{"biography":"Shannon Wilson Bray is the Libertarian Party nominee for the United States Senate seat from North Carolina in the 2026 general election, appearing on the ballot on November 3, 2026 after the Libertarian primary was cancelled and he advanced unopposed [1].  Bray was born in Marrero, Louisiana, and served six years in the U.S. Navy (1991\u20111997) before transitioning to a civilian career in technology and cybersecurity [1][7].\n\nHe earned an associate\u2019s degree from Arapahoe Community College in 2014, a bachelor\u2019s degree in information technology from Colorado State University Global Campus in 2016, and a master\u2019s degree in cybersecurity from the University of Delaware in 2018, graduating with a 4.0 GPA [1][7].  He later completed a Ph.D. in computer science at Missouri University of Science and Technology (2021) and also attended Nicholls State University earlier in his academic path [7].\n\nBray\u2019s professional experience spans more than two decades in information technology, software development, and information security.  He has held senior roles such as Virtual Chief Information Security Officer for Secured Systems LLC (2015\u2011present), Chief Information Security Officer at ShareSquared, Inc. (2015\u20112019), Senior Systems Architect for the U.S. Department of Defense (2018\u20112019), and Senior SharePoint Architect at rmsource, Inc. (2016\u20112018).  Earlier positions include senior web development and architecture work for Visa, corporate services, and various consulting firms, as well as authoring Microsoft Press books on SharePoint administration [7].\n\nIn addition to his technical career, Bray is active in several veteran and maritime organizations.  He has served as a Technology Fellow for the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary, a regional director for the North Carolina chapter of the United States Naval Sea Cadet Corps, and holds leadership roles in the Navy League of the United States.  He also volunteers with the United States Marine Corps Cyber Auxiliary and coaches CyberPatriot teams [1][7].\n\nBray\u2019s Senate campaign is built around a \u201cliberty\u2011first\u201d platform that emphasizes digital privacy, civil liberties, and limited government.  He argues that modern surveillance threatens constitutional rights and advocates for policies that protect personal data without creating a surveillance state.  A hallmark of his campaign is the use of cryptocurrency both as a fundraising tool and as a policy focus; he contends that blockchain technology can enable transparent, secure elections and reduce reliance on traditional money streams [17].  He also opposes federal vaccine mandates, citing concerns about individual autonomy and potential side effects [17].\n\nDuring the 2026 election cycle, Bray has been active in Libertarian Party events, including speaking at the Wake County Libertarian Party Convention in January 2026, where he outlined his vision for a competent, accountable government that respects individual freedom [20].  He continues to promote his candidacy through a dedicated website (shannonbray.us), social media channels, and outreach to voters who feel unrepresented by the two major parties, emphasizing that third\u2011party votes can influence outcomes when they exceed the 6\u202f% threshold needed for ballot access [19][17].\n\nBray\u2019s prior runs for office include a 2022 U.S. Senate bid in which he received roughly 172,000 votes, a record for Libertarian candidates in North Carolina, and a 2024 campaign for Lieutenant Governor.  His experience as a veteran, technologist, and third\u2011party advocate shapes his message that \u201ccompetence over partisanship\u201d should guide the Senate\u2019s work on issues ranging from cybersecurity to civil liberties.\n\n## Sources\n- [1] [Shannon Bray - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Shannon_Bray)\n- [4] [Tillis defeats Cunningham in U.S. Senate election in N.C. - Ballotpedia News](https://news.ballotpedia.org/2020/11/16/tillis-defeats-cunningham-in-u-s-senate-election-in-n-c/)\n- [5] [United States Senate election in North Carolina, 2026 - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/United_States_Senate_election_in_North_Carolina,_2026)\n- [6] [2026 United States Senate election in North Carolina - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_United_States_Senate_election_in_North_Carolina)\n- [7] [Vote Smart | Facts For All](https://justfacts.votesmart.org/candidate/biography/186258/shannon-bray)\n- [9] [Shannon Bray for North Carolina | Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/ShannonBrayNC/)\n- [10] [Shannon Bray \ud83e\ude99 (@ShannonBrayNC) \u00b7 X](https://twitter.com/ShannonBrayNC)\n- [11] [Shannon Bray \ud83e\ude99 (@ShannonBrayNC) / X](https://x.com/shannonbraync?lang=en)\n- [14] [Shannon Bray for NC - US Senate](https://www.shannonbray.us/)\n- [16] [Shannon Bray - North Carolina Health News](https://www.northcarolinahealthnews.org/govpack_profiles/shannon-bray/)\n- [17] [Campaigning for the U.S. Senate: Shannon Bray hopes to address cryptocurrency and being a third party candidate - Elon News Network](https://www.elonnewsnetwork.com/article/2022/10/campaigning-for-the-u-s-senate-shannon-bray)\n- [18] [Shannon Bray at Shannon Bray for NC - US Senate](https://www.shannonbray.us/tags/shannon_bray)\n- [19] [The Power of the 3rd Party Voter - Shannon Bray for North Carolina](https://www.shannonbray.us/3pvoter)\n- [20] [News - Shannon Bray for North Carolina Governor](https://www.shannonbray.us/news)","campaigns":[{"contest":"us_senate","county":"alamance","county_count":100,"electiondate":"Tue, 03 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT","pgr":"general","state":"nc","title":"Us Senate"}],"cf_filings":[],"firstname":"Shannon","fullname":"Shannon Wilson Bray","lastname":"Bray","middlename":"Wilson","office_history":[{"campaigns":[{"contest":"us_senate","contest_title":"Us Senate","county":"alamance","county_count":100,"electiondate":"2026-11-03","office_county":null,"office_key":"us_senate","office_title":"U.S. Senator","party":"LIB","pgr":"general","state":"nc"}],"county":null,"cycles":[{"general":{"contest":"us_senate","contest_title":"Us Senate","county":"alamance","county_count":100,"electiondate":"2026-11-03","office_county":null,"office_key":"us_senate","office_title":"U.S. Senator","party":"LIB","pgr":"general","state":"nc"},"party":"LIB","primary":null,"term":null,"year":2026}],"office_key":"us_senate","office_title":"U.S. Senator","state":"NC","terms":[]}],"summary":"Shannon Bray is the Libertarian nominee for U.S. Senate in North Carolina in 2026, a Navy veteran and cybersecurity professional advocating liberty\u2011first policies.","terms":[],"token":"1f23a9ef5cfb42d2"}