{"campaigns":[{"candidatename":"Mark Burrows","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"DEM","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nMark R. Burrows is the Democratic candidate for North Carolina House District 119, covering Jackson, Swain, and Transylvania counties, in the November 3, 2026 general election [1]. The Democratic primary was canceled, advancing Burrows automatically to the general [1]. His Republican opponent is Anna Ferguson: Ferguson finished second in the March 3, 2026 Republican primary behind then-incumbent Mike Clampitt, but Clampitt subsequently withdrew from the race, leaving Ferguson as the Republican general-election candidate [1][2].\n\n## Background and education\nBurrows earned a bachelor's degree from Wake Forest University in 1985 and a graduate degree from Duke University in 1987. As of 2024, he was a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners [1].\n\n## Career\nBurrows has worked in government and economic-development planning; his campaign describes \"over 30 years of planning and economic development experience...right here in Western NC\" [3].\n\n## Office history\nBurrows previously ran for the same seat in 2024, losing to then-incumbent Republican Mike Clampitt 55.4% to 44.6% (26,871 to 21,641 votes) [1].\n\n## Sources\n- [1] [Mark Burrows - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Mark_Burrows) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-20\n- [2] [North Carolina State Board of Elections 2026 Candidate Filing List (CSV)](https://s3.amazonaws.com/dl.ncsbe.gov/Elections/2026/Candidate%20Filing/Candidate_Listing_2026.csv) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-20 (Clampitt filed only for the March primary; Ferguson filed for the primary and, with an amended filing dated 2026-04-13, the November general)\n- [3] [Mark Burrows campaign Facebook post](https://www.facebook.com/MarkBurrowsNC/posts/im-mark-burrows-running-for-nc-house-to-serve-jackson-swain-and-transylvania-cou/122135294168298555/)","firstname":"Mark","lastname":"Burrows","middlename":"Ross","suffix":null,"token":"0e3738d3fb3c2fb1"},"token":"mDDn5YDK0O"},{"candidatename":"Mike Clampitt - DECEASED","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"REP","person":{"biography":"**Passed away 2026-03-18.** Rep. Mike Clampitt died of leukemia at Duke University Hospital on March 18, 2026 [7][14].\n\nJames Michael \"Mike\" Clampitt (February\u202f17,\u202f1955\u202f\u2013\u202fMarch\u202f18,\u202f2026) was a Republican member of the North Carolina House of Representatives for District\u202f119, which covers parts of Swain, Jackson and Transylvania counties in western North Carolina.  As a state representative, he participated in the legislative process, voted on bills, and served on a range of committees that shape state policy, including appropriations, public safety, and tribal affairs [2][7].\n\nClampitt earned an associate degree in fire science and technology from Rowan\u2011Cabarrus Community College in 1976 and began a career in public safety.  He served as a volunteer firefighter, a deputy sheriff in Forsyth County, and then spent 27\u202fyears with the Charlotte Fire Department, rising to the rank of captain before retiring in 2004.  Simultaneously, he directed fire\u2011rescue training at Central Piedmont Community College, where he helped develop a swift\u2011water rescue program for the Nantahala River [14][10].\n\nAfter his fire\u2011service career, Clampitt worked as the House Assistant Sergeant at Arms (2013\u20112014) before first being elected to the North Carolina House in 2016.  He served a term from 2017\u20112019, was defeated, and then won the seat again in 2020, serving from January\u202f1,\u202f2021 until his death in March\u202f2026.  During his tenure he chaired the Families, Children, and Aging Policy Committee and the Federal Relations and American Indian Affairs Committee, and held vice\u2011chair positions on the Appropriations Committee on Justice and Public Safety and the Wildlife Resources Committee.  He also served on the Education\u2011Community Colleges Committee and the Regulatory Reform Committee, among others [2][7].\n\nClampitt was known for his focus on public\u2011safety issues, support for first responders, and advocacy for western\u2011North\u2011Carolina recovery after Hurricane\u202fHelene.  He earned a 90\u202f% rating from the NC Values Coalition and, in a notable bipartisan effort, co\u2011sponsored Governor Roy Cooper\u2019s 2018 budget despite party differences [7].  He was a member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans and, according to public records, appeared on the Oath Keepers membership roster from at least 2014, a fact reported by multiple news outlets [7].\n\nIn the 2026 election cycle, Clampitt won the Republican primary for District\u202f119 with 56.8\u202f% of the vote but died of leukemia on March\u202f18,\u202f2026, before the November general election.  His death created a vacancy; local Republican leaders selected Anna Ferguson as his replacement on the ballot, and the governor will appoint a successor to finish the term [2][18][19].\n\nClampitt\u2019s long\u2011standing service\u2014spanning fire\u2011department leadership, legislative work, and community involvement\u2014left a legacy of dedication to his mountain districts and to North Carolina\u2019s public\u2011safety institutions.\n\n## Sources\n- [2] [Mike Clampitt - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Mike_Clampitt)\n- [7] [Mike Clampitt - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Clampitt)\n- [10] [Vote Smart | Facts For All](https://justfacts.votesmart.org/candidate/biography/136386/mike-clampitt)\n- [14] [James Clampitt Obituary (2026) - Bryson City, NC - The Smoky Mountain Times](https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/thesmokymountaintimes/name/james-clampitt-obituary?id=61159201)\n- [18] [Republicans select replacement for late Rep. Clampitt](https://smokymountainnews.com/news/item/41174-republicans-select-replacement-for-late-rep-clampitt)\n- [19] [Challenger to late state Rep. Clampitt succeeds him in office](https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nc/charlotte/news/2026/04/13/anna-ferguson-nc-rep-clampitt)","firstname":"James","lastname":"Clampitt","middlename":"Michael","suffix":null,"token":"52bbc94ba899f73d"},"token":"R0lkmSIlfV"}],"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 119"}