The Coalition Board of Directors on Thursday endorsed the slate below of candidates running in legislative primary races. These candidates support our goals of fair funding and autonomy for public charter schools. We encourage you to vote for pro-charter candidates in the upcoming primary election on Tuesday, March 3! Early voting is open now and ends on Saturday, Feb. 28.
In a press release announcing the endorsements, Dave Machado, the Coalition’s executive director, said:
Our organization endorses candidates exclusively on the basis of their support for public charter schools. Parents deserve a choice in their public schooling, and we use what resources we have to inform parents of who supports that premise and who doesn’t.
Here are the candidates endorsed by the Coalition:
North Carolina House of Representatives
- Rep. Ed Goodwin (Republican), District 1 (Chowan, Currituck, Dare, Perquimans, Tyrrell, Washington)
- Rep. Jimmy Dixon (Republican), District 4 (Duplin, Wayne)
- Rep. Joe Pike (Republican), District 6 (Harnett)
- Rep. Carson Smith (Republican), District 16 (Onslow, Pender)
- Rep. Frank Iler (Republican), District 17 (Brunswick)
- Rep. Shelly Willingham (Democrat), District 23 (Bertie, Edgecombe, Martin)
- Rep. Donna White (Republican), District 26 (Johnston)
- Rep. Larry Strickland (Republican), District 28 (Johnston)
- Rep. Mike Schietzelt (Republican), District 35 (Wake)
- Rep. Diane Wheatley (Republican), District 43 (Cumberland)
- Rep. Reece Pyrtle (Republican), District 65 (Rockingham)
- Rep. Neal Jackson (Republican), District 78 (Moore, Randolph)
- Rep. Keith Kidwell (Republican), District 79 (Beaufort, Dare, Hyde, Pamlico)
- Rep. Sam Watford (Republican), District 80 (Davidson)
- Rep. Larry Potts (Republican), District 81 (Davidson)
- Rep. Mitchell Setzer (Republican), District 89 (Catawba, Iredell)
- Rep. Todd Carver (Republican), District 95 (Iredell)
- Rep. Tricia Cotham (Republican), District 105 (Mecklenburg)
- Rep. Carla Cunningham (Democrat), District 106 (Mecklenburg)
- Rep. Kelly Hastings (Republican), District 110 (Cleveland, Gaston)
- Rep. Jake Johnson (Republican), District 113 (Henderson, McDowell, Polk, Rutherford)
- Rep. Jennifer Balkcom (Republican), District 117 (Henderson)
- Rep. Mark Pless (Republican), District 118 (Haywood, Madison)
- Rep. Mike Clampitt (Republican), District 119 (Jackson, Swain, Transylvania)
- Former Rep. Frank Sossamon (Republican), District 32 (Granville, Vance)
- Former Rep. Michael Wray (Democrat), District 27 (Halifax, Northampton, Warren)
North Carolina Senate
- Senator Brent Jackson (Republican), District 9 (Bladen, Duplin, Jones, Pender, Sampson)
- Senator Benton Sawrey (Republican), District 10 (Johnston)
- Senator Jim Burgin (Republican), District 12 (Harnett, Lee, Sampson)
- Senator Tom McInnis (Republican), District 21 (Cumberland, Moore)
- Senator Phil Berger (Republican), District 26 (Guilford, Rockingham)
- Senator Steve Jarvis (Republican), District 30 (Davidson, Davie)
- Senator Chris Measmer (Republican), District 34 (Cabarrus)
In the Coalition’s release, Machado also made this statement about the endorsements:
These candidates have a track record of supporting public charter schools. They embrace the idea that parents deserve options in deciding which public school environment will best help their children achieve their full potential.
More information about voting in the primary election
Election Day voting on Tuesday, March 3, runs from 6:30 a.m. until 7:30 p.m. Access more information about your in-person voting place on Election Day.
- See an overview of the 2026 elections.
- Find an early voting site in your county.
- See an overall list of early voting sites in the 2026 primary.
- Learn more about voting in person on Election Day.
Elections have consequences, and the success and sustainability of our state’s charter movement hinge on election outcomes. Electing pro-charter candidates helps the Coalition advance our pro-charter legislative agenda at the General Assembly. Vote for a pro-charter candidate—and help us continue working to secure fair funding and protect charter autonomy!
Coalition endorsements are non-partisan and issue-driven. View our Guidelines for Candidate Endorsement.
Above: Shutterstock photo.
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