Dem candidate gets elected to the House in surprise win — and has a court appearance for car theft next week

Fresh off her surprise win in Tuesday’s midterm election, North Carolina Democrat LaKesha Womack is set to appear in court next week on a felony car theft charge. 

Womack, one of more than 40 Democrats who flipped Republican-held House seats in the blue wave election, defeated GOP Rep. Tim Moore in North Carolina’s 14th Congressional District — just weeks after being served the felony summons at a campaign event. 

The newly-elected congresswoman’s court appearance is scheduled for Nov. 10.

It’s unclear if the criminal case will delay Womack from being sworn in to Congress on Jan. 3. 

Womack is accused of failing to return a rental car — valued at about $20,000 — in 2019.

A criminal summons was issued against her in January 2020 but was returned unserved the following month, according to the Charlotte Observer. 

The summons was eventually served to Womack on Oct. 11, at one of her campaign events in Polk County. 

Sentencing guidelines for the Class H felony the congresswoman-elect is facing range from four months to more than three years behind bars. 

If convicted, Womack would not automatically be disqualified from serving in Congress, but her participation could be limited. 

Lawmakers sentenced to two or more years of prison are expected to avoid committee assignments and party leadership positions, according to House rules. 

A two-thirds vote from the full House would be needed to expel a lawmaker, even if convicted of a felony. 

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Womack hasn’t offered a direct explanation about why she’s been accused of not returning the rental car.  

“Over the past few weeks, allegations involving me have drawn significant media attention and attack ads from Friends of Tim Moore. Candidates for public office should be held accountable and voters deserve transparency,” she said in a statement released last month. 

“Throughout this campaign, I have emphasized accountability and affordability. I believe every candidate and elected official should be evaluated by consistent standards, including their record of public service, their decisions in office, and their responsiveness to the people they represent,” the statement continued.

“Accountability, however, must be grounded in facts, fairness, and due process rather than speculation or sensationalism.”  

Womack has also claimed she suffered a medical emergency that required her to be hospitalized and has said she was homeless around the time of the alleged crime, without elaborating on how those events relate to the rental car issue, according to the Charlotte Observer. 

Womack’s campaign did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment. 

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