Carver Flips House District 109 Seat in NC

Democrat Mark Carver defeats Republican Donnie Loftis in unofficial results, a shift that could give Democrats control of the North Carolina House.

Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Legislative Policy

Carver Flips House District 109 Seat in NC

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Democrat Mark Carver defeated Republican Donnie Loftis in North Carolina House District 109, with unofficial results showing Carver at 51.6% and Loftis at 48.4%. If preliminary results hold, Democrats will take control of the North Carolina House for the first time since 2010.

Why it matters

The result would hand Democrats a House majority for the first time since the 2010 elections, changing which party controls legislative priorities in North Carolina. The district had been held by Loftis, who won it in 2024 by 7,793 votes.

Carver's apparent 1,177-vote margin is well below Loftis's 7,793-vote win in 2024, and the final result depends on canvasses set for November 13 and a statewide canvass on November 24.

The players

Mark Carver

Carver is a Democrat and history instructor at Gaston College who previously spent 25 years at Kelly-Springfield Tire Co. and opposed North Carolina's Opportunity Scholarship program.

Donnie Loftis

Loftis is a Republican who was first appointed to the North Carolina General Assembly in November 2021 and chaired two House committees in the 2025-2026 session.

The details

Carver, a history instructor at Gaston College who previously worked 25 years at Kelly-Springfield Tire Co., opposed the state's Opportunity Scholarship program. Loftis, first appointed to the General Assembly in November 2021, chaired the House Committee on Homeland Security and Military and Veterans Affairs and the House Committee on Appropriations, General Government in the 2025-2026 session. The district covers southeastern Gaston County, including Gastonia, Belmont and Cramerton.

2010: Democrats last controlled the North Carolina House.
November 2021: Loftis was first appointed to the General Assembly.
November 3, 2026: Election Day, when Carver defeated Loftis.
November 13, 2026: County canvasses are scheduled.
November 24, 2026: Statewide canvass is scheduled.

Legislative Pendulum

If preliminary results hold, Democrats would retake the North Carolina House for the first time since the 2010 elections, when Republicans took control and kept it through the period since. Carver's apparent win in a district Loftis carried by 7,793 votes in 2024 signals a significant swing in this seat.

A Democratic House majority would shift control of committee assignments and bill priorities in Raleigh starting with the next legislative session. Voters in District 109 will be represented by Carver if the result is certified.

The takeaway

Watch the county canvasses on November 13 and the statewide canvass on November 24, since unofficial margins can change before results are certified. Those dates will determine whether the House majority shift holds.

What happens next

County canvasses are scheduled for November 13, 2026, followed by a statewide canvass on November 24, 2026, which will finalize the outcome of House District 109.