Alma Shealey Adams

Alma Shealey Adams is the incumbent Democratic U.S. Representative for North Carolina’s 12th Congressional District, seeking re‑election in the 2026 general election on November 3. As a member of the U.S. House, she is responsible for drafting and voting on federal legislation, overseeing federal agencies through committee work, and providing constituent services such as casework and federal grant assistance for the district’s residents.

Born May 27, 1946, in High Point, North Carolina, Adams earned a B.S. (1969) and M.S. (1972) in art education from North Carolina A&T State University, followed by a Ph.D. in art education and multicultural education from Ohio State University in 1981 [20]. She began her professional career as an art educator and administrator, teaching at the Palmer Institute, directing the Steel Hall Art Gallery, and serving as a professor at Bennett College until 2012. She also co‑founded the African American Atelier, an organization promoting African‑American visual arts [20].

Adams entered politics through local service, sitting on the Greensboro City School Board (1984‑86) and the Greensboro City Council (1987‑94) before being appointed to the North Carolina House of Representatives in April 1994, filling the seat of the late Herman Gist. She represented the 26th (1994‑2003) and later the 58th (2003‑2014) state House districts, winning multiple re‑elections until she ran for Congress.

In November 2014, Adams won a special election to fill the U.S. House seat vacated by Mel Watt, becoming the 100th woman sworn into the 113th Congress. She has been re‑elected to successive terms, most recently securing a fifth full term in 2022 and winning the 2024 general election with 74% of the vote [4]. In the 2026 Democratic primary she defeated Monaca Maye Williamson with 79% of the vote and now faces Republican Jack Codiga in the November general election [1].

During her tenure in Congress, Adams has served on the Committee on Agriculture and the Committee on Education & the Workforce, acting as Ranking Member of the Workforce Protections Subcommittee and co‑chair of several bipartisan caucuses, including the HBCU Caucus and the Black Maternal Health Caucus [14]. Her signature legislative achievement is the FUTURE Act (H.R. 5363), which permanently provides $255 million annually to Minority‑Serving Institutions, including $85 million for Historically Black Colleges and Universities [14]. She has also advocated for the “4 H’s” – affordable health care, nutritious food, fair housing, and quality education – as fundamental rights for all Americans.

Adams’s public service record includes securing federal funding for district schools and health‑care facilities, supporting farm‑related legislation to address rising fertilizer costs, and promoting policies to lower health‑care premiums and expand ACA subsidies. Her work reflects a focus on economic opportunity, education, and health equity for the constituents of North Carolina’s 12th district.

Sources

• [1] Alma Adams - Ballotpedia
• [4] North Carolina's 12th Congressional District election, 2024 - Ballotpedia
• [14] Congresswoman Alma Adams | Representing the 12th District of North Carolina
• [15] ADAMS, ALMA SHEALEY - Candidate overview - FEC.gov
• [16] Op-Ed from Congresswoman Alma S. Adams, representing North Carolina's 12th Congressional District | Congresswoman Alma Adams
• [17] Rep. Adams’ Statement on the U.S. Presidential Election | Congresswoman Alma Adams
• [18] Local Issues | Congresswoman Alma Adams - House.gov
• [20] Alma Adams - Wikipedia