He's a former pastor. That alone is going to secure him some votes. Plus that district has been republican since 1963:
Pittenger won the general election on November 6, defeating Democratic Mecklenburg County Commission Chairwoman Jennifer Roberts 52%–47%.[19][20] While Pittenger lost the district's share of Mecklenburg County (47%), he ran up huge margins in the Union (63%) and Iredell (64%) portions of the district. Still, it was the closest that a Republican had come to losing this district since 1986.
Pittenger won the general election on November 6, defeating Democratic Mecklenburg County Commission Chairwoman Jennifer Roberts 52%–47%.[19][20] While Pittenger lost the district's share of Mecklenburg County (47%), he ran up huge margins in the Union (63%) and Iredell (64%) portions of the district. Still, it was the closest that a Republican had come to losing this district since 1986.