{"campaigns":[{"candidatename":"Jennifer Capps Balkcom","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"REP","person":{"biography":"Jennifer Capps Balkcom is the incumbent Republican member of the North Carolina House of Representatives for District 117 and is seeking re\u2011election in the November\u202f3,\u202f2026 general election\u202f[1][2]. The 117th district covers most of Henderson County in western North Carolina. As a state legislator she serves a two\u2011year term that began on January\u202f1,\u202f2023 and runs through January\u202f1,\u202f2027\u202f[1][2].\n\nBalkcom was born and raised in Henderson County, graduating from East Henderson High School before earning an associate degree in Business Administration/Banking and Finance from Blue Ridge Community College in 2016\u202f[1][9]. She has spent her professional career in the banking and mortgage\u2011lending industry, advancing from teller to branch manager and later to mortgage loan officer, most recently with ALCOVA Mortgage\u202f[11].\n\nHer community involvement is extensive. She has held leadership positions as vice president of the Hendersonville Women\u2019s Club and the Hendersonville Lions Club, and served as treasurer of the Mortgage Bankers Association of Western North Carolina\u202f[1][11]. Balkcom also sits on the boards of the Henderson County Education Foundation, the Advent Health Foundation, the Henderson County Planning Board, and the non\u2011profit The Store House, among others\u202f[1][11][20].\n\nIn the legislature Balkcom has been assigned to several key committees, including Agriculture, Banking, House Finance, Local Government \u2013 Land Use, Planning and Development, and State Government during the 2023\u20112024 session\u202f[1][15]. She has sponsored a range of bills, such as the \u201cBack the Blue Pay Act\u201d (HB\u202f42) and the \u201cFarmers Protection Act\u201d (HB\u202f62), reflecting interests in public safety, agricultural preservation, and property rights\u202f[6].\n\nBalkcom\u2019s campaign platform emphasizes conservative priorities: returning to paper ballots and ballot inspection, strict border enforcement, eliminating the state income tax, protecting Second Amendment rights, defending the unborn, supporting parental rights, school choice, and opposing critical race theory\u202f[10]. She describes herself as a \u201cproven conservative fighter\u201d who grew up on a family farm and has deep roots in Henderson County\u202f[10][20].\n\nIf re\u2011elected, Balkcom will continue to represent the interests of Henderson County residents in the state House, drawing on her banking expertise, legislative experience, and long\u2011standing community service.\n\n## Sources\n- [1] [Jennifer Balkcom - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Jennifer_Balkcom)\n- [2] [Jennifer Capps Balkcom - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Jennifer_Capps_Balkcom)\n- [3] [Michael O'Shea (North Carolina) - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Michael_O'Shea_(North_Carolina))\n- [4] [Representative Jennifer Balkcom - Biography - North Carolina General Assembly](https://www.ncleg.gov/Members/DistrictRepresentation/H/117)\n- [5] [Representative Jennifer Balkcom - Biography - North Carolina General Assembly](https://www.ncleg.gov/Members/Biography/H/820)\n- [6] [Representative Jennifer Balkcom's Introduced Bills - North Carolina General Assembly](https://www.ncleg.gov/Members/IntroducedBills/H/820)\n- [9] [Jennifer Balkcom - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jennifer_Balkcom)\n- [10] [Jennifer Balkcom for State House](https://www.votebalkcom.com/)\n- [11] [Jennifer Balkcom's Biography](https://justfacts.votesmart.org/candidate/biography/202758/jennifer-balkcom)\n- [14] [Jennifer Balkcom - Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q124668538)\n- [15] [Jennifer Balkcom \u2013 North Carolina State Representative](https://repbio.org/jennifer-balkcom/)\n- [18] [Jennifer Balkcom - North Carolina House Republican Caucus](https://www.nchouserepublicans.com/members/jennifer-balkcom/)\n- [19] [Jennifer Balkcom - Representative from North Carolina](https://sengov.com/states/north-carolina/jennifer-balkcom/)\n- [20] [Get to know Rep.-elect Jennifer Balkcom - NC Tribune](https://nctribune.com/news/2022/dec/09/get-to-know-rep-elect-jennifer-balkcom/)","firstname":"Jennifer","lastname":"Balkcom","middlename":"Capps","suffix":null,"token":"48bf2461c322d4da"},"token":"qXBLQIhG80"},{"candidatename":"Lynne Russo","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"DEM","person":{"biography":"Lynne Eriika Russo is the Democratic candidate for the North Carolina House of Representatives in District\u202f117 in the 2026 general election, with the primary cancelled and her name placed on the November\u202f3 ballot alongside incumbent Republican Rep.\u202fJennifer Balkcom [1].  Russo describes herself as a communications consultant and community advocate who lives in the mountains of Western North Carolina, a region she says she has deep family ties to through her grandparents who met in the state while her grandfather served in the Navy [8].\n\nHer professional background is rooted in nonprofit fundraising and strategic communications.  Over the course of her career she has helped national nonprofits raise millions of dollars and craft human\u2011centered stories that drive change, working with organizations such as The Education Trust, the Milken Family Foundation, and the Prostate Cancer Foundation [8][19].  This experience has shaped her focus on amplifying the voices of overlooked communities and securing funding for public\u2011policy initiatives.\n\nRusso\u2019s recent public service emerged after Hurricane\u202fHelene devastated Western North Carolina in 2024.  She mobilized supplies, organized volunteer efforts, and secured media attention for Appalachian families, becoming a vocal advocate for long\u2011term recovery funding for the region [8][19][10].  She has repeatedly called for additional federal aid, noting that the state\u2019s $2\u202fbillion allocation has left many small\u2011business owners and rural residents without the support they need [19][10].\n\nHer campaign platform centers on four main pillars: fully funding public schools and modernizing facilities damaged by the hurricane; accelerating disaster\u2011relief and rural\u2011recovery programs; expanding affordable health care and child\u2011nutrition services; and supporting veterans, farmers, and small\u2011business owners across the district [1][19].  Russo argues that North Carolina\u2019s low rankings in teacher pay and school funding (43rd overall, 39th in starting salary) require decisive investment to stop chronic staffing shortages and improve student outcomes [1].  She also opposes the diversion of $1.3\u202fbillion in state funds to private\u2011school vouchers, pledging to keep resources in the public\u2011school system [1].\n\nIn addition to policy proposals, Russo emphasizes a hands\u2011on, non\u2011partisan approach to governance, promising to \u201croll up her sleeves\u201d and deliver tangible results rather than partisan rhetoric [1][19].  Her campaign slogan, \u201cFighting for\u202fYOU,\u201d reflects this commitment to direct action for the people of District\u202f117.  Voters can learn more, donate, or volunteer through her campaign website, www.lynnerussofornc.com [7].\n\n## Sources\n- [1] [Lynne Russo - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Lynne_Russo)\n- [7] [Lynne Russo for NC House District 117](https://www.lynnerussofornc.com)\n- [8] [About \u2014 Lynne Russo for NC House](https://www.lynnerussofornc.com/about)\n- [10] [North Carolina resident Lynne Russo says federal funding ...](https://www.facebook.com/NewsNationNow/posts/north-carolina-resident-lynne-russo-says-federal-funding-is-needed-for-hurricane/676473328093021/)\n- [11] [North Carolina resident Lynne Russo says federal funding is ...](https://www.facebook.com/NewsNationNow/videos/north-carolina-needs-60-billion-to-recover-from-helene-resident-newsnation-live/1577574522941583/)\n- [12] [Lynne Russo's condo sits at the top of a mountain in ...](https://www.facebook.com/KARE11/posts/lynne-russoscondo-sits-at-the-top-of-a-mountain-in-hendersonville-about-a-30-min/1017435540426219/)\n- [13] [Lynne Russo | Ever wonder how Western North Carolina is ...](https://www.instagram.com/reel/DFIYn7cRaD1/)\n- [14] [Lynne Russo | In North Carolina, 651982 people have lost ...](https://www.instagram.com/p/DLqSLyDRPvG/)\n- [15] [Lynne Russo | It was an honor to speak on behalf of the ...](https://www.instagram.com/reel/DHwH2k7x6Ss/)\n- [18] [Here's the final candidate list for 2026 elections - Hendersonville Lightning](https://www.hendersonvillelightning.com/four-seasons-politics/15729-elx-4.html)\n- [19] [Democrat announces campaign for state House - Hendersonville Lightning](https://www.hendersonvillelightning.com/four-seasons-politics/15342-lynn-russo.html)","firstname":"Lynne","lastname":"Russo","middlename":"Eriika","suffix":null,"token":"86b15f12c39e5417"},"token":"LoP9zkuqJb"}],"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 117"}