Mitchell Smith Setzer

Mitchell Smith Setzer is the incumbent Republican member of the North Carolina House of Representatives for District 89 and is seeking re‑election in the November 3, 2026 general election ¹⁵. He has represented the district continuously since first taking office in 1999, and his current term runs until January 1, 2027 ¹. In the 2025‑2026 legislative session he serves as House Speaker Pro Tempore, a senior leadership position that assists the Speaker in managing House business ⁵⁹.

Setzer earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of North Carolina‑Greensboro in 1987 and an Associate of Arts from Lees‑McRae College in 1985, as listed in his Vote Smart biography ⁹. He was born on March 12, 1965 in Catawba, North Carolina, where he continues to reside and maintains a family‑owned pipe‑manufacturing business, Smith Setzer & Sons, Inc., where he serves as Vice President ¹⁵⁹.

During his more than two decades in the state House, Setzer has held a variety of committee assignments, often in senior roles. He has chaired the Insurance Committee and the House Finance Committee, and served as Vice Chair of the Ethics Committee in multiple sessions. Recent assignments (2023‑2024) include the Energy and Public Utilities Committee, the Ethics Committee (Vice Chair), the House Finance Committee (Senior Chair), the Health Committee, the Insurance Committee (Chair), the Local Government Committee, and the UNC Board of Governors Nominations Committee ¹. Earlier sessions show a consistent focus on finance, insurance, ethics, health, and local government, reflecting his legislative priorities.

Setzer’s electoral record shows repeated success in the district. He ran unopposed in several cycles (2008‑2016) and won contested races in 2018, 2020, and 2024 with vote shares ranging from 73 % to 76 % against Democratic challenger Greg Cranford ⁷. In the 2022 Republican primary he secured 57 % of the vote, defeating two intra‑party challengers ⁷. He advanced from the March 3, 2026 Republican primary and appears on the November ballot for another term ¹.

Beyond legislative duties, Setzer is recognized in his community for constituent services, such as providing state‑flag gifts for local celebrations, as noted in a 2022 Facebook post from a constituent who praised his responsiveness ¹⁷. His professional background as a business executive informs his policy perspective on economic and regulatory matters.

Setzer’s official contact information includes a Raleigh capitol office at 16 West Jones Street, Room 2204, and a mailing address at P.O. Box 416, Catawba, NC 28609. Phone numbers listed for the office are 919‑733‑4948 and 828‑241‑3570 ¹⁹. While a direct email address is not provided in the available sources, constituents can reach his office through the listed phone numbers or by mail.

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