{"campaigns":[{"candidatename":"Mark Hollo","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"REP","person":{"biography":"Mark Walter Hollo is the incumbent Republican state senator for North Carolina\u2019s 45th Senate district, covering Catawba and Caldwell counties, and is seeking re\u2011election in the November\u202f3,\u202f2026 general election. He began his current Senate term on January\u202f1,\u202f2025, and his term is set to end on January\u202f1,\u202f2027\u202f[1][6].\n\nHollo earned a Bachelor of Science from Southern Illinois University in 1980 and completed the Physician Assistant Program at Wake Forest University\u2019s Bowman Gray School of Medicine in 1983\u202f[11][1]. He served as a Captain in the U.S. Air Force Reserve, and has worked as a physician assistant at Family Care Center in Taylorsville and at urgent\u2011care clinics in Catawba County. He also co\u2011owned a medical practice with more than 40 employees and taught as an adjunct professor in the Lenoir\u2011Rhyne Physician Assistant Program\u202f[20][11].\n\nHis political career began with three terms in the North Carolina House of Representatives (2005\u20112007, 2011\u20112015), representing the 88th and later the 73rd districts after redistricting\u202f[6][11]. After an unsuccessful bid for the state Senate in 2018 and 2020, Hollo won election to the Senate in 2024, defeating Democrat Kimberly Bost with 70.3% of the vote\u202f[1].\n\nDuring his legislative service Hollo has held several committee assignments. In the 2025\u20112026 session he served on the Appropriations on Department of Transportation, Commerce and Insurance, Education/Higher Education, Health Care, and Senate State and Local Government committees\u202f[1]. Earlier, while in the House, he chaired the Health and Human Services Committee and served on Appropriations, Homeland Security, Military and Veterans Affairs, Public Utilities, and State Personnel committees\u202f[1].\n\nHollo has sponsored a range of bills, including SB\u202f124 to modernize state hiring, SB\u202f227 to eliminate DEI mandates in public education, SB\u202f50 to expand concealed\u2011carry rights, and the North Carolina Border Protection Act (SB\u202f394) aimed at strengthening cooperation with federal immigration officials\u202f[5][20]. He also introduced legislation on disaster recovery, physician\u2011assistant licensure compact, and school\u2011based AEDs\u202f[5].\n\nOutside the legislature, Hollo is active in community organizations: former member of the Letchfield Community Board of Education, Alexander County Community Child Protection Team, and various professional physician\u2011assistant associations. He is married to Barbara and has two sons, Robbie and Scott\u202f[11].\n\n## Sources\n- [1] [Mark Hollo - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Mark_Hollo)\n- [3] [Senator Mark Hollo - Biography - North Carolina General Assembly](https://www.ncleg.gov/Members/Biography/s/450)\n- [4] [Senator Mark Hollo - Biography - North Carolina General Assembly](https://www.ncleg.gov/Members/Biography/S/450)\n- [5] [Senator Mark Hollo's Introduced Bills - North Carolina General Assembly](https://www.ncleg.gov/Members/IntroducedBills/s/450)\n- [6] [Mark Hollo - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Hollo)\n- [11] [Meet Civic Sage - Vote Smart - Facts For All](https://justfacts.votesmart.org/candidate/biography/41112/mark-hollo)\n- [14] [Mark Hollo | BallotReady](https://www.ballotready.org/people/mark-hollo)\n- [16] [North Carolina State Sen. Mark Hollo - Biography | LegiStorm](https://www.legistorm.com/person/bio/192850/Mark_Walter_Hollo.html)\n- [20] [Mark Hollo platform & website | North Carolina State Senator, District 45](https://branch.vote/races/2026-north-carolina-general-election-nc-state-state-senator-nc-state-senate-45/candidates/mark-hollo)","firstname":"Mark","lastname":"Hollo","middlename":"Walter","suffix":null,"token":"3baed160a576d383"},"token":"Nxt54lQ_8JRCzB-5"},{"candidatename":"Greg Cranford","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"DEM","person":{"biography":"Gregory Sherrill Cranford is the Democratic candidate for the North Carolina State Senate, seeking to represent District 45 in the November 3, 2026 general election. The Democratic primary for the seat was cancelled, allowing Cranford to advance automatically to the ballot against incumbent Republican Senator Mark Hollo.[1]\n\nCranford grew up in the Newton\u2011Conover area, graduating from Newton\u2011Conover High School in 1977 and earning a bachelor\u2019s degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1981.[1]  His professional background beyond education is not detailed in the available sources, but his repeated candidacies suggest a sustained involvement in state\u2011level politics.\n\nHe first entered electoral politics in 2020, running as the Democratic nominee for North Carolina House of Representatives District 89. In that race, he received 25.7% of the vote (10,711 votes) against incumbent Republican Mitchell Setzer, who won with 74.3% (31,044 votes).[1]  Cranford again contested the same House seat in 2024, earning 24.0% of the vote (12,044 votes) while Setzer captured 76.0% (38,122 votes). Both primary contests were unopposed, with Cranford advancing automatically.[1]\n\nBuilding on those experiences, Cranford is now pursuing a seat in the State Senate. While campaign finance filings on Transparency USA show no reported contributions or expenditures for him at this time, the lack of financial data may reflect the early stage of the campaign cycle.[15]  No campaign website or contact information has been identified in the sources consulted.\n\nCranford\u2019s educational credentials and multiple runs for office illustrate a commitment to public service and an effort to offer Democratic alternatives in traditionally Republican\u2011leaning districts. His upcoming contest for Senate District 45 will be the first opportunity for him to seek a legislative seat at the upper chamber of the North Carolina General Assembly.\n\n## Sources\n- [1] [Greg Cranford - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Greg_Cranford)\n- [5] [Candidate Lists | NCSBE](https://www.ncsbe.gov/results-data/candidate-lists)\n- [11] [Candidate Profiles \u2013 NC Voter Guide](https://ncvoterguide.org/profiles/)\n- [15] [Greg Cranford - North Carolina Candidate - Transparency USA](https://www.transparencyusa.org/nc/candidate/greg-cranford)\n- [18] [2026 North Carolina candidates](https://www.branch.vote/elections/state/nc/2026-north-carolina-primary-election/races)\n- [19] [Election field for 2026 is set in North Carolina](https://www.carolinajournal.com/election-field-for-2026-is-set-in-north-carolina/)\n- [20] [North Carolina 2026 General Election](https://www.thegreenpapers.com/G26/NC)","firstname":"Gregory","lastname":"Cranford","middlename":"Sherrill","suffix":null,"token":"5cb5e0fabd5c735a"},"token":"HwCtsHeeRUcBq59c"}],"choices":null,"description":null,"district":null,"districtgroup":null,"districtgroupname":null,"districtname":null,"job_type":"state_senator","o.office":"state_senate","office":"state_senate","officedescription":"The Tennessee Senate is the upper chamber of the state legislature, with 33 members elected from single-member districts to four-year terms. Senators pass state laws, approve the state budget, confirm certain gubernatorial appointments, and \u2014 with the House \u2014 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 Senator","partisan":1,"pgr":"general","quantity":1,"referendum":null,"source":null,"title":"Nc State Senate District 45"}