{"biography":"Ralph Edward Hise\u202fJr. is the incumbent Republican candidate for the North Carolina State Senate, District\u202f47, seeking re\u2011election in the November\u202f3,\u202f2026 general election. The North Carolina Senate is a 50\u2011member body whose members serve two\u2011year terms, must be at least 25 years old, a qualified voter, and have resided in the state for two years and in the district for one year before election\u202f[2]. Senators earn a salary of $13,951 per year plus a $104 per\u2011day per diem\u202f[2].\n\nHise was born August\u202f15,\u202f1976 in Mitchell County, North Carolina, and grew up in Spruce Pine. He earned a B.S. in statistics from Appalachian State University in 2000 and a master\u2019s degree in higher\u2011education administration from North Carolina State University in 2003\u202f[1][12][16]. He began his professional career as a faculty member at Mayland Community College, where he later served as Coordinator of Special Projects and Institutional Planning and Assessment Officer\u202f[1][16]. He also held the office of mayor of Spruce Pine\u202f[16].\n\nHise was first elected to the North Carolina Senate in November\u202f2010 and was sworn in on January\u202f1,\u202f2011\u202f[1][12]. He has been re\u2011elected every two years since, most recently in 2022 where he received 62,436 votes\u202f[3]. In 2019 he was appointed Deputy President Pro Tempore of the Senate, a leadership position he continues to hold\u202f[12][16]. Over successive sessions he has chaired key committees, including the Appropriations/Base Budget Committee, the Redistricting and Elections Committee, and the Health Care Committee, and has served on Finance, Pensions and Retirement, Rules and Operations, and several others\u202f[1].\n\nLegislatively, Hise has been a prominent conservative voice. He led the Senate\u2019s opposition to a Medicaid expansion study (House Bill\u202f998) and has sponsored anti\u2011transgender legislation restricting gender\u2011affirming care for minors\u202f[12]. He was involved in a 2017 campaign\u2011finance controversy that prompted an investigation by the State Board of Elections; he subsequently introduced Senate Bill\u202f68, which restructured the Board, though the law was later struck down by the state Supreme Court\u202f[12]. Hise also helped forfeit a large donation from the Pfizer PAC following a state ethics ruling\u202f[12].\n\nBeyond the Senate, Hise is active in his community as a member of the Abundant Life Outreach Church, chair of the Mitchell County Republican Party, and a volunteer for the North Carolina Victory Campaign\u202f[16]. He has been recognized with the American Conservative Union\u2019s Defender of Liberty Award\u202f[16].\n\nIn the 2026 race, Hise faces Democratic challenger Frank Patton Hughes\u202fIII. The Republican primary was cancelled, leaving Hise on the ballot for the general election\u202f[1].\n\n## Sources\n- [1] [Ralph Hise - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Ralph_Hise)\n- [2] [North Carolina State Senate District 47 - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/North_Carolina_State_Senate_District_47)\n- [3] [North Carolina State Senate District 47 candidate surveys, 2022 - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/North_Carolina_State_Senate_District_47_candidate_surveys,_2022)\n- [9] [Senator Ralph Hise - Biography - North Carolina General Assembly](https://www.ncleg.gov/Members/Biography/s/298)\n- [11] [Senator Ralph Hise - Biography - North Carolina General Assembly](https://www.ncleg.gov/Members/Biography/S/298)\n- [12] [Ralph Hise - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ralph_Hise)\n- [13] [2026 North Carolina Senate election - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_North_Carolina_Senate_election)\n- [16] [Ralph Hise, Jr.'s Biography](https://justfacts.votesmart.org/candidate/biography/117794/ralph-hise-jr)\n- [18] [Senator Ralph Hise (@SenRalphHise)](https://www.facebook.com/SenRalphHise/)\n- [19] [Senator Ralph Hise (@RalphHise) / ...](https://twitter.com/RalphHise)\n- [20] [Senator Ralph Hise (@RalphHise) / ...](https://x.com/ralphhise?lang=en)","campaigns":[{"contest":"state_senate_047","county":"alleghany","county_count":9,"electiondate":"Tue, 03 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT","pgr":"general","state":"NC","title":"Nc State Senate District 47"}],"cf_filings":[],"firstname":"Ralph","fullname":"Ralph Edward Hise JR","lastname":"Hise","middlename":"Edward","office_history":[{"campaigns":[{"contest":"state_senate_047","contest_title":"Nc State Senate District 47","county":"alleghany","county_count":9,"electiondate":"2026-11-03","office_county":null,"office_key":"state_senate","office_title":"State Senator","party":"REP","pgr":"general","state":"NC"}],"county":null,"cycles":[{"general":{"contest":"state_senate_047","contest_title":"Nc State Senate District 47","county":"alleghany","county_count":9,"electiondate":"2026-11-03","office_county":null,"office_key":"state_senate","office_title":"State Senator","party":"REP","pgr":"general","state":"NC"},"party":"REP","primary":null,"term":null,"year":2026}],"office_key":"state_senate","office_title":"State Senator","state":"NC","terms":[]}],"suffix":"JR","summary":"Ralph Hise, Republican Deputy President Pro Tempore of the NC Senate, seeks re\u2011election to represent District\u202f47 in 2026.","terms":[],"token":"b432fe8f4f159663"}