Incumbent Democratic state Rep. Charles Smith was elected to a second term Tuesday, according to unofficial results on the North Carolina State Board of Elections website.
Smith, a lawyer, faced a challenge for the North Carolina House of Representatives District 44 seat from Republican Freddie de la Cruz, a business owner and retired Army lieutenant colonel.
Smith received 5,650 votes and de la Cruz received 3,473 votes, according to the Board of Elections website .
District 44 includes areas of Fayetteville west of U.S. 401 and south of N.C. 295 including Bonnie Doone, Haymount and Evergreen Estates. Also in the district are areas near Morganton, Skibo and Murchison roads and a portion of Country Club Drive.
This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: NC House 44: Fayetteville’s Charles Smith fends off challenge by de la Cruz