{"biography":"Mark Walter Hollo is the incumbent Republican state senator for North Carolina\u2019s 45th Senate district, covering Catawba and Caldwell counties, and is seeking re\u2011election in the November\u202f3,\u202f2026 general election. He began his current Senate term on January\u202f1,\u202f2025, and his term is set to end on January\u202f1,\u202f2027\u202f[1][6].\n\nHollo earned a Bachelor of Science from Southern Illinois University in 1980 and completed the Physician Assistant Program at Wake Forest University\u2019s Bowman Gray School of Medicine in 1983\u202f[11][1]. He served as a Captain in the U.S. Air Force Reserve, and has worked as a physician assistant at Family Care Center in Taylorsville and at urgent\u2011care clinics in Catawba County. He also co\u2011owned a medical practice with more than 40 employees and taught as an adjunct professor in the Lenoir\u2011Rhyne Physician Assistant Program\u202f[20][11].\n\nHis political career began with three terms in the North Carolina House of Representatives (2005\u20112007, 2011\u20112015), representing the 88th and later the 73rd districts after redistricting\u202f[6][11]. After an unsuccessful bid for the state Senate in 2018 and 2020, Hollo won election to the Senate in 2024, defeating Democrat Kimberly Bost with 70.3% of the vote\u202f[1].\n\nDuring his legislative service Hollo has held several committee assignments. In the 2025\u20112026 session he served on the Appropriations on Department of Transportation, Commerce and Insurance, Education/Higher Education, Health Care, and Senate State and Local Government committees\u202f[1]. Earlier, while in the House, he chaired the Health and Human Services Committee and served on Appropriations, Homeland Security, Military and Veterans Affairs, Public Utilities, and State Personnel committees\u202f[1].\n\nHollo has sponsored a range of bills, including SB\u202f124 to modernize state hiring, SB\u202f227 to eliminate DEI mandates in public education, SB\u202f50 to expand concealed\u2011carry rights, and the North Carolina Border Protection Act (SB\u202f394) aimed at strengthening cooperation with federal immigration officials\u202f[5][20]. He also introduced legislation on disaster recovery, physician\u2011assistant licensure compact, and school\u2011based AEDs\u202f[5].\n\nOutside the legislature, Hollo is active in community organizations: former member of the Letchfield Community Board of Education, Alexander County Community Child Protection Team, and various professional physician\u2011assistant associations. He is married to Barbara and has two sons, Robbie and Scott\u202f[11].\n\n## Sources\n- [1] [Mark Hollo - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Mark_Hollo)\n- [3] [Senator Mark Hollo - Biography - North Carolina General Assembly](https://www.ncleg.gov/Members/Biography/s/450)\n- [4] [Senator Mark Hollo - Biography - North Carolina General Assembly](https://www.ncleg.gov/Members/Biography/S/450)\n- [5] [Senator Mark Hollo's Introduced Bills - North Carolina General Assembly](https://www.ncleg.gov/Members/IntroducedBills/s/450)\n- [6] [Mark Hollo - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Hollo)\n- [11] [Meet Civic Sage - Vote Smart - Facts For All](https://justfacts.votesmart.org/candidate/biography/41112/mark-hollo)\n- [14] [Mark Hollo | BallotReady](https://www.ballotready.org/people/mark-hollo)\n- [16] [North Carolina State Sen. Mark Hollo - Biography | LegiStorm](https://www.legistorm.com/person/bio/192850/Mark_Walter_Hollo.html)\n- [20] [Mark Hollo platform & website | North Carolina State Senator, District 45](https://branch.vote/races/2026-north-carolina-general-election-nc-state-state-senator-nc-state-senate-45/candidates/mark-hollo)","campaigns":[{"contest":"state_senate_045","county":"alexander","county_count":6,"electiondate":"Tue, 03 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT","pgr":"general","state":"NC","title":"Nc State Senate District 45"}],"cf_filings":[],"firstname":"Mark","fullname":"Mark Walter Hollo","lastname":"Hollo","middlename":"Walter","office_history":[{"campaigns":[{"contest":"state_senate_045","contest_title":"Nc State Senate District 45","county":"alexander","county_count":6,"electiondate":"2026-11-03","office_county":null,"office_key":"state_senate","office_title":"State Senator","party":"REP","pgr":"general","state":"NC"}],"county":null,"cycles":[{"general":{"contest":"state_senate_045","contest_title":"Nc State Senate District 45","county":"alexander","county_count":6,"electiondate":"2026-11-03","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":"Mark Walter Hollo is the Republican state senator for North Carolina\u2019s 45th district, running for re\u2011election in 2026.","terms":[],"token":"3baed160a576d383"}