{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nKarla Foster Leonard is a Republican candidate for the Rowan County Board of Commissioners in the 2026 election. She won the Rowan County Republican primary on March 3, 2026, receiving 6,444 votes to finish first among the Republican field.\n\nLeonard's campaign is organized around three priorities: balanced growth aligning residential development with land-use plans; job creation by streamlining permitting to attract industries offering competitive wages; and education and workforce by strengthening partnerships between the county, Rowan-Cabarrus Community College, and Rowan-Salisbury Schools.\n\n## Background and education\nLeonard is a lifelong resident of Rowan County and a granddaughter of a farmer. She graduated from North Rowan High School and earned a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice from Appalachian State University.\n\n## Career\nAfter college, Leonard worked as a Transition Specialist for Rowan County Youth Services. She later served as Coalition Director for the North Carolina Republican Party during the 2012 election cycle. She subsequently founded New Pointe Realty. She currently serves as Director of Business Advocacy at the Rowan County Chamber of Commerce.\n\nLeonard has chaired the Rowan County Housing Authority and the East Spencer Housing Authority. She currently chairs the Rowan County Planning Board, where she is in her second term.\n\n## Family\nLeonard resides in Rockwell with her husband and stepson.\n\n## Sources\n- [1] [Karla Foster Leonard announces county commissioner candidacy \u2013 Salisbury Post](https://www.salisburypost.com/2025/03/16/karla-foster-leonard-announces-county-commissioner-candidacy/)\n- [2] [Leonard, Hinson, Lancaster take Republican Rowan County commissioner primary victory \u2013 Salisbury Post](https://www.salisburypost.com/2026/03/03/leonard-hinson-lancaster-take-republican-rowan-county-commissioner-primary-victory/)\n- [3] [Vote Karla Foster Leonard \u2013 votekarla.com](https://votekarla.com/)\n","campaigns":[{"contest":"county_commission","county":"rowan","county_count":1,"electiondate":"Tue, 03 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT","pgr":"general","state":"NC","title":"Rowan County Board Of Commissioners"},{"contest":"county_commission","county":"rowan","county_count":1,"electiondate":"Tue, 03 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT","pgr":"general","state":"NC","title":"Rowan County Board Of Commissioners"}],"cf_filings":[],"firstname":"Karla","fullname":"Karla Foster Leonard","lastname":"Leonard","middlename":"Foster","office_history":[{"campaigns":[{"contest":"county_commission","contest_title":"Rowan County Board Of Commissioners","county":"rowan","county_count":1,"electiondate":"2026-11-03","office_county":"rowan","office_key":"county_commission","office_title":"County Commissioner","party":"REP","pgr":"general","state":"NC"},{"contest":"county_commission","contest_title":"Rowan County Board Of Commissioners","county":"rowan","county_count":1,"electiondate":"2026-03-03","office_county":"rowan","office_key":"county_commission","office_title":"County Commissioner","party":"REP","pgr":"general","state":"NC"}],"county":"rowan","cycles":[{"general":{"contest":"county_commission","contest_title":"Rowan County Board Of Commissioners","county":"rowan","county_count":1,"electiondate":"2026-03-03","office_county":"rowan","office_key":"county_commission","office_title":"County Commissioner","party":"REP","pgr":"general","state":"NC"},"party":"REP","primary":null,"term":null,"year":2026}],"office_key":"county_commission","office_title":"County Commissioner","state":"NC","terms":[]}],"summary":"Karla Foster Leonard is identified as a County Commission candidate in North Carolina, though specific election details are not provided in the sources.","terms":[],"token":"fefcbbcf11811a6f"}