James Andrew Burgin

Jim Burgin is the incumbent Republican candidate for the North Carolina State Senate District 12 seat in the 2026 general election, scheduled for November 3, 2026. He has served in the Senate since January 1, 2019 and his current term runs through January 1, 2027, after winning re‑election in 2024 ¹⁸⁷.

Born May 20, 1956, in Knoxville, Tennessee, Burgin earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville ¹⁸¹⁸. He later moved to North Carolina, where he built a career as a businessman, serving as President and Owner of C&D Insurance, Chairman of the Board for New Horizon Insurance Group, President of B.C. Property Inc., and a partner in John Heister Automotive, which operates Chevrolet and Chrysler‑Dodge‑Jeep dealerships. He also held leadership roles at Dairymen Inc. and as a partner at John Hiester Automotive, according to campaign and petition sites ¹³²⁰¹⁸.

Before joining the state legislature, Burgin served two terms on the Harnett County Board of Commissioners, including a stint as board chairman, gaining experience in local government and community development ¹³¹⁸. He is active in civic life as an elder at Crossroads Baptist Church, a member of the Angier Kiwanis Club, and participant in various chambers of commerce and workforce development boards.

In the Senate, Burgin has held prominent committee positions. He chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services and the Senate Health Care Committee, and serves on the Agriculture, Energy, and Environment; Finance; Pensions, Retirement and Aging; and State and Local Government committees, among others, across multiple sessions (2021‑2026) ¹⁸. He has been a leading voice on health‑care policy, notably supporting Medicaid expansion—a stance uncommon among North Carolina Republicans—working with Sen. Kevin Corbin on related legislation during the 2021‑2022 session ⁸.

Burgin’s electoral record shows consistent victories in District 12: winning 60 % of the vote in 2018, 60.84 % in 2020, 63.45 % in 2022, and 61.61 % in 2024, defeating Democratic challengers each cycle ⁸. He advanced from the Republican primary in March 2026 and now faces Democrat Tanya White Anderson in the November general election ¹.

His public service has been recognized with several honors, including North Carolina’s Order of the Long Leaf Pine in 2016, reflecting his contributions to the state’s economic and civic life ¹⁸. Burgin continues to emphasize improving health‑care access, supporting local businesses, and advancing infrastructure projects for Harnett, Lee, and Sampson counties.

Burgin’s campaign is organized through the website Burgin for Senate, which provides donation information and policy statements ⁹¹⁹.

Sources