He was feeling pretty low about races around the state. The Tillis-Hagan results had him down, and the other state races hadn’t panned out the way he’d hoped.

“I got some help from Buncombe County with John Ager and Brian Turner. I was hoping to get Dean Hicks, but it doesn’t look like I’m gonna get him,” Queen said. “I’d gladly have lost to win Kay Hagan, cause it’s not about me.”

While Queen didn’t see all his Democratic cohorts make the Election Day cut, his own showing was respectable. The incumbent state representative won with 53 percent of the vote against Republican challenger Mike Clampitt, who got 47 percent of the vote. 

“I’m proud of my constituents,” Queen said at the end of a late evening. “They keep sticking with me, and I’ll keep sticking with them.”

This was Queen’s second time to go up against Clampitt for the 119 seat. For Clampitt, it’s a second upset. 

“Naturally, I’m disappointed,” Clampitt said following his loss. “But, you know, the people have made their choice about what kind of representation they want to have in Raleigh. Evidently, they want to continue the same-ol’ same-ol’.”

Clampitt said he was surprised by the election outcome and expected more of the district’s voters.

“Real simple,” Clampitt said, “I thought the people of Western North Carolina were smarter than the way they have voted.”

Voters in the district, however, felt differently. Enough of them apparently disapproved of the direction Republicans have taken the state and decided to throw their votes behind Queen. 

“The last year has been pretty bad in North Carolina,” said Waynesville voter Beth Pratt. “We needed a massive change. I felt like the state was being hijacked, and we looked ridiculous to the rest of the country.”

N.C. House, District 119

N.C. Rep. Joe Sam Queen (D)11,681

Mike Clampitt (R)10.567 

Represents parts of Haywood (greater Waynesville and Lake Junaluska), Jackson and Swain counties.