One week after defeating Republican incumbent Tim Moore in North Carolina’s 14th Congressional District, Democrat LaKesha Womack is due in court over a pending felony charge.
Womack won 51.1% of the vote, compared with Moore’s 48.9%. The charge stems from an allegation that she failed to return a rental vehicle worth $20,000 in 2019.
A criminal summons was issued in January 2020 and served on Womack on Oct. 11, 2026, by a Polk County sheriff’s deputy. Her court appearance is scheduled for Nov. 10.
Womack has previously acknowledged that she did not return the vehicle on time. She said she was homeless at the time and did not know a criminal case had been filed against her. Asked about the charge on Friday, she declined to comment.
In a statement after her election victory, Womack described it as a milestone for voters and said her experience as a Black woman, single mother and entrepreneur had shaped her understanding of the challenges facing communities. She added that the result could help open the way for a new generation of leaders.
North Carolina classifies the charge as a Class H felony. Depending on a person’s criminal history and other sentencing factors, a conviction can carry a prison term of more than two years.
House rules say members facing felony charges punishable by at least two years in prison are expected to give up committee assignments and party leadership roles while their cases are pending. That rule could affect Womack after she takes office in January.
Moore’s campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In an Oct. 28 post, Moore had called on Womack to explain the pending charge to voters, noting that her court date was set for the week after the election.
