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North Carolina's 2nd Congressional District elections, 2014
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November 4, 2014 |
May 6, 2014 |
Renee Ellmers  |
Renee Ellmers |
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Cook Political Report: Solid R[1] FairVote's Monopoly Politics: Safe R[2] |
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The 2nd Congressional District of North Carolina held an election for the U.S. House of Representatives on November 4, 2014. Rep. Renee Ellmers (R) defeated Clay Aiken (D) in the general election.
Despite being in a Republican-dominated district with a small chance of becoming competitive, the race for North Carolina's 2nd District was the subject of lot of attention in 2014. With a close Democratic primary, a tragic death and an American Idol singer-turned-candidate, even a noncompetitive race attracted media attention.
The Cook Political Report rated the 2nd District as a "Likely Republican" seat in 2014. Ellmers, the Republican incumbent, had only been in office since 2010, when she won by a mere 0.8 percent, but her margin of victory increased to 14.5 percent in 2012. Ellmers' Democratic challenger in the general election was Aiken, a 2003 American Idol contestant. As of the April Quarterly Federal Election Commission (FEC) reports, Aiken had raised $286,659.38 in total contributions, while Ellmers had raised $947,916.68, over three times as much. Ellmers widened her 2012 margin, securing nearly 59 percent of the vote in the general election.
In the May 6, 2014, primary election, both Ellmers and Aiken faced challengers. Ellmers defeated Frank Roche by a safe margin, but Aiken had a close race against Keith Crisco, Sr. With Toni Morris receiving about 20 percent of the vote, Aiken and Crisco split the remaining votes almost in half. In North Carolina, candidates need to receive at least 40 percent of the vote in order to avoid a runoff, which Aiken narrowly achieved. Crisco had not yet conceded when he passed away suddenly on May 12, 2014.[4]
| Candidate Filing Deadline | Primary Election | General Election |
|---|---|---|
Primary: A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. North Carolina utilizes a semi-closed primary system. Parties decide who may vote in their respective primaries. Voters may choose a primary ballot without impacting their unaffiliated status.[5][6]
For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.
Voter registration: To vote in the primary, voters had to register by April 11, 2014. For the general election, the voter registration deadline was October 10, 2014 (25 days before the day of the election).[7]
- See also: North Carolina elections, 2014
Incumbent: Heading into the election the incumbent was Renee Ellmers (R), who was first elected in 2010.
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.[8]
Candidates
General election candidates
- Renee Ellmers - Incumbent
Clay Aiken
May 6, 2014, primary results
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Declined to run
Election results
General election
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican |  Renee Ellmers Incumbent |
58.8% | 122,128 | |
| Democratic | Clay Aiken | 41.2% | 85,479 | |
| Total Votes | 207,607 | |||
| Source: North Carolina State Board of Elections | ||||
Primary election
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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Clay Aiken |
40.9% | 11,678 | ||
| Keith Crisco, Sr. | 39.5% | 11,288 | ||
| Toni Morris | 19.6% | 5,616 | ||
| Total Votes | 28,582 | |||
| Source: Results via the North Carolina State Board of Elections |
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- Six days after the primary, with the results still too close to call, Keith Crisco, Sr. passed away in his home. Crisco had been waiting for the final vote totals and had not conceded the race.[13]
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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Renee Ellmers Incumbent |
58.7% | 21,412 | ||
| Frank Roche | 41.3% | 15,045 | ||
| Total Votes | 36,457 | |||
| Source: Results via the North Carolina State Board of Elections |
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Polls
General election polls
| Renee Ellmers vs. Clay Aiken | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poll | Renee Ellmers (R) | Clay Aiken (D) | Undecided | Margin of Error | Sample Size | ||||||||||||||
| Civitas/SurveyUSA (September 26-28, 2014) | 47% | 39% | 14% | +/-5 | 400 | ||||||||||||||
| Note: A "0%" finding means the candidate was not a part of the poll. 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 | |||||||||||||||||||
Key votes
Government affairs
HR 676
On July 30, 2014, the U.S. House approved a resolution 225 to 201 to sue President Barack Obama for exceeding his constitutional authority. Five Republicans—Thomas Massie of Kentucky, Paul Broun of Georgia, Scott Garrett of New Jersey, Walter Jones of North Carolina and Steve Stockman of Texas—voted with Democrats against the lawsuit.[14] Ellmers joined the other 224 Republicans in favor of the lawsuit. All Democrats voted against the resolution.[15][16]
Government shutdown
- See also: United States budget debate, 2013
On September 30, 2013, the House passed a final stopgap spending bill before the shutdown went into effect. The bill included a one-year delay of the Affordable Care Act's individual mandate and would have also stripped the bill of federal subsidies for congressional members and staff. It passed through the House with a vote of 228-201.[17] At 1 a.m. on October 1, 2013, one hour after the shutdown officially began, the House voted to move forward with going to a conference. In short order, Sen. Harry Reid rejected the call to conference.[18] Renee Ellmers voted in favor of the stopgap spending bill that would have delayed the individual mandate.[19]
The shutdown ended on October 16, 2013, when the House took a vote on HR 2775 after it was approved by the Senate. The bill to reopen the government lifted the $16.7 trillion debt limit and funded the government through January 15, 2014. Federal employees also received retroactive pay for the shutdown period. The only concession made by Senate Democrats was to require income verification for Obamacare subsidies.[20] The House passed the legislation shortly after the Senate, by a vote of 285-144, with all 144 votes against the legislation coming from Republican members. Renee Ellmers voted against HR 2775.[21]
Media
Clay Aiken
- Former American Idol contestant Clay Aiken released a web video on February 5, 2014, that described his difficult upbringing and announced his candidacy.[22]
- Aiken launched his first television campaign ad on April 22, 2014.[23] Aiken's primary opponent, Keith Crisco, Sr. launched a television ad on the same day criticizing Aiken for missing meetings when he was on the Presidential Commission for People With Intellectual Disabilities.[24]
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Renee Ellmers
Incumbent Renee Ellmers released her first campaign ad, explaining how she fought Obamacare and worked to create jobs in North Carolina.[25]
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Campaign contributions
Renee Ellmers
Candidates for Congress were required to file up to seven main reports with the Federal Election Commission during the 2014 elections season. Below are Ellmers’ reports.[26]
| Renee Ellmers (2014) Campaign Finance Reports | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Report | Date Filed | Beginning Balance | Total Contributions for Reporting Period | Expenditures | Cash on Hand | ||||
| April Quarterly[27] | April 15, 2013 | $127,730.53 | $99,724.09 | $(93,867.89) | $133,586.73 | ||||
| July Quarterly[28] | July 15, 2013 | $133,586.73 | $158,351.15 | $(111,482.23) | $180,455.65 | ||||
| October Quarterly[29] | October 15, 2013 | $180,455.65 | $122,811.00 | $(121,780.00) | $181,486.65 | ||||
| Year-End Quarterly[30] | December 31, 2013 | $181,486 | $200,530 | $(125,195) | $260,501 | ||||
| April Quarterly[31] | April 15, 2014 | $260,501.33 | $324,330.44 | $(151,044.5) | $433,787.27 | ||||
| Pre-Primary[32] | April 16, 2014 | $433,787.27 | $42,170.00 | $(51,511.28) | $424,445.99 | ||||
| July Quarterly[33] | July 15, 2014 | $424,445.99 | $353,937.37 | $(373,344.26) | $405,039.10 | ||||
| October Quarterly[34] | October 15, 2014 | $405,039.10 | $280,636.92 | $(172,713.4) | $512,962.62 | ||||
| Pre-General[35] | October 23, 2014 | $512,962.62 | $105,498 | $(175,666.2) | $442,794.42 | ||||
| Running totals | |||||||||
| $1,687,988.97 | $(1,376,604.76) | ||||||||
Clay Aiken
Candidates for Congress were required to file up to seven main reports with the Federal Election Commission during the 2014 elections season. Below are Aiken's reports.[36]
| Clay Aiken (2014) Campaign Finance Reports | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Report | Date Filed | Beginning Balance | Total Contributions for Reporting Period | Expenditures | Cash on Hand | ||||
| April Quarterly[37] | April 15, 2014 | $0.00 | $233,133.93 | $(108,207.95) | $124,925.98 | ||||
| Pre-Primary[38] | April 24, 2014 | $124,925.98 | $53,525.45 | $(104,163.37) | $74,288.06 | ||||
| Running totals | |||||||||
| $286,659.38 | $(212,371.32) | ||||||||
District history
| Candidate ballot access |
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2012
The 2nd Congressional District of North Carolina held an election for the U.S. House of Representatives on November 6, 2012, in which incumbent Renee Ellmers (R) won re-election. She defeated Steve Wilkins (D) and Brian Irving (L) in the general election.[39]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Steve Wilkins | 41.4% | 128,973 | |
| Republican | Renee Ellmers Incumbent |
55.9% | 174,066 | |
| Libertarian | Brian Irving | 2.7% | 8,358 | |
| Total Votes | 311,397 | |||
| Source: North Carolina State Board of Elections "Official Election Results, 2012 General Election" | ||||
2010
On November 2, 2010, Renee Ellmers won election to the United States House. She defeated Bob Etheridge (D) and Tom Rose (L) in the general election.[40]
| United States House, North Carolina General Election, 2010 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican | Renee Ellmers |
49.5% | 93,876 | |
| Democratic | Bob Etheridge | 48.7% | 92,393 | |
| Libertarian | Tom Rose | 1.8% | 3,505 | |
| Total Votes | 189,774 | |||
See also
- United States House of Representatives elections in North Carolina, 2014
- United States House of Representatives elections, 2014
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Cook Political Report, "2014 House Race Ratings for August 8, 2014," accessed August 25, 2014
- ↑ FairVote's Monopoly Politics, "2014 House Projections," accessed August 25, 2014
- ↑ Sabato's Crystal Ball, "2014 House Races," accessed August 25, 2014
- ↑ Politico, "Clay Aiken primary opponent Keith Crisco dies after fall," accessed July 9, 2014
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "State Primary Election Types," accessed October 7, 2024
- ↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections, "Election Information," accessed October 7, 2024
- ↑ North Carolina Center for Voter Education, "Register to Vote in North Carolina," accessed January 3, 2014
- ↑ General Assembly of North Carolina, "2016 Contingent Congressional Plan - Corrected," accessed September 28, 2018
- ↑ USA Today, "Singer Clay Aiken launches bid for Congress," accessed February 5, 2014
- ↑ Keith Crisco campaign website, "Home," accessed March 6, 2014
- ↑ My Fox 8, "Keith Crisco, Clay Aiken’s opponent in NC primary, dead at 71," accessed May 12, 2014
- ↑ Toni Morris campaign website, "Home," accessed March 6, 2014
- ↑ ABC, "Keith Crisco dies at his home just days after primary," May 12, 2014
- ↑ U.S. House, "House Resolution 676," accessed July 30, 2014
- ↑ Associated Press, "Suing Obama: GOP-led House gives the go-ahead," July 31, 2014
- ↑ Washington Post, "House clears way for lawsuit against Obama," accessed July 30, 2014
- ↑ Clerk of the U.S. House, "Final vote results for Roll Call 504," accessed October 31, 2013
- ↑ Buzzfeed, "Government Shutdown: How We Got Here," accessed October 1, 2013
- ↑ Clerk of the U.S. House, "Final vote results for Roll Call 504," accessed October 31, 2013
- ↑ The Washington Post, "Reid, McConnell propose bipartisan Senate bill to end shutdown, extend borrowing," accessed October 16, 2013
- ↑ U.S. House, "Final vote results for Roll Call 550," accessed October 31, 2013
- ↑ Talking Points Memo, "Clay Aiken Is Officially Running For Congress (VIDEO)," accessed February 5, 2014
- ↑ Roll Call, "Clay Aiken Is Back on TV (Updated)," accessed April 23, 2014
- ↑ Roll Call, "Clay Aiken Slammed in TV Ad," accessed April 23, 2014
- ↑ YouTube, "Fight," accessed April 22, 2014
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Renee Ellmers Summary Report," accessed August 1, 2013
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Renee Ellmers April Quarterly," accessed August 1st, 2013
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Renee Ellmers July Quarterly," accessed July 30, 2013
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Renee Ellmers October Quarterly," accessed October 22, 2013
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Renee Ellmers Year-End Quarterly," accessed February 13, 2014
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Renee Ellmers April Quarterly," accessed May 16, 2014
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Renee Ellmers Pre-Primary," accessed May 16, 2014
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Renee Ellmers July Quarterly," accessed October 31, 2014
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Renee Ellmers October Quarterly," accessed October 31, 2014
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Renee Ellmers Pre-General," accessed October 31, 2014
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Clay Aiken Summary Report," accessed May 5, 2014
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Clay Aiken April Quarterly," accessed May 5, 2014
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Clay Aiken Pre-Primary," accessed July 7, 2014
- ↑ Politico, "2012 Election Map, North Carolina," accessed November 7, 2012
- ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 2, 2010," accessed March 28, 2013
