Republican challenger Tom Murry appears to have knocked off Democratic state Rep. Chris Heagarty in House District 41, giving a boost to the GOP battle to gain control of the state legislature.

Murry leads Heagarty with 54 percent of the vote, with 92 percent of the precincts reporting in the northwestern Wake County district.

Heagarty, an attorney and former director of the N.C. Center for Voter Education, was appointed to the legislature last year after Ty Harrell resigned. Heagarty argued that he’d protect disadvantaged North Carolinians, working families and children as the legislature starts to trim away at the budget.

Murry said he’d cut spending and taxes. He is a Morrisville town council member, attorney and pharmacist.

Conservative businessman Art Pope targeted District 41 as one of the races to help win Republican control of the legislature. Groups affiliated with Pope sent multiple mailers to voters attacking Heagarty.