The 1998 United States Senate election in North Carolina was held on November 3, 1998. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Lauch Faircloth decided to seek re-election to a second term, but was unseated by Democrat John Edwards, a trial attorney. Edwards declined to run for reelection in 2004, choosing instead to run for President of the United States. Eventually, he was chosen as the Democratic nominee for Vice President of the United States by John Kerry. They would lose to incumbents George W. Bush and Dick Cheney, and Edwards later ran again for president in 2008.
At 45 years of age, Edwards became the youngest elected U.S. Senator from North Carolina.
As of 2026, this is the last time where a Democrat won North Carolina's Class 3 Senate seat and where a male Democrat won a Senate seat in North Carolina, and where the incumbent president's party defeated an incumbent in a state they lost in the preceding presidential election.
Republican primary In the Republican primary, Faircloth easily defeated two minor candidates.
Democratic primary
Candidates
Bob Ayers Jr. James Carmack John Edwards, Raleigh attorney Gene Gay D. G. Martin, former vice chancellor of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and candidate for U.S. Representative in 1984 and 1986 Mike Robinson Ella Scarborough, former Charlotte City Council member
Declined
Mike Easley, North Carolina Attorney General since 1993 Harvey Gantt, former mayor of Charlotte and nominee for Senate in 1990 and 1996 Mike Robinson, Davidson County businessman Charlie Sanders, former CEO of Glaxo and candidate for Senate in 1996
Going into the 1998 campaign, several prominent Democrats declined to run for Senate, including Attorney General and future Governor Mike Easley, former Mayor of Charlotte Harvey Gantt, and former Glaxo CEO and 1996 Senate candidate Charlie Sanders.
Results In the Democratic primary, Edwards defeated his closest rival D.G. Martin, former vice chancellor of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The race also featured former Charlotte city councilwoman Ella Scarborough and several minor candidates.
General election
Candidates John Edwards, Raleigh attorney (Democratic) Barbara Howe (Libertarian) Lauch Faircloth, incumbent U.S. Senator since 1993 (Republican)
Campaign During the campaign, Edwards fashioned himself as a "people's advocate", while Faircloth accused Edwards of being too friendly towards labor unions. Referring to Edwards as a "tobacco-taxing liberal", Faircloth's campaign ran ads alleging that Edwards' position on tobacco regulation would lead to job losses in the state.
Edwards' campaign refused financial support from political action committees and ran ads criticizing Faircloth's record on Medicare and Social Security. Edwards' victory was partially attributed by some observers to blowback against the Faircloth campaign's use of negative advertising.
Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error LauchFaircloth (R) JohnEdwards (D) UndecidedMason DixonOctober 26–28, 1998827 (LV)± 3.5%44%43%13%Mason DixonOctober 11–13, 1998836 (LV)± 3.5%45%43%12%Survey USAOctober 9–11, 1998500 (LV)± 4.5%43%46%11%Mason DixonSeptember 20–22, 1998807 (LV)± 3.5%50%40%10%Mason DixonJuly 25–27, 1998829 (LV)± 3.5%47%38%15%
Results
See also 1998 United States Senate elections
Notes
References
External links Official campaign websites (archived) John Edwards (D) for Senate Lauch Faircloth (R) for Senate