{"campaigns":[{"candidatename":"Don Hardy","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"DEM","person":{"biography":"Dontario \"Don\" Hardy is the incumbent mayor of Kinston, North Carolina, and is the Democratic candidate for the North Carolina House of Representatives District\u202f12 in the 2026 general election. The state House seat requires the member to draft, debate, and vote on state legislation, serve on committees, and represent the interests of constituents in the district, which includes parts of Lenoir County and surrounding areas [1].\n\nHardy was born and raised in Kinston and graduated from Kinston High School. After high school he enlisted in the United States Navy, serving four years aboard three ships and traveling internationally to locations such as Singapore, Australia, Hawaii, and Guantanamo Bay. Following his military service he attended Lenoir Community College, earning Basic Law Enforcement Training, and subsequently joined the Kinston Police Department, where he worked in traffic control for seven years and later served as a police sergeant for the UNC Lenoir Health Care hospital\u2019s public safety division [19].\n\nHis transition to elected office began after Hurricane Matthew\u2019s flooding in 2016, which motivated him to run for mayor to improve emergency response and community services. Hardy won the nonpartisan mayoral race in November 2015 and was re\u2011elected to a second term in 2020, defeating Mayor Pro Tem Felicia Solomon by more than 300 votes [20]. As mayor, he has emphasized building relationships with local, state, and federal partners, securing resources for infrastructure, workforce development, and housing, and coordinating emergency management during winter storms and other crises [17].\n\nIn addition to his municipal duties, Hardy is seeking to expand his public service to the state level. The Ballotpedia candidate page lists him as the Democratic nominee for House District\u202f12, where he will face incumbent Republican Chris Humphrey in the November\u202f3,\u202f2026 general election. The Democratic primary was cancelled, allowing Hardy to advance without a primary contest [1].\n\nHardy\u2019s career reflects a blend of military discipline, law\u2011enforcement experience, and local\u2011government leadership, positioning him to address both city\u2011level concerns and broader legislative priorities for his district.\n\n## Sources\n- [1] [Don Hardy - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Don_Hardy)\n- [4] [Don Hardy (Mayor of Kinston, North Carolina, candidate 2025) - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Don_Hardy_(Mayor_of_Kinston,_North_Carolina,_candidate_2025))\n- [10] [Kinston, North Carolina - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinston,_North_Carolina)\n- [17] [Mayor Dontario Hardy, EPS' Post](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/mayor-dontario-hardy-eps-7b0ba741_on-behalf-of-the-city-of-kinston-north-carolina-activity-7288010645097136128-0fGj)\n- [19] [Q&A with Kinston Mayor Dontario Hardy \u2014 Neuse News](https://www.neusenews.com/index/2018/6/11/qa-with-kinston-mayor-dontario-hardy)\n- [20] [Dontario 'Don' Hardy wins second term as Kinston's mayor | Local News | kinston.com](https://www.kinston.com/news/local/dontario-don-hardy-wins-second-term-as-kinstons-mayor/article_dc7b9d3d-1d0d-507f-a094-548059bae34c.html)","firstname":"Dontario","lastname":"Hardy","middlename":"Damario","suffix":null,"token":"6a3a5e28d2b65891"},"token":"KImAAiAAzX"},{"candidatename":"Chris Humphrey","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"REP","person":{"biography":"Chris Humphrey is the incumbent Republican member of the North Carolina House of Representatives for District 12 and is seeking re\u2011election in the November\u202f3,\u202f2026 general election\u202f[4][11]. As a state representative he participates in the legislative process, drafts and votes on state laws, and serves on several standing committees that shape policy on agriculture, insurance, health, and appropriations\u202f[4][11][17].\n\nBorn Thomas Christopher Humphrey, he earned an Associate of Arts from Lenoir Community College (1988\u20111990) and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science & Government from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (1990\u20111992)\u202f[17]. He is married to Terry and has two children, Bailey and Courtney, and is active in his local Bethel Free Will Baptist Church\u202f[17].\n\nBefore entering state politics, Humphrey served as a commissioner on the Lenoir County Commission, gaining experience in local governance and community development\u202f[11][17]. He also held private\u2011sector roles, including ownership of an Allstate agency (1999\u2011present), management at Kmart, and ownership of a real\u2011estate brokerage and a fast\u2011food franchise\u202f[17]. His involvement in civic organizations includes the Rotary Club of Kinston, Kiwanis clubs, and the La Grange Chamber of Commerce, where he served as president\u202f[17].\n\nHumphrey was first elected to the North Carolina House in 2018, defeating incumbent Democrat George Graham with 56.1% of the vote, and was sworn in on January\u202f3,\u202f2019\u202f[11]. He was re\u2011elected in 2020 and again in 2024, winning 57.3% of the vote that year\u202f[4]. During his tenure he has held leadership positions such as Majority Freshman Caucus Whip (2019\u20112021) and has chaired the Insurance Committee across multiple sessions\u202f[4][11][17]. His committee assignments have consistently included the Agriculture Committee, Appropriations (including the Agriculture and Natural and Economic Resources subcommittee), Health Committee, and Disaster Recovery and Homeland Security, reflecting a focus on rural economic issues, health policy, and emergency preparedness\u202f[4][11][17].\n\nAmong his legislative activities, Humphrey has sponsored bills related to insurance regulation, agricultural support, and public health, though a complete list is maintained on BillTrack50 and the North Carolina General Assembly website\u202f[4]. His platform emphasizes protecting rural communities, supporting small businesses, and ensuring access to affordable health care, aligning with the priorities of his largely agricultural district\u202f[4][11]. As he runs for another term in 2026, Humphrey\u2019s record highlights continued service on key committees and a legislative agenda centered on economic development, insurance oversight, and disaster resilience.\n\n## Sources\n- [4] [Chris Humphrey - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Chris_Humphrey)\n- [11] [Chris Humphrey (politician) - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Humphrey_(politician))\n- [17] [Vote Smart | Facts For All](https://justfacts.votesmart.org/candidate/biography/92439/chris-humphrey)","firstname":"Thomas","lastname":"Humphrey","middlename":"Christopher","suffix":null,"token":"cf75ce95657ee43b"},"token":"3FoXuf8NJj"}],"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 012"}