{"campaigns":[{"candidatename":"Michael H. Wray","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"DEM","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\n\nMichael H. Wray is a former North Carolina state representative who ran in the 2026 Democratic primary for House District 27 (Halifax, Northampton, and Warren counties), seeking to reclaim the seat he lost in 2024. He lost the rematch to incumbent Rodney Pierce, who won with approximately 64% of the vote [1][2].\n\n## Background and education\n\nBorn April 6, 1967, in Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina, Wray earned a B.A. from Barton College and lives in Gaston, NC [1].\n\n## Career\n\nWray was first elected to the North Carolina House of Representatives in 2004 and served from January 2005 to January 2025 - 10 terms, per the General Assembly's record of his service [1][3]. He is a small business owner in Gaston and previously served as a Gaston town commissioner before his legislative career [1][3].\n\n## Office history\n\nWray lost the March 5, 2024 Democratic primary for District 27 to Rodney Pierce by 34 votes (5,986 to 5,952, 50.14% to 49.86%) [1][2]. He ran again in the 2026 primary rematch and lost, with Pierce winning approximately 64% of the vote [1][2].\n\n## Legislative record and accomplishments\n\nIn the 2023-2024 session, Wray chaired the House Ethics Committee and served as Senior Chair of the Finance Committee [1]. He was a founding member of the North Carolina Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus in 2011 and a charter member of the Main Street Democrats Caucus in 2015, a group that describes itself as pro-business, moderate Democrats [1]. NC Newsline reported he was one of a handful of Democrats who voted with Republicans to override 14 of then-Gov. Roy Cooper's 25 vetoes in the 2023-2024 session; Wray said in a statement he prioritized \"working in the back rooms of the State Legislature\" to bring state funding to his rural district [2].\n\n## Sources\n\n- [1] [Michael H. Wray - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_H._Wray)\n- [2] [Former NC Rep. Wray is running to avenge a loss - NC Newsline](https://ncnewsline.com/briefs/former-nc-rep-wray-is-running-to-avenge-a-loss-setting-up-a-democratic-primary-rematch/)\n- [3] [Representative Michael H. Wray - Biography, NC General Assembly (archived Nov. 2024)](https://web.archive.org/web/20241126010351/https://www.ncleg.gov/Members/Biography/H/481)","firstname":"Michael","lastname":"Wray","middlename":"H","suffix":null,"token":"cd4407361dca2d11"},"token":"KW1Gn1raljrKT_Xf"},{"candidatename":"Rodney D. Pierce","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"DEM","person":{"biography":"Rodney Donte Pierce is the incumbent Democratic member of the North Carolina House of Representatives for District\u202f27, a seat he has held since the start of the 2025\u20112027 term and for which he is seeking re\u2011election in the November\u202f3,\u202f2026 general election [1][6].\n\nThe North Carolina House of Representatives is the lower chamber of the state legislature. Its 120 members introduce, debate, amend, and vote on state laws, approve the state budget, and serve on standing committees that oversee policy areas such as education, public safety, and health care. Representatives also act as the primary liaison between the state government and the residents of their districts, handling constituent services, advocating for local interests, and responding to community concerns [1].\n\nPierce was born on October\u202f5,\u202f1978, in Landover, Maryland, and grew up in Halifax County, North Carolina, attending school in Roanoke Rapids [8]. He earned an associate degree from Halifax Community College in 2010, a bachelor\u2019s degree from North Carolina Wesleyan University in 2012, and a teaching licensure from East Carolina University (date not specified) [8][1].\n\nBefore entering politics, Pierce built a career as an educator and historian. He taught social studies in Halifax County schools, earning the North Carolina Council for the Social Studies Teacher of the Year award in 2019 and the Marathon Teaching Institute\u2019s African\u2011American Male Teacher of the Year in 2022 [8][15]. He served on the Governor\u2019s Teacher Advisory Committee and is a member of professional organizations including the North Carolina Association of Educators, the American Federation of Teachers, and the State Employees Association of North Carolina [1][9].\n\nPierce first won a legislative seat by defeating longtime incumbent Rep. Michael Wray in the 2024 Democratic primary by a narrow margin of 34 votes, a result confirmed by the North Carolina State Board of Elections [15][20]. He was re\u2011elected unopposed in the 2024 general election, receiving 31,914 votes (100\u202f% of the ballot) [1]. In the 2026 Democratic primary he again bested Wray, capturing 64.2\u202f% of the vote (8,679 votes) while Wray received 35.8\u202f% (4,846 votes) [1]. He now faces Republican Kenneth Bentley Jr. in the November 2026 general election [1].\n\nDuring his first term, Representative Pierce has focused on education funding, voting\u2011rights protection, public safety, and economic development for the \u201cNeglected Northeast\u201d of the state. He championed full funding of public schools through the Leandro Plan, co\u2011authored legislation to create a bipartisan Rural Violent Crime Task Force, and filed a formal protest and lawsuit (Pierce\u202fv.\u202fN.C. State Board of Elections) challenging congressional maps he says dilute Black voting power [17][15]. He also launched a \u201cBringing the Capital to the Constituents\u201d series to bring state officials to the district and organized community events such as the Eastern\u202fNC Civics Bowl and a district blood drive [17].\n\nPierce\u2019s stated priorities on his campaign website include fully funding public schools, defending the right to vote, supporting workers\u2019 rights and a living wage, and expanding affordable health care, housing, and equitable economic development for northeastern North Carolina residents [9]. He is endorsed by organizations such as Pro\u2011Choice\u202fNC, the Sierra Club of North Carolina, and former U.S. Rep. Eva\u202fClayton, reflecting his progressive platform [17].\n\nAs a legislator, Pierce holds the occupation of historian/consultant according to the North Carolina General Assembly biography and maintains a Capitol office at 16\u202fWest\u202fJones\u202fStreet, Room\u202f1421, Raleigh, NC\u202f27601\u20111096, with a listed phone number of 919\u2011733\u20115662 [6][11].\n\n## Sources\n- [1] [Rodney Pierce - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Rodney_Pierce)\n- [6] [Representative Rodney D. Pierce - Biography - North Carolina General Assembly](https://www.ncleg.gov/Members/Biography/H/838)\n- [8] [Rodney D. Pierce - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rodney_D._Pierce)\n- [9] [Rodney Pierce for NC House District 27](https://piercefornc.com/)\n- [11] [State Representative Rodney Pierce | BillTrack50](https://www.billtrack50.com/legislatordetail/29781)\n- [12] [North Carolina State Rep. Rodney Pierce - Biography | LegiStorm](https://www.legistorm.com/person/bio/516804/Rodney_Donte_Pierce.html)\n- [15] [Interview: NC House primary winner Rodney Pierce, a social studies teacher, on how he'll serve 'Neglected Northeast' | WUNC News](https://www.wunc.org/politics/2024-04-16/rodney-pierce-nc-house-roanoke-rapids-social-studies-teacher)\n- [17] [Rep. Pierce seeks another term | Local News | rrdailyherald.com](https://www.rrdailyherald.com/news/local/rep-pierce-seeks-another-term/article_a0b81366-5ed0-539c-a9fa-70774e9ede48.html)\n- [20] [Pierce wins HD-27 rematch against former Rep. Wray](https://www.carolinajournal.com/pierce-wins-hd-27-rematch-against-former-rep-wray/)","firstname":"Rodney","lastname":"Pierce","middlename":"Donte","suffix":null,"token":"561992a7077b23c1"},"token":"Ruvq9cI7Ot7yp4ZK"}],"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 027"}