Senator Marc Basnight (D) reitres after 25 years

Due to a number of reasons, Senator Basnight has retired from politics. This leaves a Senate seat to be filled and the Mid-Currituck Bridge in question. Regardless, the man served the Outer Banks and North Carolina well for a quarter century. Thank you Senator.

Marc Basnight, N.C. state senator, to resign
By Erin James
The Virginian-Pilot
© January 5, 2011
MANTEO, N.C.

Marc Basnight, the Dare County Democrat who harnessed more than 25 years of legislative power to funnel millions of dollars into northeastern North Carolina, will resign Jan. 25, the day before he was to relinquish the most powerful seat in the state Senate.

Basnight, 63, won election to a 14th term as Democrats lost the majority in the state Senate in November. He cited health reasons for his retirement from public service. He was diagnosed several years ago with a rare degenerative nerve disease that affects his speech and coordination but not his cognitive abilities.

"Not being able to clearly speak on the Senate floor is an incredible disadvantage," Basnight said Tuesday. "If a politician cannot debate, he's ... not worth his salt."

Basnight was first elected in 1984 to represent eight northeastern North Carolina counties. Since 1993, he had served nine terms as the Senate's president - the longest leadership tenure in state history.

"To lose Marc Basnight in Dare County is like losing a right arm," former First Flight Society President Alvah Ward said. Basnight was instrumental in creating the First Flight Centennial Foundation, which planned the 100-year anniversary celebration of the Wright brothers' first flight on the Outer Banks, Ward added.

Dare County Board of Commissioners Chairman Warren Judge said Basnight was an advocate for improvements to Dare County roads and bridges. Judge said he was a champion of the project to replace the Bonner Bridge, which won final approval last month.

"He put northeast North Carolina and Dare County on close to an equal footing with much of the rest of the state, " Judge said.

Basnight's Republican opponent in last year's election said he believes Basnight is leaving primarily because Democrats lost control of the Senate.

"In this case, it shortchanged eastern North Carolina. If I was their Republican senator, I would certainly be heard in Raleigh," said Hood Richardson, a Beaufort County commissioner. "I think if people had known that he was not going to serve in this Senate that I would have won the election."

Basnight had said soon after the election that he would serve in the Senate through 2012, then retire. But he decided over the holidays to leave sooner and told his family Monday of his decision. Now Democrats in Basnight's northeastern district will choose a successor.

Basnight said he will spend more time operating his Nags Head restaurant, the Lone Cedar Cafe. He also announced Tuesday he is engaged to Manteo High School librarian Sue Waters. Basnight's wife, Sandy, died in June 2007 after being treated for leukemia.