Lorene Thomason Coates (born January 13, 1936)[1][2] is an American former politician who served as a Democratic member of the North Carolina General Assembly representing the seventy-seventh House district, including constituents in Rowan county from 2001 to 2011.
Lorene T. Coates | |
|---|---|
| Member of the North Carolina House of Representatives | |
| In office January 1, 2001 – January 1, 2011 | |
| Preceded by | Charlotte Ancher Gardner |
| Succeeded by | Harry Warren |
| Constituency | 35th District (2001-2003) 77th District (2003-2011) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | January 13, 1936 Rowan County, North Carolina |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Residence | Salisbury, North Carolina |
| Occupation | Retired |
A retiree from Salisbury, North Carolina, she worked for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. She has hosted a weekly radio show and for twenty years wrote a newspaper column in the Salisbury Post.[3]
On March 30, 2006, she gained distinction by being the first Democratic member of the House to publicly call for House Speaker Jim Black, a fellow Democrat, to step down from his post as Speaker following investigations of his misconduct.[4] Black later resigned from the House and pleaded guilty to a felony charge of public corruption.[5]
In 2007 she announced her support for John Edwards' presidential campaign.[6]
Electoral history
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Lorene T. Coates | 11,026 | 52.04 | |
| Republican | Charlotte A. Gardner | 10,163 | 47.96 | |
| Majority | 863 | 4.07 | ||
| Total votes | 21,189 | 100.00 | ||
- After redistricting, Coates' House District changed from 35 to 77.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Lorene T. Coates | 9,886 | 55.02 | |
| Republican | Charlotte A. Gardner | 8,081 | 44.98 | |
| Majority | 1804 | 10.05 | ||
| Total votes | 17,967 | 100.00 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Lorene T. Coates | 15,026 | 60.64 | |
| Republican | Mac Butner | 9,751 | 39.36 | |
| Majority | 5275 | 21.29 | ||
| Total votes | 24,777 | 100.00 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Lorene T. Coates | 8,279 | 61.68 | |
| Republican | Susan Morris | 5,144 | 38.32 | |
| Majority | 3135 | 23.36 | ||
| Total votes | 13,423 | 100.00 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Lorene T. Coates | 20,050 | 66.85 | |
| Republican | Ada M. Fisher | 9,942 | 33.15 | |
| Majority | 10108 | 33.70 | ||
| Total votes | 29,992 | 100.00 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Harry Warren | 9,117 | 50.46 | |
| Democratic | Lorene T. Coates | 8,951 | 49.54 | |
| Majority | 166 | 0.92 | ||
| Total votes | 18,068 | 100.00 | ||