (8 Republicans, 1 Democrat), guaranteeing at least 9 new House members.
20 incumbents are running unopposed in November (19 Democrats, 1 Republican) — a near-certain group of returning members for the 2027 session.
Republicans are one seat short of a House supermajority — a gain of just one seat in November would give them veto-proof control of both chambers.
NC Senate Results
These are the unofficial results, updated as of Noon on March 4 – we will update this post to reflect the official results once they are released.
NC House Results
These are the unofficial results, updated as of Noon on March 4 – we will update this post to reflect the official results once they are released.
Races with No November Contest
Several House races were determined after Tuesday’s primary elections – they face no opponent in the general election and will serve in the 2027 legislative session.
House District 38 – Incumbent and winner Rep. Abe Jones (D)
House District 45 – Incumbent and winner Rep. Frances Jackson (D)
House District 50 – Incumbent and winner Rep. Renée Price (D)
House District 79 – Winner Darren Armstrong (R)
House District 99 – Winner Veleria Levy (D)
House District 106 – Winner Rodney Sadler (D)
Along with those listed above, the following members will be returning for the 2027-2028 legislative session, as they did not face primary challengers and are running unopposed in the general election.
We will be sharing profiles on these members in the coming months – stay tuned.
The Bigger Picture: What Primary Results Mean for November Elections
New Senate Leadership?
The Primary Election results in Senate District 26 are must-follow for anyone engaged in NC legislative affairs — Sen. Phil Berger and Sam Page are in a tight primary race, and if Page edges out the Senate's longest-serving President Pro Tempore, it will trigger a significant leadership reshuffling heading into the 2027 session: who steps up to lead the Republican caucus, who inherits Berger's committee influence, and who sets the legislative agenda for the next long session are all questions that will need answers fast.
New Faces = New Relationships
With 1 Senate incumbent and 7 House incumbents losing their primaries on Tuesday, plus 9 House incumbents not seeking reelection, the window to get ahead of the 2027 session is open right now — knowing who the incoming members are before they're sworn in means advocates and lobbyists can start building relationships today, well before the competition catches up.
The Supermajority Question
The math remains razor-thin heading into November: Republicans are one seat away from losing their Senate supermajority and one seat away from gaining one in the House — but a noteworthy dynamic has emerged on the Democratic side: all four House Democrats who crossed the aisle to vote with Republicans on veto overrides during the 2025 long session will not be returning in 2027, which could meaningfully change the calculus around future override attempts even if the partisan seat count stays the same.
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