{"campaigns":[{"candidatename":"Regina Rodgers Parker","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"DEM","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nRegina Parker is the Democratic candidate for North Carolina Superior Court, District 2, Seat 1, on the November 3, 2026 general-election ballot; her candidacy was included in an early-filing roundup published by the Albemarle Observer [1][2].\n\n## Office history\nParker has served as a District Court judge for the 2nd Judicial District (Beaufort, Hyde, Martin, Tyrrell, and Washington counties) since being appointed by Governor Jim Hunt in January 2001. She was elected to a full term in November 2002 and re-elected unopposed in 2010 and 2014 [1].\n\n## Background and education\nParker earned a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from East Carolina University in 1989 and a J.D. from North Carolina Central University School of Law in 1992 [1].\n\n## Career\nBefore joining the bench, Parker clerked for Judge Clifton Johnson of the North Carolina Court of Appeals (1992\u20131994), was a partner at Smallwood Rodgers & Hayes in Windsor, NC (1994\u20131997), and practiced at the Law Firm of Earl T. Brown in Greenville, NC (1997\u20132001) [1]. In 2008 she served as graduation speaker at Beaufort County Community College [1].\n\n## Sources\n[1] [Regina Parker - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Regina_Parker) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-19\n[2] [2026 North Carolina Elections: Early Filing Update - Albemarle Observer](https://albemarleobserver.news/2025/12/04/2026-north-carolina-elections-early-filing-update/)","firstname":"Regina","lastname":"Parker","middlename":"Rodgers","suffix":null,"token":"5a6ee804728f3942"},"token":"F6cdPuRBZZEuCK9m"},{"candidatename":"Jerauld Brian Pafford","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"REP","person":{"biography":"Jerauld Brian Pafford is the Republican candidate for Superior Court Judge in North Carolina Judicial District Two, which covers Beaufort, Hyde, Martin, Tyrrell and Washington counties, for the November\u202f3,\u202f2026 election. In his campaign he emphasizes \u201cprofessional careful judgement,\u201d a commitment to fairness, liberty and the rule of law, and a desire to protect hardworking families and businesses in the region [6].\n\nPafford was raised in eastern North Carolina and now lives in Washington, NC with his wife Maggie\u2014an ECU School of Dental Medicine faculty member and interim chair of the Department of General Dentistry\u2014and their two children, Samson and Penelope. He describes himself as a family\u2011oriented person who loves God, the water and nature, and who enjoys boating with his family in his free time [6].\n\nHe has been a licensed attorney in North Carolina for more than 13\u202fyears. His legal career includes serving as a public defender for the Administrative Office of the Courts, operating a private law firm, and working as in\u2011house counsel for East Carolina University. His practice areas span criminal, constitutional, civil, education, federal regulatory, corporate, and estate law, giving him a broad perspective on the issues that come before the courts [6].\n\nPafford\u2019s campaign platform focuses on delivering \u201cstrong leadership\u201d that upholds the Constitution, corrects wrongs, restores balance, and ensures public safety and economic stability. He argues that a judge must make consistent, responsible decisions to protect the freedoms and comforts enjoyed by the community, and he pledges to bring his respect for the rule of law to the bench [6].\n\nThe campaign website invites supporters to contribute by check or contact the team for pickup, and provides a PO\u202fBox for donations. No direct email address or phone number is listed on the public pages of the site [6].\n\n## Sources\n- [6] [JERAULD BRIAN PAFFORD FOR SUPERIOR COURT JUDGE](https://paffordforjudge.com/)\n- [7] [Candidate Profiles \u2013 NC Voter Guide](https://ncvoterguide.org/profiles/)\n- [11] [Meet your Washington County Candidates for the 2026 Election](https://wcti12.com/elections/local/meet-your-washington-county-candidates-for-the-2026-election)","firstname":"Jerauld","lastname":"Pafford","middlename":"Brian","suffix":null,"token":"1e1a35a2a494a2f7"},"token":"N97fjaSe1cu5J8wV"}],"choices":null,"description":null,"district":null,"districtgroup":null,"districtgroupname":null,"districtname":null,"job_type":null,"o.office":"superior_court_judge","office":"superior_court_judge","officedescription":"In North Carolina, a superior court judge presides over the general-jurisdiction trial court \u2014 felony criminal cases and civil cases above the district-court limit \u2014 riding a rotation among the counties of the judicial district. Decisions are subject to appellate review.","officequalities":"- Trial-court judge of general civil and criminal jurisdiction \u2014 presides over jury and bench trials, dispositive motions, and felony sentencing.\n- Judicial temperament: the willingness to listen, deliberate, and apply the law dispassionately to people whose lives are deeply affected by the outcome.\n- Impartiality and ethics under the North Carolina Code of Judicial Conduct, including recusal when conflicts arise.\n- Working knowledge of the substantive and procedural law that controls, and the published precedent.\n- Docket management across a rotating district while honoring due process.\n- Clear written and oral explanation of rulings, so the parties and the public can follow the reasoning.","officeterm":8,"officetitle":"Superior Court Judge","partisan":1,"pgr":"general","quantity":1,"referendum":null,"source":null,"title":"Nc Superior Court Judge District 02 Seat 01"}