The first week of candidate filing for the 2026 election saw several Lee County incumbents making their re-election bids official, and two announcing bids for higher office.
Republican Sherry Womack, currently the chair of the Lee County Board of Education, filed on Friday to seek the seat in the House currently held by fellow Republican John Sauls. Sauls hasn’t announced whether he intends to seek a seventh term.
Womack, who is married to Lee County Republican Party Chairman Jim Womack, has been on the school board since 2016 and the chair since December 2024. She previously served as chair in 2023.
House District 51 covers all of Lee County and part of Moore. No Democrat has filed to run for the seat, but local business owner April Montgomery is collecting signatures to get on the ballot next year as an unaffiliated candidate.
Another Republican member of the school board filed on Monday to seek a the District 4 seat on the Lee County Board of Commissioners. Eric Davidson was first elected to the board of education in 2022 and would have been up for re-election in 2026. He served as chair of that board between Womack’s tenures.
The District 4 seat is currently held by Republican Taylor Vorbeck, who hasn’t indicated whether she intends to seek another term. It covers western Lee County.
In Senate District 12, which covers Lee and Harnett counties, as well as parts of Sampson County, Democrat Jheri Hardaway, a journalist for The Carolinian News, filed to challenge three term incumbent Republican Jim Burgin. Burgin has also filed for re-election, according to elections officials in Harnett County.
Republican Tim McNeill, a former member of the Harnett County Board of Commissioners, has also filed for Senate District 12.
Attorney and Lee County native Paul Barringer, a Democrat, has filed to run for a Congressional seat that includes Lee County. North Carolina’s 13th Congressional District covers all of Lee, Harnett, Johnston, Franklin, Person, and Caswell counties, and parts of Wake and Granville counties. Incumbent Republican Brad Knott doesn’t appear to have filed for re-election. Democrat Alexander Nicholi of Raleigh has also filed for the seat.
Other Lee County candidates who filed for re-election during the first week of the filing period include:
Republican Sheriff Brian Estes, who was appointed to the seat in 2022, and first elected later the same year.
Democratic Clerk of Court Susie Thomas, who has held the seat since the late 2000s.
Democrat Robert Reives Sr., who has served District 1 on the Lee County Board of Commissioners since the 1990s.
Republican Kirk Smith, chairman of the Board of Commissioners representing District 2 for multiple terms.
Republican Andre Knecht, representing District 3 on the Board of Commissioners since 2014.
Republican Alan Rummel, who has served on the Lee County Board of Education since 2022.
The filing period for the 2026 election cycle will continue through noon on December 19. The Rant will provide updates on filing each Friday until then, and a full list of candidates in our January 2026 print edition.