{"biography":"Jason Daryl Lambert is the Republican candidate for one of the two seats on the Swain County Board of Education in North Carolina. He won the Republican primary on March 3, 2026, receiving 728 votes, and will face Democratic challengers Brandy Monteith and Dannie Shuler in the November general election for the seats currently held by incumbent Lisa Loftis and retiring Republican Robert Taylor [12][1].\n\nLambert emphasizes after\u2011school enrichment programs and increased funding for schools and teachers as his top priorities. He notes that his deep ties to the Qualla Boundary\u2014home of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians\u2014position him to improve communication and coordination between Swain County and the Cherokee Central school districts [12].\n\nThe Swain County Board of Education is responsible for setting local education policy, approving budgets, and overseeing the administration of public schools within the county. As a board member, Lambert would participate in these decisions, bringing his focus on student enrichment and resource allocation to the table. His campaign aligns with the broader Republican platform in the county, which stresses parental rights and community\u2011based solutions for education [12].\n\nIf elected, Lambert will join fellow board member Lisa Loftis, who highlighted her experience with the Community Eligibility Provision child\u2011nutrition program, in guiding the county\u2019s schools through the upcoming academic year.\n\n## Sources\n- [1] [Swain County, North Carolina, elections, 2026 - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Swain_County,_North_Carolina,_elections,_2026)\n- [2] [North Carolina elections, 2026 - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/North_Carolina_elections,_2026)\n- [3] [United States House of Representatives elections in North Carolina, 2026 - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/United_States_House_of_Representatives_elections_in_North_Carolina,_2026)\n- [4] [United States Senate election in North Carolina, 2026 - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/United_States_Senate_election_in_North_Carolina,_2026)\n- [5] [Upcoming Election | NCSBE](https://www.ncsbe.gov/voting/upcoming-election)\n- [7] [Candidate Lists | NCSBE](https://www.ncsbe.gov/results-data/candidate-lists)\n- [9] [2026 United States House of Representatives elections in North Carolina - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_United_States_House_of_Representatives_elections_in_North_Carolina)\n- [10] [Candidate Profiles \u2013 NC Voter Guide](https://ncvoterguide.org/profiles/)\n- [12] [Republicans Loftis, Lambert secure Primary for Swain Board of Education](https://smokymountainnews.com/news/item/40978-republicans-loftis-lambert-secure-primary-for-swain-board-of-education)","campaigns":[{"contest":"county_school_board","county":"swain","county_count":1,"electiondate":"Tue, 03 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT","pgr":"general","state":"NC","title":"Swain County Board Of Education"},{"contest":"county_school_board","county":"swain","county_count":1,"electiondate":"Tue, 03 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT","pgr":"general","state":"NC","title":"Swain County Board Of Education"}],"cf_filings":[],"firstname":"Jason","fullname":"Jason Daryl Lambert","lastname":"Lambert","middlename":"Daryl","office_history":[{"campaigns":[{"contest":"county_school_board","contest_title":"Swain County Board Of Education","county":"swain","county_count":1,"electiondate":"2026-11-03","office_county":"swain","office_key":"county_school_board","office_title":"County School Board Member","party":"REP","pgr":"general","state":"NC"},{"contest":"county_school_board","contest_title":"Swain County Board Of Education","county":"swain","county_count":1,"electiondate":"2026-03-03","office_county":"swain","office_key":"county_school_board","office_title":"County School Board Member","party":"REP","pgr":"general","state":"NC"}],"county":"swain","cycles":[{"general":{"contest":"county_school_board","contest_title":"Swain County Board Of Education","county":"swain","county_count":1,"electiondate":"2026-03-03","office_county":"swain","office_key":"county_school_board","office_title":"County School Board Member","party":"REP","pgr":"general","state":"NC"},"party":"REP","primary":null,"term":null,"year":2026}],"office_key":"county_school_board","office_title":"County School Board Member","state":"NC","terms":[]}],"summary":"Jason Daryl Lambert is the Republican candidate for Swain County Board of Education, focusing on after\u2011school programs and school funding.","terms":[],"token":"248dd2551d23a416"}