{"campaigns":[{"candidatename":"Neal Jackson","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"REP","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nMaze O'Neal \"Neal\" Jackson is the Republican candidate for the North Carolina House of Representatives District 78 in the 2026 election. He has served as the district's state representative since January 1, 2023, after winning the 2022 primary and general elections [1]. He filed for re-election in the 2026 cycle and is running unopposed in the November 3, 2026 general election after the Democratic filer, Matt Borja, withdrew from the race [3].\n\n## Background and education\nBorn in Pinehurst, North Carolina, Jackson is married to Tracy and is the father of five children. He is a Baptist pastor at Beulah Baptist Church, a role he has held since 2009, and he also identifies as a business owner [1][2].\n\n## Office history\nJackson entered elective politics by winning the May 2022 Republican primary for the 78th district, defeating David Ashley and Cory Bortree. In the November 2022 general election he defeated Democrat Erik Davis, capturing 76.55% of the vote and securing the seat [1]. He was sworn in at the start of the 2023 legislative session.\n\n## Legislative record and accomplishments\nFor the 2023-2024 session, Jackson's committee assignments include Banking; Education-Universities; Finance; Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House; and State Personnel [1]. Vote Smart lists additional assignments including Agriculture and Environment, Vice Chair of Energy and Public Utilities, Chair of the Finance Committee, and membership on the Higher Education and Revenue Law Study committees [2].\n\n## Sources\n[1] [Neal Jackson (North Carolina politician) - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neal_Jackson_(North_Carolina_politician))\n[2] [Vote Smart | Facts For All](https://justfacts.votesmart.org/candidate/biography/202734/neal-jackson)\n[3] North Carolina State Board of Elections, 2026 Candidate Listing (NC House District 078, Moore/Randolph counties) \u2014 https://s3.amazonaws.com/dl.ncsbe.gov/Elections/2026/Candidate%20Filing/Candidate_Listing_2026.csv, accessed 2026-07-20","firstname":"Maze","lastname":"Jackson","middlename":"O'Neal","suffix":null,"token":"26f6c0bdee683412"},"token":"gCtU757fxxaUWZGw"},{"candidatename":"Matt Borja","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"DEM","person":{"biography":"Matthew Ryan \"Matt\" Borja is the Democratic nominee for the North Carolina House of Representatives in District 78 in the 2026 general election, scheduled for November 3, 2026. The North Carolina House is the lower chamber of the state legislature; members serve two\u2011year terms, introduce and vote on state laws, approve the state budget, and provide oversight of the executive branch. District 78 currently is represented by Republican incumbent Neal Jackson, who is seeking re\u2011election.\n\nBorja\u2019s candidacy advanced without a contested Democratic primary because the March 3, 2026 primary was canceled, allowing him to appear on the November ballot as the sole Democratic candidate [1]. He is listed on the official North Carolina State Board of Elections candidate lists for the 2026 cycle, confirming his filing and party affiliation as a Democrat [1]. No additional biographical details such as education, professional background, or prior public service are provided in the available sources.\n\nIn the upcoming race, Borja will challenge Jackson, who won his Republican primary with 72% of the vote [1]. The general election will be part of a broader statewide contest that includes all 120 House seats, 50 Senate seats, and numerous statewide offices and referenda [6]. Borja has not yet completed Ballotpedia\u2019s Candidate Connection survey, and campaign finance data are not yet available [1]. No campaign website, email address, or phone number has been published in the sources consulted.\n\nBorja\u2019s campaign therefore centers on securing the Democratic nomination by default and presenting himself to voters in District 78 as an alternative to the incumbent Republican representative.\n\n## Sources\n- [1] [Matt Borja - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Matt_Borja)\n- [5] [Candidate Lists | NCSBE](https://www.ncsbe.gov/results-data/candidate-lists)\n- [6] [Upcoming Election | NCSBE](https://www.ncsbe.gov/voting/upcoming-election)\n- [9] [2026 Election United States House - North Carolina - District 06 - FEC.gov](https://www.fec.gov/data/elections/house/NC/06/2026/)\n- [12] [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- [13] [2026 North Carolina House of Representatives election - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_North_Carolina_House_of_Representatives_election)\n- [15] [Candidate Profiles \u2013 NC Voter Guide](https://ncvoterguide.org/profiles/)\n- [16] [Results from 2026 Candidate Filing - Carolina Forward](https://carolinaforward.org/blog/results-from-2026-candidate-filing/)","firstname":"Matthew","lastname":"Borja","middlename":"Ryan","suffix":null,"token":"39c9a6d83c960d80"},"token":"ruZhtFW4XZ3PfeS2"}],"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 078"}