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This story is co-published with Axios.
North Carolina Democrats ousted a political giant from Senate leadership ranks Monday night, electing a rising star in the party, Sydney Batch, to replace Dan Blue as the minority leader.
The move represents a new chapter for the party. Blue, 75, has served in the legislature for more than 40 years. He rose through the House ranks to become the first Black speaker in the 1990s, was appointed to represent Wake County in the Senate in 2009, and has been the chamber’s minority leader for the last decade.
Batch, 45 and also of Wake County, will be the first Black woman to assume the position.
The leadership change came as a surprise to many, including Blue himself, who did not know about Batch’s plans to challenge him until last week, he told reporter Bryan Anderson.
But some legislative Democrats had grown frustrated with Blue’s lack of leadership in recent years, and Batch believed she had enough support to defeat him in the leadership election held Monday night, according to lawmakers speaking on the condition of anonymity because caucus meetings are typically private.
Blue bowed out of the race just before the leadership vote was held, after the caucus voted to allow members to cast their ballots secretly, Democrats told Axios.
The change comes on the heels of a tough election for Democrats nationally.
Though Democrats won some important races in North Carolina, including for governor and several key legislative races that are expected to break the GOP’s legislative supermajority, January will mark the start of Republicans’ 14th year in control of the legislature.
Throughout that time, Democrats have struggled to counter Republican policies and redistricting efforts.
“It is an honor to be chosen by my colleagues to lead the Senate Democratic Caucus during such a pivotal time for our state,” Batch said in a statement Tuesday night. “I am deeply grateful for Senator Dan Blue, whose leadership has guided the Caucus over this past decade,” Batch said, thanking Blue for his leadership “through a historic tenure in both chambers of the General Assembly.”
Blue and Batch did not respond to Axios’ requests for comment.
Batch, a family law attorney in Raleigh, was first elected to the General Assembly in 2018. She served in the House for one term but lost her race for re-election to Republican Erin Paré in 2020. Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper appointed her to the state Senate in early 2021 to replace Sam Searcy, who resigned.
Blue and Batch were both re-elected to the Senate last month. Blue told Anderson this term would be his last as a state senator.
Lucille Sherman is a reporter for Axios Raleigh, where she primarily covers state politics.