CHARLOTTE, N.C. — In a matter of days, State Senator Dan Bishop will officially become North Carolina's newest congressman after Tuesday's special election.
Republican sources told NBC Charlotte Bishop will be sworn in next Tuesday night. This weekend, he'll be putting together his congressional staff, fresh off his big win this week.
"When you look at this race, the republicans had the wind in their face, and the media on their back," said Dan Barry, former Union County GOP chair and current president of the Hornet's Nest Republican Men's Club.
On this week's Flashpoint, Barry said the race was uncharacteristically close.
"I think this is an off-year, off-cycle, low turnout election, influenced by the Charlotte city council at-large race," he said.
However, Democrats already have their eyes on 2020; filing for next year's race in the 9th District starts in December.
To win next time, Democrats said they'll need to make in-roads in what's been called "reddest" county in the state.
"If Democrats wanna win this district in 2020, what do they need to do differently?" NBC Charlotte's Ben Thompson asked.
"I think that, one, they will have to make sure that, someway somehow, in union county, get to at least 40%," said Douglas Wilson, former deputy executive director for the Democratic party and current strategist.
But for now, for a short time, Bishop and his supporters will get to enjoy the sweet taste of victory.