The North Carolina Democratic Party is promoting the party's No. 2 administrative leader to its top job heading into the critical 2016 elections.
Hundreds of party activists meeting Saturday at a Pittsboro high school elected Patsy Keever of Asheville as chair. She got a majority of the votes cast among the five seeking to succeed outgoing Chair Randy Voller.
Keever has been 1st vice chair since 2013. She's been a state House member, county commissioner and two-time congressional candidate.
Keever faces challenges similar to Voller. The Democrats are in the minority in state government and North Carolina's congressional delegation. The party is also well behind Republicans in fundraising.
The next general election is a big one, with races for president, governor and U.S. Senate on the ballot.
