Louis Pate will stay in N.C. Senate seat
By Dennis Hill
Published in News on November 5, 2014 1:46 PM
State Sen. Louis Pate, a Republican, easily defeated Democratic challenger Erik Anderson on Tuesday to retain his District 7 seat in the state Senate.
Pate carried Wayne, Pitt and Lenoir counties, winning by 15,471 to 5,163 in his home county of Wayne and by 14,623 to 9,045 in Anderson's home county of Pitt. Pate also easily carried Lenoir County, winning by a margin of about 3 to 1.
"I'm glad it's over," Pate, 78, said from his home in Mount Olive late Tuesday. "I'm very glad with the results. It's an honor to be able to continue to represent the people of District 7. I certainly appreciate their confidence in me."
The victory gives Pate his third term in the Senate. He served four terms in the House.
He is co-chairman of the Senate Health Care Committte and co-chairman of the Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services and therefore has been deeply involved in the legislature's attempts to deal with its issues with Medicaid.
Pate has said that he believes Medicaid reform, lottery and highway funding and taxes are among the major issues the new General Assembly will face when it convenes in January.
A former Air Force officer, Pate is retired.
Anderson, 34, said during the campaign that he considered himself more of an independent than a Democrat.