Atwater defeated Republican nominee Roger Gerber with 69% of the vote in the 2008 general election.
In the subsequent general election, Atwater defeated Gerber in a rematch with 59% of the vote.
Atwater received a rating of 100 from the North Carolina Housing Coalition in 2007.
He received 100% ratings from North Carolina Voters for Clean Elections and Planned Parenthood in 2010 and 2011 respectively.
Additionally, Atwater received a B rating from the NRA Political Victory Fund in 2010.