A newly elected Democratic congressional candidate in North Carolina is headed to court on a felony charge only days after her upset victory over a Republican incumbent.
LaKesha Womack defeated Rep. Tim Moore in the race for North Carolina's 14th Congressional District, earning 51.1% of the vote to Moore's 48.9%, according to election results reported by The Associated Press. The win came just one week before her scheduled court appearance.
The Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office previously confirmed to Fox News Digital that Womack was served a criminal summons on Oct. 11 by a deputy with the Polk County Sheriff's Office. The pending felony charge alleges she failed to return a rental vehicle valued at $20,000 in 2019.
According to WBTV, the criminal summons was issued in January 2020 but was not served until this year. Womack is set to appear in court on Nov. 10, The New York Post reported Thursday.
Womack has previously acknowledged that she did not return the rental car on time. She said she was experiencing homelessness at the time and did not know a criminal case had been filed against her.
In a statement to Fox News Digital on Friday, Womack framed her election as a milestone. "This historic victory is bigger than me. It is a testament to the power of ordinary people who believe that their voices matter and that leadership should be rooted in service, accountability, and opportunity for all," she said. "As a Black woman, a single mother, an entrepreneur, and someone who has spent more than two decades helping communities grow, I understand both the challenges people face and the possibilities we can create together."
"We didn't just make history in North Carolina's 14th Congressional District; we opened the door for a new generation of leaders who listen, learn, and lead for the people," she added. When asked directly on Friday about the felony charge, Womack declined to comment.
The charge is a Class H felony under North Carolina law, which can carry a prison sentence exceeding two years depending on the defendant's criminal history and other sentencing factors.
The charge could also carry consequences in Washington. Under House rules, members formally charged with a felony punishable by two or more years in prison are expected to step aside from committee assignments and party leadership positions while charges are pending, a provision that could apply to Womack after she takes office in January.
Moore, who raised the case publicly before the election, wrote in an Oct. 28 post on X: "My opponent needs to explain these pending felony charges to the voters of North Carolina District 14. With a court date literally the week after the election this is a big deal." His campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.
