A second Democratic lawmaker announced Monday that he is leaving his party’s ranks after losing the primary.
Rep. Nasif Majeed (District 99, Mecklenburg) said in a statement that he has decided to serve as an independent for the remainder of his final term as a North Carolina legislator after losing the primary.
“After deep reflection and conversations with constituents across District 99, I have made the decision to disaffiliate from the Democratic Party and serve as an Independent,” Majeed said in his statement. “This decision is rooted in my responsibility to represent people — not party agendas — and to remain grounded in integrity, fairness, and truth.”
Majeed is the second Democratic lawmaker to disassociate himself from his party, after Carla Cunninham (District 106, Mecklenburg), who since last Friday appears as an independent on both the voter registry and the General Assembly website.
In announcing his decision, Majeed said he made it because of “growing concerns about political practices” that, in his view, “do not align with transparency and ethical conduct.”
“Our community deserves leadership that is honest, accountable, and respectful of the democratic process,” Majeed stated. “I have witnessed and experienced actions within the political landscape that I believe could be perceived as misleading or inconsistent with the spirit of fair elections. I cannot, in good conscience, remain aligned where those concerns are not adequately addressed.”
Majeed, who has represented Mecklenburg in the House of Representatives since 2019, lost the March primary to Veleria Levy following his controversial decision to vote with the Republican majority to override two vetoes by Democratic Gov. Josh Stein.
With their change of party affiliation, Majeed and Cunningham could give Republicans the supermajority they need to override seven other bills vetoed by Stein that are pending of a vote in the House of Representatives during the current short session.
“My focus remains unchanged—delivering results for working families, supporting economic opportunity, addressing public safety, and expanding access to affordable housing,” he said. “As an Independent, I am free to evaluate each issue on its merits and advocate without constraint.”
