RALEIGH — There were multiple members of the General Assembly who either resigned or announced their retirement in 2025.
In January, Rep. Joe John (D-Wake) died at 85 after announcing his resignation days earlier, citing a terminal throat cancer diagnosis. John, who was in his fifth term, was also a former director of the state crime lab, head of the North Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles and a judge.
The majority of the departures from the General Assembly were by Republicans.
Sen. Paul Newton issued a surprise retirement notice in March, stating he would be ending his tenure at the end of the month. The Cabarrus County Republican later became vice chancellor and general counsel for UNC Chapel Hill on April 21.
Allen Measmer was selected by the Republican Party to fill Newton’s seat, and Sen. Michael Lee (R-New Hanover) was picked to replace Newton as Senate majority leader.
In May, Gaston County Republican Rep. Kelly Hastings announced he would not seek reelection in 2026, stating he was “term limiting” himself after eight terms in the House. However, in August things changed and he reversed course after no one had committed to run for the seat.
The District 110 Republican is chair of the Higher Education Committee and the Appropriations, Capital and Information Technology Committee. He is also vice chair on the House Appropriations Committee and is a member of the Select Committee on Hurricane Helene Recovery, as well as the Insurance and Energy and Utilities committees.
Rep. Jarrod Lowery (R-Robeson) resigned in October to take a post as senior adviser to the assistant secretary for the Bureau of Indian Affairs at the U.S. Department of the Interior. He is a member of the Lumbee Tribe and former member of the Lumbee Tribal Council (2015-21). His brother, Lumbee Tribe Chairman John Lowery, was selected to replace him. John Lowery filed to run for the seat in 2026 and, so far, is running unopposed.
Also in October, Rep. Cecil Brockman (D-Guilford) was arrested on sex crime charges. Brockman resigned his seat on Oct. 31. High Point City Councilwoman Amanda Cook was picked to fill the remainder of his term.
Rep. Ted Davis (R-New Hanover) announced in late November that he would retire at the end of his term in 2026. Davis was appointed in 2012 to fill the remainder of the term for Rep. Danny McComas. Republican New Hanover County Commissioner Dane Scalise has filed for Davis’ House District 20 seat after being recruited by Davis to run.
In the first week of December, Rep. Stephen Ross (R-Alamance) announced he would be retiring at the end of his current term, his sixth. He serves as the chairman for the Commerce and Economic Development, Commerce and Finance committees. Alamance County Chamber of Commerce Chair Ryan Moffitt, a Republican, has filed to run for the seat, as has Democrat Whitney Olive from Burlington.
Rep. William Brisson (R-Bladen) announced he will be ending his 20-year career as a legislator by retiring at the end of his term next year.
The 79-year-old Brisson, who represents District 22 for Sampson and Bladen counties, is co-chair of the House Appropriations Committee, as well as a vice chair for both the Agriculture and Environment Committee and the Appropriations, Justice, and Public Safety Committees.
No Democrats have filed for Brisson’s seat, but two Republicans have: Wellie Jackson and Jerol Kivett, both from Clinton in Sampson County.
In mid-December, Rep. Matthew Winslow (R-Franklin) said in a letter to House members that he will not seek reelection in 2026. Winslow, who is in his third term in the House, is the vice chairman of the House Appropriations Committee. He also serves as chair for the Energy and Public Utilities Committee as well as the Appropriations, Capital and Information Technology Committee.
Winslow endorsed Cory Thornton, a Republican who has filed to run for the seat. Franklin County Commissioner Mark Speed, a Democrat, has also filed to run for Winslow’s seat, which covers Franklin and Vance counties.
