{"campaigns":[{"candidatename":"Mary Insprucker","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"REP","person":{"biography":"Mary Insprucker is the Republican candidate for North Carolina House District 36 in the November\u202f3,\u202f2026 general election.  Her campaign website is\u202fmaryforcarolina.com and she lists a PO\u202fBox in Cary, NC as her mailing address\u202f[10].\n\nA longtime Cary resident, Insprucker is widely known locally as \u201cMary for Cary.\u201d  She describes herself as a neighbor, volunteer, and community leader who has spent decades serving in classrooms and national nonprofit organizations\u202f[14].  She is a professional communicator who has worked as a journalist and writer, interviewing figures such as Colin\u202fPowell and Maya\u202fAngelou, producing the local news outlet Triangle\u202f411, and contributing to UNC\u2011archived anthologies\u202f[14].  Her work earned her the Chamber of Commerce Community Enhancement Award and the Habitat for Humanity Media Relations Award\u202f[14].\n\nInsprucker\u2019s career includes serving as director of one of the largest nonprofits in the Midwest, consulting for the town of Cary, and sitting on the Board of Directors for the American Red Cross.  She has also volunteered with Habitat for Humanity, Make\u2011A\u2011Wish, and Special Olympics, and has taught as a religious instructor and substitute teacher in Wake County public schools\u202f[14].\n\nAlthough she does not consider herself a career politician, Insprucker has pursued elected office before.  In 2022 she ran as a nonpartisan candidate for Cary Town Council Ward\u202fC, appearing on the May\u202f17,\u202f2022 general\u2011election ballot\u202f[1].\n\nHer 2026 campaign emphasizes \u201creviving the American Dream,\u201d restoring affordable living, and fostering direct dialogue between lawmakers and citizens at the kitchen\u2011table level\u202f[13][14].  The platform reflects her long\u2011standing belief that community thrives when neighbors help one another.\n\n## Sources\n- [1] [Mary Insprucker (Cary Town Council Ward C, North Carolina, candidate 2022) - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Mary_Insprucker_(Cary_Town_Council_Ward_C,_North_Carolina,_candidate_2022))\n- [10] [Vote-USA | Mary Insprucker | Candidate for State Representative District 36, North Carolina | March 3, 2026 North Carolina Republican Party State Primary](https://vote-usa.org/intro.aspx?state=nc&id=ncinspruckermary)\n- [13] [Mary Insprucker for NC](https://maryforcarolina.com/)\n- [14] [MEET MARY - Mary Insprucker for NC](https://maryforcarolina.com/meet-mary)\n- [15] [Candidate Profiles \u2013 NC Voter Guide](https://ncvoterguide.org/profiles/)","firstname":"Mary","lastname":"Insprucker","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"token":"b184d872898b4d41"},"token":"KGl2wV7V5K"},{"candidatename":"Julie von Haefen","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"DEM","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\n\nJulie Marie von Haefen is a Democratic member of the North Carolina House of Representatives for District 36, a Wake County district; the General Assembly's member record for the 2025-2026 session lists her as having served four terms in the House [1]. She filed for re-election on December 1, 2025 and appears on the November 3, 2026 general-election ballot [2]. No primary was held for the seat in the March 3, 2026 primary; her general-election opponent is Republican Mary Insprucker of Cary [2]. Von Haefen's address of record on the filing is in Apex [2]. WRAL described the district in June 2025 as covering parts of Apex and Holly Springs [3].\n\n## Background and education\n\nHer campaign biography states that she received her bachelor's degree from Ohio University and her law degree from Case Western Reserve University, and that she holds inactive law licenses in Ohio, Arizona and California [4].\n\n## Career\n\nThe same campaign biography says von Haefen practiced law for over 10 years \"in a variety of areas including criminal law, medical malpractice defense, municipal law and education law,\" and that she works as a substitute teacher with Wake County Public Schools [4]. Reporting independently, WRAL identifies her as a lawyer who \"was a Parent Teacher Association leader at the school, county and state level, serving in various leadership roles including president of the Wake County PTA Council\" [3]. Her campaign account adds that she served on the North Carolina PTA Board of Directors from 2017 to 2019 and was State Advocacy Chair and Federal Legislative Chair for NCPTA, became a Guardian ad Litem in Wake County in 2018, and is a longtime Meals on Wheels volunteer [4].\n\n## Office history\n\nVon Haefen first won District 36 in the November 2018 general election, defeating Republican Nelson Dollar 21,551 votes to 20,667, with Libertarian Robyn Haley Pegram taking 1,305 [5]. She was re-elected in 2020 over Republican Kim Coley, 31,644 to 25,656, with Libertarian Bruce Basson at 2,206 [6]; in 2022 over Republican John Harris, 21,966 to 16,220, with Libertarian Kyle Ward at 968 [7]; and in 2024 over Republican Becki Allen, 28,629 to 22,364, with Libertarian Travis Groo at 1,521 [8].\n\n## Legislative record and accomplishments\n\nFor the 2025-2026 session she serves on the Appropriations committee; Appropriations, Health and Human Services; Education - K-12; Ethics; and Homeland Security and Military and Veterans Affairs [9].\n\nThe General Assembly's record of her introduced bills lists her as the first-listed primary sponsor of, among others, HB 500 \"NC Adopt ERA,\" HB 509 \"Right to Reproductive Freedom Act,\" HB 510 \"Menstrual Equity for All Act,\" HB 522 \"Crisis Pregnancy Center Fraud Prevention Act,\" HB 366 \"Reenact & Expand Pistol Purchase Permit,\" HB 367 \"Provide Rape Kit Status Updates to Victims,\" HB 420 and HB 1017 \"Sound Basic Education for Every Child,\" HB 807 \"Strong Public Schools for a Strong NC,\" HB 902 \"Free to Learn - Library Bill of Rights Act,\" HB 725 \"MOMnibus 3.0\" and HB 1120 \"Financial Effectiveness and Transparency Act\" [10]. She is also a primary sponsor of HB 815 \"Voucher School Accountability Act,\" HB 941 \"Expand & Enhance the Teaching Fellows Program,\" HB 521 \"Healthy Families & Workplaces/Paid Sick Leave\" and HB 622 \"Limit Excessive Mag Sizes\" [10]. None of the bills she primary-sponsored in the 2025-2026 session had been enacted into session law as of the General Assembly's record for this session; each remains in committee [10]. She is a co-sponsor, not a primary sponsor, of HB 8 \"NC Managing Environmental Waste Act of 2025,\" HB 20 \"Fair Maps Act\" and HB 31 \"Make Election Day A State Holiday\" [10].\n\n## Documented disputes and controversies\n\nIn June 2025, von Haefen posted on Facebook a video montage from the \"No Kings\" protests in North Carolina that included, in WRAL's description, \"an image of a protester's sign featuring a guillotine and a fake severed head resembling President Donald Trump\" [11]. The image was posted the same day a man shot two Minnesota politicians and their spouses, killing the state's former Democratic House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Raleigh native Mark Hortman [11][3]. She deleted the post the next day, calling the protester's sign \"inappropriate\" and writing: \"Let me be clear: I condemn political violence in all forms. My focus remains on bringing people together and fighting for the values that matter to North Carolinians. Like so many, I was horrified by the violence in Minnesota. There is no place for that kind of extremism in our democracy, no matter the target, no matter the party\" [11].\n\nNorth Carolina Republican Party chairman Jason Simmons called on her to resign, saying: \"The posts Rep. von Haefen shared do not show the judgement or temperament of someone to hold public office. For the good of her constituents to have effective representation, she should resign\" [11]. House Speaker Destin Hall, R-Caldwell, said he had launched discussions with legislative attorneys \"to ensure this behavior does not continue,\" adding that \"her disgraceful behavior fails to meet the standards expected from House members and sets a dangerous precedent in an already volatile political climate\" [11]. North Carolina Democratic Party chair Anderson Clayton called the response \"manufactured outrage ... to take advantage of the recent tragedy in Minnesota\" and said it \"rings incredibly hollow\" [11].\n\nThe following Tuesday, von Haefen apologized on the House floor: \"This weekend, I shared a video montage on Facebook that included an image that was inappropriate. I realized that quickly and took the post down, and I want to apologize today. I apologize to members of the House, to my constituents, and to any North Carolinian who was offended by what I posted\" [3]. The state Republican Party renewed its call for her resignation after the apology [3]. Speaking to reporters afterward, Hall did not rule out further action, which NC Newsline reported could include a motion to censure; Hall said \"the body elected me as speaker, and ultimately the body decides on what consequences are for things\" [12]. Von Haefen remained in office and filed for re-election on December 1, 2025 [2].\n\n## Sources\n\n[1] [Representative Julie von Haefen - Biography](https://www.ncleg.gov/Members/Biography/H/758) - North Carolina General Assembly, accessed 2026-07-30\n[2] [2026 Candidate Listing](https://s3.amazonaws.com/dl.ncsbe.gov/Elections/2026/Candidate%20Filing/Candidate_Listing_2026.csv) - North Carolina State Board of Elections, accessed 2026-07-30\n[3] [Von Haefen apologizes to NC lawmakers for social media image depicting 'inappropriate' protest sign](https://www.wral.com/story/von-haefen-apologizes-to-nc-lawmakers-for-social-media-image-depicting-inappropriate-protest-sign/22054607/) - WRAL, accessed 2026-07-30\n[4] [About - Elect Julie von Haefen for NC House 36](https://www.juliefornc.com/about) - Committee to Elect Julie von Haefen, accessed 2026-07-30\n[5] [Official precinct-level results, November 6, 2018 general election](https://s3.amazonaws.com/dl.ncsbe.gov/ENRS/2018_11_06/results_pct_20181106.zip) - North Carolina State Board of Elections, accessed 2026-07-30\n[6] [Official precinct-level results, November 3, 2020 general election](https://s3.amazonaws.com/dl.ncsbe.gov/ENRS/2020_11_03/results_pct_20201103.zip) - North Carolina State Board of Elections, accessed 2026-07-30\n[7] [Official precinct-level results, November 8, 2022 general election](https://s3.amazonaws.com/dl.ncsbe.gov/ENRS/2022_11_08/results_pct_20221108.zip) - North Carolina State Board of Elections, accessed 2026-07-30\n[8] [Official precinct-level results, November 5, 2024 general election](https://s3.amazonaws.com/dl.ncsbe.gov/ENRS/2024_11_05/results_pct_20241105.zip) - North Carolina State Board of Elections, accessed 2026-07-30\n[9] [Representative Julie von Haefen - Committees](https://www.ncleg.gov/Members/Committees/H/758) - North Carolina General Assembly, accessed 2026-07-30\n[10] [Representative Julie von Haefen's Introduced Bills](https://www.ncleg.gov/Members/IntroducedBills/H/758) - North Carolina General Assembly, accessed 2026-07-30\n[11] [NC GOP calls on Democrat to resign for social media post depicting severed Trump head](https://www.wral.com/story/nc-gop-calls-on-democrat-to-resign-for-social-media-post-depicting-severed-trump-head/22052860/) - WRAL, accessed 2026-07-30\n[12] [NC Democrat apologizes on House floor after 'inappropriate' protest post](https://ncnewsline.com/briefs/nc-democrat-apologizes-on-house-floor-after-inappropriate-protest-post/) - NC Newsline, accessed 2026-07-30","firstname":"Julie","lastname":"Von Haefen","middlename":"Marie","suffix":null,"token":"db94df6f75b09de2"},"token":"iJQMmFjRJL"}],"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 036"}