{"campaigns":[{"candidatename":"Evonne S. Hopkins","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"DEM","person":{"biography":"Evonne S. Hopkins is the Democratic nominee for North Carolina House District 35 in the 2026 general election, scheduled for November 3, 2026. The North Carolina House of Representatives is a 120\u2011member lower chamber that enacts state law, approves the budget, and represents constituents' interests; members serve two\u2011year terms and must reside in the district they represent\u30101\u3011.\n\nHopkins earned a Bachelor of Arts with Honors in Philosophy from Rollins College in 1998 and a joint JD/MBA from the University of San Francisco in 2003\u30103\u3011\u301020\u3011. She is licensed to practice law in North Carolina, California, and the District of Columbia, and in 2015 became a North Carolina Board\u2011Certified Family Law Specialist, a distinction held by roughly 1\u202f% of the state\u2019s attorneys\u301015\u3011.\n\nProfessionally, Hopkins runs the Raleigh Law Center, a family\u2011law practice she founded in North Raleigh, where she also serves as a certified parent coordinator. She volunteers with \u201cThe Child\u2019s Advocate,\u201d a Legal Aid project representing children in high\u2011conflict custody cases, and was honored with Legal Aid\u2019s Pro\u202fBono Hero Award in 2023 and again in 2024 for that work\u30103\u3011\u301015\u3011\u301016\u3011. Her civic involvement includes serving as former chair of the Family Law Section of the North Carolina Advocates for Justice and holding leadership roles on several state judicial committees\u301020\u3011.\n\nIn 2024, Hopkins narrowly lost the District\u202f35 race to Republican incumbent Mike\u202fSchietzelt, earning 47.1\u202f% of the vote to Schietzelt\u2019s 50.3\u202f%\u30101\u3011. The Democratic primary for 2026 was canceled, allowing her to advance automatically to the November ballot\u30101\u3011. Her campaign emphasizes fully funding public schools, supporting teachers, protecting reproductive rights, expanding affordable healthcare, addressing the district\u2019s rapid growth with infrastructure investments, and promoting clean air, water, and renewable energy. She also pledges to support small\u2011business owners, improve public transportation, and ensure law\u2011enforcement agencies have adequate resources\u30103\u3011\u301015\u3011\u301018\u3011.\n\nHopkins, 48, lives in North Raleigh with her husband, Joe, and their two children. She describes herself as a mother, small\u2011business owner, and lifelong North Carolinian, drawing on her legal experience and community service to advocate for families and children in the General Assembly\u30103\u3011\u301015\u3011.\n\n## Sources\n- [1] [Evonne Hopkins - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Evonne_Hopkins)\n- [3] [Democrat for NC House: Elect Evonne Hopkins for a Safer, Stronger North Carolina](https://www.hopkinsforhouse.com/)\n- [14] [Evonne Hopkins - Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee](https://dlcc.org/candidates/evonne-hopkins/)\n- [15] [Candidate Questionnaire: Evonne Hopkins, NC House District 35](https://indyweek.com/news/elections-news/candidate-questionnaire-evonne-hopkins-nc-house-district-35/)\n- [16] [Join States Win in supporting Evonne Hopkins!](https://secure.actblue.com/donate/sd188-nc-hopkins-nj)\n- [17] [Evonne Hopkins for House District 35 | North Carolina Asian Americans Together in Action (NCAATIA)](https://ncaatinaction.org/endorsement/evonne-hopkins-for-house-district-35/)\n- [18] [In Wake County\u2019s House District 35, Democrat Evonne Hopkins is Running Against a GOP Candidate With Extremist Ties - NC Voices](https://ncvoices.com/in-wake-countys-house-district-35-democrat-evonne-hopkins-is-running-against-a-gop-candidate-with-extremist-ties/)\n- [20] [Democratic Evonne Hopkins, candidate for NC House District 35, answers our questions - AOL](https://www.aol.com/news/democratic-evonne-hopkins-candidate-nc-132458780.html)","firstname":"Evonne","lastname":"Hopkins","middlename":"Sammartino","suffix":null,"token":"9804c7cef2b51447"},"token":"JJwYF5rALs"},{"candidatename":"Mike Schietzelt","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"REP","person":{"biography":"Mike Schietzelt is the incumbent Republican member of the North Carolina House of Representatives for District 35, a seat he has held since assuming office on January\u202f1,\u202f2025 and will hold through January\u202f1,\u202f2027.  The North Carolina Constitution requires state representatives to be qualified voters, to have resided in the district for at least one year before the election, and to be at least 21 years old; they serve two\u2011year terms with no term limits and receive a salary of $13,951 per year plus a per\u2011diem allowance\u202f[2].  Schietzelt is running for re\u2011election in the 2026 general election on November\u202f3,\u202f2026, after winning the Republican primary with 91\u202f% of the vote\u202f[1].\n\nBorn Michael Gary Schietzelt\u202fJr. on October\u202f24,\u202f1986 in Escondido, California, he was raised in Burlington, North Carolina.  He graduated from Western\u202fAlamance High School in 2004, earned a Bachelor of Music in trumpet performance from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in 2008, and received his Juris Doctor from Duke University School of Law in 2018\u202f[4].  Between college and law school he served in the United States Marine Corps (2011\u20112015), performing with the Marine Drum and Bugle Corps and earning the rank of Sergeant\u202f[4].\n\nAfter law school, Schietzelt clerked for Chief Justice Mark D.\u202fMartin of the North Carolina Supreme Court, then worked as a Criminal Justice Fellow at the John\u202fLocke Foundation (2019\u20112020) researching criminal code reforms\u202f[4].  He later served as the founding Constitutional Law Fellow at Regent University\u2019s Robertson Center for Constitutional Law, representing faith\u2011based groups in appellate courts and teaching First Amendment courses\u202f[4].  In July\u202f2022 he joined the litigation practice of Michael\u202fBest\u202f&\u202fFriedrich, LLP\u202f[4].  He is a member of the Federalist Society and has been affiliated with various legal and policy organizations.\n\nIn the legislature, Schietzelt has focused on education, transportation, and public\u2011safety issues.  He sponsored a bill to raise the starting teacher salary to $50,000 with a 22\u202f% increase, a measure that was incorporated into the House budget proposal\u202f[12].  He also led an effort to block a toll on the U.S.\u202f1/Capital\u202fBoulevard corridor, arguing that tolls would impose an unfair cost on commuters and small\u2011business owners\u202f[12].  His committee work includes service on the House Oversight Committee, where he has questioned school\u2011district compliance with the Parents\u2019 Bill of Rights\u202f[12].  Schietzelt\u2019s 2024 election results show he won 50.3\u202f% of the vote, defeating Democrat Evonne\u202fS.\u202fHopkins and Libertarian Michael\u202fOakes\u202f[1].\n\nSchietzelt\u2019s personal life includes his wife Carmon and their four children.  He maintains a campaign website that outlines priorities such as lowering the cost of living, strengthening public safety, improving education, and investing in infrastructure\u202f[15].  He has received endorsements from groups like Americans for Prosperity\u2011North Carolina and local officials, including the mayor of Wake\u202fForest\u202f[6][19].  Financial disclosures show he raised $126,027 in the 2024\u201125 cycle, with top contributors including Christine\u202fL.\u202fWeason and Destin\u202fHall\u202f[13].\n\nOverall, Schietzelt combines military service, legal experience, and a focus on education and transportation policy in his role as a state legislator, seeking a second term in the 2026 election.\n\n## Sources\n- [1] [Mike Schietzelt - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Mike_Schietzelt)\n- [2] [North Carolina House of Representatives District 35 - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/North_Carolina_House_of_Representatives_District_35)\n- [3] [Representative Mike Schietzelt - Biography - North Carolina General Assembly](https://www.ncleg.gov/Members/Biography/H/840)\n- [4] [Mike Schietzelt - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Schietzelt)\n- [6] [Americans for Prosperity-North Carolina Announces First Wave of 2026 State Legislature Endorsements - Americans for Prosperity](https://americansforprosperity.org/press-release/americans-for-prosperity-north-carolina-announces-first-wave-of-2026-state-legislature-endorsements/)\n- [8] [Mike Schietzelt for N.C. House (@Mikefor35)](https://www.facebook.com/Mikefor35/)\n- [12] [In a Wake County NC House race, a GOP lawmaker faces an opponent who's new to the party | WUNC News](https://www.wunc.org/politics/2026-01-02/wake-county-nc-house-race-gop-lawmaker)\n- [13] [Mike Schietzelt - North Carolina Candidate - Transparency USA](https://www.transparencyusa.org/nc/candidate/mike-schietzelt)\n- [15] [Mike Schietzelt For NC House District 35 - Mike Schietzelt For NC House District 35](https://mikeschietzelt.com/)\n- [16] [Mike Schietzelt | BallotReady](https://www.ballotready.org/people/mike-schietzelt)\n- [18] [Races to watch ahead of NC\u2019s March primaries | The North State Journal](https://nsjonline.com/article/2026/01/races-to-watch-ahead-of-ncs-march-primaries/)\n- [19] [Wake Forest mayor endorses NC House candidate](https://www.wakeweekly.com/news/wake-forest-mayor-endorses-nc-house-candidate-341355)\n- [20] [Field is set for NC 2026 elections as filing closes | WFAE 90.7 - Charlotte's NPR News Source](https://www.wfae.org/politics/2025-12-27/field-is-set-for-nc-2026-elections-as-filing-closes)","firstname":"Michael","lastname":"Schietzelt","middlename":"Gary","suffix":"JR","token":"d6580b0b53b30714"},"token":"yfQqM99kgB"}],"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 035"}