General elections for all 50 seats in the North Carolina State Senate will take place on November 8, 2022. State senatorial primary elections were held on May 17, 2022. Republicans hold a 28-22 majority heading into the election.

This article details the five candidates in each party who raised the most money and lost their primary election. In the 2022 election cycle, 15 of 49 Republican primaries and seven of 37 Democratic primaries were contested. The losing candidates are shown along with the percentage of the vote they received compared to the primary winner. In cases where the race was pushed to a runoff, vote percentages for both advancing candidates are included.

Top fundraisers with unsuccessful primary campaigns this cycle

This information comes from candidate reports to the North Carolina State Board of Elections (NCSBE) covering the period of January 1, 2021, through April 30, 2022.

The Democratic candidates who raised the most money and lost their primary were:

• Kirk deViere – $270,326 – District 19 (Lost primary 37% – 56%)
• Patrick Buffkin – $119,790 – District 13 (Lost primary 34% – 66%)
• Jamie DeMent Holcomb – $88,901 – District 23 (Lost primary 18% – 82%)
• Raymond Smith Jr. – $19,848 – District 4 (Lost primary 46% – 54%)
• Sandra Kilgore – $845 – District 49 (Lost primary 21% – 68%)

The Republican candidates who raised the most money and lost their primary were:

• Bob Steinburg – $134,052 – District 1 (Lost primary 44% – 56%)
• Deanna Ballard – $121,396 – District 47 (Lost primary 49% – 51%)
• Jill Homan – $99,322 – District 10 (Lost primary 20% – 66%)
• Scott Stone – $90,317 – District 42 (Lost primary 49% – 51%)
• Ernie Watson – $51,753 – District 12 (Lost primary 11% – 53%)

Top fundraisers with unsuccessful primary campaigns last cycle

This information comes from candidate reports to the North Carolina State Board of Elections (NCSBE) covering the period of January 1, 2019, through December 31, 2020.

The Democratic candidates who raised the most money and lost their primary in 2020 were:

• Pierce Freelon – $101,443 – District 20 (Lost primary 37% – 45%)
• Travis Smith – $36,709 – District 49 (Lost primary 14% – 68%)
• Ben Scales – $18,591 – District 49 (Lost primary 19% – 68%)
• Geoffrey Hoy – $9,640 – District 33 (Lost primary 43% – 57%)
• Gray Ellis – $9,369 – District 20 (Lost primary 18% – 45%)

The Republican candidates who raised the most money and lost their primary in 2020 were:

• Billy Strickland – $114,246 – District 7 (Lost primary 34% – 66%)
• Mark Hollo – $42,849 – District 42 (Lost primary 48% – 52%)
• Patrick Harris – $33,653 – District 11 (Lost primary 29% – 68%)
• Eddie Gallimore – $10,350 – District 29 (Lost primary 47% – 53%)
• Scott McKaig – $7,052 – District 18 (Lost primary 49% – 51%)

The data above are based on campaign finance reports that active North Carolina PACs submitted to the North Carolina State Board of Elections (NCSBE). Federal PACs are not required to report to state agencies. Transparency USA publishes campaign finance data following major reporting deadlines. State or federal law may require filers to submit additional reports.

This article is a joint publication from Ballotpedia and Transparency USA, who are working together to provide campaign finance information for state-level elections. Learn more about our work here.