Representative Sarah Stevens, R-Surry, has submitted her resignation from the N.C. House, pointing to her ongoing campaign for a N.C. Supreme Court seat.
"After careful consideration, I have decided to devote my full time and energy to my campaign for the North Carolina Supreme Court. I believe this next step will allow me to continue serving the people of North Carolina and upholding the rule of law in a new capacity," Steven wrote in a letter submitted Tuesday morning to N.C. House Principal Clerk James White.
Stevens is running against incumbent Justice Anita Earls, a Democrat, in this fall's general election. Earls is one of two Democrats on the seven-justice court.
The seat, which has an eight-year term, is the only one on this year's ballot. But it is seen as a key election because if Earls retains the seat, Democrats would be able to retake control of the the court in 2028 when elections will be held for three additional seats.
N.C. Democratic Party Chairwoman Anderson Clayton wrote in a statement that the resignation shows that Stevens is putting her political aspirations above her agreement to serve.
"Sarah Stevens is abandoning her constituents so that she can raise dirty money from lobbyists and avoid accountability for her failure to fund education and public safety," Clayton wrote in a statement.
Earlier this year, the N.C. State Board of Elections sent Stevens a letter warning her that she couldn't accept donations from registered lobbyists for the State Supreme Court bid while still serving in the General Assembly. Stevens returned donations from registered lobbyists Harold Brubaker and Andy Munn last year, The News & Observer previously reported.
Stevens first won election to the state House in 2008 and is in the midst of her ninth consecutive term.
"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," Steven wrote in her letter.
Stevens' campaign website points to her work on child welfare legislation, including a 2016 law that bans registered sex offenders whose victims were minors from going places where children can be found like amusement parks, arcades and parks.
In 2023, Stevens introduced legislation raising the mandatory retirement age for State Supreme Court and Court of Appeals judges from 72 years old to 76 years old. That had the effect of staving off then-impending retirements for Supreme Court Chief Justice Paul Newby and Court of Appeals Judge John Tyson, both Republicans.
Stevens chairs the House's Election Law and Judiciary 2 committees.
Stevens' resignation will become effective at noon on June 16. Republican officials from Surry and Wilkes counties will choose her replacement in the state House.
