Sydney Batch, a Wake County Democrat, announced Saturday on Twitter that she will fill a seat in the N.C. Senate vacated by Sam Searcy, who resigned. Cooper would appoint her.
Batch, elected to the N.C. House in 2018, in November lost her seat to Republican Erin Pare, who got 50% of the vote to Batch’s 47%.
Searcy had won a second term to the Senate in District 17, defeating Republican Mark Cavaliero.
Searcy, part-owner of a distillery, in November endorsed Batch for the vacated seat. In 2017, he considered running for the 2nd U.S. Congressional District but chose to run for the General Assembly instead.
The Wake County Democratic Party picked Batch, according to post.
Batch wrote: “I am elated to share that this morning the Wake County CEC members of SD 17 voted for me to fill @ElectSamSearcy’s vacant seat. After I am appointed by @NC_Governor, I will be sworn in this week. I can’t wait to get to work serving the constituents of SD 17 & our great state.”
In the House, Batch was a primary sponsor of a bill to expand Medicaid, a move Republicans have consistently resisted but Gov. Roy Cooper will continue to push.
The News & Observer has reported several candidates for Searcy’s seat, including Reps. Julie von Haefen and Gale Adcock, and Wake County Commissioners Matt Calabria and Susan Evans.