Philip Dean Hensley JR

Philip Dean Hensley Jr. is the Republican nominee for the North Carolina State Senate in District 16 in the November 3, 2026 general election. The Senate seat will be contested after the primary was cancelled, leaving Hensley on the ballot alongside incumbent Democrat Gale Adcock and Libertarian Jonathan Miller ¹.

Hensley is a lifelong North Carolinian, born in Newport and raised in the state. He earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he served as Archon of the Pi Kappa Phi Kappa Chapter, a fraternity noted for its involvement in campus events ⁸.

In 2009 he moved to Cary and purchased Tobacconists of Cary, the Triangle’s oldest premium cigar store. He has run the business for more than a decade, describing himself as a small‑business owner with 26 years of taxpayer experience. He is married to Danielle and they have a five‑month‑old son, also named Philip ⁸¹⁹.

Hensley first entered electoral politics in 2024, running as the Republican candidate for North Carolina House District 11. He earned 32.5 % of the vote (15,910 votes) but was defeated by Democratic incumbent Allison Dahle, who won 64.7 % ¹¹⁹. After that campaign, he announced his 2026 Senate bid, seeking to represent the broader Wake‑County area.

His stated priorities focus on advocating for Cary and small‑business interests. He emphasizes improving transportation, housing, and infrastructure in the Triangle, supporting road repaving and long‑range planning. Hensley backs school‑choice measures such as private‑school vouchers through the Opportunity Scholarship program, and he calls for higher raises for state employees, school staff, and teachers. He also notes a willingness to break with his party when it threatens personal freedoms ¹⁹⁸.

Beyond politics, Hensley is active in his community, highlighting his long residency in Cary and his role as a local entrepreneur. He continues to operate his cigar shop while campaigning for the Senate seat.

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