The top priority for lawmakers is to approve changes to the second year of the two-year budget that was signed into law in November 2021. Speaker Moore said on the House floor Wednesday afternoon that House and Senate budget writers will most likely introduce the budget adjustments in a conference report.

A conference report is a pre-negotiated compromise and cannot be amended once brought to each chamber for a vote — it’s an up or down vote. This type of process may bring with it issues surrounding transparency. The compromise is negotiated in private, and the public often doesn’t get a first look at the document until just a few hours before the vote.

NCSBA spent Wednesday and Thursday this week meeting with legislators who made it to Raleigh for the start of session. Given Tuesday night’s primary election, many lawmakers stayed in their home district this week. More on that below.

All 170 state legislative seats were on ballots across the state on Tuesday — 50 Senate districts, 120 House districts. Nine incumbents lost.

• Two Republican senators lost after being “double bunked” with other incumbents.
  • Sen. Ralph Hise, R-Mitchell, defeated Sen. Deanna Ballard, R-Watauga (Ballard chaired two Senate education committees)
  • Sen. Norm Sanderson, R-Pamlico, beat Sen. Bob Steinburg, R-Chowan
• Two Republican representatives lost after being “double bunked” with other incumbents.
  • Rep. Ben Moss, R-Richmond, defeated Rep. Jamie Boles, R-Moore
  • Rep. Jake Johnson, R-Polk, defeated Rep. David Rogers, R-Rutherford
• Two Democratic senators lost in the primary to a non-legislator.
  • Sen. Kirk deViere, D-Cumberland, and Sen. Ernestine Bazemore, D-Bertie
• One Democratic representative ran for a Senate seat and lost to a current senator.
  • Sen. Toby Fitch, D-Wilson, defeated Rep. Raymond Smith, D-Wayne
• One Republican representative lost running for a Senate seat to a non-legislator.
  • Rep. Lee Zachary, R-Yadkin
• One Republican representative lost in the primary to a non-legislator.
  • Rep. Pat Hurley, R-Randolph

Senate Republicans head to the November general election with a 13-1 seat advantage over Senate Democrats before a single ballot is cast because of races that are unopposed.

House Republicans head to the November general election with a 29-5 seat advantage over House Democrats before a single ballot is cast because of races that are unopposed.

Take a look at this article for more specifics on legislative races.

United States House of Representatives

• Seven sitting state legislators won their congressional primary races.
  • Sen. Don Davis, D-Greene, will face Republican Sandy Smith in the 1^st Congressional District.
  • Sen. Valerie Foushee, D-Orange, will face Republican Courtney Geels in the 4^th Congressional District.
  • Rep. Charles Graham, D-Robeson, will face Republican incumbent Rep. David Rouzer in the 7^th Congressional District.
  • Sen. Ben Clark, D-Hoke, will face Republican incumbent Rep. Richard Hudson in the 9^th Congressional District.
  • Sen. Chuck Edwards, R-Henderson, will face Democrat Jasmine Beach-Ferrara in the 11^th Congressional District.
  • Sen. Wiley Nickel, D-Wake, will face Republican Bo Hines in the 13^th Congressional District.
  • Sen. Jeff Jackson, D-Mecklenburg, will face Republican Pat Harrigan in the 14^th Congressional District.

United States Senate

• Republican Ted Budd will face Democrat Cheri Beasley in November to fill the seat vacated by retiring Republican Sen. Richard Burr.