{"biography":"Bob Brinson is the incumbent Republican State Senator for North Carolina\u2019s 3rd Senate District, seeking a second term in the November\u202f3,\u202f2026 general election. He was first appointed to the Senate by Governor Roy Cooper on July\u202f30,\u202f2024 to fill the vacancy left by Jim\u202fPerry in District\u202f2, and was elected by voters in November\u202f2024 to represent District\u202f3, which covers Beaufort, Craven and Lenoir counties\u30101\u2020L1-L4\u3011\u30104\u2020L4-L7\u3011. In the 2025\u20112026 session he serves on the Agriculture, Energy, and Environment Committee; the Appropriations on Agriculture, Natural and Economic Resources Committee; the Education/Higher Education Committee; the Senate State and Local Government Committee; and the Senate Transportation Committee\u30101\u2020L13-L19\u3011.\n\nBorn Robert\u202fWayne\u202fBrinson\u202fJr., he earned a Bachelor of Science in political science from the United States Military Academy at West\u202fPoint in 1991 and later completed a Master of Public Administration at the University of Oklahoma in 2010\u301013\u2020L1-L4\u3011. He served 28 years in the United States Army, holding command and inspector\u2011general positions, and was deployed to Somalia, Bosnia, Kuwait and Japan after the 2011 earthquake\u301013\u2020L5-L9\u3011. After retiring from the military he settled in New\u202fBern, where he was elected Alderman for Ward\u202f6 in May\u202f2022 and later served as Mayor Pro\u202fTem\u301013\u2020L10-L13\u3011.\n\nBrinson\u2019s political career began at the municipal level. As an Alderman he created a Pedestrian and Bicycle Committee to prioritize sidewalk and bike\u2011lane projects and represented New\u202fBern on the Area Metropolitan Planning Organization and the Civil\u2011Military Affairs Commission at Cherry Point\u301013\u2020L14-L18\u3011. He also held leadership roles in the Craven County Republican Party, serving as County Chairman, Precinct Organizer and Human\u2011Resources Volunteer Coordinator, and is secretary of the North Carolina Federation of Republican Men\u301013\u2020L19-L22\u3011.\n\nIn the Senate Brinson has sponsored a range of legislation, including the Veterans Appreciation Act (SB\u202f109), the Freedom to Carry NC bill (SB\u202f50), the Disaster Recovery Act of\u202f2025 (SB\u202f56), and measures on public safety, agriculture and education such as the Agricultural Land Protection Act and school\u2011choice initiatives\u30103\u2020L1-L20\u3011\u30103\u2020L71-L84\u3011. His stated priorities for his 2026 campaign focus on strengthening public safety, protecting constitutional rights\u2014including the Second Amendment\u2014supporting agriculture and economic development, and expanding school\u2011choice and workforce pathways for eastern North Carolina residents\u301020\u2020L1-L9\u3011.\n\nBrinson lives in New\u202fBern with his wife Amy and their three adult children. He remains active in his community through church leadership, youth sports coaching and veterans organizations. Voters can contact him by phone at 252\u2011349\u20113444 or by email at bob@votebobbrinson.com, and learn more about his platform at his campaign website.\n\n## Sources\n- [1] [Bob Brinson - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Bob_Brinson)\n- [2] [Senator Bob Brinson - Biography - North Carolina General Assembly](https://www.ncleg.gov/Members/Biography/s/448)\n- [3] [Senator Bob Brinson's Introduced Bills - North Carolina General Assembly](https://www.ncleg.gov/Members/IntroducedBills/s/448)\n- [4] [Bob Brinson - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Brinson)\n- [6] [HOME | Vote Bob Brinson 1](https://www.votebobbrinson.com/)\n- [7] [MEET BOB | Vote Bob Brinson 1](https://www.votebobbrinson.com/meet-bob)\n- [11] [Meet Bob Brinson, a distinguished candidate for NC Senate ...](https://www.facebook.com/jacksonrobolmedia/videos/meet-bob-brinson-a-distinguished-candidate-for-nc-senate-featured-on-the-jackson/339045651819138/)\n- [12] [State Senator Robert Brinson | BillTrack50](https://www.billtrack50.com/legislatordetail/29294)\n- [13] [CRAVEN COUNTY ELECTIONS: NC Senate District 3 candidates answer questions ahead of primary | Local News | newbernsj.com](https://www.newbernsj.com/news/local/craven-county-elections-nc-senate-district-3-candidates-answer-questions-ahead-of-primary/article_2341bc9f-8299-57c6-9637-8a0a2eb96205.html)\n- [20] [Sen. Brinson to seek reelection in 2026 | Local News | kinston.com](https://www.kinston.com/news/local/sen-brinson-to-seek-reelection-in-2026/article_bba8dfb6-0e31-5e42-85ca-c6f8d97e866a.html)","campaigns":[{"contest":"state_senate_003","county":"beaufort","county_count":3,"electiondate":"Tue, 03 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT","pgr":"general","state":"NC","title":"Nc State Senate District 03"}],"cf_filings":[],"firstname":"Robert","fullname":"Robert Wayne Brinson JR","lastname":"Brinson","middlename":"Wayne","office_history":[{"campaigns":[{"contest":"state_senate_003","contest_title":"Nc State Senate District 03","county":"beaufort","county_count":3,"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_003","contest_title":"Nc State Senate District 03","county":"beaufort","county_count":3,"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":[]}],"suffix":"JR","summary":"Bob Brinson is the Republican NC State Senator for District\u202f3, a former Army officer and New\u202fBern Alderman seeking re\u2011election in 2026.","terms":[],"token":"56017deb75d02154"}