Make it two Western North Carolinians in power positions in the North Carolina General Assembly: On Tuesday, Dec. 14, WNC’s own Sen. Martin L. Nesbitt was named as minority leader for the Democrats.
Nesbitt had been the majority leader, after Sen. Tony Rand left the senate, but in the November elections, Republicans gained control for the first time since 1898. Soon after the Nov. 2 election, Martin’s fellow WNC Sen. Tom Apodaca, Republican, was picked to chair the powerful Committee on Rules and Operations of the Senate.
According to a report from the Greensboro News & Observer‘s Mark Binker, “Sen. Linda Garrou, a Winston-Salem Democrat, had been rumored to be seeking the minority leader’s post, but apparently did not run for it. Those leaving the Senate Democratic Caucus meeting today said Nesbitt was the only member nominated.” (from Binker’s “Capital Beat” blog, which includes video-taped remarks by Nesbitt). Binker further reports that Wake County’s Sen. Josh Stein will serve as minority whip.
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