←All People
James Marshburn Speed
Office history
Current office and 2026 campaign
James Marshburn "Mark" Speed is the Democratic candidate for North Carolina House of Representatives District 7, covering Franklin and Vance counties, on the November 3, 2026 general-election ballot 12. He filed to run on December 2, 2025 1. The Democratic primary scheduled for March 3, 2026 was canceled, and Speed advanced directly to the general election, where he faces Republican Cory Thornton 2.
Background and education
Speed has served as a Franklin County Commissioner since his appointment in 2017 and previously served on community-service boards representing Franklin, Nash, and Vance counties, per his own account in a 2022 Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey filed during an earlier run for NC State Senate District 11 3. He is the son of the late James D. Speed, who represented the area in the North Carolina General Assembly for more than 30 years and is honored posthumously through the Franklin County Cattlemen's Association's Senator James D. Speed Achievement Scholarship 34. Speed lives in Louisburg, NC 3.
Sources
Public filings
Candidates and officeholders are required by law to file campaign finance reports and statements of economic interest. The sites below don't support direct links to an individual record — search by last name on each.
North Carolina — campaign finance
- State, county, and municipal candidates — all in one system — NC State Board of Elections — Committee Search. Search by last name “Speed”.
North Carolina — statement of economic interest
- Required for state-elected and many local officials — NC State Ethics Commission — Statement of Economic Interest Search. Search by last name “Speed”.