{"biography":"JacQuez Johnson is a Democratic candidate for the North Carolina House of Representatives in District\u202f80 in the 2026 general election (Nov\u202f3,\u202f2026)\u301020\u3011. The state House requires members to be at least 21 years old, qualified voters residing in the district for at least one year, and to meet the state\u2019s residency and filing requirements\u301020\u3011. Johnson, born December\u202f9,\u202f1999 in Thomasville, NC, meets the age and residency thresholds and has formally filed his candidacy for the district\u301020\u3011.\n\nJohnson grew up in Thomasville, graduating from Thomasville High School before earning a bachelor\u2019s degree from Appalachian State University in 2023\u30101\u3011. He identifies as a Christian and works professionally as a teacher, a role that informs his focus on education policy and teacher pay\u30101\u3011\u301020\u3011.\n\nHis political experience began with a successful 2023 campaign for Thomasville City Council, where he has served continuously to the present day\u30101\u3011. In 2025 he entered the nonpartisan race for mayor of Thomasville, appearing on the November\u202f4,\u202f2025 ballot alongside Wendy B. Sellars and Raleigh York\u202fJr., though he was not the incumbent\u30101\u3011. While running for mayor, Johnson completed Ballotpedia\u2019s Candidate Connection survey, outlining priorities such as expanding affordable housing, investing in youth programs, and attracting inclusive economic development\u30101\u3011.\n\nIn December\u202f2025 Johnson announced his run for the state House, citing \u201curgent need for accountability, presence, and results\u201d at the state level\u301020\u3011. He criticized the state\u2019s failure to pass a budget, linking the impasse to delayed teacher pay raises and broader fiscal strain on families and public employees\u301020\u3011. Drawing on his background as an educator, he highlighted the 2025 Education Law Center report that ranked North Carolina among the nation\u2019s worst for education funding and equity, positioning himself as a champion for teachers and students\u301020\u3011.\n\nJohnson\u2019s campaign messaging emphasizes \u201clead with vision & govern with love,\u201d reflecting his stated inspiration from civil\u2011rights leaders like John Lewis and Dr. Martin\u202fLuther\u202fKing\u202fJr. He advocates for policies that create safe, dignified housing, expand after\u2011school and mentorship opportunities for youth, and attract diverse businesses that provide good\u2011paying jobs to strengthen downtown Thomasville and the broader district\u30101\u3011.\n\nIf elected, Johnson would bring his experience as a city councilman and teacher to the state legislature, aiming to address budgetary deadlock, improve education funding, and promote community\u2011focused economic growth for District\u202f80.\n\n## Sources\n- [1] [JacQuez Johnson (Mayor of Thomasville, North Carolina, candidate 2025) - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/JacQuez_Johnson_(Mayor_of_Thomasville,_North_Carolina,_candidate_2025))\n- [12] [JacQuez Johnson (@JacQuezforNC)](https://www.facebook.com/JacQuezforNC/)\n- [14] [JacQuez Johnson (@jacquezj3)](https://www.facebook.com/jacquezj3/)\n- [16] [JacQuez Johnson (@JacQuezfornc) / X](https://x.com/jacquezfornc)\n- [20] [Political Advertising: JacQuez Johnson Announces Candidacy for NC House District 80 \u2014 DavidsonLocal.com](https://www.davidsonlocal.com/news/6ww2ovrj064wpectqccnpqlj7qwwlx)","campaigns":[{"contest":"state_house_080","county":"davidson","county_count":7,"electiondate":"Tue, 03 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT","pgr":"general","state":"NC","title":"Nc House Of Representatives District 080"}],"cf_filings":[],"firstname":"Jacquez","fullname":"Jacquez Adon Johnson","lastname":"Johnson","middlename":"Adon","office_history":[{"campaigns":[{"contest":"state_house_080","contest_title":"Nc House Of Representatives District 080","county":"davidson","county_count":7,"electiondate":"2026-11-03","office_county":null,"office_key":"state_house","office_title":"State Representative","party":"DEM","pgr":"general","state":"NC"}],"county":null,"cycles":[{"general":{"contest":"state_house_080","contest_title":"Nc House Of Representatives District 080","county":"davidson","county_count":7,"electiondate":"2026-11-03","office_county":null,"office_key":"state_house","office_title":"State Representative","party":"DEM","pgr":"general","state":"NC"},"party":"DEM","primary":null,"term":null,"year":2026}],"office_key":"state_house","office_title":"State Representative","state":"NC","terms":[]}],"summary":"JacQuez Johnson, a teacher and Thomasville city councilman, is running as a Democrat for North Carolina House District\u202f80 in 2026.","terms":[],"token":"0c68a558b10d29cd"}