US congressman from Charlotte area loses in Election Day surprise

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) - A Charlotte-area congressman lost his bid for re-election, despite his opponent being served with a criminal summons just weeks before the 2026 midterm election.

State election data showed Republican Rep. Tim Moore trailed Democratic challenger LaKesha Womack by nearly 6,500 votes in the race for North Carolina’s 14th congressional district, with all precincts reported.

Moore was elected to the seat in 2024, after he spent 22 years in the state House of Representatives.

North Carolina’s 14th district -- which includes all of Burke, Cleveland, Gaston and Rutherford counties, as well as parts of Mecklenburg and Polk counties -- was viewed as a safe Republican district.

Like many other places across the United States, though, areas that have typically gone Republican went blue.

With all precincts reporting, state data showed Womack with 147,388 votes to Moore’s 140,973. That translates to 51.1% of the vote for Womack, and 48.9% for Moore.

---> LIVE COVERAGE: Tracking Carolina election results on Nov. 3, 2026

“THIS is what democracy looks like!!!” Womack wrote on social media early Wednesday morning. “When we vote, we WIN! Never doubt the power of your vote!”

Womack’s win came just weeks after she was served a criminal summons on Oct. 11. The summons was connected to an apparent failure to return a rental vehicle in 2020.

In an Oct. 29 news release responding to allegations, Womack said she has “experienced some incredibly difficult chapters” in life, including a serious medical emergency and living with Type I diabetes.

“Recovering physically was only part of the challenge,” she said in the release. “Rebuilding financially and regaining stability required determination, resilience, and faith. Those experiences have shaped who I am today and strengthened my commitment to helping others navigate the challenges that life can bring unexpectedly.”

Womack’s court date regarding the summons was set for Nov. 10.

With her Election Day win, Womack and her fellow midterm winners will be sworn in on Jan. 3, 2027. Moore will remain in office until then.

Democrats flipped control in both houses of Congress in the 2026 election cycle, taking back both the U.S. House and Senate.

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