{"biography":"John M. Blust is the incumbent Republican member of the North Carolina House of Representatives for District\u202f62 and is seeking re\u2011election in the November\u202f3,\u202f2026 general election.  Members of the North Carolina House serve two\u2011year terms, must be qualified voters who have lived in the district for at least one year, and must be at least 21 years old\u202f[3].  The office carries a salary of $13,951 per year plus a $104 per\u2011day per\u2011diem\u202f[3].\n\nBlust earned both his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration/Accounting (1979) and his Juris Doctor (1982) from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill\u202f[1][7].  He later passed the CPA exam and has practiced law in taxation, estate planning, commercial and business matters\u202f[5][8].\n\nHis public service began with the United States Army, where he served as an officer in the Field Artillery from 1972\u20111974 and again from 1982\u20111985, including time with the 82nd Airborne Division and a posting in the Republic of Korea\u202f[1][11].\n\nProfessionally, Blust worked as a certified public accountant and attorney before entering elected office\u202f[1][5].  He also held the position of Guilford County Republican Party Chairman from 1993\u20111995\u202f[8][19].\n\nBlust\u2019s political career spans more than three decades.  He was first appointed to the North Carolina Senate, serving from May\u202f1996 until January\u202f1999\u202f[7][19].  He was then elected to the House in 2000 and served continuously through 2018, opting not to run for re\u2011election that year\u202f[7][19].  After a brief retirement, the Guilford County Republican Party appointed him to fill the vacancy created by Rep.\u202fJohn Faircloth\u2019s resignation, and he was sworn in on September\u202f9\u202f2024\u202f[1][15].  He will complete that term (ending January\u202f1\u202f2027) and is now on the ballot for a full term in 2026\u202f[1].\n\nDuring his tenure, Blust held numerous committee assignments, often in leadership roles.  He chaired the Judiciary II Committee, served as Vice\u2011Chair of Finance, and was Vice\u2011Chair of the Homeland Security, Military, and Veterans Affairs Committee across multiple legislative sessions\u202f[1].  He also sat on Banking, Elections, Pensions and Retirement, Rules, and several other committees, giving him broad influence over fiscal, legal, and security policy.\n\nBlust\u2019s legislative record emphasizes fiscal restraint, tax reduction, and regulatory reform.  He helped turn a $3\u202fbillion budget shortfall into a surplus, lowered individual and corporate tax burdens, eliminated the estate (death) tax, and reformed North Carolina\u2019s unemployment insurance system\u202f[12].  He championed election\u2011integrity measures such as photo\u2011ID voting, expanded school\u2011choice options, increased teacher pay, and protected Second\u2011Amendment rights through expanded concealed\u2011carry and castle\u2011doctrine statutes\u202f[12][8].  His platform for the upcoming campaign continues these themes: controlling spending, further tax cuts, additional regulatory reform, K\u201112 education reforms that promote school choice and eliminate DEI/CRT mandates, university academic\u2011freedom protections, and strong pro\u2011life and immigration\u2011enforcement policies\u202f[12][10].\n\nIn the 2026 race, Blust faces Democrat Shelly Headen.  The Republican primary was cancelled, leaving him unopposed for the party\u2019s nomination\u202f[1].  His campaign website provides additional details on his record and policy priorities\u202f[10].\n\n## Sources\n- [1] [John Blust - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/John_Blust)\n- [3] [North Carolina House of Representatives District 62 - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/North_Carolina_House_of_Representatives_District_62)\n- [5] [Representative John M. Blust - Biography - North Carolina General Assembly](https://www.ncleg.gov/Members/Biography/H/234)\n- [7] [John Blust - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Blust)\n- [8] [John Blust's Biography](https://justfacts.votesmart.org/candidate/biography/10229/john-blust)\n- [10] [GOP Candidate \u2013 Greensboro, NC \u2013 John Blust for NC House](https://www.blustfornchouse.com/)\n- [11] [Republican Party \u2013 Greensboro, NC \u2013 John Blust for NC House](https://www.blustfornchouse.com/republican-candidate-north-carolina)\n- [12] [Political Issues \u2013 Greensboro, NC \u2013 John Blust for NC House](https://www.blustfornchouse.com/north-carolina-conservative-politics)\n- [13] [North Carolina state Rep. John Blust, a Greensboro ...](https://www.facebook.com/APNews/posts/north-carolina-state-rep-john-blust-a-greensboro-republican-who-served-as-an-enl/1010247850963124/)\n- [15] [State Representative John Blust | BillTrack50](https://www.billtrack50.com/legislatordetail/1845)\n- [16] [North Carolina State Rep. John Blust - Biography | LegiStorm](https://www.legistorm.com/person/bio/192806/John_Marshall_Blust.html)\n- [18] [Republican John Blust announces return to politics, run for NC House](https://greensboro.com/news/local/government-politics/john-blust-republican-guilford-county-greensboro-run-for-nc-house-district-62-michelle-bardsley-john-faircloth-2024/article_4680c776-8891-11ee-86b5-27d2ef1d7fb9.html)\n- [19] [Former State Rep. John Blust Announces His Candidacy For District 62 House Seat - The Rhino Times of Greensboro](https://www.rhinotimes.com/news/former-state-rep-john-blust-announces-his-candidacy-for-district-62-house-seat/)","campaigns":[{"contest":"state_house_062","county":"guilford","county_count":1,"electiondate":"Tue, 03 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT","pgr":"general","state":"NC","title":"Nc House Of Representatives District 062"}],"cf_filings":[],"firstname":"John","fullname":"John Marshall Blust","lastname":"Blust","middlename":"Marshall","office_history":[{"campaigns":[{"contest":"state_house_062","contest_title":"Nc House Of Representatives District 062","county":"guilford","county_count":1,"electiondate":"2026-11-03","office_county":null,"office_key":"state_house","office_title":"State Representative","party":"REP","pgr":"general","state":"NC"}],"county":null,"cycles":[{"general":{"contest":"state_house_062","contest_title":"Nc House Of Representatives District 062","county":"guilford","county_count":1,"electiondate":"2026-11-03","office_county":null,"office_key":"state_house","office_title":"State Representative","party":"REP","pgr":"general","state":"NC"},"party":"REP","primary":null,"term":null,"year":2026}],"office_key":"state_house","office_title":"State Representative","state":"NC","terms":[]}],"summary":"John M. Blust, Republican incumbent for NC House District\u202f62, is running for re\u2011election in 2026 after a career as attorney, CPA, Army veteran, and longtime legislator.","terms":[],"token":"8b1a07214accb0c4"}