(RALEIGH) -- Republican Pat McCrory has declared victory over Democrat Walter Dalton and Libertarian Barbara Howe in the race for Governor of North Carolina. He is the first Republican to become governor of North Carolina in twenty years. 

The unofficial results show that the former mayor of Charlotte had 55% of the vote, while Dalton had 43%. Libertarian Barbara Howe had less than 2% of the votes.

Jim Martin, the last Republican governor, left office in 1993. McCrory will take over office in January of 2013.

McCrory had previously run against Democrat Bev Perdue in 2008, however Perdue did not seek reelction this year.