GOP Rep. Sarah Stevens resigns from House to focus on NC Supreme Court campaign
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- Rep. Sarah Stevens resigned effective June 16 to focus on her 2026 Supreme Court campaign.
- Stevens, a Republican, is running to unseat Democratic Justice Anita Earls.
- Republican Party officials will pick Stevens' replacement in the legislature.
Rep. Sarah Stevens, a nine-term Republican in the North Carolina General Assembly, announced her resignation on Tuesday, saying she planned to focus on her 2026 Supreme Court campaign.
“It has been one of the greatest honors of my life to serve the people of North Carolina in the House of Representatives,” Stevens, who represents Surry and Wilkes counties, wrote in her resignation letter. “During my years in the General Assembly, I have been privileged to work alongside dedicated colleagues in advancing policies that strengthened our courts, improved public safety, supported economic growth, and served the citizens of our great state.”
The resignation is effective on June 16 at noon. Republican Party officials will select a replacement to serve the remainder of Stevens’ term.
Asked after a legislative committee on Tuesday whether she wished to comment further on her resignation, Stevens told The News & Observer “No, I think the letter was pretty clear.”
Stevens is running to oust Democratic Justice Anita Earls on the state’s high court. Republicans already hold a 5-2 majority, but losing Earls would further cement the court’s conservative dominance.
Anderson Clayton, chair of the North Carolina Democratic Party, issued a statement shortly after the resignation was filed, accusing Stevens of “abandoning her constituents so that she can raise dirty money from lobbyists and avoid accountability for her failure to fund education and public safety.”
Earlier this year, Stevens received a warning letter from the State Board of Elections after she accepted two campaign donations from lobbyists, which she later returned. Sitting lawmakers are prohibited from accepting contributions from lobbyists — but that rule will no longer apply once Stevens vacates her seat.
Jason Simmons, chair of the NC GOP, called Stevens a “conservative champion” and said her resignation will allow her to focus on defeating Earls.
This story was originally published June 9, 2026 at 11:30 AM with the headline "GOP Rep. Sarah Stevens resigns from House to focus on NC Supreme Court campaign."
