Paul Jehu Barringer III

Paul Barringer is the Democratic nominee for the U.S. House of Representatives in North Carolina’s 13th Congressional District in the 2026 election. The role involves drafting federal legislation, overseeing the federal budget, and representing the interests of the district’s roughly 800,000 residents in Washington, D.C.

Barringer grew up on his family’s tree‑farm in Lee County, a property that has been in his family since the 1800s. He earned a high‑school diploma from Episcopal High School, a bachelor’s degree in American Studies from Davidson College, a J.D. from the University of North Carolina, and a master’s in public affairs from Princeton University. ¹²⁰

Professionally, Barringer has spent more than two decades at the intersection of health care, law, and public policy. He has worked as a health‑care consultant for Enterprise Support Partners, served as a lawyer representing individuals with disabilities in Social Security matters, and managed his family’s timber operation. ¹¹²⁰ He also founded a Made‑in‑America clothing brand, Mill & Mountain, and has experience as an entrepreneur and executive in the health‑care sector. ¹¹¹

In May 2025 Barringer officially filed to run for the open U.S. House seat held by Republican incumbent Brad Knott. ¹² He campaigned on “common‑sense and constitutional values,” emphasizing fiscal responsibility, local control, health‑care reform, and support for farmers affected by tariffs. ¹²¹⁹²⁰ He completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey, where he described himself as an attorney, health‑care consultant, farmer, Eagle Scout, Sunday‑school teacher, and endurance athlete. ¹¹¹

Barringer won the Democratic primary on March 3, 2026 with 59.1% of the vote (29,743 votes), defeating Frank Pierce (29.4%, 14,794 votes) and Alexander Nicholi (11.5%, 5,800 votes), per Ballotpedia's certified results. ²¹⁶ The general‑election ballot lists him alongside incumbent Republican Brad Knott, Green Party candidate Anthony Aguilar, and Libertarian Steven Swinton. ¹³

Financial disclosures filed with the Federal Election Commission show that Barringer’s principal campaign committee, “PAUL BARRINGER FOR CONGRESS,” raised $805,553 in total receipts, including $485,303 in contributions and a $320,000 personal loan, and ended the reporting period with $426,593 cash on hand. ⁴⁵ A local news story reported that his campaign had raised more than $410,000 since launch, making it one of the strongest fundraising efforts for a North Carolina congressional challenger. ¹²

Barringer’s platform, as outlined on his campaign website, calls for protecting constitutional rights, investing in domestic industry, supporting maternal health and family‑planning services, maintaining law‑abiding citizens’ right to own firearms, and promoting science‑based stewardship of public lands. ²⁰¹⁰ He stresses a “bottom‑up” approach, promising to walk the district’s 180‑mile listening tour route on a bike to hear directly from voters. ¹²

If elected, Barringer would bring his blend of health‑policy expertise, legal experience, and agricultural background to the House, aiming to improve Medicaid accountability, reduce health‑care waste, and advocate for policies that benefit both rural and suburban constituents of the 13th District.

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