Batch will replace Dan Blue, a veteran legislator who has had a lengthy tenure serving in both the House and Senate, and has led the Senate Democratic Caucus since 2014.

North Carolina Democrats ousted a political giant from Senate leadership ranks Monday night, electing a rising star in the party, Sydney Batch, to replace Dan Blue as the minority leader.

Minority in both chambers again for the next two-year session of the North Carolina General Assembly, Democrats have chosen as chamber leaders Sen. Sydney Batch to succeed Sen. Dan Blue and Rep. Robert Reives for another term.

Democrats in the state Senate elected a new minority leader Monday. State Sen. Sydney Batch will replace longtime state Sen. Dan Blue as minority leader next year in the chamber, where Republicans recently retained a supermajority.