N.C. Senate 35

There are 50 members in the North Carolina Senate, and they serve as the "upper house" of the General Assembly. Their powers include proposing and passing laws, along with the state House; fiscal oversight of the state budget; gubernatorial veto overrides; confirmation of certain executive branch appointments; redistricting; proposing N.C. constitutional amendments and providing constituent services. State residents must be at least 25 years old to run for the Senate and they must have lived in N.C. for at least two years. State Senators serve two-year terms with no term limits.

District 35 covers parts of Union and Cabarrus Counties, an area that mixes fast-growing Charlotte-suburb communities such as Waxhaw with more rural stretches of Union County. Only a small part of this district covers Cabarrus County. 

Four-term Republican incumbent Todd Johnson ran unopposed in the Republican primary and faces Democrat Christine Winward in November. Winward has minimal public campaign presence so far — no known website, platform or media coverage — making this a lower-profile contest relative to other legislative races in the region. Johnson's legislative focus has centered on infrastructure funding tied to Union County's growth, school choice and lower taxes.

N.C. Senate 35 Candidates