Newly elected Democratic Congresswoman LaKesha Womack has endured an extraordinary week, defeating a Republican incumbent in a red state just days before she is due in court on criminal charges.
Womack unseated Representative Tim Moore on Tuesday in North Carolina’s 14th Congressional District, ending the longtime local politician’s tenure in a surprise victory that formed part of a nationwide Democratic wave.
Her victory came less than a month after a criminal summons connected to a 2020 case was reissued.
According to the summons, Womack allegedly failed to return a 2019 Toyota Corolla sedan on October 23, 2019.
She faces one felony count of failing to return a motor vehicle valued at more than $4,000.
Womack is scheduled to appear at the Mecklenburg County Courthouse on Tuesday morning, exactly one week after winning the congressional election.
Court records show that the criminal summons was initially issued in January 2020 but was returned without being served.
The allegations resurfaced in October, when Womack was served with the summons at a campaign event, the Charlotte Observer reported.
LaKesha Womack won on Election Day, defeating a Republican incumbent just one week before her scheduled court appearance. Picture source: Instagram/lakeshawomack
Representative Tim Moore lost his reelection bid to Womack on Tuesday, turning the seat from Republican to Democratic control
Womack was served with a criminal summons while campaigning. In a statement, she said candidates for public office should be held accountable through due process rather than “speculation or sensationalism.” Picture source: Instagram/lakeshawomack
Moore used Womack’s case in his campaign, releasing attack ads that drew attention to the felony charge.
In one advertisement shared on social media, his campaign accused Womack of “refusing to answer questions” about the alleged felony.
“Womack’s felony charge? It’s about stolen property. Tim Moore wants you to keep your money and your property. Tim Moore is the right choice,” the ad stated.
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GOPAC, a Republican political action committee, also aired an advertisement urging North Carolina voters not to support a “felony defendant” and pointing out that Womack’s court appearance was scheduled for one week after Election Day.
Womack responded by saying that candidates for public office should be held accountable through due process, not through “speculation or sensationalism.”
“As an attorney, Congressman Moore knows that any ongoing legal matter should be addressed through the appropriate legal process,” she said.
“That’s what makes the timing of my court date—one full week after Election Day—especially frustrating. I recognize that public service comes with scrutiny, and I respect the public’s right to ask questions.”
Womack said she would respond to the public’s questions in a manner consistent with the legal process.
Moore focused on Womack’s criminal charges and substantially outspent her campaign, but still lost on Election Day
She also spoke of an “incredibly difficult” period in her life, including a serious hospitalization that affected her finances.
Despite the controversy, Womack won the election with 51.1 percent of the vote.
Democrats flipped at least five seats in North Carolina, including several districts that had been redrawn to favor Republicans.
Moore, a first-term representative, had previously served in the state legislature and helped redraw the district he ultimately lost. He was also the longest-serving speaker of the North Carolina House of Representatives.
Moore raised $3 million for his campaign, compared with $59,000 raised by Womack, giving him a significant financial advantage.
Before entering politics, Womack ran a consulting group focused on business development and marketing.
Our News Outlet has contacted Womack’s attorney and campaign team for comment.
