‘BLUEBARRUS!’ A blue wave sweeps through Cabarrus County, upending decades of Republican dominance

Just two years after Republicans swept every local office, Democrats staged a stunning reversal Tuesday, capturing key county and legislative seats and turning the longtime GOP stronghold blue.

Several of the victorious Cabarrus County Democratic candidates celebrated with each other Tuesday night. Photo courtesy of Rosa Culver-Sims.

The political climate heading into Tuesday’s general election appeared ripe for a Democratic wave across the country.

And when the votes were counted, that wave had swept Democrats into control of both chambers of Congress, flipping the U.S. House and Senate and setting the stage for a dramatic shift in Washington come January.

North Carolina was no exception.

Former Gov. Roy Cooper cruised to victory over Republican Michael Whatley in the U.S. Senate race, while Democrats captured several closely watched congressional and legislative contests across the state.

But perhaps nowhere was the political shift more striking than in Cabarrus County, a longtime Republican stronghold where Democrats delivered a stunning reversal of fortunes.

Just two years after Republicans swept every local office on the ballot, Democrats turned the tables Tuesday, winning races that would have seemed unlikely in previous election cycles.