Two counties hit hard by Hurricane Helene in Western North Carolina will soon have a new representative in the General Assembly, after Republican Primary Election voters backed a challenger who won by nearly 10 points. 

Haywood and Madison counties comprise the 118th House District and together tallied more than $200 million in losses from the Sept. 27, 2024, storm, which caused $60 billion in damage statewide. 

Three-term Republican Rep. Mark Pless will not be returning to Raleigh next year after his defeat by longtime Haywood County Schools board member Jimmy Rogers. 

Western North Carolina’s next election cycle is already shaping up amid a volatile mix of entrenched incumbents, disaster recovery fallout and deepening national divides, with competitive races stretching from the U.S. Senate on down to county-level offices. 

While marquee statewide contests appear to be headed toward familiar General Election matchups, cracks are emerging down the ballot, where public trust and institutional legitimacy are demanding attention from voters now more than any other time in recent memory. 

Democrat Danny Davis has announced that he will challenge Republican incumbent Mark Pless for North Carolina 118th House District, made up of Haywood and Madison counties.

Despite having no recommendation to do so from its policy committee, legal advice outlining the complications of such a move, opposition from principals at both high schools and calls for caution from several board members, Haywood County’s school board decided to enact a policy that will require students who transfer from one high school to another to be ineligible for athletics for one full year. 

The Haywood County Board of Education is considering a change to its policy that governs transfers by student athletes between Pisgah and Tuscola, and with board members in disagreement on the issue, the board is welcoming public input.