{"biography":"Carl Lindsey Ford is the incumbent Republican State Senator for North Carolina\u2019s 33rd District and is on the ballot for re\u2011election in the November\u202f3,\u202f2026 general election.  The North Carolina Senate is the upper chamber of the General Assembly; senators serve two\u2011year terms, must be at least 25 years old, and must reside in the district they represent\u30101\u3011.\n\nBorn July\u202f11,\u202f1957 in Kannapolis, NC, Ford grew up in Rowan County and graduated from A.L.\u202fBrown High School.  He earned a textile certificate from Rowan Technical Community College and attended the North Carolina College of Textiles at Belmont\u301010\u3011\u301012\u3011.  He is an Eagle Scout and a lifelong member of the City Revival Church in Kannapolis.\n\nFord\u2019s early career was in manufacturing and entertainment.  From 1973\u20111982 he worked as a section man at Cannon\u202fMills in Kannapolis, then managed Frye\u2019s Roller\u202fRink in Concord.  In 1982 he entered radio, first as a manager at WRKB, later purchasing WRKB and WRNA in 1992 and forming Ford Broadcasting, a station that has earned multiple Golden Mic awards\u301010\u3011\u301020\u3011.\n\nHis public\u2011service r\u00e9sum\u00e9 began with local appointments: seven\u2011and\u2011a\u2011half years on the Rowan County Department of Social Services Board, two years on the Rowan County Planning Board, and service on the Rowan County Board of Commissioners from 2008\u20112012, including terms as Vice\u2011Chair and Chair.  He was named Rowan County Republican of the Year in 2007 and 2008\u301010\u3011.\n\nFord was elected to the North Carolina House of Representatives in 2012, representing the 76th District.  He served three terms (2013\u20112019) and chaired the Committee on State and Local Government for two sessions.  In 2018 he won election to the State Senate, assuming office on January\u202f1,\u202f2019, and has been re\u2011elected in 2020, 2022, and 2024.  He currently serves as the Senate Republican Joint Caucus Leader (2021\u2011present)\u30108\u3011\u301012\u3011.\n\nDuring his Senate tenure Ford has held numerous committee leadership positions.  He chairs the Appropriations Committee on General Government and Information Technology and the Pensions and Retirement and Aging Committee, and serves on the Finance, Rules and Operations, and State and Local Government committees, among others\u30101\u3011.  He has sponsored legislation on a range of issues, including SB\u202f22 (local act for the 33rd district), SB\u202f48 (access to sports and extracurriculars), SB\u202f91 (newborn safety devices), and SB\u202f227 (eliminating DEI in public education)\u30105\u3011.\n\nFord\u2019s platform emphasizes limited government, fiscal responsibility, and protecting what he describes as \u201cfamily values.\u201d  He highlights his business background, his record of supporting tax cuts and reduced regulation, and his leadership on expanding the state\u2019s Rainy\u2011Day Fund and other budgetary measures\u301011\u3011.  He is seeking another two\u2011year term to continue these priorities for District\u202f33.\n\n## Sources\n- [1] [Carl Ford (North Carolina) - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Carl_Ford_(North_Carolina))\n- [2] [Carl Ford - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Carl_Ford)\n- [3] [North Carolina elections, 2026 - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/North_Carolina_elections,_2026)\n- [4] [Senator Carl Ford - Biography - North Carolina General Assembly](https://www.ncleg.gov/Members/Biography/s/410)\n- [5] [Senator Carl Ford's Introduced Bills - North Carolina General Assembly](https://www.ncleg.gov/Members/IntroducedBills/S/410)\n- [6] [Senator Carl Ford - Biography - North Carolina General Assembly](https://www.ncleg.gov/Members/Biography/S/410)\n- [8] [Carl Ford (politician) - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Ford_(politician))\n- [9] [2026 North Carolina Senate election - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_North_Carolina_Senate_election)\n- [10] [Meet Carl \u2014 Carl Ford](https://www.votecarlford.com/meet-carl)\n- [11] [Carl Ford](https://www.votecarlford.com)\n- [12] [Vote Smart | Facts For All](https://justfacts.votesmart.org/candidate/biography/114823/carl-ford)\n- [13] [Senator Carl Ford (@SenatorCarlFord)](https://www.facebook.com/SenatorCarlFord/)\n- [14] [Carl Ford (@VoteCarlFord) / X](https://x.com/votecarlford?lang=en)\n- [16] [Carl Ford (@VoteCarlFord)](https://www.facebook.com/VoteCarlFord/)\n- [17] [State Senator Carl Ford | BillTrack50](https://www.billtrack50.com/legislatordetail/18001)\n- [18] [North Carolina State Sen. Carl Ford - Biography | LegiStorm](https://www.legistorm.com/person/bio/242796/Carl_Lindsey_Ford.html)\n- [20] [Carl Ford - North Carolina Republican Senate Caucus](https://ncstatesenate.com/members/carl-ford/)","campaigns":[{"contest":"state_senate_033","county":"anson","county_count":10,"electiondate":"Tue, 03 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT","pgr":"general","state":"NC","title":"Nc State Senate District 33"}],"cf_filings":[],"firstname":"Carl","fullname":"Carl Lindsey Ford","lastname":"Ford","middlename":"Lindsey","office_history":[{"campaigns":[{"contest":"state_senate_033","contest_title":"Nc State Senate District 33","county":"anson","county_count":10,"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_033","contest_title":"Nc State Senate District 33","county":"anson","county_count":10,"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":"Incumbent Republican State Senator Carl Lindsey Ford is running for re\u2011election to North Carolina\u2019s 33rd Senate district in 2026.","terms":[],"token":"7faec5bc620cf9be"}