{"biography":"Diane D. Wheatley is the incumbent Republican representative for North Carolina\u2019s House District\u202f43 and is seeking re\u2011election in the November\u202f3,\u202f2026 general election.  Members of the North Carolina House serve two\u2011year terms and must reside in the district they represent; Wheatley has held the seat since she was first sworn in on January\u202f1,\u202f2021, with her current term set to end on January\u202f1,\u202f2027\u30101\u2020L1-L4\u3011.  In the 2026 Republican primary she defeated Clarence Goins with 59.5% of the vote, and she will face Democrat Janene Ackles in the November contest\u30101\u2020L71-L78\u3011.\n\nBorn on April\u202f12,\u202f1951, at Fort\u202fCampbell, Kentucky, Wheatley graduated from 71st High School and earned an associate\u2019s degree in nursing from Fayetteville Technical Community College in 1972\u30101\u2020L15-L18\u3011\u30109\u2020L9-L11\u3011.  She later completed business coursework at Methodist University\u301011\u2020L31-L33\u3011.  Her professional background includes fifteen years as a registered nurse at Cape\u202fFear Valley Hospital and Fayetteville Children\u2019s Clinic, as well as a long career in the private sector as chief financial officer and contract manager for Bragg Lines, Inc.\u202f\u2014\u202fa role she held for more than two decades\u301011\u2020L35-L38\u3011.\n\nWheatley entered public service on the Cumberland County School Board (1994\u20112004) and then served as a Cumberland County Commissioner (2004\u20112008)\u30109\u2020L45-L48\u3011.  She has been active in numerous community organizations, including past president of the Cumberland Kiwanis Club, chair of the Kidsville News Literacy Foundation, and leadership positions with the Red\u202fCross, Cape\u202fFear Valley Hospital board, and the Sandhills Council of Government\u301011\u2020L49-L58\u3011.\n\nIn the legislature she has been assigned to a range of committees.  For the 2023\u20112024 session she chairs the Pensions and Retirement Committee and serves on Appropriations, Appropriations on Education, Education\u2011Community Colleges (Vice Chair), Education\u2011K\u201112 (Vice Chair), Environment, Health, and Military and Veterans Affairs committees\u30101\u2020L24-L33\u3011.  During the 2021\u20112022 session she also sat on State Government and other key committees\u30101\u2020L34-L38\u3011.\n\nWheatley has sponsored and co\u2011sponsored legislation on issues such as constitutional carry (HB\u202f5), veteran benefits (HB\u202f36, HB\u202f39), disaster recovery (HB\u202f47), and education initiatives (HB\u202f79).  The full list of bills she introduced in the 2025\u20112026 session is documented on the North Carolina General Assembly website\u30105\u2020L1-L30\u3011.  Her legislative focus reflects her background in health care, veterans affairs, and fiscal policy.\n\nElectoral history shows Wheatley winning the 2020 race with 55.5% of the vote over Democrat Kimberly Hardy\u30109\u2020L21-L24\u3011, retaining the seat in 2022 by a narrow margin against Clarence Goins (59.5% to 40.5%)\u30101\u2020L71-L78\u3011, and again advancing from the 2024 Republican primary.  In 2020 she defeated Goins with 3,257 votes to his 2,615\u30109\u2020L21-L24\u3011.  Her 2026 primary victory and upcoming general election contest are the latest steps in a career that blends health\u2011care expertise, business leadership, and local government experience.\n\nWheatley\u2019s public service record, committee leadership, and legislative activity illustrate her role as a seasoned lawmaker representing the interests of Cumberland County and the broader 43rd district.\n\n## Sources\n- [1] [Diane Wheatley - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Diane_Wheatley)\n- [2] [Whit Whitley - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Whit_Whitley)\n- [3] [Jane Whilden - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Jane_Whilden)\n- [4] [Representative Diane Wheatley - Biography - North Carolina General Assembly](https://www.ncleg.gov/Members/Biography/H/785)\n- [5] [Representative Diane Wheatley's Introduced Bills - North Carolina General Assembly](https://www.ncleg.gov/Members/IntroducedBills/H/785)\n- [7] [Representative Diane Wheatley's Introduced Bills - North Carolina General Assembly](https://www3.ncleg.gov/Members/IntroducedBills/h/785)\n- [9] [Diane Wheatley - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diane_Wheatley)\n- [10] [iVoterGuide - Diane Wheatley iVoterGuide Profile](https://ivoterguide.com/candidate/4889/race/11242/election/946)\n- [11] [Vote Smart | Facts For All](https://justfacts.votesmart.org/candidate/biography/92358/diane-wheatley)\n- [13] [Diane Wheatley NC House District 43 (@DianeWheatleyNC)](https://www.facebook.com/DianeWheatleyNC)\n- [14] [State Representative Diane Wheatley | BillTrack50](https://www.billtrack50.com/legislatordetail/25657)\n- [15] [Diane Wheatley - North Carolina House Republican Caucus](https://www.nchouserepublicans.com/members/diane-wheatley)\n- [16] [North Carolina State Rep. Diane Wheatley - Biography | LegiStorm](https://www.legistorm.com/person/bio/387439/Diane_Wheatley.html)\n- [17] [Rep. Diane Wheatley | North Carolina 2021-2022 - Legislative Tracking | PolicyEngage](https://trackbill.com/legislator/north-carolina-representative-diane-wheatley/791-21206/)\n- [18] [Diane Wheatley wins NC House District 43 | The North State Journal](https://nsjonline.com/article/2020/11/diane-wheatley-wins-nc-house-district-43/)","campaigns":[{"contest":"state_house_043","county":"bladen","county_count":5,"electiondate":"Tue, 03 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT","pgr":"general","state":"NC","title":"Nc House Of Representatives District 043"},{"contest":"state_house_043","county":null,"county_count":0,"electiondate":"Tue, 03 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT","pgr":"general","state":"NC","title":"Nc House Of Representatives District 043"}],"cf_filings":[],"firstname":"Diane","fullname":"Diane D Wheatley","lastname":"Wheatley","middlename":"D","office_history":[{"campaigns":[{"contest":"state_house_043","contest_title":"Nc House Of Representatives District 043","county":"bladen","county_count":5,"electiondate":"2026-11-03","office_county":null,"office_key":"state_house","office_title":"State Representative","party":"REP","pgr":"general","state":"NC"},{"contest":"state_house_043","contest_title":"Nc House Of Representatives District 043","county":null,"county_count":0,"electiondate":"2026-03-03","office_county":null,"office_key":"state_house","office_title":"State Representative","party":"REP","pgr":"general","state":"NC"}],"county":null,"cycles":[{"general":{"contest":"state_house_043","contest_title":"Nc House Of Representatives District 043","county":null,"county_count":0,"electiondate":"2026-03-03","office_county":null,"office_key":"state_house","office_title":"State Representative","party":"REP","pgr":"general","state":"NC"},"party":"REP","primary":null,"term":null,"year":2026}],"office_key":"state_house","office_title":"State Representative","state":"NC","terms":[]}],"summary":"Incumbent Republican Rep. Diane Wheatley seeks re\u2011election to North Carolina House District\u202f43, bringing nursing, business, and local\u2011government experience to the legislature.","terms":[],"token":"18957c51c1abd536"}