{"campaigns":[{"candidatename":"Melissa Zehner","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"DEM","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nMelissa Grant Zehner is the Democratic nominee for North Carolina State Senate District 1, on the ballot in the November 3, 2026 general election [1][2]. District 1 covers Bertie, Camden, Currituck, Dare, Gates, Hertford, Northampton, Pasquotank, Perquimans, and Tyrrell counties [2]. She faces Republican Jerry Tillett; incumbent Sen. Bobby Hanig did not seek re-election, running instead for the U.S. House 1st Congressional District seat [2]. Zehner filed as a candidate on December 19, 2025, and her NC State Board of Elections filing lists her residence as Southern Shores, in Dare County [1].\n\nNo further biographical information (education, career, or prior elected office) about this candidate is confirmed by public sources.\n\n## Sources\n[1] NC State Board of Elections, 2026 Candidate Filing List \u2014 accessed 2026-07-20 (https://s3.amazonaws.com/dl.ncsbe.gov/Elections/2026/Candidate%20Filing/Candidate_Listing_2026.csv)\n[2] [Meet your Bertie County Candidates for the 2026 Election](https://wcti12.com/news/election/local-election/meet-your-bertie-county-candidates-for-the-2026-election)","firstname":"Melissa","lastname":"Zehner","middlename":"Grant","suffix":null,"token":"b3097f1f45b6e212"},"token":"N4kP35SlLG"},{"candidatename":"Jerry Tillett","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"REP","person":{"biography":"Jerry R. Tillett is a retired senior resident Superior Court judge who is the Republican nominee for North Carolina State Senate District\u202f1 in the November\u202f3,\u202f2026 general election.  The state Senate is the upper chamber of the General Assembly; senators draft, debate, and vote on state laws, approve the budget, and represent the interests of their districts.  Tillett\u2019s campaign emphasizes restoring accountability, supporting coastal communities, and putting working people ahead of political insiders.\n\nTillett earned both his bachelor\u2019s degree in history and English and his J.D. from Wake\u202fForest University, graduating from law school in 1983\u202f[1][9].  After a brief stint at a large Winston\u2011Salem firm, he returned to Dare County and became a partner at Merrell, Tillett &\u202fBarnes, handling a broad civil and criminal practice that included extensive real\u2011estate work\u202f[15][9].  He served in the North Carolina House of Representatives, where he was appointed chief of staff and chief legal counsel to the Senate President\u202fPro\u202fTempore, drafting legislation and managing committee work\u202f[9][15].\n\nIn 1993 Governor Jim\u202fMartin appointed Tillett as one of two special Superior Court judges for the state; he was later selected as the resident Superior Court judge for Judicial District\u202f1 and was repeatedly elected, most recently unopposed in 2010 and with 100\u202f% of the vote in 2018\u202f[1][9][11].  Over more than three decades he presided in 86 of North Carolina\u2019s 100 counties, handling capital murder, medical\u2011negligence, and other complex cases\u202f[9][15].  He also established and managed the Dare County Recovery Court for opioid addiction\u202f[9][11].  In 2016 the Judicial Standards Commission issued a public reprimand for conduct related to a dispute with Kill\u202fDevil\u202fHills officials\u202f[20].  Tillett retired from the bench on May\u202f1,\u202f2025 after more than 32\u202fyears of service\u202f[11][13].\n\nFollowing retirement, Tillett announced his candidacy for the open Senate District\u202f1 seat\u2014vacated by Rep.\u202fBobby\u202fHanig, who is running for Congress\u2014by filing paperwork in September\u202f2025 and holding a series of fundraisers and community events in early\u202f2026\u202f[7][13][16].  He won the Republican primary on March\u202f3,\u202f2026 with 37.9\u202f% of the vote, defeating Jay\u202fLane, Dave\u202fForsythe, and Cole\u202fJohnson\u202f[1][14].  The primary was marked by allegations that an audio recording captured Tillett using a racial slur; he denied the claim and filed a defamation lawsuit\u202f[14].\n\nTillett\u2019s platform stresses pro\u2011business policies, support for fishermen and farmers, a balanced\u2011budget approach, and a strong defense of the Second Amendment\u202f[16][13].  He cites his judicial experience, knowledge of the district\u2019s 11\u2011county geography, and his long\u2011standing community involvement\u2014including leadership roles with the College of the Albemarle Board of Trustees, the Dare County Tourism Board, and the Farm\u202fBureau\u2014as qualifications for legislative service\u202f[9][15].  He also emphasizes his Christian faith and \u201cGod, family, and country\u201d values\u202f[13][16].\n\nIf elected, Tillett would bring a three\u2011decade judicial perspective to the Senate, leveraging his experience in law, public policy, and regional economic development to shape legislation affecting North Carolina\u2019s coastal and rural communities.\n\n## Sources\n- [1] [Jerry R. Tillett - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Jerry_R._Tillett)\n- [2] [United States Senate election in North Carolina, 2026 - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/United_States_Senate_election_in_North_Carolina,_2026)\n- [6] [Upcoming Election | NCSBE](https://www.ncsbe.gov/voting/upcoming-election)\n- [7] [Home - Tillett for Senate](https://tillettforsenate.com/)\n- [8] [Retired Superior Court Judge Jerry Tillett to run for NC ...](https://www.facebook.com/OuterBanksVoice/posts/retired-superior-court-judge-jerry-tillett-to-run-for-nc-senate-district-1-seatr/1400444742080640/)\n- [9] [Judge Jerry R. Tillett - Professional Background & Legal Expertise | Trellis.Law](https://trellis.law/judge/jerry.r.tillett)\n- [10] [The Outer Banks Voice - Retired Superior Court Judge Jerry Tillett to run for NC Senate District 1 seat](https://www.outerbanksvoice.com/2025/11/05/retired-superior-court-judge-jerry-tillett-to-run-for-nc-senate-district-1-seat/)\n- [11] [The Outer Banks Voice - Superior Court Judge Jerry Tillett to retire on May 1](https://www.outerbanksvoice.com/2025/04/15/superior-court-judge-jerry-tillett-to-retire-on-may-1/)\n- [13] [Retired Judge Jerry Tillett Explores Run for NC Senate District 1 \u2013 Albemarle Observer](https://albemarleobserver.news/2025/09/26/retired-judge-jerry-tillett-explores-run-for-nc-senate-district-1/)\n- [14] [Jerry Tillett Wins Republican State Senate Primary in Northeast N.C.](https://www.theassemblync.com/news/politics/elections/jerry-tillett-republican-primary-results/)\n- [15] [Jerry Tillett \u2013 Candidate for North Carolina State Senate, District 1](https://www.thecoastlandtimes.com/news/jerry-tillett-candidate-for-north-carolina-state-senate-district-1-74795fb1)\n- [16] [Tillett wants to be voice for all residents of District 1 | Local News | dailyadvance.com](https://www.dailyadvance.com/news/local/tillett-wants-to-be-voice-for-all-residents-of-district-1/article_1b91754a-6dd6-4a0d-80c5-16bad895e8b3.html)\n- [17] [Jerry Tillett (Profile): Age, Phone, Locations, Background](https://www.instantcheckmate.com/people/jerry-tillett/)\n- [19] [THE NORTH CAROLINA STATE BAR v. JERRY TILLETT (2016) | FindLaw](https://caselaw.findlaw.com/court/nc-supreme-court/1762833.html)\n- [20] [Our View: Tillett\u0092s conduct deserved more than public reprimand | Local | dailyadvance.com](https://www.dailyadvance.com/opinion/local/our-view-tillett-s-conduct-deserved-more-than-public-reprimand/article_68f4199b-0cc5-5c83-bb72-aba528dc4994.html)","firstname":"Jerry","lastname":"Tillett","middlename":"Reginald","suffix":null,"token":"e6d03db180cb6e58"},"token":"2WZxFURWqX"}],"choices":null,"description":null,"district":null,"districtgroup":null,"districtgroupname":null,"districtname":null,"job_type":"state_senator","o.office":"state_senate","office":"state_senate","officedescription":"The Tennessee Senate is the upper chamber of the state legislature, with 33 members elected from single-member districts to four-year terms. Senators pass state laws, approve the state budget, confirm certain gubernatorial appointments, and \u2014 with the House \u2014 propose constitutional amendments.","officequalities":"- **Integrity** \u2014 Acts in the interest of constituents and the public good rather than for personal gain, and remains independent of undue influence from donors, lobbyists, and party leadership.\n- **Understanding of the constituency** \u2014 Grasps both the economic-development needs of the district and the day-to-day concerns of individual residents \u2014 safety, healthcare, education, infrastructure.\n- **Persuasion** \u2014 Engages, listens to, and persuades both fellow legislators and constituents. Can change minds and explain votes honestly.\n- **Legislative craft** \u2014 Reads, drafts, and amends statute with care. Understands how specific bill language translates to outcomes, and knows the body of law being modified.\n- **Coalition-building** \u2014 Finds common ground across partisan and factional lines, brokers compromises that hold, and forms working majorities even when consensus is hard to reach.","officeterm":2,"officetitle":"State Senator","partisan":1,"pgr":"general","quantity":1,"referendum":null,"source":null,"title":"Nc State Senate District 01"}