Brenden Harding Jones

Brenden Harding Jones is the incumbent Republican member of the North Carolina House of Representatives for District 46 and is seeking re‑election in the November 3, 2026 general election. Since January 1, 2017 he has represented the eastern‑North‑Carolina district, and in January 2025 he assumed the role of House Majority Leader, a position he holds through the 2026‑2027 term ¹⁶³.

Born and raised in Columbus County, Jones graduated from Fayetteville Technical Community College with an associate degree in mortuary science in 1994 ¹¹. He later attended the same college for additional coursework, though he did not complete a four‑year degree. His early career began in the family automobile business in the late 1990s; he took over the dealership, expanded it to become the oldest car dealership in Columbus County, and later added an auto‑body repair shop and a funeral home ⁸. Jones continues to own Ready Paint & Body, LLC (since 2011) and serves as Vice President of Ready Motors, Inc. (since 1999) ¹¹.

Jones entered politics after an unsuccessful 2014 bid for the same House seat, losing to Democrat Ken Waddell. He won the open seat in 2016 and has been re‑elected every two years, running unopposed in 2022 and 2024 ⁶. During his legislative tenure he has served on a wide range of committees, most recently chairing the Appropriations Committee and the House Transportation Committee, and serving as vice‑chair of the Appropriations on Transportation Committee, the Energy and Public Utilities Committee, and the Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House Committee ¹. Earlier sessions saw him on the Agriculture, Alcoholic Beverage Control, Judiciary II, and Wildlife Resources committees, among others ¹.

As Majority Leader, Jones helps set the House agenda and coordinates the Republican caucus. He has sponsored and co‑authored legislation on issues such as tax policy (e.g., HB 11 eliminating taxes on tips, overtime, and bonuses), disaster recovery (HB 47), and public safety (HB 61 on assaults on first responders). Recent bills include HB 171, which seeks to prohibit diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in state agencies, and HB 220, directing funds to Tabor City projects ⁴.

Jones’s public positions include opposition to COVID‑19 vaccine mandates and support for limiting government spending, reflected in his 2017 bathroom‑bill proposal (HB 562) and his consistent voting record against expanding tax burdens ⁶. He is active in community organizations, serving on the board of the Cape Fear Council of the Boy Scouts, the North Carolina Rural Center Board, and the Southeast Community College Board of Trustees, and he is a deacon at Tabor City Baptist Church ¹¹.

Jones resides in Tabor City with his wife, Angela, and their two daughters. His campaign emphasizes continued low taxes, rural transportation improvements, and strong conservative values ⁸.

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