The Libertarian Party of North Carolina has announced a slate of more than 30 candidates for local, state, and federal office in the 2026 election cycle, saying the group reflects its commitment to individual liberty, civil rights, limited government, and fiscal responsibility.
In a December 26 press release, the party said the slate offers voters “a rejection of the uniparty,” which it accused of perpetuating excessive spending, centralizing state power, and eroding individual liberties. The announcement included ten candidates running for Congress, 15 candidates for the General Assembly, including six seeking state Senate seats and nine seeking state House seats, and six candidates for various local offices.
“These candidates offer voters a clear alternative to the status quo,” Ryan Brown, chair of the Libertarian Party of North Carolina, states in the release. “Libertarians believe North Carolinians deserve more freedom, more accountability, and more respect for their rights than they currently receive from entrenched political interests.”
As a recognized political party in North Carolina, the state Libertarian Party’s candidates are entitled to ballot access without submitting petition signatures. Recognized parties instead select their nominees through primary elections when more than one candidate files for the same office. In those races that are uncontested, candidates are instead nominated through a party’s convention process and then certified for the general election ballot. Rules for local offices can vary depending on whether a position is designated as partisan or nonpartisan under state law.
Based on the names included in the party’s list and filing information currently available from the North Carolina State Board of Elections, there are no contested Libertarian races listed for the March 3 primary election as of December 30. A full list of candidates announced by the Libertarian Party of North Carolina and the offices they have declared for is included below.
| Candidate Name | Office | Scope |
|---|---|---|
| Shannon W. Bray | U.S. Senate | Federal |
| Tom Bailey | U.S. House of Representatives, District 1 | Federal |
| Matthew Laszacs | U.S. House of Representatives, District 2 | Federal |
| Daniel Cavender | U.S. House of Representatives, District 3 | Federal |
| Guy Meilleur | U.S. House of Representatives, District 4 | Federal |
| Robert B. Luffman | U.S. House of Representatives, District 5 | Federal |
| Maad Abu-Ghazalah | U.S. House of Representatives, District 7 | Federal |
| Steven Feldman | U.S. House of Representatives, District 10 | Federal |
| Travis Groo | U.S. House of Representatives, District 11 | Federal |
| Steven Swinton | U.S. House of Representatives, District 13 | Federal |
| Tim White | North Carolina State Senate, District 8 | State |
| Kevin Terrett | North Carolina State Senate, District 10 | State |
| Gavin Bell | North Carolina State Senate, District 11 | State |
| Jonathan D. Miller | North Carolina State Senate, District 16 | State |
| Patrick J. Bowersox | North Carolina State Senate, District 17 | State |
| Brad Hessel | North Carolina State Senate, District 18 | State |
| Angela Humphries | North Carolina House of Representatives, District 3 | State |
| Matthew Kordon | North Carolina House of Representatives, District 11 | State |
| Nick Taylor | North Carolina House of Representatives, District 25 | State |
| Ray Ubinger | North Carolina House of Representatives, District 30 | State |
| Ed George | North Carolina House of Representatives, District 34 | State |
| Wayne Cockrell | North Carolina House of Representatives, District 39 | State |
| Lucas Everett Jones | North Carolina House of Representatives, District 40 | State |
| Christopher Sessions | North Carolina House of Representatives, District 53 | State |
| Matthew P. Clements | North Carolina House of Representatives, District 56 | State |
| Thomas Hill | Cabarrus County Board of Commissioners | Local |
| Jedi Lykins | Lincolnton City Council, Ward 3 | Local |
| Anthony Huss | Lincoln County Sheriff | Local |
| Bob Drach | New Hanover County Board of Commissioners | Local |
| R. Michael Jordan | Rockingham County Board of Commissioners | Local |
| Melvin B. Poole | Stanly County Board of Commissioners, At-Large | Local |
It would be helpful to include quick links to the candidates web page (if applicable) so we can review their stance and policy.
The people need not vote any further on party alignment, but the character and policy of the person requesting our vote.
I will happily support any libertarian who truly follows the goals and beliefs of the party, but I cannot in good faith carelessly throw a vote simply at a party name.
Not so fast. Maybe yes, maybe no. We don’t know the composition of that state party and whether the candidates they’ve put forth are actually libertarian or right-wingers in libertarian clothing.
Great effort by the North Carolina Libertarian Party for its large slate of candidates. May they enjoy electoral success!