Before you start complaining about how gerrymandering ensured that Republicans will maintain control of the General Assembly in 2017, please consider the following:
Total votes cast in N.C. Senate races (as of this morning’s tally):
Republicans: 2,287,774 (55 percent)
Democrats: 1,803, 751 (43 percent)
Libertarians: 76,114 (2 percent)
Republicans had 11 contests with no competition and one race in which they faced a Libertarian but no Democrat. Democrats had four contests in which they faced no competition and two races in which they faced no Republican.
Total votes cast in N.C. House races:
Republicans: 2,129,997 (52 percent)
Democrats: 1,909,597 (47 percent)
Libertarians: 15,832 (less than 0.5 percent)
Unaffiliated/write-in candidates: 37,840 (less than 1 percent)
Republicans had 26 races with no competition and three races with no Democratic opponent. Democrats had 30 races with no competition and one race with no Republican opponent.
For comparison’s sake:
Total votes cast in N.C. congressional races:
Republicans: 2,423,154 (53 percent)
Democrats: 2,118,244 (47 percent)
Libertarians: 8,259 (less than 0.2 percent)
Yes, gerrymandering is bad. North Carolina needs redistricting reform. But gerrymandering does not account for Republican control of the General Assembly.
