Donnie Loftis

{{short description|American politician from North Carolina (born 1956)}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Donnie Loftis

| image = North Carolina Representative Donnie Loftis.jpg

| state_house = North Carolina

| district = 109th

| term_start = November 1, 2021

| term_end =

| predecessor = Dana Bumgardner

| successor =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1956|9|7}}

| birth_place =

| death_date =

| death_place =

| party = Republican

| spouse = Deena

| children = 1

| residence = Gastonia, North Carolina, U.S.

| education =

}}

Donnie Loftis (born September 7, 1956) is an American politician who has served in the North Carolina House of Representatives since November 2021.{{Cite web|url=https://justfacts.votesmart.org/candidate/biography/41028/donnie-loftis|title=The Voter's Self Defense System|website=Vote Smart|accessdate=August 5, 2022}} A member of the Republican Party, he represents the 109th district, which contains part of Gaston County.

Loftis previously served as chair of the Gaston County board of commissioners and as chair of the board of directors of CaroMont Health. He resigned the latter position on May 4, 2020, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic in North Carolina, and posting on his personal Facebook page that Gov. Roy Cooper's stay-at-home order amounted to "tyranny".{{cite news|last=Smoot|first=Hannah|date=May 5, 2020|title=NC hospital chair resigns after posting about stay-at-home 'tyranny' and COVID-19 conspiracy|work=The Charlotte Observer|url=https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/article242506346.html|access-date=November 2, 2021}}

Loftis was also present at the U.S. Capitol riot on January 6, 2021. He wrote on social media on January 6 that he "got gassed three times and was at the entrance when they breached the door".{{cite news|last=Fain|first=Travis|date=October 22, 2021|title=Incoming NC lawmaker was at Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol protests, riot|work=WRAL.com|url=https://www.wral.com/incoming-nc-lawmaker-was-at-jan-6-us-capitol-protests-riot/19938994/|access-date=November 2, 2021}} When asked by a reporter in October 2021 about his involvement, he claimed that he "had absolutely zero involvement in the rioting and categorically condemn the storming of our Capitol building that day".

Early life and career

=Gaston County board of commissioners=

=CaroMont Health=

North Carolina House of Representatives (2021–present)

Loftis previously ran for the 109th district seat in the North Carolina House of Representatives in 2012. In the four-candidate Republican primary won by Dana Bumgardner, he placed fourth with 19.1% of the vote.{{cite web|date=May 8, 2012|title=NC House of Representatives, District 109, official primary election results|url=https://er.ncsbe.gov/?election_dt=05/08/2012&county_id=36&office=NCH&contest=1024|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211102213006/https://er.ncsbe.gov/?election_dt=05%2F08%2F2012&county_id=36&office=NCH&contest=1024|archive-date=November 2, 2021|access-date=November 2, 2021|website=North Carolina State Board of Elections}}

=Appointment=

After Rep. Bumgardner died in office on October 2, 2021, from liver cancer,{{cite news|last=Ellis|first=Kevin|date=October 3, 2021|title=Gaston County lawmaker Dana Bumgardner died Saturday from cancer|work=The Gaston Gazette|url=https://www.gastongazette.com/story/news/2021/10/03/nc-state-representative-dana-bumgardner-gaston-county-dies-cancer/5979636001/|access-date=November 2, 2021}} the county Republican Party convened to recommend a candidate to replace him. The governor, Roy Cooper, was then required to appoint this candidate to the North Carolina House of Representatives within seven days.{{cite news|last=Ellis|first=Kevin|date=October 21, 2021|title=Gaston GOP makes House replacement pick|work=The Gaston Gazette|url=https://www.gastongazette.com/story/news/politics/2021/10/20/gaston-county-nc-gop-house-replacement-dana-bumgardner-death/8473908002/|url-status=live|access-date=November 2, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211021015025/https://eu.gastongazette.com/story/news/politics/2021/10/20/gaston-county-nc-gop-house-replacement-dana-bumgardner-death/8473908002/|archive-date=October 21, 2021}} Loftis defeated county commissioner Ronnie Worley and Bumgardner's daughter Lauren Bumgardner Current to win the party endorsement on October 21.{{cite news|date=October 21, 2021|title=Former Gaston County commissioner to serve in NC House|work=Associated Press|url=https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-media-social-media-health-north-carolina-dc8597b5b15567003b55ac511f536a10|access-date=November 2, 2021}}

Loftis was sworn in on November 1, 2021. His seating led to a walk-out by House Democrats to protest his involvement in the U.S. Capitol riot.{{cite news|last=Murphy|first=Brian|date=November 1, 2021|title=NC House Democrats walk out on newest Republican member, who participated in Jan. 6|work=The News & Observer|url=https://www.newsobserver.com/news/politics-government/article255466311.html|access-date=November 2, 2021}} Bobbie Richardson, chair of the North Carolina Democratic Party, said in a statement that "today marks a new low for General Assembly Republicans, because instead of condemning those actions and rejecting the rhetoric that incites violence, they are welcoming a Capitol insurrection participant with open arms".

=Committee assignments=

=2021-2022 session=

Appropriations
Appropriations - Transportation
Health
Homeland Security, Military, and Veterans Affairs
Local Government
Transportation

Electoral history

=2022=

{{Election box begin no change|title=North Carolina House of Representatives 109th district Republican primary election, 2022[https://er.ncsbe.gov/?election_dt=05/17/2022&county_id=0&office=NCH&contest=1810] North Carolina State Board of Elections.

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| candidate = Donnie Loftis (incumbent)

| votes = 2,649

| percentage = 33.69%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| candidate = John Gouch

| votes = 1,814

| percentage = 23.07%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| candidate = Ronnie Worley

| votes = 1,742

| percentage = 22.15%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| candidate = Lauren Bumgardner Current

| votes = 1,658

| percentage = 21.09%

}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = 7,863

| percentage = 100%

}}

=2012=

{{Election box begin no change|title=North Carolina House of Representatives 109th district Republican primary election, 2012[https://er.ncsbe.gov/?election_dt=05/08/2012&county_id=0&office=NCH&contest=1024] North Carolina State Board of Elections.

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| candidate = Dana Bumgardner

| votes = 2,990

| percentage = 35.05%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| candidate = Wil Neumann

| votes = 2,023

| percentage = 23.71%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| candidate = Tom Keigher

| votes = 1,885

| percentage = 22.10%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| candidate = Donnie Loftis

| votes = 1,633

| percentage = 19.14%

}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = 8,531

| percentage = 100%

}}

=2008=

{{Election box begin no change|title=Gaston County Board of Commissioners Gastonia Township district general election, 2008[https://er.ncsbe.gov/?election_dt=11/04/2008&county_id=36&office=LOC&contest=94] North Carolina State Board of Elections.

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| candidate = Donnie Loftis

| votes = 44,305

| percentage = 55.52%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = Democratic Party (United States)

| candidate = Jennifer Pharr Davis

| votes = 35,490

| percentage = 44.48%

}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = 79,795

| percentage = 100%

}}

=2004=

{{Election box begin no change|title=North Carolina House of Representatives 109th district Republican primary election, 2004[https://er.ncsbe.gov/?election_dt=07/20/2004&county_id=0&office=NCH&contest=22] North Carolina State Board of Elections.

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| candidate = William Current

| votes = 1,265

| percentage = 59.92%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| candidate = Donnie Loftis

| votes = 506

| percentage = 23.97%