State Sen. Tom McInnis will continue representing Cumberland County in the N.C. General Assembly after easily fending off Democratic challenger Maurice (Butch) Holland Jr. on Tuesday.
According to unofficial results as of 2 a.m. Wednesday, McInnis received 62.89% of the ballots counted so far. That is 66,916 ballots. In comparison, unofficial results showed Holland received 37.11% of ballots counted.
District 21 includes most of Cumberland County, except for Fayetteville, and all of neighboring Moore County. The district is heavily gerrymandered to favor Republicans, making McInnis’ victory essentially guaranteed. Moore County is considered a red county and the rural areas of Cumberland County, included in District 21, also tend to vote conservative.
With McInnis’ victory on Tuesday, he will be entering his sixth term in the state legislature.
McInnis is a powerful voice in the N.C. General Assembly, serving as the Senate majority whip. McInnis also serves as the chairperson of both the Transportation Committee and Appropriation on the Department of Transportation Committee. McInnis is an auctioneer.
Holland is a Democrat with no political experience, although he has been heavily involved in local politics, previously serving as the chair and vice chair of the Moore County Democratic Party. Holland campaigned on a platform of boosting public education funding, protecting the environment and promoting “equal rights.”
McInnis has advocated for legislation to address the opioid crisis, including helping pass the bipartisan STOP Act of 2017 to combat opioid addiction. McInnis is a strong proponent of the Second Amendment, serving as an NRA member and a consultant on its fundraising arm, the Friends of the NRA.
McInnis also supports higher teacher pay, expanded vocational training and programs like Teach for NC to address teacher shortages. He opposes abortion, telling The Fayetteville Observer in 2022 that he believes “all life is precious,” but believes in certain exceptions including rape and incest. McInnis was a sponsor of Senate Bill 359, the controversial Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, which aims to protect babies that survive an abortion and penalize medical professionals if they don’t comply with the law.
Contact Evey Weisblat at eweisblat@cityviewnc.com or 216-527-3608. This story was made possible by donations from readers like you to CityView News Fund, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization committed to an informed democracy in Fayetteville and Cumberland County.
