Episode Details

For the final installment of our Down The Ballot series, we’re turning to the races for state legislature.

The district lines drawn by GOP lawmakers will virtually ensure that Republicans keep at least a majority in the House and Senate. But if Democrat Josh Stein wins the governor’s race, the outcome of the race for a legislative supermajority will determine the policy direction of the state for the next two years. If Democrats can flip seats in either or both chambers, a veto from Stein could stop GOP legislation.

One of the N.C. House races that will determine that power dynamic is in the Wilson area, where Republican Rep. Ken Fontenot is defending a seat he flipped from Democrats two years ago. WUNC spoke with Fontenot and his Democratic opponent, Dante Pittman, about the key issues in the race and why the district is so competitive.