{"biography":"Benton G. Sawrey is the incumbent Republican State Senator for North Carolina\u2019s 10th Senate District and is seeking re\u2011election in the November\u202f3,\u202f2026 general election.  He first won the Republican primary on March\u202f3,\u202f2026 with 84.8% of the vote and advanced to the general ballot alongside Democratic challenger Pat\u202fLeGrand and Libertarian Kevin\u202fTerrett\u30101\u2020L31-L41\u3011.  The North Carolina Constitution requires senators to be at least 25 years old, a qualified voter, and to have lived in the state for two years and in the district for one year before election\u30102\u2020L15-L20\u3011; Sawrey meets these qualifications.\n\nBorn and raised in Johnston County, Sawrey graduated from Smithfield\u2011Selma Senior High School in 2005.  He earned a Bachelor of Arts in political science and government from North Carolina State University in 2009 and a Juris Doctor from the University of South Carolina School of Law in 2013\u30101\u2020L22-L27\u3011.  He is a practicing attorney who works with small\u2011business owners, farmers, and families on regulatory, tax, litigation, and transactional matters\u301015\u2020L31-L38\u3011.\n\nBefore his election, Sawrey served on the Board of Trustees of Johnston Community College, was president of the Downtown Smithfield Development Corporation, and treasurer of the Partnership for Children of Johnston County\u30101\u2020L28-L30\u3011.  He was first elected to the North Carolina Senate in the 2022 cycle and assumed office on January\u202f1,\u202f2023\u30101\u2020L9-L12\u3011.  In the 2025\u20112026 legislative session he chaired the Senate Appropriations on Health and Human Services Committee and served on the Appropriations/Base Budget, Health Care, Judiciary, and Rules and Operations of the Senate committees\u30101\u2020L34-L38\u3011.\n\nDuring his first term Sawrey authored and sponsored legislation focused on reducing regulation, cutting taxes, expanding school\u2011choice options, and improving rural health care.  He voted to lower the state income\u2011tax rate by more than 50% in 2023 and has advocated for eliminating the personal income tax altogether\u301015\u2020L71-L78\u3011.  He has also co\u2011sponsored bills protecting farmland, increasing access to health\u2011care providers in rural areas, and expanding the Opportunity Scholarship program for school choice\u301015\u2020L84-L95\u3011.  His leadership on health\u2011care policy earned him the chairmanship of the Health and Human Services appropriations subcommittee.\n\nSawrey\u2019s campaign is supported by several conservative groups, including Americans for Prosperity\u2011North Carolina, the North Carolina Values Coalition, and the North Carolina Property Rights Fund\u301011\u2020L1-L9\u3011.  He emphasizes \u201climited government, economic freedom, and traditional Eastern North Carolina values\u201d in his public statements and campaign literature\u301015\u2020L1-L5\u3011.  His official campaign website is bentonsawrey.com, which lists his office at 86 Riverglade Drive, Clayton, NC, and a contact phone number of (919)\u202f413\u20110507\u301010\u2020L5-L9\u3011.\n\nIn addition to his legislative work, Sawrey continues to practice law as a partner with Narron\u202fWenzel, P.A., and remains active in local Republican Party leadership, having served as general counsel for the Johnston County Republican Party and volunteering as an intern for the state party in 2005\u301018\u2020L13-L20\u3011.  He is married to Beth, has two children, and identifies as a Methodist Christian\u30106\u2020L6-L9\u3011.\n\n## Sources\n- [1] [Benton Sawrey - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Benton_Sawrey)\n- [2] [North Carolina State Senate District 10 - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/North_Carolina_State_Senate_District_10)\n- [3] [Candidate Lists | NCSBE](https://www.ncsbe.gov/results-data/candidate-lists)\n- [4] [Senate Members 2025-2026 Session - North Carolina General Assembly](https://www.ncleg.gov/Members/MemberList/s)\n- [5] [Senator Benton G. Sawrey - Biography - North Carolina General Assembly](https://www.ncleg.gov/Members/Biography/s/445)\n- [6] [Benton Sawrey - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benton_Sawrey)\n- [7] [2026 North Carolina Senate election - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_North_Carolina_Senate_election)\n- [9] [iVoterGuide - Benton Sawrey iVoterGuide Profile](https://ivoterguide.com/candidate/65215/race/8463/election/869)\n- [10] [Vote-USA | Benton Sawrey | Candidate for State Senator District 10, North Carolina | March 3, 2026 North Carolina Republican Party State Primary](https://vote-usa.org/Intro.aspx?State=NC&Id=NCSawreyBentonGrey)\n- [11] [AFP-NC Announces Additional 2026 State Legislature Endorsements - Americans for Prosperity](https://americansforprosperity.org/press-release/afp-nc-announces-additional-2026-state-legislature-endorsements/)\n- [14] [Benton Sawrey (@SawreyforNC) / ...](https://x.com/sawreyfornc?lang=en)\n- [15] [Benton Sawrey for North Carolina State Senate in Johnston County - Committee to Elect Benton Sawrey](https://bentonsawrey.com/)\n- [16] [State Senator Benton Sawrey | BillTrack50](https://www.billtrack50.com/legislatordetail/28096)\n- [17] [Benton Sawrey Re-Elected to NC State Senate - Narron Wenzel, P.A.](https://narronwenzel.com/benton-sawrey-re-elected-to-nc-state-senate/)\n- [18] [Benton Sawrey - North Carolina Republican Senate Caucus](https://ncstatesenate.com/members/benton-sawrey/)\n- [19] [North Carolina State Sen. Benton Sawrey - Biography | LegiStorm](https://www.legistorm.com/person/bio/442628/Benton_G_Sawrey.html)\n- [20] [Benton Sawrey Elected Republican Candidate for North Carolina Senate District 10 Representing Johnston County - Narron Wenzel, P.A.](https://narronwenzel.com/benton-sawrey-elected-republican-candidate-for-north-carolina-senate-district-10-representing-johnston-county/)","campaigns":[{"contest":"state_senate_010","county":"franklin","county_count":2,"electiondate":"Tue, 03 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT","pgr":"general","state":"NC","title":"Nc State Senate District 10"},{"contest":"state_senate_010","county":null,"county_count":0,"electiondate":"Tue, 03 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT","pgr":"general","state":"NC","title":"Nc State Senate District 10"}],"cf_filings":[],"firstname":"Benton","fullname":"Benton Grey Sawrey","lastname":"Sawrey","middlename":"Grey","office_history":[{"campaigns":[{"contest":"state_senate_010","contest_title":"Nc State Senate District 10","county":"franklin","county_count":2,"electiondate":"2026-11-03","office_county":null,"office_key":"state_senate","office_title":"State Senator","party":"REP","pgr":"general","state":"NC"},{"contest":"state_senate_010","contest_title":"Nc State Senate District 10","county":null,"county_count":0,"electiondate":"2026-03-03","office_county":null,"office_key":"state_senate","office_title":"State Senator","party":"REP","pgr":"general","state":"NC"}],"county":null,"cycles":[{"general":{"contest":"state_senate_010","contest_title":"Nc State Senate District 10","county":null,"county_count":0,"electiondate":"2026-03-03","office_county":null,"office_key":"state_senate","office_title":"State Senator","party":"REP","pgr":"general","state":"NC"},"party":"REP","primary":null,"term":null,"year":2026}],"office_key":"state_senate","office_title":"State Senator","state":"NC","terms":[]}],"summary":"Benton Sawrey is the Republican State Senator for NC District\u202f10, running for re\u2011election in 2026 after a term focused on tax cuts, school choice, and rural health\u2011care reforms.","terms":[],"token":"38b7b533ce10ace4"}