{"biography":"Kimberly Hardy is the Democratic nominee for the U.S. House of Representatives in North Carolina\u2019s 7th Congressional District, appearing on the November\u202f3,\u202f2026 general\u2011election ballot. In addition to her campaign, she serves as an associate professor of social work at Fayetteville State University and holds the position of Second Vice Chair of the North Carolina Democratic Party.[7][19]\n\nHardy was raised in a middle\u2011class family in eastern North Carolina. Her father, a Marine Corps veteran, and her mother, a former Special Agent in Charge with the U.S. Department of the Interior and State Department, instilled a strong sense of public service. She earned a Bachelor of Social Work from Morgan State University in 1997, a Master of Social Work from The Ohio State University, and a Ph.D. in Social Work from Morgan State University.[7][8]\n\nAfter working as a school social worker, Hardy entered academia, holding assistant professor positions at the University of Connecticut (2010\u20112013) and the University of Saint\u202fJoseph (2013\u20112016) before joining Fayetteville State University in 2016, where she mentors students from the district and focuses on student economic mobility.[1][7]\n\nHardy\u2019s political experience began with her 2020 campaign for North Carolina House District\u202f43, where she won the Democratic primary but was narrowly defeated by Republican incumbent Diane Wheatley in the general election. She ran again in the 2022 Democratic primary for the same seat, losing to former incumbent Elmer Floyd.[15]\n\nBeyond electoral runs, Hardy has held leadership roles within the state Democratic Party, serving as President of the Democratic Women of Cumberland County, Second Vice President of the Democratic Women of North Carolina, and, since 2023, Second Vice Chair of the North Carolina Democratic Party. She also served on the board of Lillian\u2019s List and chaired the Sweet Tea Shakespeare Theatre Company, reflecting deep community involvement.[7][19]\n\nHardy\u2019s campaign platform emphasizes affordable health care and prescription drugs, protection of Social Security and Medicare, support for small businesses and workers, and investment in public education and job\u2011training programs. She positions herself as a \u201cpeople\u2011first\u201d candidate who will bring accountability and independent judgment to Congress, contrasting herself with incumbent Rep. David\u202fRouzer, who has held the seat since 2015.[6][5][19]\n\nIf elected, Hardy says she will work to lower the cost of groceries, housing, utilities, and health care for families in southeastern North Carolina, while advocating for policies that strengthen rural economies and expand opportunities for working\u2011class residents.[6][5]\n\n## Sources\n- [1] [Kimberly Hardy - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Kimberly_Hardy)\n- [4] [KIMBERLY HARDY FOR CONGRESS - committee overview - FEC.gov](https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00909804/)\n- [5] [Kimberly Hardy for US Congress](https://www.kimberlyhardyforcongress.com/)\n- [6] [Democrats Work For America - Kimberly Hardy](https://democratsworkforamerica.org/candidates/2026/NC/Hardy.html)\n- [7] [About Kimberly \u2014 Dr. Kimberly Hardy for Congress](https://www.kimberlyhardyforcongress.com/meetkimberly)\n- [8] [Dr. Kimberly Hardy -Higher Heights for America PAC](https://higherheightsforamericapac.org/candidate/kimberly-hardy/)\n- [15] [Kimberly Hardy announces run against Rouzer for district 7 U.S. House seat | Port City Daily](https://portcitydaily.com/latest-news/2025/07/10/kimberly-hardy-announces-run-against-rouzer-for-district-7-u-s-house-seat/)\n- [17] [Kimberly Hardy - North Carolina Candidate - Transparency USA](https://www.transparencyusa.org/nc/candidate/kimberly-hardy)\n- [18] [I just gave to Kimberly Hardy for Congress!](https://secure.actblue.com/donate/nc07web)\n- [19] [Brunswickdem](https://www.brunswickdem.org/post/democrat-dr-kimberly-hardy-launches-congressional-campaign)","campaigns":[{"contest":"us_house_007","county":"bladen","county_count":8,"electiondate":"Tue, 03 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT","pgr":"general","state":"NC","title":"Us House Of Representatives District 07"}],"cf_filings":[],"firstname":"Kimberly","fullname":"Kimberly Michelle Hardy","lastname":"Hardy","middlename":"Michelle","office_history":[{"campaigns":[{"contest":"us_house_007","contest_title":"Us House Of Representatives District 07","county":"bladen","county_count":8,"electiondate":"2026-11-03","office_county":null,"office_key":"us_house","office_title":"U.S. Representative","party":"DEM","pgr":"general","state":"NC"}],"county":null,"cycles":[{"general":{"contest":"us_house_007","contest_title":"Us House Of Representatives District 07","county":"bladen","county_count":8,"electiondate":"2026-11-03","office_county":null,"office_key":"us_house","office_title":"U.S. Representative","party":"DEM","pgr":"general","state":"NC"},"party":"DEM","primary":null,"term":null,"year":2026}],"office_key":"us_house","office_title":"U.S. Representative","state":"NC","terms":[]}],"summary":"Democratic nominee Kimberly Hardy, a social\u2011work professor and NC Democratic Party vice chair, is running for U.S. House in NC\u201107 in 2026.","terms":[],"token":"541f388fd6d7f1a4"}