North Carolina Democrats ousted a political giant from their leadership ranks Monday night, electing a rising star in the party, Sen. Sydney Batch, to replace Sen. Dan Blue as Senate minority leader.

Minority in both chambers again for the next two-year session of the North Carolina General Assembly, Democrats have chosen as chamber leaders Sen. Sydney Batch to succeed Sen. Dan Blue and Rep. Robert Reives for another term.

North Carolina Democrats ousted a political giant from Senate leadership ranks Monday night, electing a rising star in the party, Sydney Batch, to replace Dan Blue as the minority leader.

Senate Democrats announced the change in leadership in a statement to the media. Batch, who last month won a second term representing southern Wake County, Batch thanked Blue for his leadership. "It is an honor to be chosen by my colleagues to lead the Senate Democratic Caucus during such a pivotal time for our state,” Batch said in the statement.

Blue, 75, first joined the legislature in 1981 as a House member and 10 years later was elected North Carolina’s first — and still only — Black House speaker.

North Carolina Democrats electing a rising star in the party, Sen. Sydney Batch, to replace Sen. Dan Blue as Senate minority leader.