Jessica Bichler Upsets Senate Majority Leader Michael Lee

Jessica Bichler Upsets Senate Majority Leader Michael Lee

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“The nail in the coffin that was just really personal to me was that my mom really valued PBS and NPR,” Jessica Bichler told The Assembly NC. “And when [congressional Republicans] decided to cut funding, I just felt like all the advancements that her generation had gained for us were under attack.”

That conviction carried the Democratic political newcomer to victory over Senate Majority Leader Michael Lee on Tuesday. With every precinct counted, Bichler—the co-owner of a Wilmington yoga studio—held a lead of over 5 points against Lee, costing the Republican a sixth term for New Hanover County and any shot at becoming the legislature’s top leader. A victory would have positioned Lee as a leading candidate to replace Phil Berger as Senate president pro tempore. Sen. Todd Johnson of Union County now appears to be the early favorite. Senate Republicans will likely vote on the new leader in early December.

Lee Blames the “Generic Ballot” Overhang

Lee, who won his seat by about 9 points in 2024, acknowledged the national headwinds that sank his reelection bid. “That’s where the generic ballot comes in,” Lee told The Assembly NC. “I don’t think I’m generic, but the generic ballot does weigh on people. I’m not a political expert, but I sense the overhang.” Though Lee considers himself a conservative, he didn’t use that word on his website and avoided mentioning President Donald Trump during the campaign, even as voters across the country turned on Trump and the Republicans who supported his policies.

The defeat marks another chapter in Lee’s long electoral history. Then-Gov. Pat McCrory appointed Lee to the Senate seat shortly before the 2014 election, which Lee won. He had made two unsuccessful bids before, losing in the 2008 general election and the 2010 GOP primary. After losing to a Democrat in 2018, Lee reclaimed the seat in 2020 and grew more powerful during the past six years.

Lee gambled that, despite the challenges he faced, he could sell conservative policies to his purple district. He focused on explaining the substance of legislation rather than relying on labels, hoping voters would embrace the policies once they understood them. “The thing that I’ve learned is to be able to articulate what the policy is, what it does, and what it was intended to do,” Lee said. “Once you explain it to folks, they understand. Some people actually end up agreeing with it.” This year, his bet came up short.

Chemours and Film Cash Drive Local Backlash

Despite Trump’s long shadow, local issues drove the campaign in New Hanover County. Lee’s critics accused him of “putting big corporate interests before our families” by not cracking down hard enough on Chemours after the company dumped toxic chemicals into the Cape Fear River Basin. Lee countered that he had authored legislation in 2018 to address the crisis. He called on a guerrilla group to remove cardboard cutouts scattered around downtown Wilmington showing Lee wearing an “I ♥ Special Interest” T-shirt, clutching a stack of cash, and urinating on himself. The group told The Assembly NC in an email, “Mike Lee can stay pissed.”

Changes to a state incentive program that endangered Wilmington’s film industry also put his reelection campaign at risk. But as majority leader, Lee had levers to pull. In early October, he unveiled a proposal to add another $31 million to the incentive program once voting ended, targeting projects in and near New Hanover County. The move was designed to shore up support in a district where film production jobs matter, but it came too late to reverse the tide of voter anger.

Republicans Lose Supermajority as Swing Districts Flip

Bichler wasn’t Democrats’ first choice to challenge Lee, but her fundraising and message discipline impressed them. She decided to run after her mother died last year. Beyond the national environment, the results rippled across the state. Other Republicans in swing Senate districts came up short as well. Early returns suggest state Sen. Lisa Stone Barnes of Nash County and Kevin Crutchfield of Cabarrus County were defeated, while Buck Newton of Wilson County was behind as of late Tuesday.

The losses mean Republicans will lose their 30-20 supermajority in the upper chamber, allowing Senate Democrats to sustain Gov. Josh Stein’s vetoes on legislation they oppose. Sen. Todd Johnson of Union County now appears to be the early favorite to replace Lee as the chamber’s leader. Senate Republicans will likely vote on the new president pro tempore in early December.

For Bichler, the victory validates a campaign built on personal loss and local concerns.

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