“3 things happening in NC” is Cardinal & Pine’s weekly guide to the people, storylines, and events driving the news this week in North Carolina. Here’s what you’ll find this week:
- US Rep. Virginia Foxx, an election denier, calls for election observers to oversee recount
- A State senate race in eastern NC still hasn’t been called. Here’s why.
- Bentonville’s Civil War battlefield hosts annual fall festival
The whirlwind of last week’s midterm elections has begun to subside as folks gather themselves and look ahead to a changed political climate come January 2027.
However, there are a few races in North Carolina that are still too close to call, and this week will see officials initiating recounts where state law calls for them, and in some cases continuing the original count so we can get a clearer glimpse at the layout of Congress and the North Carolina General Assembly.
As we kick off the week, let’s take a closer look at a critical undecided race in each of those bodies so you know what to expect.
US Rep. Virginia Foxx calls for election observers to oversee recount
US Rep. Virginia Foxx, longtime Republican congresswoman and Trump lackey, spent the weekend calling for “nonpartisan election observers” to oversee the continued counting of votes in her race against Democratic challenger Chuck Hubbard.
Former newspaper reporter and publisher Hubbard currently leads by 99 votes, according to the Associated Press, threatening to end Foxx’s tenure after 11 terms. Hubbard lost to Foxx by 19 percentage points in the 2024 election.
Foxx on Friday afternoon cited election integrity for calling election observers to North Carolina’s 5th district. The congresswoman has been known to repeat false or unsourced election claims made by President Trump and his supporters.
“At my request, nonpartisan election observers under the guidance of the Committee on House Administration will be present across the 5th District as the count continues, and will serve as important, watchful eyes to ensure that this sacred process is not impeded and that all legal votes are counted in a consistent, thorough manner,” she wrote in a Facebook post.
In a statement Thursday, Hubbard thanked his supporters and appeared ready for a recount.
“I’m ready to get to Washington and work hard to lower prices, bring results back to the district, and bring about much needed transparency,” he wrote on Facebook. “As of now, we’re leading by 99 votes. My team and I are prepared to fight to count every vote while building out our office.”
A State senate race in eastern NC still hasn’t been called. Here’s why.
The race for the 24th NC Senate District covering Hoke, Robeson, and Scotland counties in eastern North Carolina has the potential to flip control of the state senate for the first time in 15 years.
Republican incumbent Danny Britt holds a 245-vote lead over Democratic challenger Catina Hamm coming into the week, though there are still hundreds of provisional ballots to count. On Friday, Hoke County officials counted 59 provisional ballots and rejected 105 more for reasons such as a lack of photo ID, as reported by WRAL.
Those that were counted led to a narrowing of Britt’s lead from 268 to 245.
This week will see election officials inspecting around 530 remaining provisional ballots in Robeson County and about 130 ballots in Scotland County.
If Hamm were to pull out a victory, the NC Senate would be split with 25 representatives from each party, allowing Lt. Gov. Rachel Hunt, a Democrat, to cast tie-breaking votes. If Britt wins, the NC Senate will remain under Republican control by the slimmest of margins, 26-24.
Bentonville Battlefield hosts annual fall festival
The annual Fall Festival at Bentonville Battlefield will take place on Saturday, bringing families to the site of the largest Civil War battle fought on North Carolina soil.
But this yearly eastern North Carolina staple isn’t about fighting, as visitors can expect wagon rides, immersive living history exhibits, old timey kids games, crafts, activities, and live music.
One of the cooler attractions on the property is the historic Harper House (ca. 1855), which served as a Union field hospital during the Battle of Bentonville in March 1865.
The downstairs rooms of the Harper House are furnished to reflect the hospital setup as it would have looked on that fateful three-day battle, while the upstairs rooms depict how the Harper family lived during the war.
