North Carolina's 53rd House district

North Carolina's 53rd State
House of Representatives
district
North Carolina's 53rd State; House of Representatives; district
Representative
	Howard Penny Jr. ; R – Coats
Demographics	66% White ; 16% Black ; 14% Hispanic ; 1% Asian ; 3% Multiracial
Population (2020)	94,929

Last updated April 24, 2025

North Carolina's 53rd House district is one of 120 districts in the North Carolina House of Representatives. It has been represented by Republican Howard Penny Jr. since 2020.^[1]

Geography

Since 2023, the district has included parts of Harnett and Johnston counties. The district overlaps with the 10th and 12th Senate districts.

District officeholders since 1995

Representative	Party	Dates	Notes	Counties
James C. Carpenter ( Otto )	Republican	January 1, 1995 – May 3, 2000	Resigned.	1995–2003 All of Cherokee, Clay, and Macon counties. Part of Jackson County.^[2]
Vacant		May 3, 2000 – May 5, 2000
Roger West ( Marble )	Republican	May 5, 2000 – January 1, 2003	Appointed to finish Carpenter's term. Redistricted to the 120th district.
David Lewis ( Dunn )	Republican	January 1, 2003 – August 20, 2020	Resigned.	2003–2023 Part of Harnett County.^[3]^[4]^[5]^[6]^[7]
Vacant		August 20, 2020 – September 17, 2020
Howard Penny Jr. ( Coats )	Republican	September 17, 2020 – Present	Appointed to finish Lewis's term.
Howard Penny Jr. ( Coats )	Republican	September 17, 2020 – Present	Appointed to finish Lewis's term.	2023–Present Parts of Harnett and Johnston counties.^[8]^[9]

Election results

2024

North Carolina House of Representatives 53rd district general election, 2024^[10]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Howard Penny Jr. (incumbent)	28,867	62.93%
	Democratic	Kevin Thurman	17,007	37.07%
Total votes			45,874	100%
	Republican hold

2022

North Carolina House of Representatives 53rd district Republican primary election, 2022^[11]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Howard Penny Jr. (incumbent)	5,142	63.25%
	Republican	Brian Hawley	2,988	36.75%
Total votes			8,130	100%

North Carolina House of Representatives 53rd district general election, 2022^[12]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Howard Penny Jr. (incumbent)	22,118	67.14%
	Democratic	Kevin G. Thurman	10,824	32.86%
Total votes			32,942	100%
	Republican hold

2020

North Carolina House of Representatives 53rd district Democratic primary election, 2020^[13]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Sally Weeks Benson	4,045	65.86%
	Democratic	John C. Fitzpatrick Sr.	2,097	34.14%
Total votes			6,142	100%

North Carolina House of Representatives 53rd district general election, 2020^[14]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Howard Penny Jr. (incumbent)	26,228	60.97%
	Democratic	Sally Weeks Benson	15,129	35.17%
	Libertarian	Zach Berly	1,658	3.85%
Total votes			43,015	100%
	Republican hold

2018

North Carolina House of Representatives 53rd district Democratic primary election, 2018^[15]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Richard Chapman	1,640	77.84%
	Democratic	Alan Longman	467	22.16%
Total votes			2,107	100%

North Carolina House of Representatives 53rd district general election, 2018^[16]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	David Lewis (incumbent)	17,201	62.99%
	Democratic	Richard Chapman	10,108	37.01%
Total votes			27,309	100%
	Republican hold

2016

North Carolina House of Representatives 53rd district Republican primary election, 2016^[17]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	David Lewis (incumbent)	6,007	78.64%
	Republican	Chuck Levorse	1,632	21.36%
Total votes			7,639	100%

North Carolina House of Representatives 53rd district general election, 2016^[18]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	David Lewis (incumbent)	19,548	60.66%
	Democratic	Jon Blum	12,678	39.34%
Total votes			32,226	100%
	Republican hold

2014

North Carolina House of Representatives 53rd district Democratic primary election, 2014^[19]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Susan Byerly	2,356	81.30%
	Democratic	Thomas Ellis II	542	18.70%
Total votes			2,898	100%

North Carolina House of Representatives 53rd district general election, 2014^[20]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	David Lewis (incumbent)	10,966	55.74%
	Democratic	Susan Byerly	8,707	44.26%
Total votes			19,673	100%
	Republican hold

2012

North Carolina House of Representatives 53rd district Democratic primary election, 2012^[21]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Joe E. Langley	3,710	64.34%
	Democratic	Thomas E. Ellis II	2,056	35.66%
Total votes			5,766	100%

North Carolina House of Representatives 53rd district general election, 2012^[22]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	David Lewis (incumbent)	17,365	56.50%
	Democratic	Joe E. Langley	13,370	43.50%
Total votes			30,735	100%
	Republican hold

2010

North Carolina House of Representatives 53rd district Democratic primary election, 2010^[23]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Abraham Oudeh	1,696	56.29%
	Democratic	Thomas E. Ellis II	1,317	43.71%
Total votes			3,013	100%

North Carolina House of Representatives 53rd district general election, 2010^[24]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	David Lewis (incumbent)	13,533	66.61%
	Democratic	Abraham Oudeh	6,784	33.39%
Total votes			20,317	100%
	Republican hold

2008

North Carolina House of Representatives 53rd district general election, 2008^[25]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	David Lewis (incumbent)	16,135	52.79%
	Democratic	Joseph Lindsey "Joe" Tart	14,431	47.21%
Total votes			30,566	100%
	Republican hold

2006

North Carolina House of Representatives 53rd district general election, 2006^[26]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	David Lewis (incumbent)	7,763	53.14%
	Democratic	Frank Stewart	6,846	46.86%
Total votes			14,609	100%
	Republican hold

2004

North Carolina House of Representatives 53rd district general election, 2004^[27]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	David Lewis (incumbent)	14,633	58.89%
	Democratic	Louise Taylor	10,217	41.11%
Total votes			24,850	100%
	Republican hold

2002

North Carolina House of Representatives 53rd district Democratic primary election, 2002^[28]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Larry C. Upchurch	2,543	46.25%
	Democratic	Sam Stephenson	2,301	41.85%
	Democratic	N. Carnell Robinson	654	11.90%
Total votes			5,498	100%

North Carolina House of Representatives 53rd district Republican primary election, 2002^[29]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	David Lewis	1,690	53.94%
	Republican	Teddy Byrd	1,443	46.06%
Total votes			3,133	100%

North Carolina House of Representatives 53rd district general election, 2002^[30]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	David Lewis	9,672	61.77%
	Democratic	Larry C. Upchurch	5,987	38.23%
Total votes			15,659	100%
	Republican hold

2000

North Carolina House of Representatives 53rd district general election, 2000^[31]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Roger West (incumbent)	16,842	60.77%
	Democratic	W.C. "Sonny" Burrell	10,873	39.23%
Total votes			27,715	100%
	Republican hold

References

↑ "State House District 53, NC". Census Reporter. Retrieved April 23, 2025.
↑ "1992 House Base Plan 5" (PDF). North Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved August 6, 2022.
↑ "Interim House Redistricting Plan For N.C. 2002 Election" (PDF). North Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved August 6, 2022.
↑ "House Redistricting Plan" (PDF). North Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved August 6, 2022.
↑ "Lewis-Dollar-Dockham 4" (PDF). North Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved August 6, 2022.
↑ "2018 House Election Districts" (PDF). North Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved August 6, 2022.
↑ "HB 1020, 2nd Edition - 2019 House Remedial Map" (PDF). North Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved August 6, 2022.
↑ "S.L. 2022-4 House" (PDF). North Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved August 6, 2022.
↑ "SS.L. 2023-149 House" (PDF). North Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved April 23, 2025.
↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections.
↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections.
↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections.
↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections.
↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections.
↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections.
↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections.
↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections.
↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections.
↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections.
↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections.
↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections.
↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections.
↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections.
↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections.
↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections.
↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections.
↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections.
↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections.
↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections.
↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections.
↑ "NC State House 053". Our Campaigns. Retrieved August 6, 2022.

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[1] "State House District 53, NC". Census Reporter. Retrieved April 23, 2025.

[2] "1992 House Base Plan 5" (PDF). North Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved August 6, 2022.

[3] "Interim House Redistricting Plan For N.C. 2002 Election" (PDF). North Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved August 6, 2022.

[4] "House Redistricting Plan" (PDF). North Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved August 6, 2022.

[5] "Lewis-Dollar-Dockham 4" (PDF). North Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved August 6, 2022.

[6] "2018 House Election Districts" (PDF). North Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved August 6, 2022.

[7] "HB 1020, 2nd Edition - 2019 House Remedial Map" (PDF). North Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved August 6, 2022.

[8] "S.L. 2022-4 House" (PDF). North Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved August 6, 2022.

[9] "SS.L. 2023-149 House" (PDF). North Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved April 23, 2025.

[10] North Carolina State Board of Elections.

[11] North Carolina State Board of Elections.

[12] North Carolina State Board of Elections.

[13] North Carolina State Board of Elections.

[14] North Carolina State Board of Elections.

[15] North Carolina State Board of Elections.

[16] North Carolina State Board of Elections.

[17] North Carolina State Board of Elections.

[18] North Carolina State Board of Elections.

[19] North Carolina State Board of Elections.

[20] North Carolina State Board of Elections.

[21] North Carolina State Board of Elections.

[22] North Carolina State Board of Elections.

[23] North Carolina State Board of Elections.

[24] North Carolina State Board of Elections.

[25] North Carolina State Board of Elections.

[26] North Carolina State Board of Elections.

[27] North Carolina State Board of Elections.

[28] North Carolina State Board of Elections.

[29] North Carolina State Board of Elections.

[30] North Carolina State Board of Elections.

[31] "NC State House 053". Our Campaigns. Retrieved August 6, 2022.

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v t e Members of the North Carolina House of Representatives
157th General Assembly (2025–2026) Speaker of the House Destin Hall (R) Speaker pro tempore Sarah Stevens (R) Majority Leader John Bell (R) Minority Leader Robert Reives (D)
▌ Ed Goodwin (R) ▌ Ray Jeffers (D) ▌ Steve Tyson (R) ▌ Jimmy Dixon (R) ▌ Bill Ward (R) ▌ Joe Pike (R) ▌ Matthew Winslow (R) ▌ Gloristine Brown (D) ▌ Timothy Reeder (R) ▌ John Bell (R) ▌ Allison Dahle (D) ▌ Chris Humphrey (R) ▌ Celeste Cairns (R) ▌ Wyatt Gable (R) ▌ Phil Shepard (R) ▌ Carson Smith (R) ▌ Frank Iler (R) ▌ Deb Butler (D) ▌ Charlie Miller (R) ▌ Ted Davis Jr. (R) ▌ Ya Liu (D) ▌ William Brisson (R) ▌ Shelly Willingham (D) ▌ Dante Pittman (D) ▌ Allen Chesser (R) ▌ Donna McDowell White (R) ▌ Rodney Pierce (D) ▌ Larry Strickland (R) ▌ Vernetta Alston (D) ▌ Marcia Morey (D) ▌ Zack Forde-Hawkins (D) ▌Bryan Cohn (D) ▌ Monika Johnson-Hostler (D) ▌ Tim Longest (D) ▌Mike Schietzelt (R) ▌ Julie von Haefen (D) ▌ Erin Paré (R) ▌ Abe Jones (D) ▌ James Roberson (D) ▌ Phil Rubin (D) ▌ Maria Cervania (D) ▌Mike Colvin (D) ▌ Diane Wheatley (R) ▌ Charles Smith (D) ▌ Frances Jackson (D) ▌ Brenden Jones (R) ▌ Jarrod Lowery (R) ▌ Garland Pierce (D) ▌ Cynthia Ball (D) ▌ Renee Price (D) ▌ John Sauls (R) ▌ Ben Moss (R) ▌ Howard Penny Jr. (R) ▌ Robert Reives (D) ▌ Mark Brody (R) ▌ Allen Buansi (D) ▌ Tracy Clark (D) ▌ Amos Quick (D) ▌ Alan Branson (R) ▌ Cecil Brockman (D) ▌ Pricey Harrison (D) ▌ John Blust (R) ▌ Stephen Ross (R) ▌ Dennis Riddell (R) ▌ Reece Pyrtle (R) ▌ Sarah Crawford (D) ▌Cody Huneycutt (R) ▌ David Willis (R) ▌ Dean Arp (R) ▌ Brian Biggs (R) ▌ Kanika Brown (D) ▌ Amber Baker (D) ▌Jonathan Almond (R) ▌ Jeff Zenger (R) ▌ Donny Lambeth (R) ▌ Harry Warren (R) ▌ Julia Craven Howard (R) ▌ Neal Jackson (R) ▌ Keith Kidwell (R) ▌ Sam Watford (R) ▌ Larry Potts (R) ▌Brian Echevarria (R) ▌Grant Campbell (R) ▌ Jeffrey McNeely (R) ▌ Dudley Greene (R) ▌ Hugh Blackwell (R) ▌ Destin Hall (R) ▌ Mary Belk (D) ▌ Mitchell Setzer (R) ▌ Sarah Stevens (R) ▌ Kyle Hall (R) ▌ Terry Brown (D) ▌ Ray Pickett (R) ▌ Blair Eddins (R) ▌Todd Carver (R) ▌ Jay Adams (R) ▌ Heather Rhyne (R) ▌ Beth Gardner Helfrich (D) ▌ Nasif Majeed (D) ▌Julia Greenfield (D) ▌ Carolyn Logan (D) ▌ Becky Carney (D) ▌ Laura Budd (D) ▌ Brandon Lofton (D) ▌ Tricia Cotham (R) ▌ Carla Cunningham (D) ▌Aisha Dew (D) ▌ John Torbett (R) ▌ Donnie Loftis (R) ▌ Kelly Hastings (R) ▌Paul Scott (R) ▌ Jordan Lopez (D) ▌ Jake Johnson (R) ▌ Eric Ager (D) ▌ Lindsey Prather (D) ▌ Brian Turner (D) ▌ Jennifer Balkcom (R) ▌ Mark Pless (R) ▌ Mike Clampitt (R) ▌ Karl Gillespie (R)
▌ Republican (71) ▌ Democratic (49) North Carolina General Assembly North Carolina House of Representatives North Carolina Senate