How to Read This

Colors reflect constitutional accountability based on publicly verifiable conduct. They are not endorsements or predictions of election outcomes. Ratings are based on the severity, pattern, and context of conduct — not numerical averaging. A single serious breach is sufficient for a Red rating. Green requires affirmative evidence of restraint. N/A indicates the category does not apply to that office or that insufficient comparable evidence exists.

Green — Clear constitutional compliance / restraint
Amber — Mixed, limited, or under-articulated record
Red — Clear or repeated constitutional breach
N/A — Not applicable or insufficient evidence

North Carolina serves as the inaugural application of the Scorecard with the framework designed to be applied in other states and future election cycles.

Scope of Evaluation

For its inaugural North Carolina application, the CAS focuses on contests where the outcome carries significant constitutional impact and where voters face a meaningful electoral choice. It includes statewide and federal offices with significant institutional power—such as the U.S. Senate and North Carolina Supreme Court—as well as U.S. House races that are demonstrably competitive. U.S. House contests were determined using publicly reported fundraising data compiled by Ballotpedia, with evaluation limited to materially contested races.

For North Carolina, the CAS evaluated: U.S. Senate; North Carolina Supreme Court Justice; and U.S. House races in NC-01, NC-09, NC-11, and NC-13.

NC Constitutional Accountability Scorecard — Summary Table

Contest & Candidate Use of Force Rule of Law Election Integrity
U.S. Senate
Roy Cooper (D)
Michael Whatley (R)
NC Supreme Court
Anita Earls (D, incumbent) N/A²
Sarah Stevens (R) N/A²
U.S. House — NC-01
Don Davis (D, incumbent)
Laurie Buckhout (R)
NC-02 — Non-competitive District (not evaluated)
NC-03 — Non-competitive District (not evaluated)
NC-04 — Non-competitive District (not evaluated)
NC-05 — Non-competitive District (not evaluated)
NC-06 — Non-competitive District (not evaluated)
NC-07 — Non-competitive District (not evaluated)
NC-08 — Non-competitive District (not evaluated)
U.S. House — NC-09
Richard Hudson (R, incumbent)
Richard Ojeda (D)
NC-10 — Non-competitive District (not evaluated)
U.S. House — NC-11
Chuck Edwards (R, incumbent)
Jamie Ager (D)
NC-12 — Non-contested District (not evaluated)
U.S. House — NC-13
Brad Knott (R, incumbent)
Paul Barringer (D)
NC-14 — Non-contested District (not evaluated)

Notes & Explanations

² Use of Force — Judicial Race (N/A) Judicial candidates do not exercise coercive authority; therefore, Use of Force is not applicable to this contest.

The methodology and detailed candidate assessments supporting this Scorecard are available for review and citation.