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North Carolina GOP does well; Dems pick up high court seat

RALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolina saw a conservative swing in this year's elections, with Republican incumbents largely protecting their positions in the U.S. House and picking up some victories in statewide offices.

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A Democrat won a seat on the state Supreme Court, shifting the court's political majority.

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Here's a look at the winners and losers in top offices:

REDRAWN WINNERS

Veteran politicians will continue representing North Carolina in the U.S. House.

Republican U.S. Rep. George Holding captured a third term in Congress, this time in a redesigned district that contained much of his old eastern Piedmont district, including the Triangle. The Raleigh attorney and former federal prosecutor defeated Democrat John McNeill, a military veteran and law firm and mediation service owner in the 2nd Congressional District. Holding had represented the 13th District since 2013, before North Carolina congressional maps were redrawn in February.

Political newcomer Ted Budd, a gun store owner, defeated Democrat Bruce Davis to become the state's newest member of Congress in the redrawn 13th District. Davis served as a Guilford County commissioner.

In another radically redrawn congressional district, Democrat Alma Adams won a second term in the U.S. House. Adams defeated Republican Leon Threatt to win the right to represent the new 12th Congressional District that now covers most of Charlotte.

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DEMOCRATS KEEP THEIR SEATS

North Carolina's two other Democratic House incumbents also won re-election in heavily Democratic districts. U.S. Rep. G.K. Butterfield has won re-election in the 1st District as the current chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus. U.S. Rep. David Price won a 15th term in Congress after redistricting consolidated his 4th District from eight central North Carolina counties to three in the Triangle.

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REPUBLICANS IN THE U.S. HOUSE

Republicans maintained their 10-3 advantage in the state's House delegation. Among the winners:

- The 7th District returned Rep. David Rouzer to Washington for a second term, defeating Democrat J. Wesley Casteen of Wilmington.

- Republican maverick Walter Jones Jr. is returning to Congress again to represent eastern and coastal North Carolina, as he has for 22 years. The Farmville Republican easily won the 3rd District election over Democrat Ernest Reeves.

- Republican Rep. Patrick McHenry was elected to a seventh term in office in the 10th District. The chief deputy whip in the U.S. House beat Democrat Andy Millard.

- Republican U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx won re-election to Congress representing northwestern North Carolina by defeating Josh Brannon.

- Rep. Mark Walker of Summerfield won his second term Tuesday, defeating beating Pete Glidewell in the 6th District covering several counties in the Triad and Sandhills regions.

- Rep. Richard Hudson of Concord won a third term in Congress representing the 8th District, which stretches from Salisbury to points east and south to Fort Bragg and Fayetteville.

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STATE SUPREME COURT

Democrats captured a majority on the Supreme Court for the first time in nearly 20 years. Wake County Superior Court Judge Mike Morgan beat Associate Justice Bob Edmunds, who was seeking a third term. Morgan's election means four of the seven justices will be registered Democrats. Outside groups spent millions on TV ads for the election.

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LEGISLATURE

Republicans appeared to hold their veto-proof majorities in both the House and Senate despite intense efforts by Democrats to cut into the GOP advantages. Before Tuesday, Republicans controlled 75 of the 120 seats in the House and 34 of the 50 Senate seats.

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STATEWIDE OFFICES

Republican Lt. Gov. Dan Forest beat Democrat Linda Coleman in a rematch of their closely contested 2012 race. Forest has become one of the state's most outspoken advocates for conservative social issues.

Republican Steve Troxler won a fourth term as the head of North Carolina's agriculture department, topping Democrat Walter Smith in a rematch of their 2012 race.

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