{"biography":"Thomas James Monks is the Democratic candidate for the North Carolina House of Representatives, District 73, on the November 3, 2026 general\u2011election ballot.  The state House is the lower chamber of the General Assembly, tasked with drafting and voting on state statutes, approving the budget, and representing the interests of constituents in their district.  Monks will seek to replace incumbent Republican Jonathan Almond if elected [1].\n\nMonks is 32 years old and grew up in Florida before moving to North Carolina in 2007.  He graduated from Sun Valley High School in Concord and earned a bachelor\u2019s degree in Communication (with a focus on public relations) from Florida Gulf Coast University in 2015 [11][20].  He currently lives in Concord, where he has resided for a decade, and works as a Marketing Coordinator for the University of North Carolina at Charlotte\u2019s School of Professional Studies [11][18].\n\nProfessionally, Monks has a blend of political and corporate experience.  He began his career as a field organizer on a statewide political campaign in 2016, where he helped boost voter turnout in a challenging district.  He later served as Director of Marketing for a small professional\u2011skincare company, building the brand\u2019s marketing function from the ground up and launching an education series that increased sales by roughly 30% [11].  Most recently, he was Director of Marketing and Partnerships at Anna\u202fLotan\u202fPRO\u202fUSA, overseeing national campaigns and partnership development before moving into his current university role [20].\n\nMonks\u2019 campaign platform emphasizes \u201cpeople\u2011first\u201d governance.  He prioritizes affordable housing, robust funding for high\u2011quality public education, disaster preparedness, and secure voting systems.  Additional issues he highlights include term limits, a $15 minimum wage, expanded health\u2011care access, senior\u2011care support, and tax policies that protect working families.  He frames his approach around community\u2011based solutions, transparency, and accountability, arguing that government should listen before it legislates and work collaboratively across partisan lines [18][19].\n\nEndorsements for Monks include Bull City\u202fAnna, a progressive viewpoint group, and the Progressive Caucus of the North Carolina Democratic Party, reflecting his alignment with the state\u2019s progressive wing [1].  Although he has no prior elected office, Monks argues that his lack of insider experience allows him to bring fresh perspectives and avoid special\u2011interest influence [11][19].\n\nIf elected, Monks says he will focus on building bridges between state and local governments, advocating for policies that keep housing, health care, and groceries affordable, and ensuring that public schools receive the resources needed to support teachers and students.  He pledges to maintain a balanced budget while investing in essential public services and to empower local jurisdictions on issues like zoning and planning [19].\n\n## Sources\n- [1] [Thomas Monks - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Thomas_Monks)\n- [11] [Thomas J. Monks | The Election Hub](https://www.theelectionhub.org/mecklenburg-county/thomas-j.-monks/2026-primary/cabarrus)\n- [18] [Thomas Monks 4 North Carlona \u2013 Thomas Monks, Candidate for NC House of Representatives District 73](https://tmonks4nc.com/)\n- [19] [Get to know N.C. House of Representatives Democratic Candidate Thomas Monks](https://cabarruscompass.com/p/get-to-know-nc-house-of-representatives)\n- [20] [About The Candidate \u2013 Thomas Monks 4 North Carlona](https://tmonks4nc.com/about-the-candidate-thomas-monks/)","campaigns":[{"contest":"state_house_073","county":"cabarrus","county_count":1,"electiondate":"Tue, 03 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT","pgr":"general","state":"NC","title":"Nc House Of Representatives District 073"},{"contest":"state_house_073","county":null,"county_count":0,"electiondate":"Tue, 03 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT","pgr":"general","state":"NC","title":"Nc House Of Representatives District 073"}],"cf_filings":[],"firstname":"Thomas","fullname":"Thomas James Monks","lastname":"Monks","middlename":"James","office_history":[{"campaigns":[{"contest":"state_house_073","contest_title":"Nc House Of Representatives District 073","county":"cabarrus","county_count":1,"electiondate":"2026-11-03","office_county":null,"office_key":"state_house","office_title":"State Representative","party":"DEM","pgr":"general","state":"NC"},{"contest":"state_house_073","contest_title":"Nc House Of Representatives District 073","county":null,"county_count":0,"electiondate":"2026-03-03","office_county":null,"office_key":"state_house","office_title":"State Representative","party":"DEM","pgr":"general","state":"NC"}],"county":null,"cycles":[{"general":{"contest":"state_house_073","contest_title":"Nc House Of Representatives District 073","county":null,"county_count":0,"electiondate":"2026-03-03","office_county":null,"office_key":"state_house","office_title":"State Representative","party":"DEM","pgr":"general","state":"NC"},"party":"DEM","primary":null,"term":null,"year":2026}],"office_key":"state_house","office_title":"State Representative","state":"NC","terms":[]}],"summary":"Thomas Monks is the Democratic candidate for North Carolina House District\u202f73, emphasizing affordable housing, education funding, and community\u2011focused governance.","terms":[],"token":"46b8897fa3b2d41c"}