{"campaigns":[{"candidatename":"Jonathan Almond","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"REP","person":{"biography":"Jonathan L. Almond is the incumbent Republican member of the North Carolina House of Representatives for District 73 and is seeking re\u2011election in the November 3, 2026 general election. He first won the seat in 2024, defeating incumbent Diamond Staton\u2011Williams, and was sworn in on January\u202f1,\u202f2025; his current term runs until January\u202f1,\u202f2027, reflecting the two\u2011year term length for state representatives in North Carolina [1][10].\n\nAlmond was born in Charlotte, North Carolina. He earned a high\u2011school diploma from Piedmont High School and a bachelor\u2019s degree from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in 2010 [1]. After college he pursued a career in accounting and finance, eventually becoming the controller for a management group that operates eleven franchise restaurants, a role he has held since 2016. His professional background emphasizes financial management, budgeting, and navigating economic challenges such as the COVID\u201119 shutdowns [15][6].\n\nIn the legislature, Almond has focused on fiscal responsibility, lower taxes, and limiting government overreach. He has sponsored and co\u2011sponsored bills aimed at reducing property taxes, curbing regulatory burdens, and protecting the Second Amendment. Notably, he co\u2011sponsored Senate Bill 378, which seeks to defund Planned Parenthood by prohibiting Medicaid dollars from being used for the organization, reflecting his pro\u2011life stance [11][15]. His legislative priorities, as outlined on his campaign website, also include supporting the military and law\u2011enforcement, promoting business\u2011friendly policies, and investing in infrastructure and education while cutting wasteful spending [15][20].\n\nAlmond\u2019s first year in Raleigh was highlighted in a Cabarrus Compass interview, where he discussed efforts to manage rapid growth in Cabarrus County, address budget pressures, and pursue regulatory reform to keep the state attractive to businesses [20]. He emphasizes his experience as a controller to bring \u201cbusiness\u2011savvy\u201d oversight to state government, arguing that his accounting background equips him to identify and eliminate wasteful expenditures.\n\nThe office of state representative in North Carolina requires members to meet constitutional age and residency qualifications and to serve two\u2011year terms, during which they introduce, debate, and vote on legislation affecting the state\u2019s budget, policies, and services [1]. Almond\u2019s record shows active participation in these duties through bill sponsorship, committee work, and public advocacy on issues important to his constituents in District\u202f73.\n\n## Sources\n- [1] [Jonathan Almond - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Jonathan_Almond)\n- [6] [Representative Jonathan L. Almond - Biography - North Carolina General Assembly](https://www.ncleg.gov/Members/Biography/H/843)\n- [10] [Jonathan Almond - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_Almond)\n- [11] [LEGISLATOR LIMELIGHT: State Rep. Jonathan Almond, N.C. \u2014 SFL Action](https://www.studentsforlifeaction.org/legislator-limelight-state-rep-jonathan-almond-n-c/)\n- [12] [Jonathan Almond for NC House 73 | Concord NC | Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/JonathanAlmondforStateHouse/)\n- [13] [Jonathan Almond for NC House 73 | Concord NC](https://www.facebook.com/p/Jonathan-Almond-for-NC-House-73-61554116684077/)\n- [15] [Jonathan Almond for State House | Cabarrus County District 73](https://jonathanalmond.com/)\n- [16] [State Representative Jonathan Almond | BillTrack50](https://www.billtrack50.com/legislatordetail/29769)\n- [17] [North Carolina State Rep. Jonathan Almond - Biography | LegiStorm](https://www.legistorm.com/person/bio/516810/Jonathan_Almond.html)\n- [20] [Rep. Jonathan Almond reflects on first year in Raleigh, focuses on growth, property taxes and regulatory reform](https://cabarruscompass.com/p/rep-jonathan-almond-reflects-on-first)","firstname":"Jonathan","lastname":"Almond","middlename":"Lemuel","suffix":null,"token":"0cf14d231bd45448"},"token":"gHLF7aVK0EI8imCR"},{"candidatename":"Thomas J. Monks","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"DEM","person":{"biography":"Thomas James Monks is the Democratic candidate for the North Carolina House of Representatives, District 73, on the November 3, 2026 general\u2011election ballot.  The state House is the lower chamber of the General Assembly, tasked with drafting and voting on state statutes, approving the budget, and representing the interests of constituents in their district.  Monks will seek to replace incumbent Republican Jonathan Almond if elected [1].\n\nMonks is 32 years old and grew up in Florida before moving to North Carolina in 2007.  He graduated from Sun Valley High School in Concord and earned a bachelor\u2019s degree in Communication (with a focus on public relations) from Florida Gulf Coast University in 2015 [11][20].  He currently lives in Concord, where he has resided for a decade, and works as a Marketing Coordinator for the University of North Carolina at Charlotte\u2019s School of Professional Studies [11][18].\n\nProfessionally, Monks has a blend of political and corporate experience.  He began his career as a field organizer on a statewide political campaign in 2016, where he helped boost voter turnout in a challenging district.  He later served as Director of Marketing for a small professional\u2011skincare company, building the brand\u2019s marketing function from the ground up and launching an education series that increased sales by roughly 30% [11].  Most recently, he was Director of Marketing and Partnerships at Anna\u202fLotan\u202fPRO\u202fUSA, overseeing national campaigns and partnership development before moving into his current university role [20].\n\nMonks\u2019 campaign platform emphasizes \u201cpeople\u2011first\u201d governance.  He prioritizes affordable housing, robust funding for high\u2011quality public education, disaster preparedness, and secure voting systems.  Additional issues he highlights include term limits, a $15 minimum wage, expanded health\u2011care access, senior\u2011care support, and tax policies that protect working families.  He frames his approach around community\u2011based solutions, transparency, and accountability, arguing that government should listen before it legislates and work collaboratively across partisan lines [18][19].\n\nEndorsements for Monks include Bull City\u202fAnna, a progressive viewpoint group, and the Progressive Caucus of the North Carolina Democratic Party, reflecting his alignment with the state\u2019s progressive wing [1].  Although he has no prior elected office, Monks argues that his lack of insider experience allows him to bring fresh perspectives and avoid special\u2011interest influence [11][19].\n\nIf elected, Monks says he will focus on building bridges between state and local governments, advocating for policies that keep housing, health care, and groceries affordable, and ensuring that public schools receive the resources needed to support teachers and students.  He pledges to maintain a balanced budget while investing in essential public services and to empower local jurisdictions on issues like zoning and planning [19].\n\n## Sources\n- [1] [Thomas Monks - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Thomas_Monks)\n- [11] [Thomas J. Monks | The Election Hub](https://www.theelectionhub.org/mecklenburg-county/thomas-j.-monks/2026-primary/cabarrus)\n- [18] [Thomas Monks 4 North Carlona \u2013 Thomas Monks, Candidate for NC House of Representatives District 73](https://tmonks4nc.com/)\n- [19] [Get to know N.C. House of Representatives Democratic Candidate Thomas Monks](https://cabarruscompass.com/p/get-to-know-nc-house-of-representatives)\n- [20] [About The Candidate \u2013 Thomas Monks 4 North Carlona](https://tmonks4nc.com/about-the-candidate-thomas-monks/)","firstname":"Thomas","lastname":"Monks","middlename":"James","suffix":null,"token":"46b8897fa3b2d41c"},"token":"VA31QiZE7yCHyLh5"}],"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 073"}