Republican candidates are challenging each of the three Democrats calling for N.C. House Speaker Jim Black to step down from his leadership post.
Here’s how those Democrats fared in the 2004 election:
Lorene Coates won a third term representing part of Rowan County when she beat Mac Butner with 61 percent of the vote. Republicans have shown continued interest in the 77th district. Coates had to beat former GOP Rep. Charlotte Gardner to win her second term in 2002.
Pricey Harrison is a freshman in Guilford County’s 57th District who unseated longtime GOP incumbent Joanne Bowie in 2004. Harrison won 57 percent of the votes in that race.
Alice Graham Underhill faced the closest race in 2004. Underhill had lost her legislative seat to Republican Michael Gorman after the 2002 legislative redistricting court fight. Once the General Assembly drew new district maps for 2004, Underhill beat Michael Speciale (who knocked off Gorman in a GOP primary) with just 51 percent of the vote.
