{"campaigns":[{"candidatename":"Lindsey Prather","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"DEM","person":{"biography":"Lindsey Anne Prather is the incumbent Democratic member of the North Carolina House of Representatives for District 115 and is seeking re\u2011election in the November\u202f3,\u202f2026 general election\u202f[1][12]. The North Carolina House seats two\u2011year terms; members must be qualified voters, have lived in the district for one year, and be at least 21\u202fyears old\u202f[2]. Prather assumed office on January\u202f1,\u202f2023 and her current term runs until January\u202f1,\u202f2027\u202f[1][3].\n\nPrather was born June\u202f21,\u202f1988 in Raleigh, North Carolina\u202f[4]. She grew up in Wake County and attended public schools throughout the state\u202f[19]. After high school she earned a B.A. in sociology from the University of North Carolina at Asheville in 2010, where she was a recipient of the NC Teaching Fellows scholarship\u202f[5][4]. She later completed a Master of Public Affairs at Western Carolina University in 2019\u202f[1][4].\n\nBefore entering politics, Prather spent six years teaching special education, social studies, civics and U.S. history in Buncombe County Schools, including at Erwin High School and Middle College\u202f[4][5][19]. She later joined the University of North Carolina at Asheville as Assistant Director of Admissions, counseling transfer, military and veteran students\u202f[4][5][6].\n\nIn the legislature, Prather serves on several key committees for the 2023\u20112024 session, including Appropriations, Appropriations\u2011Education, Education\u2011Community Colleges, Education\u2011Universities, Local Government and Regulatory Reform\u202f[1]. She has sponsored legislation focused on reproductive health (HB\u202f1001, HB\u202f670, HB\u202f1000), teacher and state employee pay (HB\u202f1055), clean water and energy (Safe Drinking Water Act, Pollinator Protection Act, HB\u202f89), and access to contraception and IVF\u202f[15]. Her work has earned endorsements from groups such as the Sierra Club, Planned\u202fParenthood, EMILY\u2019s\u202fList, and the League of Conservation Voters\u202f[15][16].\n\nPrather was first elected in 2022, defeating Republican Pratik\u202fBhakta with 57.6\u202f% of the vote\u202f[4]. She was re\u2011elected in 2024, winning 51.5\u202f% against Republican Ruth\u202fSmith\u202f[1][4]. In both cycles she emphasized improving public schools, expanding Medicaid, protecting reproductive rights, and advancing clean\u2011energy policies\u202f[19][5].\n\nOutside the Capitol, Prather lives in Candler, Buncombe County with her husband Eric and their dog Maeby\u202f[5][6]. She is an active community member, participating in local Democratic Party leadership, voter\u2011registration training, and outdoor activities such as biking on Mt.\u202fPisgah\u202f[5][6][19].\n\n## Sources\n- [1] [Lindsey Prather - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Lindsey_Prather)\n- [2] [North Carolina House of Representatives District 115 - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/North_Carolina_House_of_Representatives_District_115)\n- [3] [Representative Lindsey Prather - Biography - North Carolina General Assembly](https://www.ncleg.gov/Members/Biography/H/809)\n- [4] [Lindsey Prather - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lindsey_Prather)\n- [5] [Lindsey Prather](https://pratherfornc.com/)\n- [6] [Meet Lindsey Prather | Prather for NC](https://pratherfornc.com/about)\n- [12] [Lindsey Prather files for re-election to House District 115 \u2013 Mountain Xpress](https://mountainx.com/blogwire/lindsey-prather-files-for-re-election-to-house-district-115/)\n- [13] [Lindsey Prather announces her candidacy for North Carolina House District 116 | Mountain Xpress](https://mountainx.com/blogwire/lindsey-prather-announces-her-candidacy-for-north-carolina-house-district-116/)\n- [14] [State Representative Lindsey Prather | BillTrack50](https://www.billtrack50.com/legislatordetail/28108)\n- [15] [Lindsey Prather- House District 115](https://nchousedems.com/our-members/lindsey-prather-house-district-115/)\n- [16] [Lindsey Prather - Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee](https://www.dlcc.org/candidates/lindsey-prather/)\n- [17] [North Carolina State Rep. Lindsey Prather - Biography | LegiStorm](https://www.legistorm.com/person/bio/442623/Lindsey_Prather.html)\n- [19] [Meet Your North Carolina Lawmakers: State Rep. Lindsey Prather of Buncombe County](https://cardinalpine.com/2023/02/21/north-carolina-lindsey-prather-buncombe-county/)","firstname":"Lindsey","lastname":"Prather","middlename":"Anne","suffix":null,"token":"bfe0af5693a55f22"},"token":"v7KK8qB3qF"},{"candidatename":"Anthony J. Penland","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"REP","person":{"biography":"Anthony Jerome Penland is the Republican candidate for the North Carolina House of Representatives, District 115, on the November 3, 2026 general election ballot [1]. A state representative in the General Assembly is responsible for introducing and voting on legislation, serving on committees, and representing the interests of constituents in the district.\n\nPenland is a lifelong resident of the Swannanoa community in Buncombe County. He attended Swannanoa Elementary School and graduated from Charles D. Owen High School in 1986. After high school he pursued studies in accounting, business administration, and history at Montreat\u2011Anderson College and the University of North Carolina at Asheville [16]. He later earned an Associate Degree in Fire Protection Technology from AB Tech and a Bachelor of Science in Fire and Emergency Service Administration from Fayetteville State University, followed by a Chief Fire Officer designation from the Center of Public Safety Excellence [16].\n\nHis public\u2011service career began in 1990 when he joined the Swannanoa Volunteer Fire Department as a volunteer firefighter. He was elected to the fire department\u2019s board of directors in 1992, serving as treasurer until he became a full\u2011time firefighter in 1995. In 2001 Penland was appointed fire chief, a role that gave him more than 20 years of budgeting experience for a nonprofit corporation and a total of three decades of public\u2011service involvement [16]. He has held leadership positions with the Western North Carolina Association of Firefighters (secretary), the North Carolina State Firefighters Association (past president and legislative committee chair), and the Buncombe County Fire Chief\u2019s Association (past president). Penland also coached youth sports for 28 years, mentoring children in football, baseball, and basketball at Charles D. Owen Park [16].\n\nPolitically, Penland first ran for elected office in 2022, seeking the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners seat for District\u202f1. He appeared on the November 8, 2022 general\u2011election ballot as the Republican nominee, ultimately losing to Democrat Al Whitesides [2]. Following that campaign, the Buncombe County Republican Party nominated him to fill the unexpired term of Commissioner Mike Fryar on the county board, further extending his experience in local governance [16].\n\nPenland\u2019s 2026 campaign is organized through the website www.chiefpenland.com (accessed via a Vote\u2011USA listing) and lists his contact information as 23 Sunset Dr, Swannanoa, NC\u202f28778, phone (828)\u202f230\u20110297, and email Info@ChiefPenland.com [10][1]. He also provides an alternative email address, anthonyjpenland@gmail.com, on his 2022 Ballotpedia profile [2]. While specific policy positions have not been published in the sources consulted, his background in fire safety, budgeting, and community service suggests a focus on public safety, fiscal responsibility, and local issues.\n\n## Sources\n- [1] [Anthony Penland - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Anthony_Penland)\n- [2] [Anthony Penland (Buncombe County Board of Commissioners District 1, North Carolina, candidate 2022) - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Anthony_Penland_(Buncombe_County_Board_of_Commissioners_District_1,_North_Carolina,_candidate_2022))\n- [10] [Vote-USA | Anthony Penland | Candidate for State Representative District 115, North Carolina | November 3, 2026 North Carolina General Election](https://vote-usa.org/Intro.aspx?State=NC&Id=NCPenlandAnthony)\n- [12] [Candidate Profiles \u2013 NC Voter Guide](https://ncvoterguide.org/profiles/)\n- [13] [Anthony Penland | Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/ElectAnthonyPenland/)\n- [14] [Anthony Penland \u2013 Mountain Xpress](https://mountainx.com/tag/anthony-penland/)\n- [16] [Buncombe GOP nominates Anthony Penland to fill Buncombe board seat \u2013 Mountain Xpress](https://mountainx.com/blogwire/buncombe-gop-nominates-anthony-penland-to-fill-buncombe-board-seat/)\n- [17] [Anthony Penland | BallotReady](https://www.ballotready.org/people/anthony-penland)","firstname":"Anthony","lastname":"Penland","middlename":"Jerome","suffix":null,"token":"bf8b04875f5307c2"},"token":"200DURfCAq"}],"choices":null,"description":null,"district":null,"districtgroup":null,"districtgroupname":null,"districtname":null,"job_type":"state_representative","o.office":"state_house","office":"state_house","officedescription":"The Tennessee House of Representatives is the lower chamber of the state legislature, with 99 members elected from single-member districts to two-year terms. Representatives pass state laws, originate revenue bills, approve the state budget, and \u2014 with the Senate \u2014 confirm gubernatorial appointments and 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 Representative","partisan":1,"pgr":"general","quantity":1,"referendum":null,"source":null,"title":"Nc House Of Representatives District 115"}