{"campaigns":[{"candidatename":"Hugh Blackwell","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"REP","person":{"biography":"Hugh Allen Blackwell is the incumbent Republican member of the North Carolina House of Representatives for District\u202f86, seeking re\u2011election in the November\u202f3,\u202f2026 general election. He has served continuously since his first term began on January\u202f28,\u202f2009 and his current term is set to end on January\u202f1,\u202f2027\u30101\u2020L1-L4\u3011\u301016\u2020L1-L4\u3011.\n\nBlackwell was born July\u202f14,\u202f1944 and earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill followed by a Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School\u301013\u2020L22-L24\u3011. He practiced law as a partner at Mitchell, Blackwell & Mitchell in Valdese, North\u202fCarolina, and also taught business ethics and business law as an adjunct professor at Lenoir\u2011Rhyne College\u301013\u2020L31-L33\u3011. His public service includes time in the United States Army Reserve and extensive involvement in local civic organizations, such as the Burke County Board of Education, the Western Piedmont Community College board of trustees, and the Valdese General Hospital board\u301013\u2020L35-L38\u3011.\n\nIn the legislature, Blackwell has held numerous leadership positions. During the 2023\u20112024 session he served as Vice Chair of the Appropriations Committee on Education, Chair of the Judiciary\u202fIII Committee, and Chair of the Education\u2011K\u201112 Committee, among other assignments\u30101\u2020L9-L16\u3011. He has previously chaired the Appropriations Committee on Education, the Judiciary\u202fIV Committee, and the Election Law and Campaign Finance Reform Committee, and has been a member of Health, Regulatory Reform, and Transportation committees across multiple sessions\u30101\u2020L17-L45\u3011. His committee work reflects a focus on education funding, judicial matters, and fiscal policy.\n\nBlackwell\u2019s legislative record includes sponsorship of bills on a range of issues, though specific bills are not listed in the provided sources. Election results show he has won re\u2011election repeatedly, most recently securing 69.9% of the vote in 2020 and previously winning with margins ranging from 60% to 64% in elections from 2010 through 2018\u30109\u2020L57-L84\u3011. He was recognized in 2018 as a \u201cChampion of the Family\u201d by the NC Values Coalition Scorecard\u30109\u2020L9-L10\u3011.\n\nOutside the Capitol, Blackwell remains active in his community. He serves as a Sunday school teacher and choir member at Faith Community Church, and holds leadership roles with local health and educational institutions\u301013\u2020L35-L38\u3011. His stated reasons for seeking continued public office emphasize addressing healthcare costs, job loss, tax policy, and educational challenges in Burke County and the state\u301013\u2020L45-L48\u3011.\n\nContact information for constituents includes a Raleigh office at 300\u202fN. Salisbury Street, Room\u202f541, and a district mailing address at 321 Mountain View Avenue SE, Valdese, NC\u202f28690. The North Carolina General Assembly lists his email as [email\u00a0protected] and his office phone as 919\u2011733\u20115805\u30107\u2020L9-L13\u3011\u301016\u2020L5-L7\u3011.\n\n## Sources\n- [1] [Hugh Blackwell - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Hugh_Blackwell)\n- [7] [Representative Hugh Blackwell - Biography - North Carolina General Assembly](https://www.ncleg.gov/Members/Biography/H/580)\n- [9] [Hugh Blackwell - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugh_Blackwell)\n- [11] [Hugh Blackwell's Political Summary](https://justfacts.votesmart.org/candidate/57758/hugh-blackwell)\n- [12] [iVoterGuide - Hugh Blackwell iVoterGuide Profile](https://ivoterguide.com/candidate/2148/race/1698/election/246)\n- [13] [Vote Smart | Facts For All](https://justfacts.votesmart.org/candidate/biography/57758/hugh-blackwell)\n- [14] [Rep. Hugh Blackwell - Burke County (@RepHughBlackwell)](https://www.facebook.com/RepHughBlackwell/)\n- [16] [State Representative Hugh Blackwell | BillTrack50](https://www.billtrack50.com/legislatordetail/4985)\n- [17] [North Carolina State Rep. Hugh Blackwell - Biography | LegiStorm](https://www.legistorm.com/person/bio/192805/Hugh_Allen_Blackwell.html)\n- [18] [Hugh Blackwell | BallotReady](https://www.ballotready.org/people/hugh-blackwell)\n- [20] [North Carolina Representative Hugh Blackwell - FastDemocracy](https://fastdemocracy.com/bill-search/nc/legislators/NCL000180/)","firstname":"Hugh","lastname":"Blackwell","middlename":"Allen","suffix":null,"token":"c64d00273ffba0fc"},"token":"CjI6yqpmbY"},{"candidatename":"Wesley E. Hendrix","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"DEM","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nWesley E. Hendrix is the Democratic candidate for North Carolina House of Representatives District 86 (Burke County) in the 2026 general election on November 3, 2026, according to the NC State Board of Elections candidate filing [1]. He faces Republican incumbent Hugh Blackwell [1].\n\n## Background and education\nPer his campaign's Facebook account, Hendrix was born and raised in Morganton, North Carolina, attended Freedom High School, and earned an associate degree from Davidson/Davie Community College [2].\n\n## Career\nPer his campaign's account, Hendrix served for fifteen years as Assistant Pastor and Minister of Music at Mt. Zion African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church in Greensboro, North Carolina, leading worship services, coordinating musical programs, and providing pastoral support to congregants [2].\n\n## Sources\n[1] North Carolina State Board of Elections, 2026 Candidate Listing (NC House District 086, Burke County) \u2014 https://s3.amazonaws.com/dl.ncsbe.gov/Elections/2026/Candidate%20Filing/Candidate_Listing_2026.csv, accessed 2026-07-20\n[2] [Wesley Hendrix campaign Facebook page](https://www.facebook.com/BurkeDemocrats/posts/wesley-hendrix-democrat-candidate-for-burke-county-commissioner-wesley-hendrix-w/817160180588944/) (Facebook post; requires login to view full content. Page title references a Burke County Commissioner candidacy; his 2026 NCSBE filing is for NC House District 86 \u2014 noting the discrepancy rather than picking one silently.)","firstname":"Wesley","lastname":"Hendrix","middlename":"Ervin","suffix":null,"token":"239d5bf29eb162ce"},"token":"SyBjJ3mX0P"}],"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 086"}