WASHINGTON — North Carolina voters decimated their current congressional delegation, electing at least seven new members to the next Congress, and potentially losing 58 years of collective experience.

“Congress runs on seniority, and we just lost a lot of seniority from the North Carolina congressional delegation,” said Chris Cooper, a political science professor from Western Carolina University.

From the best committee assignments to pork projects to offices on the Hill, losing senior members could have ripple effects for North Carolinians.

But all is not lost.

“The entire Congress runs based on a combination of majority party control and seniority,” Cooper said. “So North Carolina will once again be aligned with the majority.”

North Carolina chose to swap seven House Republicans for seven House Democrats, as the left-leaning party took control of both chambers.

“The majority of North Carolina’s congressional delegation will once again be aligned with the majority party control, but in terms of seniority, we will be much lower down the list,” Cooper said. “Sometimes freshmen can get impressive committee assignments. (Rep.) Chuck Edwards ended up on Appropriations in his first term in office, so it doesn’t mean that you can’t be effective, or you can’t get a good committee assignment. It just makes it less likely.”

Here’s a look at the people potentially leaving Congress and what they do there:

Rep. Virginia Foxx

Foxx, 83, a Republican from Banner Elk, is North Carolina’s longest-serving member of Congress.

First elected in 2005, Foxx is on the cusp of losing her seat to retired journalist Chuck Hubbard. As of Thursday afternoon, Foxx is trailing Hubbard but could still call for a recount following Friday’s election certification.

Foxx chairs the House Committee on Rules, giving her the ability to choose what bills make it to the floor and how.

She also serves on the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, a group that “works proactively to investigate and expose waste, fraud and abuse.”

In the past she served as secretary of the House Republican Conference and chairwoman of the House Committee on Education. She was even granted a waiver to chair the Education committee after reaching the term limit.

In the book, “Glory, Grief, and the Gavel: An Inside Guide to Running for House Speaker,” John Leganski, deputy chief of staff for House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, said Foxx was one of the best counter-callers under McCarthy. This group of representatives would call their colleagues on behalf of the speaker to secure votes on certain issues before other members could get to them.

“To be chosen as a counter-caller, the member was not only a big supporter of our boss but also had experience whipping other members and represented a cross-section of our conference, whether in terms of ideology, committee assignment, region or terms of service,” Leganski wrote.

Rep. Richard Hudson

Hudson, 55, a Republican from Southern Pines, conceded his race against Richard Ojeda, 56, a Democrat from Aberdeen.

Hudson serves as chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee. He’s charged with maintaining the Republican majority in the House through campaigning and fundraising.

But the 2026 election didn’t go the direction Republicans wanted with Democrats picking up at least 41 seats in the House, including Hudson’s and potentially six of his North Carolina colleagues’ districts.

Hudson’s role as NRCC chair made him the fifth most-powerful Republican in the U.S. House.

Hudson was first elected in 2013.

He serves on the House Energy and Commerce committees and chairs the subcommittee on Communications and Technology.

Sen. Thom Tillis

Tillis, 66, a Republican from Huntersville, did not run for reelection, choosing to retire after a public feud with President Donald Trump over the negative effect the One Big Beautiful Bill would have on North Carolina’s Medicaid recipients.

Former Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley and former Gov. Roy Cooper, a Democrat, ran to succeed Tillis with Cooper ultimately prevailing.

Tillis is known as a moderate Republican who makes news for his candor and working across the aisle to help get large pieces of legislation passed, like gun reform bills or federal recognition of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina.

Tillis serves on four Senate committees: Finance, Veteran Affairs, Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs and Judiciary.

Rep. Greg Murphy

Murphy, 63, a Republican from Greenville, first came to Congress in 2019 after a special election to replace Rep. Walter Jones after his death.

Murphy, a urologist, serves on the House Ways and Means Committee and the Health and Trade subcommittees.

He also serves on the House Veterans Affairs Committee, and its Health subcommittee and the House Administration Committee and its Oversight subcommittee.

Murphy conceded his election to former state Rep. Raymond Smith Jr., a Democrat, Wednesday.

Rep. Chuck Edwards

Edwards wasn’t voted out of Congress, but forced to retire after a sexual harassment scandal involving two young female staffers.

Edwards, 66, a Republican from Flat Rock, ended his reelection bid in August, leaving Republican state Rep. Jennifer Balkcom just months to campaign against Jamie Ager, a Democrat, who had been out-fundraising Edwards.

Ager won the election.

Edwards joined Congress in 2023 and, according to his biography, “had the rare honor as a freshman” to serve on the Appropriations Committee and the Budget Committee.

On Appropriations, he serves as vice chairman of the National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs subcommittee and the Financial Services and General Government subcommittee.

Rep. Tim Moore

Moore, 56, a Republican from Kings Mountain, served as North Carolina’s longest-serving state House speaker in history, but lost his reelection to Democrat LaKesha Womack after one term.

He serves on two House committees: Financial Services and the Budget.

Rep. Addison McDowell

Like Moore, McDowell, 32, a Republican from Lexington, was part of the 2025 freshman class.

McDowell serves on the House Committees on Transportation and Infrastructure; Natural Resources and the Budget.

McDowell faced off against High Point Mayor Cyril Jefferson, a Democrat, for reelection and lost.

Rep. Brad Knott

Knott, 40, a Republican from Raleigh, also began in Congress in 2025.

Knott serves on three House committees: Judiciary, Transportation and Infrastructure and Homeland Security.

Knott ran against Democrat Paul Barringer and lost.

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