‘Didn’t expect it’: Gaston County gets its first Black congresswoman after surprising NC-14 election

GASTON COUNTY, N.C. — For the first time, Gaston County will be represented in Congress by a Black woman. Democrat Lakesha Womack defeated Republican incumbent Tim Moore in Tuesday’s historic election.

Moore is adjusting to a new normal. He was the state speaker before he joined Congress, now he’ll soon be back to being an attorney. Womack is a financial advisor who has never run for political office before. None of the big names in politics who predicted a big blue wave saw this ripple coming.

“A lot of people underestimated this race,” said congresswoman-elect Lakesha Womack.

Lakesha Womack believed she could win with a $50,000 budget. She told Channel 9’s Ken Lemon she just learned how big of an underdog she was.

“He outspent me 34 to 1,” said Womack.

She was part of a blue wave of Democrats with a lot of Black candidates winning major political offices that no Black person had won before.

Womack’s victory party was smaller, but it wasn’t predicted. She said she won District 14 over Moore by convincing people from rural Rutherford County to south Mecklenburg County that she heard their concerns.

“I just focused on being in the community, showing up everywhere for everybody,” said Womack.

Moore, who has 24 years’ experience as a state legislator and congressman, told Ken Lemon after the first week of early voting that he thought it would be a tough fight, but not like this.

“I didn’t expect it to be this way. No one expected it to be this way,” Moore said.

Moore said he has talked to Womack and plans to help her transition into her new job to continue helping the people he served for the last two years.

“We want to make sure there is a seamless transition,” Moore said.

He still has a law practice and said he’s receiving offers for other work. Womack said she will continue work as a financial consultant along with her new job and new confidence.

“You could challenge some of these people who have a lot of money if you can just get the voters behind you,” said Womack.

Womack said her first priority is securing affordable healthcare for everyone.

Channel 9 asked Moore if he planned to run again in two years. He said he has to give it some thought, but hasn’t thrown away his campaign signs.

Pending election results across North Carolina

Four races in North Carolina are still too close to call, two days after the election.

In congressional District 5, incumbent Republican Virginia Foxx trails her Democratic opponent, Chuck Hubbard, by 99 votes. In District 3, Republican Congressman Greg Murphy leads by 233 votes. In District 7, Republican Congressman David Rouzer leads by more than 24-hundred votes.

In the North Carolina state legislature, Democrats are 268 votes from taking control of “both” chambers. They won back the House but trail in state Senate District 24.

It’s not clear how long it will take before we know the results. Military and overseas mail ballots may be outstanding and county elections boards are reviewing “provisional” ballots to see if they’re eligible to be counted. The results will be certified after any recounts.

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