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North Carolina's 2nd Congressional District election, 2018

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North Carolina's 2nd Congressional District
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Democratic primary
Republican primary
General election
Election details
Filing deadline: February 28, 2018
Primary: May 8, 2018
Primary runoff: July 17, 2018 (if needed)
General: November 6, 2018
Pre-election incumbent:
George Holding (Republican)
How to vote
Poll times: 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Voting in North Carolina
Race ratings
Cook Partisan Voter Index (2018): D+9
Cook Political Report: Lean Republican
Inside Elections: Lean Republican
Sabato's Crystal Ball: Lean Republican
Ballotpedia analysis
U.S. Senate battlegrounds
U.S. House battlegrounds
Federal and state primary competitiveness
Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2018
See also
North Carolina's 2nd Congressional District
1st • 2nd • 3rd • 4th • 5th • 6th • 7th • 8th • 9th • 10th • 11th • 12th • 13th
North Carolina elections, 2018
U.S. Congress elections, 2018
U.S. Senate elections, 2018
U.S. House elections, 2018

U.S. Rep. George Holding (R) defeated former state Rep. Linda Coleman (D) and Jeff Matemu (L) in the general election on November 6, 2018, to represent North Carolina's 2nd Congressional District.

All 435 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives were up for election in 2018. The Democratic Party gained a net total of 40 seats, winning control of the chamber. This race was identified as a 2018 battleground that might have affected partisan control of the U.S. House in the 116th Congress. Heading into the election, the Republican Party was in the majority holding 235 seats to Democrats' 193 seats, with seven vacant seats. Democrats needed to win 23 GOP-held seats in 2018 to win control of the House. From 1918 to 2016, the president’s party lost an average of 29 seats in midterm elections.

Holding was first elected to represent the 2nd District in 2016 after serving two terms representing the 13th District. North Carolina's congressional map was redrawn in February 2016 after a federal court ruled that Districts 1 and 12 were racially gerrymandered. Holding defeated 2nd District incumbent Renee Ellmers (R) in the June 7 Republican primary for the newly drawn 2nd District. Holding won the general election by 13.4 percentage points, while Donald Trump (R) won the seat by 9.6 percentage points.[1]

North Carolina's 2nd Congressional District is located in the central portion of the state and includes all of Franklin, Harnett, and Nash counties and portions of Johnston, Wake, and Wilson counties.[2]

Democratic Party For more information about the Democratic primary, click here.
Republican Party For more information about the Republican primary, click here.

Candidates and election results

General election

General election for U.S. House North Carolina District 2

Incumbent George E.B. Holding defeated Linda Coleman and Jeff Matemu in the general election for U.S. House North Carolina District 2 on November 6, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of George E.B. Holding
George E.B. Holding (R)
 
51.3
 
170,072
Image of Linda Coleman
Linda Coleman (D)
 
45.8
 
151,977
Image of Jeff Matemu
Jeff Matemu (L) Candidate Connection
 
2.9
 
9,655

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 331,704
(100.00% precincts reporting)
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House North Carolina District 2

Linda Coleman defeated Ken Romley and Wendy May in the Democratic primary for U.S. House North Carolina District 2 on May 8, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Linda Coleman
Linda Coleman
 
56.0
 
18,650
Image of Ken Romley
Ken Romley
 
32.3
 
10,742
Image of Wendy May
Wendy May
 
11.7
 
3,895

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified.

Total votes: 33,287
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House North Carolina District 2

Incumbent George E.B. Holding defeated Allen Chesser II in the Republican primary for U.S. House North Carolina District 2 on May 8, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of George E.B. Holding
George E.B. Holding
 
76.2
 
17,979
Image of Allen Chesser II
Allen Chesser II
 
23.8
 
5,612

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified.

Total votes: 23,591
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

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Libertarian primary election

Libertarian primary for U.S. House North Carolina District 2

Jeff Matemu advanced from the Libertarian primary for U.S. House North Carolina District 2 on May 8, 2018.

Candidate
✔
Image of Jeff Matemu
Jeff Matemu Candidate Connection

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified.

Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

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Candidate profiles

See also: Editorial approach to writing about key campaign messages


Linda Coleman, former state representative
Linda Coleman (NC).jpg

Campaign website Facebook Twitter

Party: Democratic

Incumbent: No

Political office: North Carolina House of Representatives (2005-2009), Wake County Board of Commissioners (2000-2004)

Biography: Coleman was born in Greenville, N.C. She received her B.A. from North Carolina A&T State University and her M.P.A. from the University of Pittsburgh. After serving as a North Carolina state representative, she was appoined as Director of State Personnel by Gov. Beverly Perdue (D) and served from 2009 to 2012.[3]

Key messages
  • Coleman said that she understood working families and their struggles. She highlighed her "Linda Listens" events where she interacted with constituents.[4][5]
  • Coleman said she shared the same values as working families and would fight for better jobs, wages, and healthcare in order to give the families better lives.[4][5]
  • Coleman emphasized her background in public service, saying it prepared her to solve problems and advocate for working familes in Congress.[4]



George Holding, U.S. representative from NC-2
George Holding.jpg

Campaign website Facebook Twitter

Party: Republican

Incumbent: Yes

Political office: United States House of Representatives (assumed office: 2013)

Biography: Holding grew up in Raleigh, North Carolina. He received his bachelor's degree from Wake Forest University in 1990 and his J.D. from Wake Forest in 1996. Before being elected to Congress, he worked as a lawyer, was a legislative assistant for U.S. Sen. Jesse Helms (R-N.C.), and served as the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina.[6]

Key messages
  • Holding said that he was an honest and hardworking person above Washington, D.C. politics. He highlights his support for term limits to address Washington dysfunction.[7][8]
  • Holding emphasized his support for workfare over welfare, saying that able-bodied people should work to receive government benefits.[9]
  • Holding said he was "level-headed but tough" and pointed to his support for using military action to combat the Islamic State.[7]



Jeff Matemu, attorney
Jeff Matemu.PNG

Campaign website Facebook Twitter

Party: Libertarian

Incumbent: No

Political office: None

Biography: Matemu came to the United States from Kenya as a student. He later became an attorney, specializing in criminal and immigration law. He opened a law office in Raleigh.[10][11]

Key messages
  • Matemu said he ran to give voters an option besides a Republican or a Democrat. He blamed the two-party system for dysfunction in Congress.[11]
  • Matemu said he wanted to advocate for less government, more respect for immigrants, lower incarceration rates, affordable college education, and decreasing the federal deficit.[11]
  • Matemu said his negative experiences dealing with the federal government, particularly when representing immigrants and low-income persons, motivated him to run for office.[11]


Polls

See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls
North Carolina's 2nd Congressional District election, 2018
Poll Poll sponsor Democratic Party Linda Coleman Republican Party George HoldingUndecided/OtherMargin of errorSample size
SurveyUSA
(October 24-28, 2018)		Civitas Institute 40%49%11%+/-4.5565
SurveyUSA
(September 5-8, 2018)		Civitas Institute 44%43%13%+/-4.9538
Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research
(August 23-27, 2018)		Coleman campaign 45%44%11%+/-4.9401
AVERAGES 43% 45.33% 11.67% +/-4.77 501.33
Note: The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted in this race. Those displayed are a random sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email to editor@ballotpedia.org.

Campaign contributions

The chart below contains data from financial reports submitted to the Federal Election Commission.

Name Party Receipts* Disbursements** Cash on hand Date
George E.B. Holding Republican Party $3,045,694 $3,021,114 $38,059 As of December 31, 2018
Linda Coleman Democratic Party $1,727,748 $1,616,406 $111,342 As of December 31, 2018
Jeff Matemu Libertarian Party $24,128 $24,698 $-570 As of December 31, 2018

Source: Federal Elections Commission, "Campaign finance data," 2018. This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).

* According to the FEC, "Receipts are anything of value (money, goods, services or property) received by a political committee."
** According to the FEC, a disbursement "is a purchase, payment, distribution, loan, advance, deposit or gift of money or anything of value to influence a federal election," plus other kinds of payments not made to influence a federal election.

Satellite spending

Satellite spending, commonly referred to as outside spending, describes political spending not controlled by candidates or their campaigns; that is, any political expenditures made by groups or individuals that are not directly affiliated with a candidate. This includes spending by political party committees, super PACs, trade associations, and 501(c)(4) nonprofit groups.[12][13][14]

This section lists satellite spending in this race reported by news outlets in alphabetical order. If you are aware of spending that should be included, please email us.

  • EMILY's List
    • EMILY's List disclosed an additional $400,000 in spending on behalf of Coleman's campaign on October 31.
    • The group launched a $446,000 ad campaign opposing Holding on October 23, bringing its total spending on the race to $890,000.[16]
  • North Carolinians for a Fair Economy spent $250,000 on television ads and $31,075 on radio ads in July. The ads criticized George Holding for voting for the House Republican replacement for the Affordable Care Act.[18]

Race ratings

See also: Race rating definitions and methods

Ballotpedia provides race ratings from four outlets: The Cook Political Report, Inside Elections, Sabato's Crystal Ball, and DDHQ/The Hill. Each race rating indicates if one party is perceived to have an advantage in the race and, if so, the degree of advantage:

  • Safe and Solid ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge and the race is not competitive.
  • Likely ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge, but an upset is possible.
  • Lean ratings indicate that one party has a small edge, but the race is competitive.[19]
  • Toss-up ratings indicate that neither party has an advantage.

Race ratings are informed by a number of factors, including polling, candidate quality, and election result history in the race's district or state.[20][21][22]

Race ratings: North Carolina's 2nd Congressional District election, 2018
Race trackerRace ratings
October 30, 2018October 23, 2018October 16, 2018October 9, 2018
The Cook Political ReportLean RepublicanLean RepublicanLean RepublicanLean Republican
Inside Elections with Nathan L. GonzalesLean RepublicanTilt RepublicanTilt RepublicanTilt Republican
Larry J. Sabato's Crystal BallLean RepublicanLean RepublicanLean RepublicanLean Republican
Note: Ballotpedia updates external race ratings every two weeks throughout the election season.

District analysis

See also: The Cook Political Report's Partisan Voter Index
See also: FiveThirtyEight's elasticity scores

The 2017 Cook Partisan Voter Index for this district was D+9, meaning that in the previous two presidential elections, this district's results were 9 percentage points more Democratic than the national average. This made North Carolina's 2nd Congressional District the 130th most Democratic nationally.[23]

FiveThirtyEight's September 2018 elasticity score for states and congressional districts measured "how sensitive it is to changes in the national political environment." This district's elasticity score was 1.01. This means that for every 1 point the national political mood moved toward a party, the district was expected to move 1.01 points toward that party.[24]

Noteworthy endorsements

See also: Ballotpedia: Our approach to covering endorsements

This section lists noteworthy endorsements issued in this election, including those made by high-profile individuals and organizations, cross-party endorsements, and endorsements made by newspaper editorial boards. It also includes a bulleted list of links to official lists of endorsements for any candidates who published that information on their campaign websites. Please note that this list is not exhaustive. If you are aware of endorsements that should be included, please click here.


Noteworthy general election endorsements
Endorsement Coleman (D) Holding (R)
Individuals
Former President Barack Obama (D)[25] ✔
Organizations
EMILY's List[26] ✔

Timeline

  • October 31, 2018: EMILY's List disclosed an additional $400,000 in spending on behalf of Coleman's campaign.
  • October 29, 2018: A SurveyUSA poll commissioned by the Civitas Institute showed Holding with 49 percent and Coleman with 40 percent. The margin of error was 4.5 percentage points.
  • October 24, 2018: The National Republican Congressional Committee announced it would spend $616,000 supporting Holding.
  • October 23, 2018: EMILY's List launched a $446,000 ad campaign opposing Holding, bringing its total spending on the race to $890,000.
  • October 9, 2018: EMILY's List released an ad opposing George Holding.
  • October 1, 2018: Former President Barack Obama (D) endorsed Linda Coleman.
  • September 29, 2018: The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee began airing this anti-Holding ad in the Raleigh market.[27]
  • September 20, 2018: Linda Coleman was added to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee's Red-to-Blue list.[28]
  • September 20, 2018: The Congressional Leadership Fund announced it had reserved $1.4 million in television ad time to support Holding.
  • September 14, 2018: SurveyUSA conducted a survey on behalf of the Civitas Institute and found the candidates about even, with Coleman leading Holding 44-43. The margin of error was 4.9 percentage points.
  • September 5, 2018: The Coleman campaign released a poll showing Coleman leading Holding 45-44. The margin of error was 4.9 percentage points.

Campaign advertisements

This section shows advertisements released in this race. Ads released by campaigns and, if applicable, satellite groups are embedded or linked below. If you are aware of advertisements that should be included, please email us.

Democratic Party Linda Coleman

Support

"For Us" - Coleman campaign video, released October 3, 2018
"Vote May 8th" - Coleman campaign video, released April 11, 2018

Oppose

"Team" - Congressional Leadership Fund, released October 26, 2018
"Repeatedly" - Congressional Leadership Fund, released October 17, 2018
"On Time" - Congressional Leadership Fund, released October 8, 2018
"Too Much" - Congressional Leadership Fund, released September 26, 2018

Republican Party George Holding

Support

"Answer" - Holding campaign video, released August 31, 2018
"Foreign Policy" - Holding campaign video, released June 6, 2018
"Workfare" - Holding campaign video, released June 6, 2018
"For Term Limits" - Holding campaign video, released June 6, 2018

Oppose

"Dishonest George Holding" - EMILY's List ad, released October 23, 2018
"Lied" - EMILY's List ad, released October 9, 2018
"Keep Reading" - North Carolinians for a Fair Economy radio ad, released July 3, 2018
"Portraits" - North Carolinians for a Fair Economy campaign video, released July 2, 2018
  • Click here to see an ad released by North Carolinians for a Fair Economy on July 25 opposing George Holding.
  • Click here to see an ad released by the DCCC opposing George Holding September 29.

Campaign themes

Republican Party George Holding

Holding’s campaign website stated the following:

“

Family
For years, well-meaning people have believed the best thing government can do to help families is to launch a new government program. And Congress has done just that. Launched new programs. But, somewhere along the way, an odd thing happened. Or, then again, maybe it is not odd at all. Many of those programs backfired.

The best way for government to help families is by simply reducing the burdens on families. Like cutting taxes. Taxes cost families more than food, clothing or shelter.

Corporate Subsidies
Elected officials simply need to have the courage to say no to special interests who lobby for corporate subsidies. That’s why I voted against reauthorizing the Ex-Im Bank which guarantees loans to corporations involved in international trade — sometimes even foreign state-owned corporations.

Free Markets and Prosperity
America is by far the most prosperous nation in history. And the key to our success rests on the bedrock of the market economy. Like no one else in the world Americans believe in free enterprise. And it’s paid off.

The Right to Life
I support the Right to Life.

The Right to Bear Arms
I believe in the right to keep and bear arms. The 2nd Amendment is written in plain English.

National Defense
In a world where state-sponsored terrorism exists, it’s hard to see how any reasonable man can argue against a strong military.

ISIS
We have been fighting terrorism for the last 17 years. ISIS still remains a threat, which is why I believe we should let the military do what they need to do in order to defeat them.

Missile Defense
With states like North Korea, Iran, and Russia actively bolstering their ballistic and nuclear missile programs, the United States can’t stand idly by without a proper missile defense shield.

Russian Interference in the 2016 Election
As a former federal prosecutor, I know first hand how important it is to have all the facts laying out on the table before making a decision. Once we know the truth about what happened, then it will be time to make a decision about the best thing to do in order to ensure it doesn’t happen again.

Term Limits
I support a constitutional amendment to implement term limits.

Faith & Religious Freedom
The freedom to pray and worship God is an essential part of the moral fiber of our nation. Americans understand religious freedom extends to different faiths, but the Founding Fathers never intended freedom of religion to become government opposition to religion.

Federal Spending
You don’t have to be an economist to understand that Congress cannot go on borrowing hundreds of billions of dollars each year – not with our national debt. And you don’t have to be a Political Science Professor to understand both Democrats and Republicans are responsible. Congress has borrowed and spent until we’re now sitting on a fiscal time bomb. What it takes to make spending cuts is simple: Political Courage. And we need leaders who have that kind of courage.

The Constitution
I believe The Founding Fathers knew what they were doing when they wrote the Constitution and I believe the Lord blessed their work. To secure our liberties they divided the powers of the federal government between Congress and the President and the Courts. Then, in addition, they split the powers of government a second time between the national and state governments.

Today the federal government’s gotten so big there’s hardly a thing Washington wants to do that it can’t do. A good part of American history is the story of the growth of the federal government. But that hasn’t always been good and today it’s clear we need a check on the federal government’s power more than ever.

Obamacare
Obamacare was supposed to reduce the cost of healthcare. But it didn’t. In North Carolina, Obamacare premiums increased an average of 19.3% in 2018, after increasing 40% in 2017. Today, 95 out of 100 counties only have only one health insurer offering plans in the marketplace. Fixing healthcare is a necessity. And the goal is straightforward: To lower costs. And to be sure families – people with pre-existing conditions is an example – can get the healthcare they need.

Workfare
I support workfare, not welfare – requiring able bodied people to work for their welfare benefits. Workfare helps get people off the welfare treadmill. And helps them build better lives.

Tax Reform
I voted for tax cuts for two simple reasons: Tax cuts create jobs, and put more money in working people’s pockets. Because of the tax cuts, people living paycheck-to-paycheck now have more money in their pockets every month. The average family in the Second District will see their taxes cut by roughly $2,250. And, after we cut taxes, companies all over the country began announcing plans to expand, create new jobs, give bonuses and raise workers’ pay. Companies in North Carolina like Charlotte Pipe and Foundry and The Hammock Source in Greenville gave their employees bonuses, due to tax cuts.


[29]

”
—George Holding’s campaign website (2018)[30]

Democratic Party Linda Coleman

Coleman’s campaign website stated the following:

“

BETTER EDUCATION
Education is the rising tide that lifts all ships. As someone who started their career in the classroom, I have a great deal of appreciation for our teachers who devote their lives to educating our children and building a stronger tomorrow. Federal investment in pre-K programs would help ensure that our children get a strong foundation for their educational careers. We also need to work to alleviate student debt so our children do not spend their entire adult lives paying down their student loans. We need to let them borrow at reduced interest rates and create programs that reward them with student loan forgiveness in exchange for taking jobs as teachers or in public service, especially in rural areas. This will incentivize job growth in rural areas and help our students manage their loan debt.

BETTER WAGES
When I was in the General Assembly, I fought to increase the minimum wage for state workers in North Carolina. I have been proud to champion better wages for the working class my entire life, and I would continue to be a proud advocate for them in Congress. I support raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour. I also support passing laws that set up a system of paid family sick leave so workers can provide for their families and take days off to care for themselves and their families without sacrificing their earnings. Additionally, we need to take decisive steps towards equal pay. Women are breadwinners in their families and deserve to be paid every cent that a man gets for the same work.

FAIR ELECTIONS
Over the past decade we have seen a wave of money being invested in our political system by billionaire donors and corporations. At the same time, we have seen more and more cases of gerrymandering and laws that effectively result in elected officials choosing their voters rather than voters choosing their elected officials. We need campaign finance reform that not only limits the influence of corporations and big-money donors, but also incentivizes and encourages the voting public to donate and get involved in elections. Elected office should not be open only to the wealthy who can afford to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on their campaigns. We must also pass the Voting Rights Advancement Act and look at establishing independent, non-partisan systems of drawing districts to ensure fair districts, fair elections, and fair representation.

BETTER HEALTHCARE
The rural areas in our state are currently suffering from a lack of access to quality medical facilities. We have seen far too many rural hospitals declare bankruptcy and close in the past decade. This is a problem that could be solved through Medicaid expansion by the state, but we must also take action on the federal level. Forcing parents to drive hours away from their homes just so their children can see a doctor is unacceptable. We need to work to improve infrastructure in those areas by providing better roads and public transportation systems that make our hospitals more accessible to the people that they serve. Finally, we need to ensure that a woman’s right to choose what to do with her body is protected against those who would seek to take the power of choice away from them.

BETTER JOBS
While we should move to secure better wages for the working class, we must also take action to provide them with the resources to seek out jobs that offer higher wages. There are currently 6 million job openings in America that are available because there are not enough workers with the necessary skill set to fill them. We should look to our local community colleges to provide affordable training and certificate programs that allow those workers to acquire the necessary skills to fill these jobs. It is becoming increasingly clear that attending a four-year college is not the solution for everyone, whether that be because of financial reasons or personal reasons. With that being the case, we need to adapt our workforce training program to guarantee that opportunities for working families will always be available and accessible.

A SMARTER GUN POLICY
I grew up in rural North Carolina surrounded by guns. I respect someone’s right to defend their home by purchasing a gun under the Second Amendment. However, the Second Amendment does not prohibit sensible gun reform that would address the epidemic of gun violence across the country. We need universal background checks, a ban on high capacity magazines, and an assault weapon ban. Furthermore, Congress must fully repeal the Dickey Amendment and allocate funds to the CDC to study gun violence as a public health issue. Our children are marching and calling for change and we must stand with them and take decisive action.

CLEAN WATER
Our district is home to three of North Carolina’s major rivers: the Tar, the Neuse, and the Cape Fear. These waterways are a vital part of the culture, economy, and environment of the state. Most importantly, their watersheds provide the drinking water for millions of North Carolinians. In our district, agricultural runoff continues to pollute creeks and streams, costing taxpayers extra cash every time they turn on the tap. However, we should not punish farmers for trying to make a living. I support increasing funding to the USDA’s Natural Resource Conservation Program, which helps farmers establish added green space along creeks and streams. This win-win program significantly reduces runoff while restoring the natural beauty of our waterways. Water quality affects everyone, so no party should be left out of the process.

CLEAN ENERGY
North Carolina is the second largest producer of solar power in the United States, and a lot of that energy is generated right here in our district. Our solar industry has been able to consistently grow due to high demand, low cost, and state and federal tax incentives that make solar energy cost effective. Clean energy creates new jobs and new investments: North Carolina’s solar industry currently employs over 7,000 individuals and represents a multi-million dollar market. However, federal tax credits on renewables are set to expire in 2019, and the President’s tariffs on solar equipment will hurt the industry’s growth in the state and in the nation. I support the bipartisan effort by representatives from throughout the West and South to repeal these new solar tariffs and maintain North Carolina’s place as a leader in solar energy.

CONSERVATION
I strongly support protecting our natural spaces for future generations to enjoy. The easiest way to save the places we love is through supporting the Land and Water Conservation Fund. Since its inception, the fund has provided almost $250 million in investments to North Carolina’s natural areas. This includes 6 projects in Wilson County, 50 projects in Wake County, 9 projects in Johnston County, 12 projects in Harnett County, and 2 projects in Franklin County. However, the fund has to be renewed every few years and is under almost constant threat from outside interests. I support permanently funding the Land and Water Conservation Fund so that our children can enjoy the same outdoor spaces we do today.

[29]

”
—Linda Coleman’s campaign website (2018)[31]

Libertarian Party Jeff Matemu

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Candidate Connection

Jeff Matemu completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Matemu's responses.

What would be your top three priorities, if elected?

1. Criminal justice reform 2. Student debt reduction 3. Immigration solutions

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I'm very concerned about the ballooning federal debt.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

Abraham Lincoln

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Honesty, integrity, independence and a passion for service.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

I have fought for the middle class all my life representing them in federal courts in all type of issues. Discrimination, children's rights, immigration and criminal justice.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

Faithfully represent those who elected him/her and uphold the constitution.

What legacy would you like to leave?

A leader that respected and defended the rights of all the people all the time.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

When the twin towers came down on 9-11.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

My first job was teacher. I was teaching the French language to a high school class. I was 21.

What happened on your most awkward date?

I had nothing to say and she kept saying so many things that I could not relate to.

What is your favorite holiday? Why?

River cruise. I love the outdoors and lots of water.

What is your favorite book? Why?

The Alchemist by Paolo Coelho. A wonderful perspective on what love is/should be.

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

Randle Patrick McMurphy. One flew over the cuckoos nest.

What is your favorite thing in your home or apartment? Why?

Pictures of my kids. They are the world for me.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

Hero. Mariah Carey.

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

Sticking to regular workouts.

What process do you favor for redistricting?

Independent, non partisan commissions.

What qualities does the U.S. House of Representatives possess that makes it unique as an institution?

The diversity of its members

Do you believe that it's beneficial for representatives to have previous experience in government or politics?

No

What do you perceive to be the United States’ greatest challenges as a nation over the next decade?

Gerrymandering by any political party. That undermines democracy.

If you are not a current representative, are there certain committees that you would want to be a part of?

Ways and means.

Do you believe that two years is the right term length for representatives?

I am for term limits. 2 for four years each.

What are your thoughts on term limits?

We should absolutely have term limits. It's not beneficial to have congressmen serving 50 years.

If you are not currently a member of your party’s leadership in the U.S. House of Representatives, would you be interested in joining the leadership? If so, in what role?

Yes.

Is there a particular representative, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?

Ron Paul.

Both sitting representatives and candidates for office hear many personal stories from the residents of their district. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful?

Yes. A teacher for special needs children from Fuller Elementary school in Raleigh. I was touched by how much teachers with few resources sacrifice for their students.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

Ballotpedia biographical submission form

The candidate completed Ballotpedia's biographical information submission form:

“ What is your political philosophy?

All laws should point towards liberty and justice for all people all the time.

Is there anything you would like to add?

I focus on people, not politics.[29]

”
—Jeff Matemu[32]

Social media

Twitter accounts

Facebook accounts

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Democratic Party Linda Coleman Facebook

Republican Party George Holding Facebook

Pivot Counties

See also: Pivot Counties by state

Six of 100 North Carolina counties—6 percent—are Pivot Counties. Pivot Counties are counties that voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012 and for Donald Trump (R) in 2016. Altogether, the nation had 206 Pivot Counties, with most being concentrated in upper midwestern and northeastern states.

Counties won by Trump in 2016 and Obama in 2012 and 2008
County Trump margin of victory in 2016 Obama margin of victory in 2012 Obama margin of victory in 2008
Bladen County, North Carolina 9.39% 1.97% 2.07%
Gates County, North Carolina 9.07% 4.11% 5.22%
Granville County, North Carolina 2.49% 4.54% 6.58%
Martin County, North Carolina 0.43% 4.65% 4.64%
Richmond County, North Carolina 9.74% 2.95% 1.50%
Robeson County, North Carolina 4.27% 17.41% 13.78%

In the 2016 presidential election, Donald Trump (R) won North Carolina with 49.8 percent of the vote. Hillary Clinton (D) received 46.2 percent. In presidential elections between 1792 and 2016, North Carolina voted Democratic 53.5 percent of the time and Republican 25 percent of the time. In the five presidential elections between 2000 and 2016, North Carolina voted Republican all five times with the exception of the 2008 presidential election.[33]

Presidential results by legislative district

The following table details results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections by state House districts in North Carolina. Click [show] to expand the table. The "Obama," "Romney," "Clinton," and "Trump" columns describe the percent of the vote each presidential candidate received in the district. The "2012 Margin" and "2016 Margin" columns describe the margin of victory between the two presidential candidates in those years. The "Party Control" column notes which party held that seat heading into the 2018 general election. Data on the results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections broken down by state legislative districts was compiled by Daily Kos.[34][35]

In 2012, Barack Obama (D) won 40 out of 120 state House districts in North Carolina with an average margin of victory of 38.3 points. In 2016, Hillary Clinton (D) won 44 out of 120 state House districts in North Carolina with an average margin of victory of 36.4 points. Clinton won three districts controlled by Republicans heading into the 2018 elections.
In 2012, Mitt Romney (R) won 80 out of 120 state House districts in North Carolina with an average margin of victory of 22.7 points. In 2016, Donald Trump (R) won 76 out of 120 state House districts in North Carolina with an average margin of victory of 27.7 points. Trump won five districts controlled by Democrats heading into the 2018 elections.

District history

2016

See also: North Carolina's 2nd Congressional District election, 2016

Heading into the election, Ballotpedia rated this race as safely Republican. Incumbent George Holding (R) from District 13 defeated incumbent Renee Ellmers and Greg Brannon in the District 2 Republican primary on June 7, 2016. This primary was rated by Ballotpedia as a 2016 U.S. House primary to watch. John McNeil defeated Elton Brewington, Jane Watson, Ron Sanyal, and Steven Hight in the Democratic primary and was defeated by Holding in the general election. The general election took place on November 8, 2016.[36]

Holding's decision to run in District 2 came after redistricting in North Carolina in February 2016 substantially changed the constituency of both districts.[37][38][39][40][41][36]

U.S. House, North Carolina District 2 General Election, 2016
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngGeorge Holding Incumbent 56.7% 221,485
     Democratic John McNeil 43.3% 169,082
Total Votes 390,567
Source: North Carolina State Board of Elections


U.S. House, North Carolina District 2 Republican Primary, 2016
Candidate Vote % Votes
Green check mark transparent.pngGeorge Holding Incumbent 53.4% 17,084
Renee Ellmers Incumbent 23.6% 7,552
Greg Brannon 23% 7,359
Total Votes 31,995
Source: North Carolina State Board of Elections


U.S. House, North Carolina District 2 Democratic Primary, 2016
Candidate Vote % Votes
Green check mark transparent.pngJohn McNeil 46.1% 7,613
Jane Watson 23.5% 3,875
Steven Hight 11.3% 1,870
Ron Sanyal 10.7% 1,761
Elton Brewington 8.4% 1,387
Total Votes 16,506
Source: North Carolina State Board of Elections

2014

See also: North Carolina's 2nd Congressional District elections, 2014
U.S. House, North Carolina District 2 General Election, 2014
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngRenee Ellmers Incumbent 58.8% 122,128
     Democratic Clay Aiken 41.2% 85,479
Total Votes 207,607
Source: North Carolina State Board of Elections

State overview

Partisan control

This section details the partisan control of federal and state positions in North Carolina heading into the 2018 elections.

Congressional delegation

  • Following the 2016 elections, Republicans held both U.S. Senate seats in North Carolina.
  • Republicans held 10 of 13 U.S. House seats in North Carolina.

State executives

  • As of May 2018, Democrats held five of 18 state executive positions, Republicans held five, and the remaining eight positions were officially nonpartisan.
  • The governor of North Carolina was Democrat Roy Cooper.

State legislature

Trifecta status

  • North Carolina was under divided government, meaning that the two parties shared control of the state government. Roy Cooper (D) served as governor, while Republicans controlled the state legislature.

2018 elections

See also: North Carolina elections, 2018

North Carolina held elections for the following offices in 2018:

Demographics

Demographic data for North Carolina
 North CarolinaU.S.
Total population:10,035,186316,515,021
Land area (sq mi):48,6183,531,905
Race and ethnicity**
White:69.5%73.6%
Black/African American:21.5%12.6%
Asian:2.5%5.1%
Native American:1.2%0.8%
Pacific Islander:0.1%0.2%
Two or more:2.4%3%
Hispanic/Latino:8.8%17.1%
Education
High school graduation rate:85.8%86.7%
College graduation rate:28.4%29.8%
Income
Median household income:$46,868$53,889
Persons below poverty level:20.5%11.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015)
Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in North Carolina.
**Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.

As of July 2017, North Carolina had a population of approximately 10,273,419 people, with its three largest cities being Charlotte (pop. 842,051 million), Raleigh (pop. 458,880), and Greensboro (pop. 287,027).[42]

State election history

This section provides an overview of federal and state elections in North Carolina from 2000 to 2016. All data comes from the North Carolina State Board of Elections.

Historical elections

Presidential elections, 2000-2016

This chart shows the results of the presidential election in North Carolina every year from 2000 to 2016.

Election results (President of the United States), North Carolina 2000-2016
Year First-place candidate First-place candidate votes (%) Second-place candidate Second-place candidate votes (%) Margin of victory (%)
2016 Republican Party Donald Trump 49.83% Democratic Party Hillary Clinton 46.17% 3.66%
2012 Republican Party Mitt Romney 50.39% Democratic Party Barack Obama 48.35% 2.04%
2008 Democratic Party Barack Obama 49.70% Republican Party John McCain 49.38% 0.32%
2004 Republican Party George W. Bush 56.02% Democratic Party John Kerry 43.58% 12.44%
2000 Republican Party George W. Bush 56.03% Democratic Party Al Gore 43.2% 12.83%

U.S. Senate elections, 2002-2016

This chart shows the results of U.S. Senate races in North Carolina from 2002 to 2016. Every state has two Senate seats, and each seat goes up for election every six years. The terms of the seats are staggered so that roughly one-third of the seats are up every two years.

Election results (U.S. Senator), North Carolina 2000-2016
Year First-place candidate First-place candidate votes (%) Second-place candidate Second-place candidate votes (%) Margin of victory (%)
2016 Republican Party Richard Burr 51.06% Democratic Party Deborah K. Ross 45.37% 5.69%
2014 Republican Party Thom Tillis 48.82% Democratic Party Kay Hagan 47.26% 1.56%
2010 Republican Party Richard Burr 54.81% Democratic Party Elaine Marshall 43.05% 11.76%
2008 Democratic Party Kay Hagan 52.65% Republican Party Elizabeth Dole 44.18% 8.47%
2004 Republican Party Richard Burr 51.60% Democratic Party Erskine Bowles 47.02% 4.58%
2002 Republican Party Elizabeth Dole 53.56% Democratic Party Erskine Bowles 44.96% 0.92%

Gubernatorial elections, 2000-2016

This chart shows the results of the five gubernatorial elections held between 2000 and 2016. Gubernatorial elections are held every four years in North Carolina.

Election results (Governor), North Carolina 2000-2016
Year First-place candidate First-place candidate votes (%) Second-place candidate Second-place candidate votes (%) Margin of victory (%)
2016 Democratic Party Roy Cooper 49.02% Republican Party Pat McCrory 48.80% 0.22%
2012 Republican Party Pat McCrory 54.6% Democratic Party Walter Dalton 43.2% 11.4%
2008 Democratic Party Bev Perdue 50.27% Republican Party Pat McCrory 46.88% 5.34%
2004 Democratic Party Mike Easley 55.62% Republican Party Patrick J. Ballantine 42.88% 12.74%
2000 Democratic Party Mike Easley 52.02% Republican Party Richard Vinroot 46.26% 5.76%

Congressional delegation, 2000-2016

This chart shows the number of Democrats and Republicans who were elected to represent North Carolina in the U.S. House from 2000 to 2016. Elections for U.S. House seats are held every two years.

Congressional delegation, North Carolina 2000-2016
Year Republicans Republicans (%) Democrats Democrats (%) Balance of power
2016 Republican Party 10 76.9% Democratic Party 3 23.08% R+7
2014 Republican Party 10 76.9% Democratic Party 3 23.08% R+7
2012 Republican Party 9 69.2% Democratic Party 4 30.8% R+6
2010 Republican Party 6 46.2% Democratic Party 7 53.8% D+1
2008 Republican Party 5 38.5% Democratic Party 8 61.5% D+3
2006 Republican Party 6 46.2% Democratic Party 7 53.8% D+1
2004 Republican Party 7 53.8% Democratic Party 6 46.2% R+1
2002 Republican Party 7 53.8% Democratic Party 6 46.2% R+1
2000 Republican Party 7 58.3% Democratic Party 5 41.6% R+2

Trifectas, 1992-2017

A state government trifecta occurs when one party controls both chambers of the state legislature and the governor's office.

North Carolina Party Control: 1992-2025
Fourteen years of Democratic trifectas  •  Four years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.

Year 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
Governor R D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D R R R R D D D D D D D D D
Senate D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R
House D D D R R R R D D D D D D D D D D D D R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R


See also

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' presidential results by congressional district for the 2016 and 2012 elections," accessed November 20, 2017
  2. ↑ General Assembly of North Carolina, "2016 Contingent Congressional Plan - Corrected," accessed September 28, 2018
  3. ↑ Linda Coleman.com, "Meet Linda," accessed April 9, 2016
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Linda Coleman for Congress, "Meet Linda," accessed September 18, 2018
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Twitter, "Linda Coleman For Congress," accessed September 18, 2018
  6. ↑ National Journal, "North Carolina, 13th House District: George Holding (R)," accessed November 9, 2012
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 YouTube, "George Holding," accessed September 18, 2018
  8. ↑ George Holding for Congress, "Home," accessed September 18, 2018
  9. ↑ George Holding for Congress, "Workfare," accessed September 18, 2018
  10. ↑ Jeff Matemu for Congress, "Libertarian US Congress Candidate Jeff," accessed November 1, 2018
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 YouTube, "JEFF MATEMU FOR NC 2ND CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT," October 9, 2018
  12. ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Outside Spending," accessed September 22, 2015
  13. ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Total Outside Spending by Election Cycle, All Groups," accessed September 22, 2015
  14. ↑ National Review.com, "Why the Media Hate Super PACs," November 6, 2015
  15. ↑ Washington Post, "GOP super PAC enters five new House races after adding $1.5 million to hold Ryan’s seat," September 20, 2018
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections Morning Digest," October 24, 2018
  17. ↑ Twitter, "Brian Murphy on October 25, 2018"
  18. ↑ The News and Observer, "Dark money from the left targets NC congressman," July 27, 2018
  19. ↑ Inside Elections also uses Tilt ratings to indicate an even smaller advantage and greater competitiveness.
  20. ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Nathan Gonzalez," April 19, 2018
  21. ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Kyle Kondik," April 19, 2018
  22. ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Charlie Cook," April 22, 2018
  23. ↑ Cook Political Report, "Introducing the 2017 Cook Political Report Partisan Voter Index," April 7, 2017
  24. ↑ FiveThirtyEight, "Election Update: The Most (And Least) Elastic States And Districts," September 6, 2018
  25. ↑ Twitter, "Barack Obama on October 1, 2018"
  26. ↑ Twitter, "EMILY's List on August 30, 2018"
  27. ↑ Twitter, "Medium Buying," September 26, 2018
  28. ↑ Twitter, "Jonathan Kappler on September 20, 2018"
  29. ↑ 29.0 29.1 29.2 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
  30. ↑ George Holding for Congress, “Ideas,” accessed September 18, 2018
  31. ↑ Linda Coleman, “Issues,” accessed September 18, 2018
  32. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named biosept11
  33. ↑ 270towin.com, "North Carolina," accessed June 1, 2017
  34. ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' statewide election results by congressional and legislative districts," July 9, 2013
  35. ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' 2016 presidential results for congressional and legislative districts," February 6, 2017
  36. ↑ 36.0 36.1 North Carolina State Board of Elections, "June Primary Candidates," accessed March 27, 2016
  37. ↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections, "Candidate_Listing_20160315," December 21, 2015
  38. ↑ Twitter, "Colin Campbell," accessed February 22, 2016
  39. ↑ News Observer, "NC Sen. Andrew Brock to run for Congress under new map," February 22, 2016
  40. ↑ Statesville Record and Landmark, "As primary nears, candidates meet Thursday in Mooresville," February 23, 2016
  41. ↑ Rhino Times, "Greensboro State Rep. Blust announces run for Congress," March 2, 2016
  42. ↑ United States Census Bureau, "American FactFinder," accessed April 3, 2018
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North Carolina's current delegation to the United States Congress
Senators
Ted Budd (R)
Thom Tillis (R)
Representatives
District 1
District 2
District 3
District 4
District 5
District 6
District 7
District 8
District 9
District 10
District 11
District 12
District 13
District 14
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