From Staff Reports

RALEIGH –  Sen. Terry Van Duyn of Biltmore Forest was chosen by Senate Democrats on Dec. 17 to serve as minority whip for the next two years and Sen. Dan Blue, D-Wake, was kept on as minority leader.

Van Duyn was elected a senator in April, appointed to the seat vacated after Sen. Martin Nesbitt died the previous month. In November, she easily won election for a full term in the 49th Senate District, which includes most of Buncombe County.

Encouraging the party’s senators to stay united on legislation is the minority whip’s responsibility. The job is usually considered second in importance in the minority caucus to that of the minority leader’s. When the General Assembly reconvenes in January, there will be 16 Democratic senators.

Van Duyn, 63, later told the news media that she was among five people who expressed an interest in the job — and she was surprised to get the nod so early in her Senate career.