{"campaigns":[{"candidatename":"Jay Adams","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"REP","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\n\nJames Cecil Adams Jr. (also known as Jay Adams) is the incumbent Republican member of the North Carolina House of Representatives for District 96, a seat he has held since January 1, 2015. He is on the ballot for re-election in the November 3, 2026 general election for the same district [9][4].\n\n## Background and education\n\nBorn in 1949, Adams earned a Bachelor of Science in education from The Citadel [9]. He later pursued studies in mechanical drawing, computer science and real estate at Catawba Valley Community College and obtained his real-estate license in 1983. He has lived in Hickory, North Carolina, since 1975 [9].\n\n## Career\n\nAdams has worked as a real-estate broker, a Technical Communications Specialist for Siecor, and for Deville Furniture. He also served on the City of Hickory's Brownfield Advisory Group and on regional chambers of commerce and planning boards [4].\n\n## Legislative record and accomplishments\n\nDuring the 2023-2024 session Adams was Vice Chair of the House Transportation Committee and Chair of the Wildlife Resources Committee, while also sitting on Appropriations, Commerce, Education-Community Colleges and Local Government committees [4]. He voted for the 2025 permitless firearm carry bill (S50) and the 2025 North Carolina Border Protection Act (S153) [14]. The North Carolina Choice Tracker identifies him as anti-choice, citing his support for a 12-week abortion ban and a constitutional amendment defining abortion as first-degree murder [16]. He also backed the 2024 Voter-ID constitutional amendment (S921) and a measure restricting gender-transition procedures for minors (H606) [14].\n\n## Sources\n[1] [James Adams (North Carolina) - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/James_Adams_(North_Carolina)) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-20\n[2] [Jay Adams - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Jay_Adams) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-20\n[3] [North Carolina elections, 2026 - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/North_Carolina_elections,_2026)\n[4] [Representative Jay Adams - Biography - North Carolina General Assembly](https://www.ncleg.gov/Members/Biography/H/697) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-20\n[5] [2026 North Carolina House of Representatives election - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_North_Carolina_House_of_Representatives_election)\n[6] [2026 United States House of Representatives elections in North Carolina - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_United_States_House_of_Representatives_elections_in_North_Carolina)\n[9] [Jay Adams (politician) - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jay_Adams_(politician)) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-20\n[14] [James Adams House of Representatives District HD-096 Republican - Freedom Index](https://thefreedomindex.org/nc/legislator/17678/votes/report-nc-scorecard-2021-2022/pdf/scb/) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-20\n[16] [James Adams is Anti-Choice - North Carolina Choice Tracker](https://choicetracker.org/nc/people/james-adams/205389824) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-20","firstname":"James","lastname":"Adams","middlename":"Cecil","suffix":"JR","token":"adb8ea38c7d10126"},"token":"eE0fC4PoJu"},{"candidatename":"Park Inglefield","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"DEM","person":{"biography":"Park Arneson Pressly Inglefield is the Democratic candidate for the North Carolina House of Representatives, District 96, in the 2026 general election on November 3, 2026. The Democratic primary was cancelled, so Inglefield advanced automatically to the November ballot against Republican incumbent Jay Adams [1].\n\n## Background and education\n\nPer her Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey (completed October 7, 2025), Inglefield was born July 22, 1994, and holds a bachelor's degree from Northeastern University. She describes her religion as Christian: Presbyterian and her profession as nonprofit program director [2].\n\n## Career\n\nInglefield has served as Deputy State Director for Rise Free, a statewide nonprofit, and currently serves as the North Carolina State Director for Young People's Alliance, a nonpartisan organization focused on civic leadership training [2]. She also completed a year on the Catawba County Grand Jury, where she observed cases involving domestic violence, child endangerment, and substance-abuse issues [2].\n\nBefore seeking state office, Inglefield ran for mayor of Hickory, North Carolina, in the nonpartisan 2025 municipal election, challenging incumbent mayor Hank Guess. She did not win [2][16].\n\n## Current office and 2026 campaign\n\nInglefield's campaign platform emphasizes economic development through streamlined permitting, infrastructure investment, and workforce-development partnerships; fiscal responsibility and transparent budgeting; and \"Complete Streets\" infrastructure. Her campaign slogan is \"Crafting the Future of Hickory. Responsibly.\" [2][11]\n\n## Sources\n[1] [Park Inglefield - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Park_Inglefield) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-20\n[2] [Park Inglefield (Mayor of Hickory, North Carolina, candidate 2025) - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Park_Inglefield_(Mayor_of_Hickory,_North_Carolina,_candidate_2025)), citing her Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey of October 7, 2025 \u2014 accessed 2026-07-20\n[11] [Park Inglefield campaign announcement - Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/parkformayor/posts/hi-my-name-is-park-inglefield-and-im-excited-to-formally-announce-my-candidacy-f/122117284364946763/)\n[16] [Candidate Park Inglefield enters Hickory NC mayoral race](https://hickoryrecord.com/news/local/government-politics/elections/article_535aca84-9fb6-4493-bc3a-73f4a8d00fcf.html)","firstname":"Park","lastname":"Inglefield","middlename":"Arneson Pressly","suffix":null,"token":"d2d697c68d0b968d"},"token":"gR6qEyVaQA"}],"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 096"}