NC Senate Democrats choose Sydney Batch to serve as their next leader
Democrats in the North Carolina Senate elected a new leader on Monday to replace Sen. Dan Blue, a veteran legislator who led the caucus for more than a decade.
Senate Democrats chose Sydney Batch, a former single-term House member who has represented Apex in the Senate since 2021, to serve as minority leader and head of their caucus in the upcoming legislative session, the caucus announced in a news release Monday evening.
The caucus said that Blue, who has served as minority leader since 2014, announced before Monday’s leadership elections that he did not want to serve another term as leader. But Axios, which was first to report the news Monday, reported that Blue withdrew from the race after trying to round up votes for another term.
Blue, 75, said in a statement that he was excited to “pass the torch into the capable hands of Senator Batch.”
“Her vision for the future of the Senate Democratic Caucus builds upon the work we started and will ensure the end of the Republican supermajority and to a new Democratic Senate majority which will improve the lives of all North Carolinians,” Blue said.
Batch, a 45-year-old attorney and social worker, said she was honored to be chosen as the next Democratic leader. She said she was grateful for Blue’s leadership of the caucus over the past decade, and noted his “historic tenure” serving in both chambers of the General Assembly.
Blue has represented Raleigh in the Senate since 2009. He previously served in the House from 1981 to 2003, and again from 2006 to 2009.
The long-serving Democrat served two terms as House speaker between 1991 and 1995, at a time when Democrats had majorities in the legislature. He was the first Black speaker.
Batch said that North Carolinians are counting on Democrats “to protect their rights, expand opportunity, and fight for policies that prioritize people over politics.”
“Our Caucus remains focused on creating a North Carolina where every resident can build the life they want for their families and themselves, and we are ready to work to get North Carolina back on the right track,” Batch said in her statement.
N.C. Democratic Party Chair Anderson Clayton, in a statement, recognized Blue “for being a trailblazer for our state” and thanked him “for his years of service and leadership for our party.” Clayton congratulated Batch and said the party supports her “as she leads our caucus of committed public servants who are fighting for every voice across our state.”
Batch was first elected to the House from District 37 in 2018, after she defeated Republican John Adcock in a close race that was decided by just over 2 percentage points. She subsequently lost reelection in 2020 to Republican Erin Paré by more than 3 points.
In January 2021, she was appointed to replace Democrat Sam Searcy, who had won reelection from Senate District 17 but resigned just before his term began to pursue an opportunity in the private sector. Batch won a full two-year term from that district in 2022.
Batch was elected to the House in 2018 during the so-called “blue wave” election that saw Democrats do well up and down the ballot.
Democrats broke the GOP’s supermajorities in both chambers that year, and as a result, were able to uphold Gov. Roy Cooper’s vetoes for nearly five years, until Republicans regained a supermajority in the Senate in 2022, and secured it in the House in April 2023, when Rep. Tricia Cotham switched parties and joined the GOP.
When the 2025-26 legislative session begins in January, Batch will be taking the helm of a Senate Democratic Caucus that will continue to serve in the superminority, with control of 20 of the chamber’s 50 seats.
House Democrats, meanwhile, are expected to break the GOP supermajority in that chamber by one seat, with Republicans controlling 71 of 120 seats.
A family law attorney and child welfare advocate, Batch told The News & Observer in a candidate questionnaire she submitted ahead of last month’s election that her top priority if elected to another term from District 17 would be ensuring access to affordable health care.
In particular, she highlighted maternal and mental health services, and said she would focus on “providing better support for working families through child care assistance and paid family leave.”
Batch is a breast cancer survivor. She underwent treatment in 2018 before returning to active campaigning during her first run for House District 37.
Before being chosen to replace Blue, Batch had been serving as deputy minority leader.
Sen. Jay Chaudhuri, a high-ranking Democrat who also represents Raleigh, was elected to another term as minority whip, while Sen. Julie Mayfield, an Asheville Democrat, was reelected caucus secretary.
Also on Monday, House Democrats reelected Rep. Robert Reives to another two-year term as leader of their caucus. Reives has led the caucus since 2021. The caucus plans to hold elections for other leadership positions in January.
Senate leader Phil Berger, meanwhile, was elected earlier this month by Senate Republicans to serve another term as the head of their caucus.
House Republicans elected Rules Committee Chairman Destin Hall, who had long been expected to succeed Speaker Tim Moore, as their leader earlier this month as well.
This story was originally published December 2, 2024 at 6:38 PM with the headline "NC Senate Democrats choose Sydney Batch to serve as their next leader."
