Republicans control the House and the Senate for the first time in more than 110 years.
The GOP hasn’t had an election like this one since 1988 when Jim Martin and Jim Gardner became the first GOP governor-lieutenant governor team in the 20th century.
But 2010 exceeded all expectations.
Control of the General Assembly comes two years after President Barack Obama became the first Democrat to win North Carolina in three decades of White House races.
Senate Minority Leader Phil Berger, a likely candidate to lead the entire chamber in January, said the legislative results send a message to elected officials.
“This result is an indication of the desire of the voters of North Carolina for a change in direction in state government,’’ said Berger, R-Rockingham. “We have broken a 112-year dry spell.’’
State Rep. Mark Hilton, a Republican representing Catawba County, said Tuesday night that North Carolina voters reflect the national mood.
“One-party rule has gone along for a long time,” he said, listing a number of Democratic failures such as budget shortfalls and scandals in high places in state government.
“This gives the Republican Party a chance to correct these failures.”
Hilton begins his sixth term in January.
One of the most significant results of the election is the GOP will be in charge of redrawing state House and Senate districts, as well as U.S. House districts, when Census figures are certified.
House Minority Leader Paul Stam, R-Wake, said voters chose Republicans because they were tired of left-leaning policies coming out of Washington and Raleigh, when only a small percentage of voters actually consider themselves liberal.
In North Carolina, the labels associated with left and right are not as pronounced as in other areas of the nation.
Past Democratic stalwarts such as former Gov. Jim Hunt and the late Terry Sanford are hardly considered extreme liberals, choosing a moderate stance in politics and governance.
Still, dissatisfaction over budget issues in recent years diminished the popularity of the Democratic Party.
That, coupled with the rebellious nationwide mood cited by Hilton, gave the GOP control of the legislature.
The majority is not overpowering, but Republicans will now be in charge of committee appointments and Republicans will chair House and Senate committees.
Whether the power shift results in accord and cooperation between the General Assembly and Democratic Gov. Bev Perdue is a question mark.
A gubernatorial veto may be easier to override in future legislative sessions.
Republican legislators pledged to reduce spending and tax rates if given the majority, cut red tape for small business operators, eliminate the 100-school cap on charter schools and pass a bill designed to exempt North Carolina residents from the federal health care overhaul.
“All we have to do is govern from the middle,’’ said Stam, who plans to be a candidate for House speaker. “We’re conservative, but North Carolinians are generally conservative. We’re going to do things that I think people are going to be really happy about.’’
Andrew Whalen, the executive director of the North Carolina Democratic Party, pointed to the drastic fluctuations in recent elections as reason to believe that the party will resurge soon.
“These things are cyclical,’’ Whalen said. “You’ve got to look at where we lost voters, how we can bring them back, and no Democrat in North Carolina should be hanging their head.’’
Whalen’s observation, historically, is more than wishful thinking.
However, voters demonstrated Tuesday that they want a new team and different leadership in the General Assembly.
What the voters give, they can take away if promises do not equate with performance.
That may be the most profound statement voters made Tuesday when they went to the polls.
— The Associated Press contributed to this analysis.
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