Lakesha Womack Defeats U.S. Rep. Tim Moore in Mecklenburg District

Lakesha Womack defeated U.S. Rep. Tim Moore on Tuesday to win the congressional district in western North Carolina.

The result marks a sharp reversal for the district, which Moore won by approximately 16 percentage points in the 2024 election. With every precinct counted, Womack led Moore by 6,415 votes. The victory ends Moore’s single term in Congress, a role he entered after serving as Speaker of the North Carolina House of Representatives for five terms.

Womack, an ordained minister and the chief strategy officer for Aspire Community Capital, represents a political newcomer in a seat many observers had considered safe for Republicans. Her background in community development finance distinguishes her from the veteran state legislator she replaced. The race concluded on the same day early voting began this year, though final certification will not occur until the statewide canvass on Friday, Nov. 13.

Moore’s defeat followed a campaign where he described his approach as competitive despite the district’s historical leanings. Speaking at a conference in Raleigh on the first day of early voting, Moore stated, "I feel pretty comfortable with all that. I'm in a seat that's not considered competitive, but I'm running a race as if I was." He added that he had been knocking on doors and talking to voters "even though I probably wouldn't have to if I didn't want to."

The voting pattern in Mecklenburg County drove the outcome. Moore lost by a margin of roughly two-to-one in the district’s 28 precincts within the county. In contrast, he secured the majority of the vote in the five westernmost counties, spanning from Polk and Gaston counties up to Burke County along the South Carolina border.

Moore’s tenure as Speaker included aggressive partisan redrawing of state congressional maps to advantage GOP lawmakers. He helped draw the district he later represented in 2024. He also directed an unannounced override of Gov. Roy Cooper’s veto of the 2019 state budget on September 11, a date when many Democratic lawmakers were absent for commemoration ceremonies.

This year’s election results join a wave of changes in North Carolina’s political leadership. U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis, whom Moore succeeded as Speaker, chose not to seek reelection. Sen. Phil Berger, who led the state Senate during both their speakerships, lost in a primary contest.