Presnell’s margin of victory to earn a second term in the House was somewhat narrow. She took 51.4 percent of the vote, while Hicks won 48.7 percent. 

However, Haywood County was largely responsible for Presnell’s reelection. She got 6,268 votes there, 55.3 percent of the vote, compared to 3,442 — 46.9 percent — in Madison County and 4,052 — 49.8 percent — in her home Yancey County. 

Ted Cheffey of Maggie Valley and his wife supplied two of those votes. He and his wife are both newcomers to North Carolina. It was a challenge for them to study the issues and inform themselves ahead of the election. But his wife, a paralegal, did the homework for them, and they felt Presnell was the best candidate for them.

“She will dig in,” Cheffey said of his wife’s research skills. 

Rep. Presnell has touted her commitment to job creation as a top priority, saying during the election that it was “the only issue I really run on.”

Rep. Presnell has also established herself as one of the General Assembly’s most socially conservative representatives. She has vowed to “fight forever” against the recent court decision to allow gay marriage in North Carolina.

Presnell’s husband served in the General Assembly as a senator for one term in 2005-2006.

Many thought Hicks could win in the 118th District. In his first foray into state politics, he decided to join the race after the Legislature made cuts to education spending. 

Hicks is retired from 30 years as a teacher and coach, and also served from 2002 to 2008 on the Yancey County Board of Commissioners. He said he couldn’t stand seeing education “take a backseat.”

N.C. House, District 118

N.C. Rep. Michele Presnell (R)13,745

Dean Hicks (D)13,012

Represents parts of Haywood (Maggie Valley, Canton, Bethel area, Crabtree area), Yancey and Madison counties.