Will There Be Dessert?

Thanks, Raleigh News&Observer, for the concise list (below) of General Assembly members who definitely won't be back in 2017. It's heavy with heavy-hitting Republicans. At the same link, the N&O's Corey Lowenstein profiles some of the most influential who are retiring this year.

Both the vacated Republican and Democratic seats are considered "safe" for whichever party currently reigns. Extreme gerrymandering of districts has engineered it, so nobody predicts seat turn-overs in November. (Turn-overs, incidentally, are excellent desserts, and occasionally they're done early.)

WHO IS LEAVING?

Sen. Tom Apodaca, Republican from Hendersonville

Sen. Buck Newton, Republican from Wilson (running for attorney general)

Sen. Bob Rucho, Republican from Matthews

Sen. Stan Bingham, Republican from Denton

Sen. Dan Soucek, Republican from Boone (resigned before session ended)

Sen. Fletcher Hartsell, Republican from Concord

Sen. Josh Stein, Democrat from Raleigh (resigned before session ended to run for attorney general)

Rep. Leo Daughtry, Republican from Smithfield

Rep. Paul Stam, Republican from Apex

Rep. James H. Langdon Jr., Republican from Angier

Rep. Nathan Baskerville, Democrat from Henderson

Rep. Dan Bishop, Republican from Charlotte (running for state Senate; one of the prime sponsors of HB2)

Rep. Rayne Brown, Republican from Lexington

Rep. Rick Catlin, Republican from Wilmington

Rep. Tricia Cotham, Democrat from Matthews

Rep. Jacqueline Schaffer, Republican from Charlotte (resigned before the session ended)

Rep. Paul Tine, unaffiliated from Kitty Hawk

Rep. Ken Waddell, Democrat from Chadbourn

Rep. Roger West, Republican from Marbles

Rep. Chris Whitmire, Republican from Rosman

Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/news/politics-government/state-politics/article88751347.html#storylink=cpy