Justin E. Dues

Party:

Democrat

Incumbent:

Age:

Previous experience in elected office:

None; ran unsuccessfully for Congress (NC-8) in 2024

Occupation:

Founder of a medical device company; nickel trader

Description:

Dues cites the top issue for his campaign as affordability. He believes that the root of high prices is "capitalism without competition." He also states on his website that healthcare is a universal right. He advocates "for a constitutional amendment to make gerrymandering illegal, an end to Corporate Lobbying, moving to non-partisan primaries so you don’t have to be an extremist to get to the general election, adding term limits to Congress, reversing the harmful Citizen’s United decision that allows extreme dark money to flood our politics." He includes a link on his website called Project 2030 which he describes as a "Democratic antidote to Project 2025."

Other personal:

Dues is from Ohio and joined the U.S. Marine Corps after 9/11. He says that he was disillusioned during his service by "rampant fraud, waste, and abuse by the DoD." Dues is the father of four. He has a bachelor's from the University of Maryland and an MBA from UNC Charlotte.

Candidate Website

The Election Hub Questionnaire

Please provide demographic information about yourself to help voters (age, education, current occupation, where you live).

I will turn 41 shortly before the primary and reside in Concord, North Carolina, with my wife, 4 children and 3 dogs. I hold an MBA from UNC Charlotte and a bachelor’s degree in business. I’ve spent most of my adult life in North Carolina, serving in the Marine Corps, raising my family here, launching businesses, and working with communities across the state.

Why are you running for this role and why should voters pick you? Please share your previous experience in elected office that would be relevant to voters.

Working-class families are being left behind by a political system that too often serves wealthy donors and entrenched interests. My opponents have long careers in politics or corporate law, but I bring lived experience as a veteran, entrepreneur, and community advocate that WILL NOT accept the status quo. I've worked multiple full-time jobs for the past 7 years and understand the everyday affordability pressures from rising housing and insurance costs to healthcare access to education. I have not held elected office before, but I’ve led public / private / military teams, built organizations, and made tough decisions that brought real results. It’s time for ethical and moral political leadership that reflects the people – not the corporate donor class.

Tell us 1-2 professional accomplishments you have achieved in your work experience (not limited to public service) that give voters a sense of your leadership style or skills.

-Veteran and Builder of Businesses: After serving in the military, I built and led companies ranging from small startups to teams in national-scale organizations. I understand how to manage people, grow responsibly, and build systems that work. This led to a nationwide award from the SBA in 2023 when I was named to the 40 under 40 for work done at UNC Charlotte.

-Founder of Prohuman Technologies: I launched a medical device startup focused on wearable health innovation, aimed at helping people recover faster and live healthier lives. After sustaining injuries on active duty I sought ways of pain relief other than pharmaceuticals/opioids, which led me to form a team and create a device that heats and cools with thermoelectric technology. This has required strategic leadership, patent development, regulatory awareness, and working closely with universities, clinicians, and research networks to solve real problems.

What endorsements from any notable NC organizations or people have you received?

As a grassroots campaign, we've not sought any endorsements, although the Charlotte Observer did endorse my 2024 Congressional campaign.

How long have you lived in the region/district where you are running for office?

I’ve lived in the greater Charlotte region for over a decade and have deep ties across Cabarrus, Mecklenburg, Stanly, Union, and surrounding counties. My professional and personal life have been rooted here, and my campaign is focused on the real needs of this region – from rural infrastructure and affordable housing to economic revitalization and proper funding of public schools.

Tell us something unexpected about yourself that voters may be interested to know.

A deep interest in astronomy and human evolution and will read / research topics just for fun. I'm a lover of all animals.