{"campaigns":[{"candidatename":"Ronald Pittman","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"DEM","person":{"biography":"**Status update.** Pittman lost the March 3, 2026 Democratic primary for NC House District 43 to Janene Ackles, 1,925 votes (33.0%) to 3,913 votes (67.0%); Ackles advances to face incumbent Republican Diane Wheatley on the November 3, 2026 general-election ballot [3].\n\nAccording to the North Carolina voter file, Ronald Wayne Pittman is a registered voter in Cumberland County, North Carolina, registered since 1996 (30 years), with party affiliation listed as Democratic [1].\n\nThe voter file shows Ronald Wayne Pittman's year of birth as 1965; NC publishes only the year of birth in its bulk voter export, so day and month are not part of the public record [1].\n\nThe voter history file shows 6 elections voted in since 2020, most recently the 2026-03-03 primary election [2].\n\nVoters with personal knowledge of Ronald Wayne Pittman can reach ballotproject.org with corrections or additions.\n\n## Sources\n[1] [North Carolina State Board of Elections \u2014 Voter Search](https://vt.ncsbe.gov/RegLkup/)\n\n[2] North Carolina State Board of Elections voter history file (`ncvhis_Statewide`), published at [dl.ncsbe.gov](https://dl.ncsbe.gov/)\n\n[3] Ballotpedia, \"Ronald Pittman,\" March 3, 2026 Democratic primary results for NC House District 43 (accessed 2026-07-24)","firstname":"Ronald","lastname":"Pittman","middlename":"Wayne","suffix":null,"token":"8d365bad53f1c1c1"},"token":"bPR9fectjqAUVr-I"},{"candidatename":"Janene Ackles","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"DEM","person":{"biography":"Janene Ackles is the Democratic candidate for North Carolina House District 43 in the 2026 general election, seeking to represent the district in the state legislature. She secured the Democratic nomination by winning 67% of the vote (3,900 votes) in the March 3, 2026 primary, defeating Ronald Pittman, and will face incumbent Republican Diane Wheatley in the November 3, 2026 contest [1].\n\nAckles was born in Maryland and raised in a family with a strong tradition of public service; her father served in three wars and later worked for the U.S. Postal Service, while her mother was an elementary school teacher and a Shaw University graduate who broke racial barriers in the Girl Scouts [11]. She later moved to North Carolina, where she has lived for many years in the area that comprises District 43.\n\nProfessionally, Ackles is a grant\u2011writing specialist and business consultant. She founded Grantastic Consulting, a firm that has helped more than 200 nonprofit organizations secure funding, and authored the guide *Non\u2011Profit 501C\u20113, Easy as 1\u20112\u20113* [11]. In addition to her consulting work, she leads the Cumberland County Community Watch Coalition, serves on the boards of the Vision Resource Center and the Jai\u202f6 Youth Foundation, and founded the women\u2019s activist group DisruptHERS [11].\n\nHer prior foray into elected office was a 2022 nonpartisan campaign for Fayetteville City Council District\u202f2, where she appeared on the primary ballot but did not advance to the general election [2]. She also ran for the same North Carolina House seat in 2024, losing to Wheatley with 42.7% of the vote [1].\n\nAckles\u2019 campaign platform emphasizes comprehensive health care, rural education reform, economic development that creates jobs, clean water and soil, and public safety initiatives. She advocates for reduced government interference in reproductive health decisions and proposes state funding and grant programs to address PFAS contamination in Cumberland County\u2019s drinking water. Additionally, she calls for repeal of the Opportunity Scholarship program and stricter tuition controls for private schools that receive public funds [18].\n\nAckles lives in District\u202f43 with her husband and blended family of eight adult children and is known locally as \u201cMomma\u202fJ.\u201d Her deep community ties, professional experience in nonprofit financing, and prior campaign experience shape her candidacy for the North Carolina House of Representatives.\n\n## Sources\n- [1] [Janene Ackles - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Janene_Ackles)\n- [2] [Janene Ackles (Fayetteville City Council District 2, North Carolina, candidate 2022) - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Janene_Ackles_(Fayetteville_City_Council_District_2,_North_Carolina,_candidate_2022))\n- [5] [committee to elect janene ackles dublin [sta-3q2a03-c-001]](https://cf.ncsbe.gov/CFOrgLkup/DocumentGeneralResult/?SID=STA-3Q2A03-C-001&OGID=52672)\n- [9] [Janene Ackles for NC43](https://www.electackles.com/)\n- [11] [MEET JANENE | Janene Ackles](https://www.electackles.com/meet_janene)\n- [13] [Candidate Profiles \u2013 NC Voter Guide](https://ncvoterguide.org/profiles/)\n- [14] [Janene Ackles Dublin for NC House 43 | Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/acklesdublinhouse43)\n- [18] [Janene Ackles running for NC House of Representatives - CityView NC](https://www.cityviewnc.com/stories/n-c-house-of-representatives-district-43-janene-dublin-ackles/)","firstname":"Janene","lastname":"Ackles","middlename":"Marie","suffix":null,"token":"11d9325a64969508"},"token":"KjEssBFTmdcTxqot"},{"candidatename":"Diane Wheatley","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"REP","person":{"biography":"Diane D. Wheatley is the incumbent Republican representative for North Carolina\u2019s House District\u202f43 and is seeking re\u2011election in the November\u202f3,\u202f2026 general election.  Members of the North Carolina House serve two\u2011year terms and must reside in the district they represent; Wheatley has held the seat since she was first sworn in on January\u202f1,\u202f2021, with her current term set to end on January\u202f1,\u202f2027\u30101\u2020L1-L4\u3011.  In the 2026 Republican primary she defeated Clarence Goins with 59.5% of the vote, and she will face Democrat Janene Ackles in the November contest\u30101\u2020L71-L78\u3011.\n\nBorn on April\u202f12,\u202f1951, at Fort\u202fCampbell, Kentucky, Wheatley graduated from 71st High School and earned an associate\u2019s degree in nursing from Fayetteville Technical Community College in 1972\u30101\u2020L15-L18\u3011\u30109\u2020L9-L11\u3011.  She later completed business coursework at Methodist University\u301011\u2020L31-L33\u3011.  Her professional background includes fifteen years as a registered nurse at Cape\u202fFear Valley Hospital and Fayetteville Children\u2019s Clinic, as well as a long career in the private sector as chief financial officer and contract manager for Bragg Lines, Inc.\u202f\u2014\u202fa role she held for more than two decades\u301011\u2020L35-L38\u3011.\n\nWheatley entered public service on the Cumberland County School Board (1994\u20112004) and then served as a Cumberland County Commissioner (2004\u20112008)\u30109\u2020L45-L48\u3011.  She has been active in numerous community organizations, including past president of the Cumberland Kiwanis Club, chair of the Kidsville News Literacy Foundation, and leadership positions with the Red\u202fCross, Cape\u202fFear Valley Hospital board, and the Sandhills Council of Government\u301011\u2020L49-L58\u3011.\n\nIn the legislature she has been assigned to a range of committees.  For the 2023\u20112024 session she chairs the Pensions and Retirement Committee and serves on Appropriations, Appropriations on Education, Education\u2011Community Colleges (Vice Chair), Education\u2011K\u201112 (Vice Chair), Environment, Health, and Military and Veterans Affairs committees\u30101\u2020L24-L33\u3011.  During the 2021\u20112022 session she also sat on State Government and other key committees\u30101\u2020L34-L38\u3011.\n\nWheatley has sponsored and co\u2011sponsored legislation on issues such as constitutional carry (HB\u202f5), veteran benefits (HB\u202f36, HB\u202f39), disaster recovery (HB\u202f47), and education initiatives (HB\u202f79).  The full list of bills she introduced in the 2025\u20112026 session is documented on the North Carolina General Assembly website\u30105\u2020L1-L30\u3011.  Her legislative focus reflects her background in health care, veterans affairs, and fiscal policy.\n\nElectoral history shows Wheatley winning the 2020 race with 55.5% of the vote over Democrat Kimberly Hardy\u30109\u2020L21-L24\u3011, retaining the seat in 2022 by a narrow margin against Clarence Goins (59.5% to 40.5%)\u30101\u2020L71-L78\u3011, and again advancing from the 2024 Republican primary.  In 2020 she defeated Goins with 3,257 votes to his 2,615\u30109\u2020L21-L24\u3011.  Her 2026 primary victory and upcoming general election contest are the latest steps in a career that blends health\u2011care expertise, business leadership, and local government experience.\n\nWheatley\u2019s public service record, committee leadership, and legislative activity illustrate her role as a seasoned lawmaker representing the interests of Cumberland County and the broader 43rd district.\n\n## Sources\n- [1] [Diane Wheatley - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Diane_Wheatley)\n- [2] [Whit Whitley - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Whit_Whitley)\n- [3] [Jane Whilden - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Jane_Whilden)\n- [4] [Representative Diane Wheatley - Biography - North Carolina General Assembly](https://www.ncleg.gov/Members/Biography/H/785)\n- [5] [Representative Diane Wheatley's Introduced Bills - North Carolina General Assembly](https://www.ncleg.gov/Members/IntroducedBills/H/785)\n- [7] [Representative Diane Wheatley's Introduced Bills - North Carolina General Assembly](https://www3.ncleg.gov/Members/IntroducedBills/h/785)\n- [9] [Diane Wheatley - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diane_Wheatley)\n- [10] [iVoterGuide - Diane Wheatley iVoterGuide Profile](https://ivoterguide.com/candidate/4889/race/11242/election/946)\n- [11] [Vote Smart | Facts For All](https://justfacts.votesmart.org/candidate/biography/92358/diane-wheatley)\n- [13] [Diane Wheatley NC House District 43 (@DianeWheatleyNC)](https://www.facebook.com/DianeWheatleyNC)\n- [14] [State Representative Diane Wheatley | BillTrack50](https://www.billtrack50.com/legislatordetail/25657)\n- [15] [Diane Wheatley - North Carolina House Republican Caucus](https://www.nchouserepublicans.com/members/diane-wheatley)\n- [16] [North Carolina State Rep. Diane Wheatley - Biography | LegiStorm](https://www.legistorm.com/person/bio/387439/Diane_Wheatley.html)\n- [17] [Rep. Diane Wheatley | North Carolina 2021-2022 - Legislative Tracking | PolicyEngage](https://trackbill.com/legislator/north-carolina-representative-diane-wheatley/791-21206/)\n- [18] [Diane Wheatley wins NC House District 43 | The North State Journal](https://nsjonline.com/article/2020/11/diane-wheatley-wins-nc-house-district-43/)","firstname":"Diane","lastname":"Wheatley","middlename":"D","suffix":null,"token":"18957c51c1abd536"},"token":"yGxTQ1UjCXpgM7AI"},{"candidatename":"Clarence Goins, Jr.","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"REP","person":{"biography":"**Status update.** Clarence Wilson Goins Jr. lost the Republican primary for NC House District 43 to incumbent Diane Wheatley, 1,632 votes to 2,397 votes (40.5% to 59.5%) (Cumberland County, March 3, 2026); Wheatley advances to the November 3, 2026 general election against Democrat Janene Ackles [3]. Goins will not appear on the November ballot.\n\nAccording to the North Carolina voter file, Clarence Wilson Goins JR is a registered voter in Cumberland County, North Carolina, registered since 1999 (27 years), with party affiliation listed as Republican [1].\n\nThe voter file shows Clarence Wilson Goins JR's year of birth as 1979; NC publishes only the year of birth in its bulk voter export, so day and month are not part of the public record [1].\n\nThe voter history file shows 13 elections voted in since 2016, most recently the 2026-03-03 primary election [2].\n\n## Sources\n[1] North Carolina State Board of Elections \u2014 Voter Search (https://vt.ncsbe.gov/RegLkup/)\n\n[2] North Carolina State Board of Elections voter history file (ncvhis_Statewide), published at https://dl.ncsbe.gov/\n\n[3] North Carolina State Board of Elections, March 3, 2026 primary results by precinct (results_pct_20260303, dl.ncsbe.gov)","firstname":"Clarence","lastname":"Goins","middlename":"Wilson","suffix":"JR","token":"f7dfa47e2d7063db"},"token":"rW7wMbonVK_pooDi"}],"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 043"}