Smith moves ahead of Murphy in close 3rd District race

Democrat Raymond Smith Jr. has moved ahead of Republican U.S. Rep. Greg Murphy in the race to represent North Carolina’s 3rd Congressional District, which includes Lenoir, Greene and Jones counties.

Smith led Murphy by 293 votes in the latest available unofficial results. WITN’s election results showed Smith with 118,488 votes, or 49.4%, and Murphy with 118,195 votes, or 49.3%. Libertarian Daniel Cavender received 3,007 votes, or 1.3%.

The new count reverses an earlier lead for Murphy, who was ahead by 233 votes before additional ballots were counted. Provisional and cured absentee ballots contributed to the shift, according to NC Newsline.

The race remains unofficial as county boards of elections prepare for canvass. Eligible military and overseas absentee ballots mailed by Election Day may arrive until 5 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 12. County canvasses are scheduled for 11 a.m. Friday, Nov. 13, according to the State Board of Elections.

Because the margin is less than 1% of the votes cast, the trailing candidate may request a recount after county canvass. The deadline for a recount request in a state-jurisdiction contest is noon Tuesday, Nov. 17. No recount request has been confirmed.

Murphy, a Greenville Republican, has represented the district since 2019. Smith is a former state legislator from Goldsboro and an Army veteran.