Martin Nesbitt (politician)

For the Chicago businessman, see Martin Nesbitt (businessman).

Martin Luther Nesbitt Jr. (September 25, 1946 – March 6, 2014) was a Democratic member of the North Carolina Senate. He represented the 49th district (Buncombe County). An attorney from Asheville, North Carolina, Nesbitt was elected to eleven terms in the state House before moving to the state senate in 2004.

Martin Nesbitt
Minority Leader of the North Carolina Senate
In office January 1, 2011 – March 2, 2014
Preceded by	Phil Berger
Succeeded by	Dan Blue
Majority Leader of the North Carolina Senate
In office November 17, 2009 – January 1, 2011
Leader	Marc Basnight
Preceded by	Tony Rand
Succeeded by	Harry Brown
Member of the North Carolina Senate from the 49th district
In office February 6, 2004 – March 6, 2014
Preceded by	Steve Metcalf
Succeeded by	Terry Van Duyn
Member of the North Carolina House of Representatives
In office January 1, 1997 – February 6, 2004
Preceded by	Larry R. Linney
Succeeded by	Susan Fisher
Constituency	51st district (1997–2003) 114th district (2003–2004)
In office September 13, 1979 – January 1, 1995
Preceded by	Mary Cordell Nesbitt
Succeeded by	Lanier M. Cansler Larry R. Linney Wilma Sherrill
Constituency	43rd district (1979–1983) 51st district (1983–1995)
Personal details
Born	Martin Luther Nesbitt Jr. (1946-09-25)September 25, 1946 Asheville, North Carolina, U.S.
Died	March 6, 2014(2014-03-06) (aged 67) Asheville, North Carolina, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Alma mater	University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill (AB, JD)

Political career

Nesbitt was first appointed to the House in 1979 to fill out the remainder of the term of his mother, Mary Cordell Nesbitt, who held the House seat until her death. Groomed by one of North Carolina's most famous and influential politicians, Liston Ramsey, Nesbitt rose to become an appropriations chairman and top budget writer in the 1990s. Former Speaker of the House Jim Black (who was later incarcerated) found disfavor with Nesbitt after Nesbitt challenged his power in the early 2000s.

In February 2004, Martin Nesbitt was appointed to the North Carolina Senate by Governor Mike Easley to fill the vacant seat left by the resignation of Steve Metcalf. After moving to the Senate, Nesbitt rose to become chairman of the powerful Judiciary I Civil Committee.

Nesbitt was unanimously elected majority leader on November 17, 2009, replacing Tony Rand.^[1][2] Prior to his election, he received an endorsement from Senate President Pro Tempore Marc Basnight, a powerful nod in North Carolina politics.^[3] After Democrats lost their Senate majority in the 2010 elections, Nesbitt was unanimously elected minority leader for the next legislature.^[4] He stepped down as minority leader in 2014 for health reasons, and was succeeded by Sen. Daniel T. Blue Jr.^[5] Within two days of resigning from the leadership, Nesbitt died.^[6][7]

Committees

Nesbitt was in several senate committees:^[8]

• Appropriations/Base Budget
• Commerce
• Finance
• Judiciary I
• Mental Health & Youth Services
• Redistricting
• Rules and Operations of the Senate
• State and Local Government

Education and personal life

Nesbitt earned his bachelor's degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1970 and his law degree from UNC in 1973.^[9][10] He was married with two grown children and two grandchildren at the time of his death.

He died on March 6, 2014, one week after being diagnosed with stomach cancer. He was 67.^[7]

Electoral history

2012

North Carolina Senate 49th district general election, 2012^[11]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Martin Nesbitt (incumbent)	61,826	61.96%
	Republican	R. L. Clark	37,953	38.04%
Total votes			99,779	100%
	Democratic hold

2010

North Carolina Senate 49th district general election, 2010^[12]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Martin Nesbitt (incumbent)	33,254	59.37%
	Republican	R. L. Clark	22,757	40.63%
Total votes			56,011	100%
	Democratic hold

2008

North Carolina Senate 49th district general election, 2008^[13]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Martin Nesbitt (incumbent)	56,150	65.64%
	Republican	R. L. Clark	29,391	34.36%
Total votes			85,541	100%
	Democratic hold

2006

North Carolina Senate 49th district general election, 2006^[14]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Martin Nesbitt (incumbent)	36,901	65.64%
	Republican	R. L. Clark	19,318	34.36%
Total votes			56,219	100%
	Democratic hold

2004

North Carolina Senate 49th district general election, 2004^[15]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Martin Nesbitt (incumbent)	43,727	61.40%
	Republican	R. L. Clark	27,492	38.60%
Total votes			71,669	100%
	Democratic hold

2002

North Carolina House of Representatives 114th district general election, 2002^[16]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Martin Nesbitt (incumbent)	12,516	60.95%
	Republican	Bill Porter	7,097	34.56%
	Libertarian	Clarence Young	921	4.49%
Total votes			20,534	100%
	Democratic hold

Legacy

Martin L. Nesbitt Discovery Academy, a STEM high school in Asheville, North Carolina, is named in his honor.^[17]