{"campaigns":[{"candidatename":"Charles Smith","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"DEM","person":{"biography":"Charles Ruppe Smith is the incumbent Democratic member of the North Carolina House of Representatives for District 44, a seat he has held since assuming office on January\u202f1,\u202f2023 and which runs through January\u202f1,\u202f2027 [2]. He is seeking re\u2011election in the November\u202f3,\u202f2026 general election, where he will again face Republican challenger Jackie Weyhenmeyer after the March\u202f3,\u202f2026 Democratic primary was cancelled, allowing him to advance automatically [2].\n\nBorn in Fayetteville, North Carolina, Smith earned a bachelor\u2019s degree from Emory & Henry College in 2014 and a Juris Doctor from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2017 [2][19]. After law school he served as an assistant district attorney for Cumberland County, later moving into private practice as an attorney, a professional background he lists on his legislative biography [2][17].\n\nIn the 2022 election, Smith captured 61.77% of the vote in the Democratic primary and ran unopposed in the general, securing the seat with 14,903 votes [19]. He was re\u2011elected in 2024, defeating Republican Freddie de la Cruz with 62.3% of the vote (20,941 votes) [2]. His campaign website, CharlesRSmithForNC.com, solicits contributions to support his continued service [20].\n\nDuring the 2023\u20112024 legislative session, Representative Smith served on several key committees, including Appropriations; Appropriations \u2013 General Government; Families, Children, and Aging Policy; Military and Veterans Affairs; State Government; and Wildlife Resources [2][19]. His legislative activity includes sponsoring a range of bills, such as HB\u202f4 (Sam\u2019s Law), HR\u202f18 (Honor Joe John, Former Member), HB\u202f21 (Drivers License Designation/Autism), and HB\u202f69 (Military and Veterans Educational Promise Act), among others, reflecting interests in veterans\u2019 issues, public safety, and health care policy [18].\n\nSmith\u2019s role as a state representative entails participating in the law\u2011making process for North Carolina, where House members serve two\u2011year terms, introduce and vote on legislation, and represent the interests of their district\u2019s constituents. While the specific constitutional qualifications (age, residency) are not detailed in the provided sources, his continued service demonstrates compliance with those requirements.\n\nAs a legislator, Smith has focused on supporting veterans, improving Medicaid dental rates, and advancing policies that benefit families and children, as evidenced by his committee assignments and bill sponsorships. His ongoing campaign emphasizes continued advocacy for District\u202f44 residents and the broader priorities he has pursued in office.\n\n## Sources\n- [2] [Charles Smith (North Carolina state representative) - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Charles_Smith_(North_Carolina_state_representative))\n- [17] [Representative Charles Smith - Biography - North Carolina General Assembly](https://www.ncleg.gov/Members/Biography/H/813)\n- [18] [Representative Charles Smith's Introduced Bills - North Carolina General Assembly](https://www.ncleg.gov/Members/IntroducedBills/H/813)\n- [19] [Charles Smith (North Carolina politician) - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Smith_(North_Carolina_politician))\n- [20] [Charles R. Smith for North Carolina House of Representatives District 44 Charles Smith NC House D. 44](https://charlessmithfornc.com/)","firstname":"Charles","lastname":"Smith","middlename":"Ruppe","suffix":null,"token":"43b63fc772565957"},"token":"WmYVLZjL1s"},{"candidatename":"Jackie Weyhenmeyer","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"REP","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nJacquelyn K. Weyhenmeyer, appearing on the ballot as Jackie Weyhenmeyer, is the Republican candidate for North Carolina House of Representatives District 44 in the 2026 general election. District 44 covers part of Cumberland County in the Fayetteville area. She advanced from the Republican primary after it was canceled. She faces Democratic incumbent Charles Smith.\n\nNot available from public sources.\n\n## Background and education\nWeyhenmeyer is based in Fayetteville, North Carolina.\n\n## Career\nNot available from public sources.\n\nNot available from public sources.\n\n## Family\nNot available from public sources.\n\n## Sources\n- [1] [2026 General Candidate Detail List \u2013 NC State Board of Elections](https://s3.amazonaws.com/dl.ncsbe.gov/Elections/2026/Candidate%20Filing/2026_general_candidate_detail_list_federal_and_state.pdf)\n- [2] [Current Candidate List \u2013 Cumberland County Board of Elections](https://www.cumberlandcountync.gov/docs/default-source/board-of-elections-documents/current_candidate_list.pdf)\n","firstname":"Jacquelyn","lastname":"Weyhenmeyer","middlename":"K","suffix":null,"token":"d403afbfe900afad"},"token":"vCMjkhtBPV"}],"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 044"}