# North Carolina's 8th Senate district

North Carolina's 8th Senate district is one of 50 districts in the North Carolina Senate. It has been represented by Republican Bill Rabon since 2011.

## Geography

Since 2023, the district has included all of Columbus and Brunswick counties, as well as a small sliver of New Hanover County. The district overlaps with the 17th, 18th, 19th, and 46th state house districts.

## District officeholders since 1965
### Single-member district

| Senator | Party | Dates | Notes | Counties |
| Julian Russell Allsbrook | Democratic | January 1, 1965 – January 1, 1967 | Redistricted to the 4th district. | 1965–1967 All of Warren and Halifax counties. |

### Multi-member district

| Senator | Party | Dates | Notes | Senator | Party | Dates | Notes | Counties |
| Jesse Hinnant Austin Jr. | Democratic | January 1, 1967 – January 1, 1969 | | Dallas Alford Jr. | Democratic | January 1, 1967 – January 1, 1969 | Redistricted from the 12th district. | 1967–1973 All of Johnston, Nash, and Wilson counties. |
| James Russell Kirby | Democratic | January 1, 1969 – January 1, 1973 | Redistricted to the 7th district. | J. Marvin Johnson | Democratic | January 1, 1969 – January 1, 1971 | | 1967–1973 All of Johnston, Nash, and Wilson counties. |
| James Russell Kirby | Democratic | January 1, 1969 – January 1, 1973 | Redistricted to the 7th district. | Henry Mariott Milgrom | Democratic | January 1, 1971 – January 1, 1973 | | 1967–1973 All of Johnston, Nash, and Wilson counties. |

### Single-member district

| Senator | Party | Dates | Notes | Counties |
| Thomas Edward Strickland | Democratic | January 1, 1973 – January 1, 1977 | Redistricted from the 9th district. | 1973–1993 All of Wayne and Greene counties. |
| Henson Barnes | Democratic | January 1, 1977 – January 1, 1993 | Retired. | 1973–1993 All of Wayne and Greene counties. |
| John Kerr III | Democratic | January 1, 1993 – January 1, 2003 | Redistricted to the 7th district. | 1993–2003 All of Wayne and Greene counties. Part of Lenoir County. |
| R. C. Soles Jr. | Democratic | January 1, 2003 – January 1, 2011 | Redistricted from the 18th district. Retired. | 2003–2013 All of Columbus, Brunswick, and Pender counties. |
| Bill Rabon | Republican | January 1, 2011 – Present | | 2003–2013 All of Columbus, Brunswick, and Pender counties. |
| Bill Rabon | Republican | January 1, 2011 – Present | | 2013–2023 All of Bladen, Pender, and Brunswick counties. Part of New Hanover County. |
| Bill Rabon | Republican | January 1, 2011 – Present | | 2023–Present All of Columbus and Brunswick counties. Part of New Hanover County. |

## Election results
### 2024

North Carolina Senate 8th district general election, 2024 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Bill Rabon (incumbent) | 87,026 | 59.90% |
| | Democratic | Katherine Randall | 58,259 | 40.10% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 145,285 | 100% |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

### 2022

North Carolina Senate 8th district general election, 2022 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Bill Rabon (incumbent) | 67,693 | 100% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 67,693 | 100% |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

### 2020

North Carolina Senate 8th district Libertarian primary election, 2020 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Libertarian | Anthony Mascolo | 74 | 57.81% |
| | Libertarian | Ethan Bickley | 54 | 42.19% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 128 | 100% |
North Carolina Senate 8th district general election, 2020 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Bill Rabon (incumbent) | 85,484 | 62.01% |
| | Democratic | David Sink | 48,040 | 34.85% |
| | Libertarian | Anthony Mascolo | 4,335 | 3.14% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 137,859 | 100% |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

### 2018

North Carolina Senate 8th district Libertarian primary election, 2018 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Libertarian | Anthony H. Mascolo | 53 | 58.24% |
| | Libertarian | Randolph W. "Randy" Crow | 38 | 41.76% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 91 | 100% |
North Carolina Senate 8th district general election, 2018 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Bill Rabon (incumbent) | 55,024 | 58.55% |
| | Democratic | David W. Sink Jr. | 36,191 | 38.51% |
| | Libertarian | Anthony H. Mascolo | 2,764 | 2.94% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 93,979 | 100% |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

### 2016

North Carolina Senate 8th district general election, 2016 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Bill Rabon (incumbent) | 78,274 | 100% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 78,274 | 100% |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

### 2014

North Carolina Senate 8th district general election, 2014 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Bill Rabon (incumbent) | 39,402 | 57.01% |
| | Democratic | Ernie Ward | 29,707 | 42.99% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 69,109 | 100% |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

### 2012

North Carolina Senate 8th district general election, 2012 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Bill Rabon (incumbent) | 58,282 | 59.96% |
| | Democratic | Danny Hefner | 38,919 | 40.04% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 97,201 | 100% |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

### 2010

North Carolina Senate 8th district Republican election, 2010 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Bill Rabon | 9,406 | 66.83% |
| | Republican | Bettie Fennell | 4,669 | 33.17% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 14,075 | 100% |
North Carolina Senate 8th district general election, 2010 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Bill Rabon | 46,216 | 63.55% |
| | Democratic | David Redwine | 26,511 | 36.45% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 72,727 | 100% |
| | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic |

### 2008

North Carolina Senate 8th district general election, 2008 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | R. C. Soles Jr. (incumbent) | 47,905 | 48.66% |
| | Republican | Bettie Fennell | 45,093 | 45.80% |
| | Libertarian | Rachel Joiner Merrill | 5,454 | 5.54% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 98,452 | 100% |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2006

North Carolina Senate 8th district general election, 2006 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | R. C. Soles Jr. (incumbent) | 26,407 | 52.59% |
| | Republican | Bill Fairley | 23,802 | 47.41% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 50,209 | 100% |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2004

North Carolina Senate 8th district general election, 2004 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | R. C. Soles Jr. (incumbent) | 39,897 | 54.26% |
| | Republican | Jack Swann | 33,627 | 45.74% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 73,524 | 100% |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2002

North Carolina Senate 8th district Republican election, 2002 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Ray Gilbert | 3,208 | 56.47% |
| | Republican | Dial Gray | 2,473 | 43.53% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 5,681 | 100% |
North Carolina District 8th district general election, 2002 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | R. C. Soles Jr. (incumbent) | 28,513 | 54.56% |
| | Republican | Ray Gilbert | 20,993 | 40.17% |
| | Libertarian | Edward Gore | 2,750 | 5.26% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 52,256 | 100% |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2000

North Carolina Senate 8th district general election, 2000 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | John Kerr III (incumbent) | 26,283 | 60.72% |
| | Republican | Ed Wharton | 17,001 | 39.28% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 43,284 | 100% |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |