5 things to know about Veleria Levy, candidate who ousted incumbent Rep. Majeed
Veleria Levy is headed to the North Carolina House after defeating four-term Democratic incumbent Rep. Nasif Majeed in the primary for District 99.
Levy won decisively Tuesday, earning about 68.6% of the vote compared with Majeed’s 26.2%, according to unofficial Mecklenburg County election results. A third candidate, Tucker Neal, received about 5.2% of the vote after he endorsed Levy. The race unfolded amid backlash within the Democratic Party after Majeed voted to side with Republicans and override a veto by Gov. Josh Stein last year.
No Republican or unaffiliated candidate filed to run in District 99, meaning Levy is set to represent the north Charlotte district in Raleigh.
Here’s what to know about the incoming lawmaker.
Levy built a career in health policy and advocacy
Levy has spent more than two decades working in health policy, advocacy and nonprofit leadership, according to her response to a questionnaire by The Charlotte Observer.
She currently works as a healthcare policy and advocacy consultant and is the founder of HerHealth Consulting. Her work focuses on helping organizations navigate policy, equity and community engagement issues. Before that, Levy served as executive director of a statewide advocacy organization focused on improving health equity for LGBTQ communities and people living with HIV.
Her background in health policy was a central part of her campaign message. Levy =said she wants to focus on protecting Medicaid expansion, strengthening community health centers and addressing barriers that prevent residents from accessing care.
“Affordability and access remain the biggest barriers,” Levy wrote in her questionnaire.
Levy earned her undergraduate degree from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, a historically Black university in Greensboro. She later earned a master of studies in Law in health care law and policy from Wake Forest University School of Law.
She has held leadership roles in the Democratic Party
Levy also held several leadership roles within the Democratic Party. She served as the second vice chair of the North Carolina Democratic Party from 2015 to 2017 and over the years as a county chair, congressional district chair and precinct chair, according to her candidate questionnaire.
Her campaign focuses on affordability and access
Levy has said District 99, as one of the fastest-growing areas in North Carolina, faces rising costs that are putting pressure on families and pricing them out. Housing affordability, energy costs and access to jobs and child care are among her top concerns.
“Supporting livable wages and affordable childcare strengthens families, stabilizes the workforce, and supports small businesses,” her campaign website states.
She said she wants to focus on policies that support affordable housing, workforce investment and infrastructure improvements while protecting long-time residents from displacement. Levy also supported raising teacher pay, saying starting salaries should be at least $50,000 and increase to between $85,000 and $90,000 for educators with three decades of experience.
On other issues, she supports legalizing medical marijuana under a regulated system and has said the state should avoid additional income tax cuts that could reduce funding for schools, health care and infrastructure.
“Efficient use of taxpayer dollars means investing in education, healthcare access, infrastructure, and workforce development while demanding transparency and measurable outcomes,” Levy wrote in her questionnaire. “I oppose wasteful corporate giveaways that fail to deliver real public benefit.”
Personal experiences shaped her views on the health system
Levy has said her views on health care are also shaped by experiences in her own family.
On her campaign website, she wrote that her sister once sought care at a Planned Parenthood clinic in Texas while unemployed. During that visit, providers detected cervical cancer early.
“That screening saved her life,” the website states. “The experience reinforced what Veleria has seen throughout her career, delayed diagnoses and barriers to care cost lives, and closing those gaps especially for Black women is urgent and essential.
Levy also described navigating the health care system as a parent of a child living with epilepsy and helping her family access care through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs as the daughter of a military veteran.
She has been active in community and civic organizations
Beyond party politics, Levy has served in leadership roles with several community and nonprofit organizations.
She has chaired the boards of RAO Community Health and Triad Health Project, which provide sexual health and prevention services to uninsured patients and vulnerable populations.
Levy has also been involved with civic and service organizations, including Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. and the Queen City chapter of Jack and Jill of America. She is also a graduate of the Institute of Political Leadership, a program that trains candidates and community leaders interested in public service.
This story was originally published March 4, 2026 at 2:42 PM with the headline "5 things to know about Veleria Levy, candidate who ousted incumbent Rep. Majeed."
