Lisa Stone Barnes

Lisa Stone Barnes is the incumbent Republican State Senator for North Carolina’s 11th District, seeking re‑election in the 2026 general election. The North Carolina Senate is the upper chamber of the General Assembly; senators represent roughly 200,000 residents, introduce and vote on legislation, approve the state budget, and serve on standing committees that shape policy in areas such as agriculture, education, health care, and fiscal matters ¹. Senator Barnes has served in this role since January 1, 2021, with her current term set to end on January 1, 2027, and she will appear on the November 3, 2026 ballot for a second full term ¹.

Barnes was born and raised in Nash County, North Carolina. She graduated from Southern Nash High School, earned an Associate of Arts from Peace College, and received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from North Carolina State University. She later completed the University of North Carolina School of Government’s Advanced Leadership Corps program and a Legal Assistants Program at Meredith College ¹¹¹².

Before entering elected office, Barnes worked as a real‑estate paralegal for a private firm and served in the Rocky Mount Planning and Development Department. She also has extensive experience in agribusiness, working alongside her husband, Johnny Barnes, in their family farming operations ¹²¹. Her community involvement includes service on the Nash County Broadband Committee, the Nash County Planning Board, and various local nonprofit boards.

Barnes’ political career began with a seat on the Nash County Board of Commissioners, where she eventually served as chair. She was elected to the North Carolina House of Representatives for District 7, serving from 2019 to 2021, before winning the State Senate seat for District 11 in 2020 and taking office in 2021 ¹¹¹¹⁷. In the Senate, she has held several leadership positions, most recently chairing the Agriculture, Energy, and Environment Committee and the Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Natural and Economic Resources for the 2025‑2026 session. She also serves on the Appropriations/Base Budget, Education/Higher Education, Health Care, and Rules and Operations of the Senate committees, among others ¹.

During her tenure, Senator Barnes has sponsored and co‑sponsored legislation focused on supporting North Carolina’s agricultural sector, improving infrastructure, and maintaining fiscal responsibility. Vote Smart records show her participation in numerous key votes, including bills on budget appropriations, health care, and regulatory reforms, reflecting her emphasis on low taxes and balanced budgeting ⁶.

Barnes’ campaign platform emphasizes responsible government spending, economic growth for rural and suburban communities, high‑paying jobs, quality health care, reliable roads and infrastructure, and strong education systems. She describes herself as a “businesswoman with strong roots in agriculture” who will continue to fight for “hard‑working people of North Carolina” and keep taxes low while promoting job creation and quality of life in Franklin, Nash, and Vance counties ¹⁰¹².

She maintains a Capitol office at 300 N. Salisbury Street, Room 628, Raleigh, NC 27603, and a campaign office in Nashville, NC. Contact numbers include the Capitol office line 919‑715‑3030 and the campaign office line 252‑900‑6562. No direct email address is listed in the available sources ¹⁷⁸.

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