Republican NC senator is running for Congress. Here’s who wants to replace him.
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- Four Republicans vie for the N.C. Senate District 1 GOP primary in 2026.
- Some candidates highlight teacher pay, rural health and passing a budget.
- Several propose shifting taxes and cutting spending to address affordability.
To help voters learn which candidates are on their ballot and where they stand on important policy issues, The News & Observer is publishing candidate questionnaires in all state and federal races in North Carolina on the March 3, 2026, ballot.
Below are the candidates running for N.C. Senate District 1 who responded to our questionnaire in order by the date their responses were received. Some candidates did not provide a photo.
Senate District 1 covers the northeastern counties of Bertie, Camden, Currituck, Dare, Gates, Hertford, Northampton, Pasquotank, Perquimans and Tyrrell.
There is a Republican primary among Dave Forsythe, Jerry Tillett, Jay Lane and Cole Johnson. Melissa Zehner is running without opposition to represent Democrats. This seat is currently held by Republican Sen. Bobby Hanig, who is running for Congress.
Tillett and Lane did not respond to the questionnaire.
Cole Johnson
Age as of March 3, 2026: 32
Political party: Republican
Campaign website: Electcolejohnson.com
Current occupation: Farmer
Professional experience: U.S. Marine Corps veteran, conservative activist
Education: Currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in agribusiness
Please list any notable government or civic involvement: Successfully fought against a raw milk ban and a shrimp trawl ban.
The legislature sets teacher base pay. What do you think the salary range should be for teachers, from starting to 30+ experience? North Carolina is currently ranked 42 when it comes to teacher salary. I would like to see our state in the upper 25 instead of the lower. To achieve that, North Carolina teachers would need to be paid around $68,000 per year with starting pay around $48,000. Teachers with 30+ years should receive the highest with salaries around the $75,000 range.
As of January, North Carolina was the last state not to have passed a new, comprehensive budget. What would you do to help make sure a budget passes? North Carolina legislators need to remember that when a budget is not passed, it’s the people that suffer. If elected, I would encourage other legislators to put their own personal agendas aside and pass a solid, common sense budget that cuts unnecessary spending and gets teachers, police officers and other state employees the pay raises they were not only promised, but that they deserve.
What is the most important issue in your district and what do you want to do about it? Affordability is a major concern in my district. I plan to reduce wasteful government spending and eliminate regulations that burden small businesses. Overdevelopment is another major issue and I plan to work closely with county commissioners to empower them and support them in representing the wants and needs of the community.
North Carolina’s income tax rate for individual taxpayers is 3.99%. Should that be reduced further? I believe income tax and property tax should be reduced or eliminated with an increase in sales tax. That way, taxpayers keep more of their hard-earned money and they control where their tax dollars go.
Do you think the state is using taxpayer money efficiently? Why or why not? I do not. There are many instances of wasteful spending. One example is the desire to build a $500 million children’s hospital when there are already two in close proximity. (Editor’s note: The hospital is expected to cost about $3 billion, with much coming from private funding.) The need does not justify that kind of spending.
Do you support legalizing medical marijuana use? Why or why not? Yes. As a Marine Corps veteran, I have heard many testimonies of medical marijuana helping with PTSD, anxiety and depression. I have also heard testimonies of cancer patients benefiting from medical marijuana as well.
What do you see as the biggest barrier to health care access in your district, and what actions would you take to address it? The biggest health care barrier in Eastern North Carolina is the shortage of health care professionals and facilities in its rural communities. As a veteran living in northeast North Carolina, I am required to travel over an hour to Hampton, Virginia, to receive medical care from my primary care manager.
Dave Forsythe
Age as of March 3, 2026: 65
Political party: Republican
Campaign website: https://www.davidforsythefornc.com/
Current occupation: Director of Utilities Services / Gates County commissioner
Professional experience: Licensed professional engineer / retired federal civil service employee
Education: Bachelor’s degree in civil engineering / Master’s degree in environmental engineering
Please list any notable government or civic involvement: Gates County commissioner / recent Republican Party chairman
The legislature sets teacher base pay. What do you think the salary range should be for teachers, from starting to 30+ experience? $65,000 base pay for new teachers - $85,000 for 30 years
As of January, North Carolina was the last state not to have passed a new, comprehensive budget. What would you do to help make sure a budget passes? Strongly support a nonpartisan summit to reach common ground. Inform the public of actions towards success.
What is the most important issue in your district and what do you want to do about it? Protecting our district’s economy to help the working families survive these economic times.
North Carolina’s income tax rate for individual taxpayers is 3.99%. Should that be reduced further? I support moving to a sales tax and eliminating the income tax structure.
Do you think the state is using taxpayer money efficiently? Why or why not? While it is improving, I believe more progress can be made.
Do you support legalizing medical marijuana use? Why or why not? No. As long as the federal government maintains the illegal status, why should the state vary?
What do you see as the biggest barrier to health care access in your district, and what actions would you take to address it? The utter lack of providers in my county. Support state-level assistance for rural/small communities to make it financially viable for potential providers.
This story was originally published February 17, 2026 at 11:54 AM with the headline "Republican NC senator is running for Congress. Here’s who wants to replace him.."
