North Carolina Democrat LaKesha Womack is heading from a surprise election victory to a courtroom, with a scheduled appearance next week on a felony car theft charge, as reported by The New York Post.

Womack defeated GOP Rep. Tim Moore in North Carolina’s 14th Congressional District during Tuesday’s midterm election. Her victory came only weeks after she was served with a felony summons at a campaign event.

The newly elected congresswoman was among more than 40 Democrats who flipped House seats previously held by Republicans in the blue wave election. Her court appearance is scheduled for Nov. 10.

Womack is supposed to be sworn in to Congress on Jan. 3. It remains unclear whether the criminal case will delay that process.

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The Democrat is accused of failing to return a rental car valued at about $20,000 in 2019. The allegation now follows her into Congress after voters handed her the House seat.

According to the Charlotte Observer, a criminal summons was issued against Womack in January 2020. That summons was returned unserved the following month.

The summons did not remain unserved forever. Womack was eventually served on Oct. 11 while attending one of her campaign events in Polk County.

Womack faces a Class H felony, with sentencing guidelines ranging from four months to more than three years behind bars. The potential consequences would not necessarily end with the criminal proceeding.

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A conviction would not automatically disqualify Womack from serving in Congress, although it could limit her participation. House rules address restrictions for lawmakers who receive substantial prison sentences.

Lawmakers sentenced to two or more years in prison are expected to avoid committee assignments and party leadership positions, according to those rules. Removing a member from Congress would require a vote by two thirds of the full House, even after a felony conviction.

Womack has not directly explained why she was accused of failing to return the rental car. Instead, she addressed the allegations, campaign attacks and demands for transparency in a statement released last month.

“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,” Womack said.

“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.

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

She has also claimed that she suffered a medical emergency requiring hospitalization and that she was homeless around the time of the alleged crime. According to the Charlotte Observer, she did not elaborate on how either circumstance was connected to the rental car issue.

The court schedule leaves Womack facing a felony proceeding shortly after winning a seat in the House. Her campaign did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment.

For now, Womack holds the distinction of being both a surprise election winner and a defendant with an approaching court date. Whether the case affects her scheduled Jan. 3 swearing in remains unclear.

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