DLCC Announces Record Candidate Recruitment in North Carolina

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
March 1, 2018
CONTACT:
Mara Sloan
DLCC Communications Director
[email protected]
202.449.6740

DLCC Announces Record Candidate Recruitment in North Carolina

Democrats nationwide are stepping up to expand blue wall of resistance in the Trump era

WASHINGTON — Today Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC) Executive Director Jessica Post announced record-breaking Democratic candidate recruitment for the North Carolina state legislature.

North Carolina Democrats have candidates running in each of the 170 districts – 120 state House districts, and 50 state Senate districts – on the ballot. The talented slate of Democratic candidates includes educators, veterans, small business owners, and lawyers. And of the 218 Democrats running for state legislature, 81 are women.

“For the first time ever, every single voter in North Carolina will have the chance to vote for a state Democrat this November,” said Post. “We are seeing Democrats all over the country rise up and add their name to the ballot to defend our values against the Trump administration’s right-wing agenda. Thanks to Senate Democratic Leader Dan Blue and House Democratic Leader Darren Jackson, this is a pivotal moment for Democrats in North Carolina and we are officially putting Republicans and their gerrymandered maps on notice. Democrats are fired up and ready to put in the hard work to make real change happen in our state legislatures.”

The DLCC and state Democrats are breaking records in other battleground states across the country: Ohio Democrats are also running candidates in every district in the Ohio General Assembly, while in Arizona, so far 108 Democrats – including 50 women and 54 people of color – have filed to run for state legislature. In Texas, 110 women are running and Democrats will have a record number of candidates headed out door knocking in 133 of 189 state House districts and 14 of 15 state Senate districts. And in Kentucky, almost 100 women and nearly 40 educators will run to become a state legislator.

Below are some of the North Carolina Democrats who filed to run:

Kirk deViere, SD-19: A veteran and small business owner, Kirk is a city councilman with a strong record of advocating for the needs of his community.
Helen Probst Mills, SD-25: Helen is a community leader, mother of three, lawyer and cancer survivor who is fighting for strong public schools and better access to health care for all.
Raymond Smith, HD-21: A retired military policeman and member of the Wayne County Board of Education, Raymond now works as a professor of human resources development at Johnston Community College.
The Rev. James Gailliard, HD-25: As a pastor at World Tabernacle Church and the CEO of a non-profit focused on community and economic development in eastern North Carolina, the Rev. Gailliard is running for the state House to further his dedication to public service and his community.
Julie von Haefen, HD-36: Julie is a PTA leader at the school, county, and state level and a fierce advocate for North Carolina’s public schools.
Sydney Batch, HD-37: Sydney is a lawyer, social worker, child welfare advocate and she founded and is a senior partner at the law firm Batch, Poore, & Williams, PC in Raleigh.
Ashton Clemmons, HD-57: An educator and assistant superintendent of Thomasville City Schools, Ashton was named one of the Triad Business Journal’s “40 Leaders under 40” and has also been honored by the United Way with its Human Rights Advocate award.
Dr. Rick Foulke, HD-68: An army veteran turned doctor, Rick has helped treat active duty troops and their families, inspiring his lifelong advocacy for veterans’ rights.
Bryson Jones, HD-79: A New Bern resident and Marine Corps veteran, Bryson joined the Marines after the September 11 terrorist attacks and is running for office to continue his record of service to his county and his community.
Ray Russell, HD-93: Ray is a former NASA cockpit designer and currently teaches computer science at Appalachian State University. He recently received “Business of the Year” from the Boone Chamber of Commerce for his site RaysWeather.com, which provides custom weather services for the Southern Appalachian region.
Rachel Hunt, HD-103: The daughter of former Governor Jim Hunt, Rachel knows what it means to serve the public. After working as a family lawyer for over 20 years, she created Charlotte School Search LLC, a firm that helps parents find the right school for their children, and works as an education consultant.

The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee is the only organization exclusively committed to electing Democrats to state legislatures all over the country and winning Democratic control of chambers. For over two decades, the DLCC has been working with state legislative leaders to invest strategically in state programs, which has led to Democrats flipping 39 seats since Trump’s inauguration. The DLCC is building on Democrats’ winning momentum and continues to lay the groundwork for substantial gains in 2018 in statehouses nationwide. State Democrats recently scored critical victories in Connecticut, New Hampshire, Kentucky, Florida, Minnesota, Missouri, Washington, Virginia, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Florida, Georgia, and elsewhere, while also leading the resistance against the Trump administration’s extremist policies. You can learn more about critical upcoming elections and follow DLCC’s Spotlight Races at races.dlcc.org.

For more information or to schedule an interview with the DLCC, please contact Mara Sloan at [email protected].

# # #