RALEIGH — Democrats who won North Carolina House seats last month chose Rep. Robert Reives on Thursday to be their leader for the next two years.
The incoming House Democratic Caucus, meeting both in person in Raleigh and online, unanimously elected Reives, a Chatham County attorney who was most recently deputy minority leader.
Rep. Darren Jackson of Wake County had decided not to seek reelection as minority leader, citing in part the party’s disappointing Nov. 3 election. Democrats needed to win six additional seats to take back control of a chamber they hadn’t led since 2010. Instead, Republicans picked up four more seats overall and will hold 69 of the 120 seats come January.
Reives, whose 54th House District covers all of Chatham County and part of Durham County, joined the chamber in early 2014.
In a news release, Reives said there’s much work to be done creating jobs through expanding Medicaid and broadband access and by spending for K-12 education. “Investing in our public schools as we emerge from this crisis is key to our children’s future and our future as a state,” Reives said.
Reives will appoint a deputy minority leader. The caucus will elect minority whips for the two-year session.
