REPUBLICAN

Farley is a lawyer in the construction industry and volunteers “for conservative causes.” He says he “wants North Carolina to be the safest place to work and the best place to do business in the country.” He continues to say that “he'll fight every day for free enterprise, common sense regulation, and cutting red tape.” The top issues cited on his website are medical freedom for healthcare workers (e.g. no mandatory vaccines), workforce development with vocational training, and right-to-work freedoms (e.g. no mandatory union memberships). Farley is endorsed by former N.C. Labor Commissioner Cherie Berry. He is an N.C. native, a graduate of UNC Chapel Hill and Wake Forest School of Law, and a father. (Age ~36)

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DEMOCRAT

Winston is a union stagehand and first became famous in Charlotte as a “citizen journalist” during the Keith Lamont Scott riots and ran for city council. He served on the Charlotte City Council as an at-large member from 2017-2023. He says he wants to ensure that N.C. is the “#1 state for business AND workers.” Key issues cited on his website are safe working conditions including heat safety, fair pay, and supporting the "whole worker" including reducing food deserts and supporting workforce training. He is a graduate of Davidson College and a former football player. He has faced a few minor legal skirmishes over the years, including an arrest during the George Floyd protests. (Age ~41)

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