CQ Risk Rating: Safe Republican 
| GENERAL ELECTION: NOVEMBER 7, 2000 |
|
| Walter B. Jones Jr. (R) | 121,940 | 61% |
| Leigh Harvey McNairy (D) | 74,058 | 37% |
| David F. Russell (LIBERT) | 2,457 | 1% |
| PRIMARY ELECTION: MAY 2, 2000 |
|
| | Votes | Percentage | | Democratic |
| Leigh Harvey McNairy | Unopposed |
| | Republican |
| Walter B. Jones Jr. | Unopposed |
Source: Congressional Quarterly. To suggest updates and corrections: politics.feedback@cq.com
Major Industry | Military Bases | Population | Cities | People | Race | Median Household Income | Unusual Features
NORTH CAROLINA 3
:
East - Parts of Greenville and Goldsboro; Outer Banks
The 3rd runs along the eastern shore from Virginia to just north of
Wilmington, sweeping from the fragile barrier islands of the Outer Banks to
the tobacco and peanut fields of the coastal plain. It is a large swath of
rural land inlaid with waterways, affluent vacation towns and military
facilities; the closest thing to skyscrapers here are the historic
lighthouses that dot the shoreline.
Redrawn for the election that began 106th Congress, the district
retained much of its character, gaining a handful of rural counties and Camp
Lejeune Marine Corps Base, while sacrificing some livestock land in the
southwest and a black-majority section of Goldsboro.
Historically a poor region, the district makes a living by fishing,
farming, catering to tourists and working for the armed forces. At its
southern end, two fingers of the district stretch west to take in parts of
Pitt, Lenoir and Wayne counties, which are among the state's leading
counties in turkey, hog and wheat production.
The new 3rd is similar to the old in its racial and political makeup.
Its black population fell only 1 percentage point, to 20 percent, and it
still leans Republican. The 3rd had long been a Democratic stronghold, but
dissatisfaction with Democrats at the state and national levels has
translated into Republican gains since the early 1990s.
Major Industry
Military, agriculture, tourism
Military Bases
Camp Lejeune Marine Corps Base, 36,515 military, 4,648 civilian; New River
Marine Corps Air Station, 4,993 military, 138 civilian (1998); Seymour
Johnson Air Force Base, 5,175 military, 1,248 civilian (1997); Cherry Point
Marine Corps Air Station and Naval Aviation Depot, 8,150 military, 5,639
civilian; Elizabeth City Coast Guard Support Center, 92 military, 62
civilian (1998)
Population
552,622 (1990)
Cities
Greenville (pt.), 25,723; Goldsboro (pt.), 14,975; Kinston (pt.), 8,967
(1990)
People
53% rural; 10% age 65+ (ranks 11 of 12 in state; bottom third nationally)
(1990)
Race
78% white, 20% black, 1% Asian; 2% Hispanic origin (1990)
Median Household Income
Not available for this newly redrawn district.
Unusual Features
Wilbur and Orville Wright made their first flight on the Outer Banks;
Remains of what is believed to be the Pirate Blackbeard's flagship found off
the coast of Beaufort.
Source: Congressional Quarterly (Updated April 1999)
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District 3
