Natalie Shapelle Murdock

Natalie Shapelle Murdock is the incumbent Democratic State Senator for North Carolina’s 20th District, seeking re‑election in the November 3, 2026 general election. She was appointed to the Senate on April 1, 2020 by Governor Roy Cooper and has since been elected in 2020, 2022, and 2024, with her current term set to end on January 1, 2027 ¹⁴. The 20th District covers all of Chatham County and part of Durham County.

Murdock earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Communication Studies from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She also completed graduate coursework at Western Carolina University (public administration) and Pfeiffer University (leadership and organizational change) ⁴¹⁶. Her early career included roles as Deputy Director of Communications for the North Carolina Department of Justice and as traveling press secretary for Deborah Ross’s U.S. Senate campaign ⁴⁷. She later founded the public‑relations firm Attal Strategies and served as principal and chief strategist for Murdock Anderson Consulting ⁷¹⁸.

Before entering the legislature, Murdock worked in regional transportation and economic development, serving as Director of Communications and Public Affairs for GoTriangle (2015‑2016) and as a public‑involvement manager for the same agency ⁷. She also held positions with the Town of Chapel Hill, the Land‑of‑Sky Regional Council, and the Institute for Southern Studies, gaining experience in grant coordination, transportation planning, and research ⁷.

In the Senate, Murdock has served on a range of committees. For the 2025‑2026 session she sits on Agriculture, Energy, and Environment; Appropriations on Department of Transportation; Appropriations/Base Budget; Senate Finance; Health Care; and Senate Transportation ¹. Earlier sessions saw her on Education/Higher Education and other appropriations committees ¹. She has sponsored legislation focused on economic development, workforce automation, small‑business tax relief, renewable energy incentives, and veteran‑owned business participation, among other issues ¹⁵¹³.

Murdock’s community involvement includes leadership roles in the North Carolina Democratic Party’s African‑American Caucus, the Durham County Democratic Party, and various civic organizations such as the Black Leaders Organizing Collective and the UNC‑Chapel Hill Institute’s Board of Visitors ⁷¹⁹. She is a co‑chair of the Future Caucus network, emphasizing bipartisan problem‑solving ¹⁹.

Her campaign platform emphasizes expanding health‑care access, affordable housing, job training, education funding, criminal‑justice reform, and environmental protection, reflecting the priorities outlined on her campaign website ¹².

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