Amanda Benbow Lunn: 0:09

Hello friends, thanks for joining me in the NC Deep Dive. I'm your host, Amanda Benbow Lunn, and we are in the thick of the 2026 primary election season. Early voting starts in less than a week on Thursday, February 12th, with election day being Tuesday, March 3rd. When you go to vote, you will be handed a ballot based on your address and your party affiliation. If you are unaffiliated, sometimes also referred here as independent, then you will have your choice of which party's ballot you would like to vote. Please note that you are only able to cast one ballot, and that there are no primary ballots for the Libertarian, Green, or No Labels parties. Moreover, candidates for the general election in November who do not have a primary challenger will not appear on your primary ballot. They get a pass directly to the general election. Due to time constraints and the plethora of candidates, and my belief that having as much information as possible is of vast importance, this primary election segment will consist of me covering one race at a time and going over each candidate's website and what I can find in a simple Google search in case it's easier for you to take the information in this way. I'll also be reading over the answers they gave if they submitted any responses to our 2026 voters' guide questionnaire. If you are short on time, you can check out our NC Deep Dive Voters' Guide for the 2026 primary election found pinned to our Facebook page or in this episode's show notes at www.ncdeepdive.com. It will be an easy way to access each candidate's website and research the candidates on your own if that is a better use of your time. Without further ado, friends, let's dive in.

Amanda Benbow Lunn: 1:51

In this episode, we will be covering the US Senate race that will be on the Republican ballots for those in Southern Wake County, but actually for the entire state of North Carolina. I will go down the list in order as they will appear on your ballot. For the Republican ballot for the U.S. Senate race, there are six contenders, though there was a seventh as well, but she has recently been disqualified. So I'm not sure if Margot Dupre's name will be on the ballot, but she is the first name that at least was on the sample ballot, followed by Richard Dansie, Donald M. (Don) Brown, Michael Whatley, Elizabeth A. Temple, Michele Morrow, and Thomas Johnson. I'll go through each of them, their websites if they have one, everything that I can find on a Google search about them, along with letting you know if they responded to our North Carolina Deep Dive Voters Guide questions for the 2026 primary. We've run into a particular issue this go round where the sample ballots that have been put out have Margot Dupre's name listed first. And two weeks ago, the North Carolina State Board of Elections postponed a candidate challenge into the Republican U.S. Senate candidate Margot Dupre. And then this past week they sustained the challenge, removing her from the Republican primary because in a three to one vote, they felt she failed to prove her residency for the state of North Carolina. Apparently, she does plan to appeal the decision. I just don't know what that looks like. I don't know if her name will actually appear on your Republican ballots or not. It looks like her name was taken off ballotpedia. From what I understand looking online, if you do vote for Margot Dupre as it stands right now, if her name does come up on the ballot, your vote would not count for her. So just to give you a little bit of background information, you're welcome to look into it. Dupree moved to North Carolina in mid-2024. And since then, she's been either living in her glamper hotels or Airbnbs as she travels across the state to campaign. Dupree unsuccessfully ran for U.S. Senate in Colorado in 2020 and a U.S. House seat in Idaho in 2024. She does have a house in Florida. She has several residences across the U.S., but she does have one in Florida and she holds a real estate license in both Florida and Idaho, I believe it is, but she does not hold a real estate license in North Carolina. She does not have a driver's license in North Carolina. The address you use to file her candidacy was actually a UPS store in Charlotte. In North Carolina, voters have to vote where they physically live. And a mailbox or a UPS store isn't a home. Voters can't list a commercial business, for instance. Those without a traditional residence, like a house or apartment, their residence is usually where they go to sleep at night, whether that's the street corner, parking lot, or other locations. I think her situation is iffy because she is driving around campaigning. So she doesn't have one specific spot that she returns to. So as of right now, it was a three-to-one decision. Her name will not be counted on the North Carolina Republican ballot. So I am not going to waste your time going over all her information, but it is out there. She does have a website and social media. She does plan to appeal it. Again, I don't know what that looks like because early voting starts in just a few days.

Amanda Benbow Lunn: 5:19

Moving on to the second candidate. That one is Richard Dansie. I'm going to read off his website. His homepage says Richard Dansie, Courage over Socialism, Republican for U.S. Senate, North Carolina. Richard Dansie is an Army veteran, senior network security engineer, entrepreneur. Richard Dansie was born and raised in Utah and joined the United States Army just 12 days after graduating high school. He served as a signal intelligence analyst in Army intelligence, specializing in Eastern Europe, where he developed a disciplined mission-first approach to national security analysis and problem solving. After his military service, Richard built a successful career in information technology and network security. As a senior network security engineer, he earned a reputation for high-level troubleshooting, systems design, and protecting critical infrastructure. His professional experience spans complex enterprise environments where precision, accountability, and properly aligned incentives matter. Richard is also a successful entrepreneur, having built and operated multiple ventures. That real-world experience outside of politics gives him a grounded understanding of how regulation, taxation, and federal overreach affect families, workers, and small businesses. Not in theory, but in practice. Richard is running for the United States Senate to restore sanity to Washington, rebuild merit in public life, defend families, and reassert the rule of law. He believes the federal government has drifted far beyond its constitutional role, creating perverse incentives that reward bureaucracy, dependency, and ideological conformity instead of responsibility and results. His campaign is centered on liberty, accountability, and American renewal. Richard advocates for fiscal discipline, incentive-aligned governance, a strong national defense, and policies that strengthen families rather than replace them. North Carolina has given Richard opportunity, freedom, and a future. He is running for the U.S. Senate to ensure the same opportunity exists for the next generation, not through promises of government provision, but through freedom, responsibility, and a return to first principles. Quick facts. Army veteran with intelligence and national security experience, senior network security engineer with enterprise level expertise, entrepreneur with real-world business experience, focused on liberty, accountability, fiscal discipline, and the rule of law, advocate for incentive-aligned governance and constitutional limits. His homepage says Liberty, Accountability, American Renewal. I'm running for the U.S. Senate to restore sanity and rebuild merit. I will defend families, enforce the law, and end the spiral of federal overreach. North Carolina deserves a senator who fights for freedom, not bureaucracy. I base my principles on limited government, Milton Friedman's legitimate purposes of government, Thomas Sowell's ideals, especially his constrained vision. My plans revolve around those ideas, and while not perfect, would be much better than more of the same. About Richard? Army veteran, senior network security engineer, successful entrepreneur, a champion for liberty and personal responsibility. I've lived the American dream from humble beginnings in Utah to serving in Army intelligence and moving into advanced network security engineering and enterprise-level problem solving. North Carolina has given me opportunity, and I'm fighting to protect that opportunity for the next generation. New thinking for a broken system. Washington keeps recycling the same failed ideas. Our problems are not small, and they cannot be solved with timid politics or recycled talking points. America needs leaders willing to challenge the assumptions that created the crisis in the first place. My seven cures are not slogans. They are a blueprint to rebuild the American family, restore order, strengthen men, end entitlement dependency, and dismantle the socialist bureaucracy draining this nation. These are novel, practical, and unapologetically honest solutions built from real-world experience, not from think tank consultants or party insiders. My solutions all lean into capitalist ideals, individual liberty, and basic human nature. We can solve our problems quickest using these principles, including my simple solutions to reduce healthcare costs, deficit spending, and other challenges. Core priorities. Restore the family. Rebuild the American family as a foundation of society. Strengthen fathers, protect children, and reverse the collapse caused by decades of anti-family ideology. Reassert law, order, and objective truth. Reject lived experience and emotional politics. Logical consistency, standards, accountability, and equal justice under the law. Rebuild masculinity. Protect male spaces, mentoring, leadership, and purpose. A strong nation requires strong men. Reclaim mental health. End the medicalization of normal life. Restore discipline, purpose, and real recovery. Reduce America's growing dependence on drugs and pharmaceutical quick fixes. End the welfare entitlement trap. Stop subsidizing dependency. Reinforce responsibility, work, and upward mobility. Dismantle the socialist bureaucratic state. Cut the federal bloat that pushes ideology over results. Return power to families, states, and citizens. Not unelected bureaucrats. People always use their own money better than the government does. Purge pornography and perversion. Remove foreign gender ideology and sexualization from schools and public life. Protect children and restore national moral health. There is a button where you can support the campaign by donating, and you can connect with Richard via X, which used to be Twitter, Facebook, or email.

Amanda Benbow Lunn: 10:49

Under the title Principles, he says freedom works when government is limited. The proper role of government. America's problems are not a mystery. They are the predictable result of a government that has expanded far beyond its proper role, crowding out families, markets, and communities. A free society requires a limited government that does few things well and resists the temptation to control everything else. The four legitimate functions of government, as articulated by Milton Friedman, government exists to serve the people, not manage them. At its core, its role is limited to four essential functions. Government exists to serve the people, not manage them. At its core, its role is limited to defend the country against foreign enemies. National defense is the first responsibility of government. Protect citizens from abuse and coercion by other citizens. Government must protect individual liberty and public safety from force and fraud. Define the rules of the game. Establish the legal framework, what private property is, how contracts work, and the boundaries that make freedom possible. Adjudicate disputes about the meaning of those rules. Provide courts and due process to resolve disagreements fairly and peacefully. When government moves beyond these rules, it becomes inefficient, ideological, and ultimately destructive to freedom. There are no solutions, only trade-offs. Every policy choice has cost. Pretending otherwise is how we ended up with runaway spending. Bureaucratic bloat and trillions in debt followed. Policies must be judged by results, not intentions. A simpler, fairer tax system. Complex tax systems punish success. They reward avoidance, loopholes, and offshore capital. A broad-based flat tax with a low rate would eliminate special interest, increase compliance, and keep capital productive and onshore. Lower rates on a broader base produce more revenue than higher rates on a shrinking one. Freedom and prosperity are inseparable. Economic freedom is not separate from political freedom. A government powerful enough to control markets, speech, and behavior is powerful enough to control people. My platform applies these principles to today's problems. Family collapse, runaway spending, cultural decay, and bureaucratic overreach. Because freedom still works when we let it. Under the tab healthcare, he says reduce actual cost, not hide it in bureaucracy. The goal. Lower costs, faster access, fair outcomes for patients and physicians. Healthcare is expensive because the system rewards paperwork, legal games, and defensive medicine. My plan improves access and lowers costs by fixing incentives without turning healthcare into a bigger government program. A national physician registry. This is not a federal takeover of healthcare. It is a national verification and portability framework. It makes it easier for patients to find qualified doctors and easier for doctors to treat patients across state lines. What the registry provides: verified physician identity, license status, board certifications, scope of practice, and disciplinary history where applicable. DEA linked verification, where appropriate. Controlled substance authorization integrity to support cross-border treatment and prescribing compliance. Cross-border access, reduce duplicative barriers, so interstate care and telehealth are practical, especially for specialty care. Patient clarity, specialties accepting new patients, telehealth availability, and location details in a standardized profile. More qualified access means more competition. More competition means lower prices. Medical claims reform. Today's malpractice system is a perverse incentive. It drives defensive medicine, inflates costs, and pushes physicians out of high-risk specialties. Patients deserve fair resolution. Physicians deserve protection from jackpot litigation and emotional jury trials. Expert review, not courtroom theater. Medical claims for physicians participating in the registry would follow a professional resolution path. Claims are reviewed by physicians in the same specialty, people qualified to evaluate standards of care. Peer review panels. Specialists review evidence, standard of care, and causality in writing. Physician duty. Registry members commit to one hour of review per month. Keep standards high and outcomes fair. Clear timelines, predictable, written findings instead of years of legal delay. Restorative remedies first. Medical costs, rehabilitation, and provable losses are the default. Extreme case exception. Larger awards considered only in rare, clearly defined cases of egregious misconduct. Patient choice and consent. This does not remove anyone's rights. It offers a voluntary alternative designed to deliver faster, fairer outcomes. Patients receiving care under the registry track agree in advance to resolve medical claims through this expert review and restorative compensation process instead of a jury trial. Patients remain free to seek care outside the registry if they prefer the traditional court system. Why this lowers cost? Defensive medicine is a major driver of health care inflation. When physicians must practice for lawsuits, patients pay the bill. Less defensive medicine, fewer unnecessary tests ordered for the record, lower premiums, predictable expert review reduces malpractice insurance distortion, more doctors practicing, especially in higher risk specialties. Interstate access. Patients can seek the best specialist care without state border traps. Faster resolution. Patients receive restorative compensation without multi-year legal warfare. The principle. Patients should be treated like customers, not claimants. Physicians should be judged by experts, not courtroom theatrics. And healthcare should be priced and delivered like a service, not like a cartel. Support practical reform. Incentives and accountability. Fix a system that rewards bad behavior. The problem. People respond to incentives. When incentives are misaligned, bad outcomes are predictable. Washington has built a system where members of Congress are rewarded regardless of performance. Spending rises, waste compounds, accountability disappears. Scale without accountability. The federal government spends over $6 trillion each year, spread across the 435 members of the House that represent roughly $15 billion in annual spending per member that Congress votes on. In the private sector, decision authority at that scale carries performance-based accountability. In Congress, it does not. A modest performance-based reform. Aligning congressional incentives, Congress should have skin in the game. I propose a performance-based compensation system where 1% of verified reductions in federal spending is set aside or pooled and distributed evenly among all members of Congress. To ensure fiscal responsibility and preserve constitutional checks and balances, any spending reduction must be signed into law by the president before any bonus is paid. This prevents gimmicks, windfall payouts, and veto-driven abuse while rewarding only real, durable savings that survive the full legislative process. Why this matters? Today's system rewards power, not performance. It allows waste, influence, and opacity to drive, often legally, but always corrosively. Aligning incentives does not solve every problem. But without aligned incentives, no reform lasts. He has an events tab that says Richard Danzi, Courage over Socialism, Republican for U.S. Senate, North Carolina. It lists events and fundraisers that are upcoming along with his campaign calendar. And that is the totality of Richard Dansie's website. Now doing a generic Google search, the things that pop up on the first page include his entry on ballotpedia. It says Richard Dansie of the Republican Party is running for election to the U.S. Senate to represent North Carolina.

Amanda Benbow Lunn: 18:19

He is on the ballot in the Republican primary on March 3rd. Dansie did complete the candidate connection survey in 2025. And in that survey, it says, please list below three key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office? And he says, I am running for the United States Senate to restore fiscal discipline, accountability, and constitutional limits on federal power. I believe government should be evaluated based on measurable results, not the size of budgets or the number of programs created. Incentives matter, and Congress should be rewarded for stewardship and restraint, not perpetual growth in spending and debt. I believe the federal government has grown disconnected from the people it represents. Career politicians, centralized leadership, and special interests have accumulated disproportionate influence, while rank and file members and voters have less impact on outcomes. I support reforms that decentralize power, reduce undue influence, and return responsibility to elected representatives who are accountable to their constituents. I approach public policy from a practical perspective that emphasizes evidence, outcomes, and long-term sustainability. Policy should be reviewed honestly, an effective program should be ended, and the successful policies should be strengthened. I believe lasting reform requires changing incentive structures, so good behavior is rewarded and failure carries real consequences. Their next question is What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about? He answers fiscal responsibility and federal spending reform, constitutional limits on government power, incentive-based reforms to improve accountability in Congress, restoring the role of the House in controlling spending, reducing the influence of special interests and lobbyists, strengthening families and civil society, and ensuring that federal policies are evaluated based on outcomes rather than intentions.

Amanda Benbow Lunn: 20:14

Looking at his campaign finance summary for the year of 2026, though there's an asterisk that says this data from this year may not be complete, he's had $2,410 in contributions, and his expenditures are $1,780 so far. Also on the Google page, there was a website called Ballot Ready in which it lists his name and a little bit about him, his professional experiences, Cisco as a software engineer from 2018 to 2023, AutoZone Senior Network Security Engineer, 2023 to 2024, Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium Network Engineer from 2015 to 2018, Rick, quote, the computer guy, unquote, computer consultant from 1999 to 2015. He has a bachelor's degree from Western Governors University in Information Technology that he acquired in 2015, and a high school diploma from Cottonwood High School in 1990. It goes through some issue stances. So in foreign policy, it says defend the country against foreign enemies. National defense is the responsibility of the government, with a link going back to his page. Government reform, it says I propose a performance-based compensation system where 1% of verified reductions in federal spending is set aside or pooled and distributed evenly among all members of Congress. Healthcare, his national physician registry, his plan improves access and lowers costs by fixing incentives without turning healthcare into a bigger government program. Under legislation, it says to ensure fiscal responsibility and preserve constitutional checks and balances. Any spending reduction must be signed into law by the president before any bonus is paid. Taxes and budget. He says a broad-based flat tax with a low rate would eliminate special interest, increase compliance, and keep capital productive and onshore. Basically, all of these are linked back to his website. And that is really all I see beyond his social media and various places lifting him up as a candidate or just mentioning that he will be a candidate for the Republican Party.

Amanda Benbow Lunn: 22:24

Next up on the list for U.S. Senate is Donald M. Brown, also known as Don. His website starts with Don Brown, U.S. Senate, Don's Policies. There's a tab for that later. Media moments and help fight the good fight. You can meet Don, a former Navy JAG officer, special assistant, U.S. attorney, and national best-selling author. Over the past decade, Don has fought on the front lines for freedom, taking on leftist overreach in various arenas. He has defended our military against dangerous rules of engagement, challenged unconstitutional vaccine and mask mandates, fought for election integrity, and stood up for January 6th patriots who are targeted by politically motivated prosecutions. As one of the few constitutional lawyers in the country to receive two presidential pardons, Don has played a crucial role in restoring the lives of Americans caught in politically motivated legal battles. His military expose, Call Sign Extortion 17, revealed deadly failures in Afghanistan and inspired the 2021 docudrama Fallen Angel Extortion 17. Now Don is running for the U.S. Senate from North Carolina, bringing his fearless defense of liberty to the national stage. About Don Brown. Don Brown is a former United States Navy JAG officer who served in the Pentagon, a former special assistant United States attorney, and a publisher's weekly national bestselling author. The author of 16 books, four of which achieved national bestseller status in the past 10 years, Don has fought on the front lines of the battle for freedom, working as an author, a constitutional lawyer, and a former U.S. Navy JAG officer. Don has battled leftist tyranny on four separate national fronts, including one, battling for America's fighting men and women against the Democrats' woke and liberal rules of engagement that got Americans killed. Two, fighting election fraud from the 2020 national presidential election, serving on three separate legal teams seeking to expose the truth of what clearly appears to be a stolen election. Three, battling unconstitutional vaccination and mask mandates, where Don brought federal litigation for 78 Americans to block Biden's unconstitutional vaccination mandates. And four, serving as an outspoken advocate and attorney on behalf of January 6th Patriots, whom the left tried to destroy with a massive, vicious, unconstitutional prosecutorial scheme. Don is one of only a small handful of constitutional lawyers in the country who has received not one but two presidential pardons for patriot clients from President Donald J. Trump, with both clients, Army Lieutenant Clint Lawrence and J6 patriot Elliot Boucher, being targeted by Democrat political prosecutions. Don has advised other J-6 political prisoners as well, helping them to restore their lives in the wake of the Democrats' illegal and unconstitutional Fed surrection. Don't 2015 military expose, Call Sign Extortion 17, the shootdown of SEAL Team 6 exposed the shootdown of a Chinook helicopter in Afghanistan in 2011, killing 30 Americans, including 17 members of SEAL Team 6. The book attacked the Obama administration's suicidal rules of engagement in Afghanistan. It served as a basis for the 2021 docudrama movie Fallen Angel, Extortion 17, released by Salem Media. Don appears in the film alongside Sean Hannity, Lieutenant General Jerry Boykin, and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth. Don has made numerous national media appearances on outlets such as Fox News, The Sean Hannity Show, Fox Friends, Real America's Voice, One America News, has appeared as a keynote speaker at the Ronald Reagan and Richard Nixon presidential libraries, and has written dozens of conservative editorials on websites such as Fox News, The Washington Times, The New York Post, The Federalist, The Blaze, American Thinker, and others. In February 2025, Don authorized his campaign team to file paperwork with the FEC to prepare for entering the race for the 2026 Republican nomination for the United States Senate from North Carolina.

Amanda Benbow Lunn: 26:31

Under the tab policies, it says Policies and Legislation. Deep State Reduction Act. Cut two-thirds non-military personnel and apply savings to the national debt. Cut two-thirds of federal agencies and by law prohibit Congress from passing any budget or continuing resolution where spending exceeds revenues. Mandate that spending must be lower than revenues by 10%. Apply saved money to the national debt. Any member of Congress voting for a budget or a CR where spending exceeds revenue would have pay suspended by operation of law until spending drops to 10% below revenue. We need to codify Doge, lock in government efficiency, cut waste, and stop Washington from reversing common sense reforms. The IRS has become weaponized and has terrorized Christians and conservatives. See Lois Lerner, enough is enough. Eliminate the IRS, eliminate the federal income tax, and go to a fair tax system, as advocated by Governor Huckabee, and supplement the rest of revenue with tariffs, as advocated by President Trump. Vax and Mask Freedom Protection Act. No American should have their freedoms impinged upon ever again by being coerced into taking experimental drugs or wearing worthless masks. The Vax and Mask Freedom Act would provide federal protection for all Americans against this. Constitutional protection for the unborn. Unborn babies must be afforded the same constitutional rights to due process as all Americans from the moment of conception. As set forth in the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments, no state or the United States government shall deprive a person of life, liberty, or property without due process of law. Protect North Carolina shrimpers. Federal policy must protect North Carolina and American shrimpers by enforcing trade laws, stopping unfair foreign dumping, and ensuring our fishermen can compete on a level playing field. Department of Education Elimination Act. Doge is a great start, but more must be done. The Department of Education was never primarily about education, but rather about government control and top-down politicized mandates and education curricula. Since its inception, American students' test scores have dropped, and America lags further behind the Asian nations. This experiment has been a failure. In addition to the Trump administration's cuts, Congress must end this monster by legislative decree once and for all. Small Business Pandemic Protection Act. During the COVID era, governors across the nation, including the Governor of North Carolina, gave unconstitutional orders for businesses to close due to the pandemic and arrogantly declared that certain workers were essential and others non-essential. Thousands of small businesses closed permanently. ABC News reported that over 16,000 restaurants closed permanently within a few weeks of the shutdowns. On July 12, 2023, the Hill reported that 60% of all restaurants close permanently because of these unconstitutional mandates. The Small Business Pandemic Protection Act would declare that all workers are essential to their families, that there are no non-essential workers, and would give federal protection to any small business ordered to close by any governor, mayor, or other bureaucratic official or elected, and would provide business owners an absolute right to due process in court before being ordered to close under the auspices of a pandemic. Judicial Separation of Powers Act. In recent years, and especially since 2017, certain leftist federal judges have increasingly stepped out of their constitutional boundaries, especially in the areas of immigration and the U.S. military, where the Constitution gives all authority to the President and Congress, not to the courts. The Judicial Separation of Powers Act would clip the wings of these out-of-control judges, especially in the areas of immigration and the U.S. military, and make it clear that these judges have no authority or injunctive power in deciding matters of these areas. Term limits. After the presidency of Franklin Roosevelt, the United States ratified the 22nd Amendment to limit presidential terms to no more than two four-year terms. This was done out of the recognition that over time, absolute power corrupts, and power corrupts absolutely. Currently, no such term limits are imposed on members of Congress. While a few members of Congress may have served admirably for many years, unfortunately, this is the exception rather than the rule. For example, Biden was elected to the Senate in 1973 and never left Washington for over half a century. Nancy Pelosi went to Washington in 1987 and has been re-elected by San Francisco Liberals 18 times. Chuck Schumer has been in Washington for 45 years and counting. If Biden had been subjected to a two-term limit as a United States Senator, he would have left office in 1999 and most likely would never have been heard from again. Term limits must be implemented by amending the United States Constitution. However, under Article V of the Constitution, Congress has a role in initiating amendments. Don Brown would support legislation leading to a constitutional amendment to impose term limits, limiting the terms for both houses of Congress to a maximum of 12 years. National Constitutional Carry. Americans should not be arrested for exercising our clear Second Amendment rights to bear arms without restriction. National constitutional carry would simply reinforce Americans' right to bear arms in all 50 states. This would override blue states' restrictive gun laws, and no longer would Americans have to be worried about being arrested when crossing state lines. Shall not be abridged. The specific language of the Second Amendment is clear, and red flag laws violate the Second Amendment.

Amanda Benbow Lunn: 32:01

Under the endorsement tabs, he lists endorsements from General Michael Flynn, the 24th National Security Advisor of the United States. General Jerry Boykin, former Delta Force Commander, Lieutenant Colonel Alan West, former Florida Congressman and former chair of the Texas GOP. Sidney Powell, formal federal prosecutor, Mark Robinson, former North Carolina Lieutenant Governor. Larry Pittman, former North Carolina State Representative for District 83. Andy Nielsen, former senatorial candidate, Brooke McGowan, former NC GOP chair candidate, the Honorable Jim Bell, mayor of Weddington, North Carolina. Ann Vandersteel, conservative journalist and WNC advocate, Andy Stevens, former Grassroots North Carolina VP ops and director, legislative affairs, the North Carolina Patriot Alliance, the Veterans Party of North Carolina, fixbuncombe.com, the Asheville Tea Party, Act Right USA, Franklin County Patriots, North Carolina Republican Assembly, Liberty First Foundation, Cowboy Logic, Two Citizen Moms, and Stand for Health Freedom. There is a tab with media appearances, with various YouTube videos of him being on the Steve Gruber show, Fox News, and other interviews that he's done. There is a contact page where you can ask Don a question, leave a note, subscribe to his weekly newsletter, or offer to join his campaign team. The victory over GOP Inc. will require grassroots patriots all over North Carolina to join the Brown Brigade. Use the service interest selector in the form below to help station a steadfast statesman in the U.S. Senate. This is also where you can formally join Don's growing petition to institute national constitutional carry, the legal ability to carry your firearm across the boundaries of all 50 states without harassment. And then he also has a store where you can buy a variety of merchandise from baby onesies that say beat Cooper, Don Brown for U.S. Senate, hoodies, t-shirts, coffee mugs, car magnets, stickers, camouflage hat, trucker hat, pink Don Brown hat, sweatshirt, and a cuffed beanie, and a button where you can donate to his campaign. And that concludes the entirety of his website, doing a Google search for him. Pulled up his Ballopedia. The biography says that Don Brown was born in Plymouth, North Carolina. He served in the U.S. Navy from 1985 to 2001. He earned a bachelor's degree from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill in 1983, a law degree from Campbell University of Law in 1987, and a military citation from the United States War College, non-resident international law in 1992. His career experience includes working as an attorney, a small business owner, and an author. He has been affiliated with the Order of St. John's of Jerusalem. In 2024, he did run for the U.S. House of North Carolina District 8, but he lost the Republican primary to Mark Harris. He received 10.5% of the vote in that Republican primary.

Amanda Benbow Lunn: 35:07

He did not answer 2026 ballotpedia survey questions, but he did answer 2024, so I'll go ahead and read some of those. Who are you? Tell us about yourself. Former U.S. Navy JAG officer and constitutional lawyer, represented Army Lieutenant Clint Lawrence securing a pardon from President Donald Trump from political prosecution against Lawrence under the Obama administration for a battlefield incident during the Afghan War. Nationally bestselling author, written 15 books on the U.S. military with many major publishers, including three national bestsellers, served as a subject matter expert on legal and military matters in numerous national interviews on Fox and other networks, served as legal counsel in federal and appellate courts and EEOC against Biden's mass vaccination mandates, investigated shootdown of U.S. helicopter in Afghanistan, and authored the book Call Sign Extortion 17, leading directly to house investigation and movie Fallen Angel Extortion 17, distributed by Salem Media, appearing in the movie as a principal subject matter expert, multiple guest speaking appearances at national venues, including the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, the Richard Nixon Presidential Library, and the National World War II Museum. Written numerous national editorials for Fox News, The American Thinker, The New York Post, The Washington Times, and others, endorsed for Congress by former Trump National Security Advisor, Lieutenant General Michael Flynn, U.S. Army. Please list below three key messages of your campaign. What are your main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office? He wrote, Restore constitutional government, seal the border, rein in the national debt. What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about? Ending political prosecutions and ending the weaponization of government, restoring sanity to federal spending, sealing the border, and cracking down with federal death penalty legislation for child sex traffickers and fentanyl importers. Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow and why? President Ronald Reagan, Reverend Billy Graham, Pope John Paul Second, General George S. Patton, Reverend Rick Joyner, Admiral Chester Nimitz, General Douglas MacArthur, President Donald Trump, Senator Jesse Helms, not necessarily in that order. All of the above epitomize courage, boldness, vision, and fearlessness against great opposition. These qualities are desperately needed if we are to save our constitutional republic. Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy? I've written 15 books, including three national bestsellers, and would refer readers to two of them. One is Call Sign Extortion: The Shootdown of SEAL Team Six by Don Brown. The second would be A Travesty of Justice: The Shocking Prosecution of Lieutenant Clint Lawrence by Don Brown. This book led to the Presidential Pardon by President Trump. Reading these books will help folks understand my philosophies. Two others that I did not write, but which influenced me early on are Free to Choose by Milton and Rose Friedman, and When Free Men Shall Stand by U.S. Senator Jesse Helms. What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official? Honesty, a relentless work ethic, love and passion for the constitutional and being sold out for original intent, constitutional rule in government. What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder? Love of God and the United States Constitution. Track record for successfully battling anti-American and unconstitutional policies, sometimes in federal court, of the Obama and Biden administrations. What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office? First, to defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic, to defend constitutional freedom for the people, to be a responsible steward of the people's money, and to return money to the people. Nationalism, not globalism. To ensure a common national defense through a military, in the words of Reagan, that is so strong that no potential adversary would ever test its strength. What legacy would you like to leave? A legacy of helping return America to her constitutional origins, a radical reduction in deep state power, and a renewed national love of country. What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember and how old were you? The funeral of President John F. Kennedy when he was three years old. What was your very first job and how long did you have it? Grass cutting business at age 17, kept it for four years while working on tobacco farms also in the summer. What is your favorite book and why? The Bible. Why? It's the unadulterated source of all truth. If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be? Forrest Gump. What was the last song that was stuck in your head? Oh holy night? What is something that has been a struggle in your life? Sweets. Do you believe that it's beneficial for representatives to have previous experience in government or politics? No, not necessarily. What do you perceive to be the United States' greatest challenge as a nation over the next decade? The national debt is an existential threat to the nation. It must be reined in immediately, or the U.S. risks its role as an economic superpower, and our children and grandchildren risk a future of economic bondage. We face a constitutional crisis described by one phrase, weaponization of government. Political prosecutions must come to an end, and prosecutors bringing political prosecutions must face the consequences. Alongside this, the deep administrative state must be reduced. Agencies such as the Federal Department of Education should be eliminated. We face a national security crisis starting with the Democrats' open borders crises. We must use the U.S. military to seal the borders until a well can be built. Do you believe that two years is the right term length for representatives? He says yes. That's what the Constitution sets forth. I am a constitutional attorney. What are your thoughts on term limits? I have endorsed a national petition for term limits in the United States Congress. Limits are necessary because absolute power corrupts, and power corrupts absolutely. Is there a particular representative, past or present, whom you want to model after yourself? No. Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking? In some areas, yes, in other areas, no. It depends on the issue at stake. The Constitution says that all bills for raising revenue must originate in the House. What role would this power play in your priorities if elected? You are correct, that is exactly what the Constitution lays out as part of the House's responsibility, and this is one of the particular reasons. This power, the House's ability, and desperate need to get a hold of spending and budgeting would be among the highest priorities if elected. And again, keep in mind that these answers were for his 2024 race for the U.S. House of Representatives. How should the U.S. House use its investigative? The under-

Amanda Benbow Lunn: 41:48

campaign finance summary for the year of 2026 noted that the data from this year may not be complete. His contributions have been $145,911, and his expenditures have been $114,368. The only other things that I see on the Google search are for a Facebook page, some articles just announcing his candidacy. There is an article from September 9th, 2025, that says the RNC backs Whatley in North Carolina's U.S. Senate primary, drawing criticism from other GOP candidates, and that candidate is Don Brown. Republican U.S. Senate candidate Don Brown is criticizing the Republican National Committee's decision to support former RNC Chairman Michael Whatley's campaign. The state and national GOP typically stay neutral in a competitive primary, but the RNC will now put its funding and resources behind Whatley's campaign. Brown says national party leaders shouldn't pick the nominee to face former Governor Roy Cooper in November 2026 without a contested primary. Some of these inside Republicans at the very top of the party know that if we play on an even keel and I'm debating Whatley, I'm going to take him out real fast, Brown told WUNC. So they're getting a little slipshody with the rules here. I'm proud to be a Republican, but you got a few people that don't think we ought to have a primary. This primary should be left up to the good Republicans in North Carolina. The RNC acted to participate upon President Trump's endorsement in the race, and CGOP spokesman Matt Mercer said in an email. This race is a must win for the Republicans and all funds collected go towards the general election campaign activities. And that's all that I really see on a google search for Don Brown.

Amanda Benbow Lunn: 43:37

The next candidate on the Republican ballot for US Senate is Michael Whatley. His website says Whatley, U.S. Senate. Michael Whatley, a fighter for North Carolina, and a button where you can donate.

Amanda Benbow Lunn: 43:44

He has a Trump endorsed Michael Whatley video. I believe in a better North Carolina and a stronger America. More money in your pockets, safe communities, and a strong country. A better state where you can buy a home, raise a family, and see your kids do better than you did. Right here in the old North Carolina. North State, Michael Whatley. About Michael Whatley. Raised in Blowing Rock, Michael Whatley is the son of middle-class America. His father was an accountant and his mother was a town librarian. After graduating from Watauga High School, Michael earned a history degree from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and a master's in religion from Wake Forest University before graduating from the University of Notre Dame with both a law degree and a master's in theology. Michael began his public service as a federal law clerk in Charlotte before serving as a senior official in the George W. Bush administration at the Department of Energy and a Chief of Staff for Senator Elizabeth Dole, a member of the Agriculture, Banking, and Armed Services Committees. Following President Trump's historic win in 2016, Whatley was tapped to lead the Presidential Transitions Energy, Environment, and Agricultural Teams, overseeing the development of the administration's successful farm plan and energy plan, which led to low energy prices for every American family and factory, as well as a booming cultural section and rural economy. Michael most recently served as the chairman of the Republican National Committee after President Trump asked him to help lead the party's 2024 efforts. Whatley previously served as the North Carolina Republican Party chairman. Michael and his wife Suzanne reside in Gaston County. Their twin sons, Michael and George, attend Clemson and North Carolina State, and their daughter, Mary Kate, attends the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Both Michael and Suzanne are very active in their church, with Michael serving on the vestry and as treasurer. He has links to both X, Facebook, and Instagram, and that is all that is on his website. On a Google search, he does appear in a Wikipedia page, born 1968 or 1969. He is an American politician and lawyer who served as the 66th chairman of the Republican National Committee from March 2024 to August 2025. He previously served as the chair of North Carolina Republican Party from 2019 to 2024, the last year of which he also served as the RNC's general counsel. He's born and raised in Western North Carolina. Whatley earned a bachelor's degree from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, a master's degree from Wake Forest University, and a second master's and a juris doctor degree from the University of Notre Dame. After working on the presidential campaign of George W. Bush in 2000, he served in the U.S. Department of Energy during the Bush administration. In 2004, he became the Chief of Staff to Senator Elizabeth Dole, serving until 2007. In 2019, Whatley was elected chair of the Republican Party of North Carolina, serving until his election as RNC chair in 2024. In July 2025, Whatley announced his candidacy for the United States Senate in 2026. There is a bit more about his political career if you are interested in learning more about that. His ballotpedia page says that he is running for election for the U.S. Senate to represent North Carolina. He's on the ballot for in the Republican primary on March 3, 2026. He was the Republican Party chair and he assumed office March 8, 2024. He left office on August 22nd, 2025. Again, it goes into his biography. Says Whatley began his career working as legal counsel to U.S. Senator Paul Coverdale, a Republican of Georgia, in 2000. From 2001 to 2003, Whatley worked as a principal deputy assistant secretary for the U.S. Department of Energy under the George W. Bush presidential administration. Whatley served as an executive vice president for the Consumer Energy Alliance from 2007 to 2019 and as a partner at HBW Resources from 2007 to 2022. It talks about his party leadership and his 2024 RNC chair election. He did not complete their Ballopedia survey responses, nor did he complete any questions in our 2026 voters questionnaire.

Amanda Benbow Lunn: 47:58

For campaign finance summary in 2026. Again, the data for this year might not be complete. His contribu tions have been $5,195,891. His expenditures have been $1,458,847. And that is basically what I was able to find on the general Google search. He does have some social media links that pop up, along with some of his coverage on something for C-SPAN and a few of the things regarding being RNC chair.

Amanda Benbow Lunn: 48:32

All right, our next candidate down the list on the Republican ballot is Elizabeth A. Temple. She does not have a website. The Google search comes up with a ballotpedia page, says she's running for election to the U.S. Senate to represent North Carolina. She's on the ballot for the Republican primary on March 3rd of 2026. In 2024, she did run in the Republican primary for North Carolina House of Representatives for District 28. She lost the primary. She got 10.7% of the vote.

Amanda Benbow Lunn: 49:04

Under campaign finance. The only things that are coming up are for the 2024 election cycle, where it looks like she had $279 in contributions and $140 in expenditures.

Amanda Benbow Lunn: 49:18

She did not complete the Ballopedia survey, but she did respond to our NC Deep Dive Voters Guide for the 2026 primary. Question number one, experience and preparation. Which part of your background best prepares you for this role and what aspects of the job would be new for you? She answered, being a teacher, businesswoman in public and private teaching, working with all people living in Washington, D.C., but I would love to live there and went there from Selman, North Carolina on the Amtrak train twice. Two, top priority. If elected, what is the first issue you would focus on and how would it directly affect people in North Carolina? She responded, affordability, paying off the national debt. Number three, decision making. When deciding how to vote, how do you weigh party positions, constituent input, policy outcomes, and constitutional limits? Her response, talk to the RNC, vote in the majority always. Four, a red line, non-negotiable principle. What is one issue or a principle you would not compromise on, even under political pressure? She responds to adhering to MAGA American First Agenda always. Number five, independence and representation. When would you say no to party leadership, donors, or advocacy groups in order to best represent your constituents? I am a money-free campaign. I do not support money in politics. Number six, concrete example. Can you describe a specific local or practical problem in North Carolina and explain how your approach would differ from current efforts? She responded, NCDOT follow their recommendations for safety, assist NCDOT to build and repair in disasters quickly. 7. Accountability. How should voters hold you accountable if they feel you are not representing their interest? She said, I will always represent their interest, so that won't happen and be their voice in DC. 8. Learn more. How can voters learn more about you, your values, and your priorities beyond a campaign slogan or endorsement? Make America greater than ever before is my campaign slogan. I say that we are one race, the human race, and love on our military and veterans. Make their living standards to be improved. She says, I am running to address significant issues such as wealth inequality through continued capitalism, not socialism or communism, and address homelessness. Focus on legislation to address risks proposed by AI, artificial intelligence, in the areas of robotic soldiers in warfare, massive job dislocation, and unprecedented wealth and income concentration for the few that will decrease the standard of living for average Americans. Engage in discussions on AI and make legislative impact with bipartisan efforts to address the challenges and opportunities of artificial intelligence on society as a whole, including the companionship of AI rather than fellow human beings and how it might affect the birth rate and nuclear families. Develop clear messaging like President Trump has and leadership qualities in the youth of the next generation, in order to preserve the nation, as in its founding documents, and save the U.S. Constitution while promoting prosperity for black Americans over further immigration. Make it a requirement that all elected officials in the House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate, as well as mayors, be born in the city, town, state, and country that they represent, and to pledge that they will strive to promote legal immigration and closed borders in order to preserve our history and culture of the United States of America. Prepare for the 20% unemployment increase due to AI over the next one to five years and protect children, animals, and the elderly. And note the lack of concern for loss of life with robotic soldiers and how this could impact our freedom and sovereignty as a nation. In parentheses, she says, there is far too little discussion in Congress on this issue of AI and robotics, and I will be a willing participant on this matter, as quote, work will become optional and money irrelevant, end quote, according to Elon Musk. The only other thing that I saw beyond election information was on ballot ready, and it lists her professional experience as Cumberland County School's certified teacher K through 12 Music from 2012 to present. Degrees, a master's from East Carolina University in Music Education, K through 12, 1994, and a bachelor's East Carolina University in Music in 1992. And that is all that is available for Elizabeth Temple.

Amanda Benbow Lunn: 53:35

The next candidate we will cover that will be on the Republican ballot for the U.S. Senate is Michele Morrow. Her website says Michele Morrow for U.S. Senate. President Trump has taken America back from the brink. Now it's time we take back North Carolina. There are buttons for Patriots Gather Here and a button for Issues and Solutions. So under Patriots Gather Here, it says join the campaign, be part of the fight for a stronger North Carolina. You could subscribe now for updates from Michele's campaign. Under Issues and Solutions, Michele on the issues. I'm not stating my issues or positions here in political speech. I'm stating them in we the people language because this is who I am fighting for. We the people. I am running for the U.S. Senate to fight the radical liberal agenda that's destroying our state and nation from Roy Cooper's failed leadership, leaving North Carolina with skyrocketing crime, failing schools, unaffordable housing, and abandoned communities in Western North Carolina after disasters. To the Biden Harris border crisis flooding our streets with drugs and danger, enough is enough. As a nurse, educator, mother, and conservative warrior, and soon as your next senator, I will stand with President Trump to secure our borders, protect our families, and put more and put more money in our pockets, all by putting not just America first, but by putting Americans first. No more career politicians selling us out. It's time for real solutions that deliver freedom, safety, and prosperity for every North Carolinian and every American.

Amanda Benbow Lunn: 55:02

Issues and solutions. She lists seven of them. The first of which is money. Money, money, money. From lower prices on groceries, gas, rent, homeownership, doctor's bills, utility bills, wherever I can positively impact your wallet, I will. Liberals, and more precisely, leftists have wrecked our economy by stealing billions upon billions through fraud and by using NGOs, entitlement programs, and big government agencies to steal your hard-earned tax dollars and give them to undeserving and often nefarious bad actors. I will make certain that we continue to uncover these thefts and hold all involved accountable to the fullest extent of the law. Further, I will work to remove crushing regulations and policies that ship jobs overseas while letting illegal immigrants undercut American workers. Roy Cooper's reign turned North Carolina into a state where families can't afford homes, groceries, or energy bills. I will fight back with America first, Americans first policies to unleash our state's potential. Cut burdensome federal regulations that stifle small businesses and job creators, allowing North Carolina's entrepreneurs from farmers in the East to tech innovators in the triangle to thrive without Washington interference. Support tax cuts for working families and businesses, building on President Trump's successes to bring manufacturing back home and create high-paying jobs in energy, agriculture, and innovation. Oppose wasteful spending and demand fiscal accountability, including audits of federal programs to root out fraud, and redirect funds to infrastructure like roads, bridges, and broadband in rural NC. Promote energy independence by expanding domestic production, lowering costs for families, and protecting our state's natural resources from extreme green agendas that kill jobs. I know a strong economy starts with putting North Carolinians first. No more handouts to special interest or foreign nations while our people struggle. Reclaim every acre of land from ownership by adversarial foreign states like China. North Carolina farmland belongs to North Carolina farmers. I'll see that it is returned and put to use for the benefit of all North Carolinians. Border security and immigration. Our open borders under Biden Harris and enablers like Roy Cooper have turned North Carolina into a magnet for crime, drugs, and human trafficking. Fentanyl is killing our kids, gangs are terrorizing our communities, and sanctuary policies are putting criminals over citizens. I say, finish the wall, enforce the law, and protect our sovereignty now. Finish the border wall and deploy technology, personnel, and resources to stop illegal crossings, ending the flow of deadly fentanyl that has devastated North Carolina families. Over 3,000 overdose deaths in our state last year alone. End sanctuary cities in North Carolina and nationwide, ensuring local law enforcement cooperates with ICE to deport criminal aliens and keep our neighborhoods safe. Reform legal immigration to prioritize skilled workers who benefit America while cracking down on visa overstays and chain migration that strains our schools, hospitals, and welfare systems. Support President Trump's mass deportation efforts to remove threats and restore order while fighting for resources to combat the gangs and cartels infiltrating our communities. Reclaim every acre of land from ownership by adversarial foreign states like China, North Carolina, from adversarial foreign states like China. North Carolina farmland belongs to North Carolina farmers. I'll see that it is returned and put to use for the benefit of all North Carolinians. Education and parental rights. Public schools have become indoctrination centers under liberal control, pushing radical ideologies like critical race theory, gender confusion, and explicit materials while failing to teach basics like reading and math. Roy Cooper vetoed parental rights bills and let our schools crumble. North Carolina ranks near the bottom in education outcomes. I will champion parents and real education reform. Empower parents with full transparency and veto power over curricula, banning CRT, pornography, and divisive ideologies from classrooms while enforcing the NC Parents Bill of Rights nationwide. Expand school choice through vouchers, charters, and tax credits, allowing families to escape failing public schools and choose options that align with their values and needs. Prioritize school safety with armed resource officers, strict discipline policies and background checks for all staff. Social workers won't stop shooters, but trained prosecutors will. Demand fiscal audits of education spending to eliminate waste, redirect funds to teachers' salaries, core academics, and vocational training to prepare kids for real jobs, not woke agendas. I fought CRT in perversion in schools as a grassroots leader. I'll take that battle to Washington to save our children's future. Protecting life and family values. The radical left is waging war on the family, from abortion on demand to forcing transgender agendas on our kids. I am unapologetically pro-life and will defend traditional values, religious liberty, and the nuclear family as a foundation of a strong America. Support federal protections for the unborn, including heartbeat bills and defunding planned parenthood, while promoting adoption and support for mothers in crisis. Protect girl sports and private spaces by banning biological males from women's facilities and competitions, standing against the transgender madness pushed by liberals. Defend the Second Amendment with no compromises, ensuring law-abiding North Carolinians can protect their families from rising crime. Promote policies that strengthen families like tax incentives for marriage, child rearing, and homeschooling, while fighting cultural decay through limits on explicit content in media and schools. Healthcare and families. Obamacare and liberal policies have driven up cost, limited choices, and left rural North Carolinians without access. As a registered nurse with experience in ICUs and ERs, I have seen the system's failures firsthand and I will fight for patient-centered reforms. Repeal and replace Obamacare with market-driven solutions that lower premiums, expand HSAs, and allow insurance across state lines for more competition and affordability. Protect Medicare and Social Security for seniors while cracking down on fraud, ensuring these programs are sustainable without raising taxes on working families. Address the opioid crisis head on by securing borders to stop fentanyl, expanding treatment programs, and holding big pharma accountable for their role in the epidemic. Support telemedicine and rural health initiatives to bring quality care to underserved areas like Western North Carolina, especially after disasters where federal response has been abysmal. I will put patients over bureaucrats delivering health care that works for North Carolina families. Crime and public safety. Under Roy Cooper, crime has soared. Murder rates up, gangs rampant, and soft on crime policies letting offenders walk free. I will always back the blue and restore law and order to keep our communities safe. Increase funding for law enforcement and first responders, opposing defund the police nonsense and ensuring officers have the tools to combat violent crime. Push for tougher sentences for repeat offenders, drug traffickers, and gang members, while ending no bail policies that release criminals back onto our streets. Support federal-state partnerships to target fentanyl dealers and human traffickers, protecting vulnerable populations in North Carolina cities and rural areas. Advocate for mental health reforms tied to public safety, ensuring dangerous individuals get help before they harm others. Disaster recovery and resilience. Roy Cooper abandoned Western North Carolina after Hurricane Helene, leaving families without aid while federal bureaucrats drag their feet. I will ensure North Carolina gets its fair share and builds back stronger. Demand swift federal disaster relief and accountability for FEMA failures, prioritizing American citizens over foreign aid. Invest in resilient infrastructure like flood controls, power grids, and emergency systems to protect against future storms. Cut red tape for rebuilding, supporting local communities and businesses hit hardest by natural disasters. Election integrity. We can't trust our democracy if we can't trust our elections. I will fight for secure voting to restore faith in the process. I will work with state legislators and election boards to restrict mail-in voting to those that actually need it. Reduce early voting to five days, including one Saturday, saving millions of dollars, require voter ID nationwide, clean up voter rolls, and ban ballot harvesting to prevent fraud. Support paper ballots and same-day voting with a strict chain of custody rules. Oppose big tech censorship and foreign interference in our elections. She says freedom fighter for U.S. Senate. And then there is a button to donate. That is all of her website. Google search brings up her ballotpedia page. It says that she's running for election to the U.S. Senate to represent North Carolina. She's on the ballot for the Republican primary on March 3rd. She was born in Nashua, New Hampshire. She graduated from South Mecklenburg High School. She earned a bachelor's degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1993. Her career experience includes working as a nurse, grassroots activist, homeschool educator, and high school biology, chemistry, civics, Spanish, and health teacher. Morrow and her husband were missionaries in Mexico for four years. She has been the head nurse of a wilderness camp where she was responsible for training staff in first aid and CPR. She's been affiliated with the following organizations: Liberty First Grassroots, Conservative Coalition of North Carolina, Freedom Works, Education First Alliance, Carolina Teachers Alliance, Wake GOP, North Carolina Asia American Coalition, Color S United, Hispanos del Sur, Frederick Douglass Foundation, HSLDA Pavement Education Project, the Western Wake Republican Club, Christian Prospective Representatives, Protect Children's Health Coalition. She did run in 2024 for the North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction. She lost in the general election that year with 48.8% of the vote.

Amanda Benbow Lunn: 1:04:34

The election campaign finance that I'm seeing reported January 1st, 2023 to December 31st, 2024 has her total contributions of $413,631 and her total expenditures of $361,355.

Amanda Benbow Lunn: 1:04:53

She did answer some of the candidate connection questions. Who are you and tell us about yourself? She says, I am a Christian, conservative patriot, a mother of five, nurse, educator, and freedom fighter. I have been fighting alongside my NC neighbors for the past 11 years to end the overreach of our local, state, and federal governments. I have passionately fought for election integrity, medical freedom, and education reform and seek to return to our foundational moral compass based in God's principles of right and wrong. The government exists to serve we the people, not the other way around. I am running for U.S. Senate to return the balance of power to the hands of citizens. I want to stop the fraud, waste, and abuse that has been robbing hardworking Americans for decades. As a senator, I will do everything in my power to shrink bureaucratic bloat that has been destroying the middle class. We must stop forcing everyday Americans to fund NGOs, lobbyists, and special interest groups instead of our own families. I am running for U.S. Senate to amplify the voice of the American people and to return the American dream to our children and grandchildren. The basis of every decision we make in DC should be what is best for our country and her citizens. The government is supposed to be protecting our rights. Right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Somewhere along the way, our service government became a profit-based corporation with an insatiable greed and lust for power that needs to end. Please list below three key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office? She says, I'm running for the U.S. Senate to fight with President Trump to help bring back the America we all know and love. We must heal this nation from the division that has been sown by the politicized media and the radical far left and unite as Americans. We must return law and order, not just fighting violent crime, but also ending the corruption and thievery at every level of government, returning honesty in a limited government that serves we the people and puts money back into our pockets. As a nurse and senator, I will do everything in my power to provide local, quality, affordable health care to every American and remove the government, insurance companies, and big pharma lobbyists from the exam room. Medical decisions should be made between patients and their doctors. When the government gets involved in anything, they make it less effective, less efficient, and more expensive. That is exactly what has happened with Obamacare. I will fight for radical Medicaid reform, an end to entitlement programs for non-citizens. We must restore trust in our election process. For too long, the political power system on both sides of the aisle have selected our candidates and our representatives. As your senator, I will fight for federal election laws that require nationwide voter ID, paper ballots, election day being made a federal holiday, only one day allowance for early voting, Saturday before election day. States can choose whether to have early voting or not, and an end to mail-in ballots. Absentee ballots would need to be received two weeks before election day and must be signed by two witnesses and a notary. No machines to tabulate results, only machines to give receipts as to the day or time and your voter number at your polling location. What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about? Healthcare, education, taxes, growth, and development, and election integrity. There are some questions from previous times she's run, but I will read to you what she shared for our

Amanda Benbow Lunn: 1:07:59

NC Deep Dive Voters Guide. Number one, experience and preparation, what part of your background best prepares you for this role, and what aspects of the job would be new for you? As a nurse, educator, former missionary and foster parent, as well as grassroots freedom fighter and recent statewide candidate for office, I am the only candidate that has traveled the state of North Carolina for the past 11 years, talking with our neighbors and fighting for border security, election integrity, medical freedom, and education reform. I have stood up to the woke gender ideologist, legacy media, state and national, elected officials, the Marxist teachers' unions, and the medical establishment that committed crimes against humanity during COVID. I have boldly addressed school boards, county commissions, state legislative committees, members of Congress, and media outlets around the world to bring truth, justice, and righteousness back to America. I am the most connected and solution-minded candidate in this race, and I have my finger on the pulse of what NC citizens want in their DC ambassador. I will continue to be responsive and accountable to the people of NC and seek their best interest in every decision I make as their senator. The only aspect of this job that would be new to me would be having the title and the ability to directly affect change through legislation and heightened influence in the platform to engage the entire country. Two, top priority. If elected, what is the first issue you would focus on and how would it directly affect people in North Carolina? My first priority would be to bring justice back to America by exposing the fraud and corruption and arresting the criminals from the top tiers of government down to our city streets. When we prosecute the criminals and expose the waste, fraud, and abuse, we will strengthen our communities and put more money back into the pockets of hardworking Americans. We must enforce the laws already on the books before we spend more time writing new ones. Number three, decision making. When deciding how to vote, how do you weigh your party positions, constituent input, policy outcomes, and constitutional limits? As Senator, I will always consider America and Americans first. My decisions will always be based on our responsibility to protect U.S. citizens from threats, foreign and domestic, and to uphold our God-given individual rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. I will serve the people of North Carolina and the United States first and foremost. Since I will be taking an oath to uphold our Constitution, that will be the foundation of all decisions made. I will always consider the potential outcome of my decisions, only when there is more than one way to put Americans first while I consider party positions. As your senator, instead of waiting for lobbyists and industry leaders to try and come and influence me, I will take the initiative to turn the tables to influence them to the benefit of U.S. citizens. Number four, red line non-negotiable principle. What is one issue or principle you would not compromise on, even under political pressure? I am not a part of the political industrial complex and never will be. My identity as a follower of Jesus guides my every decision. As your senator, I will speak the truth and fight to bring power back to the American people. By God's grace, there is no amount of money, promise of promotion, or offer of power that will tempt me into making decisions that will dishonor God or harm the people of the United States. You have my word that every decision I make will be to bring truth, justice, and righteousness back to our country. I will never make decisions with the goal of being re-elected. I will do what is right, regardless of the cost. I have already done that for the past 11 years in NC and will continue when I am serving you in Washington. Number five, independence and representation. When would you say no to party leadership, donors, or advocacy groups in order to best represent your constituents? As stated above, I am not running for U.S. Senator for the title or to climb the political totem pole. I am running to give the people of North Carolina a voice in Washington, to restore the American dream, national sovereignty, economic prosperity, and hope to our nation and the world. President Trump and his family have sacrificed too much for us to return to politics as usual. Our founding fathers intended for our representatives to be one of the people, not an elite group of individuals who use their position to enrich themselves and serve their own self-interest. I have been standing side by side with fellow North Carolinians for more than a decade. I will continue to stand with them and seek to bring power back to we the people where it belongs. Number six, concrete example. Can you describe a specific local or practical problem in North Carolina and explain how your approach would differ from current efforts? NC is facing a crisis of shrinking rural communities and growing urban sprawl. As a senator, I would work to make NC a pilot program for dual enrollment programs, which would provide every 8th through 12th grade student opportunities to participate in internships and trade certifications. When we improve the preparation of our young people, rural districts could attract new business that would strengthen economies across the state, protect our rural communities, and allow young people to stay in their home counties to raise the next generation of North Carolinians. Number seven, accountability. How should voters hold you accountable if they feel you are not representing their interests? For more than a decade, I have spoken to groups across the state and have earned the trust of 2.7 million voters last November. As your senator, I will hold bimonthly virtual town halls to answer questions and to seek input from NC citizens. I will create regional accountability offices in the 14 districts across North Carolina to ensure timely responses to phone calls and emails and to keep me updated on the needs and concerns of our neighbors. 8. Learn more. How can voters learn more about you, your values, and your priorities beyond a campaign slogan or endorsement? Voters can go to my website at morrow4nc.com, check out my responses to the iVoter Guide Ballotpedia at those websites, or attend one of my virtual town halls on Facebook and YouTube that I am hosting once a week. If people have specific questions, they can also send them to our campaign at marrowcampaign at gmail.com.

Amanda Benbow Lunn: 1:13:37

Moving on to the last person that will be listed on your Republican ballot for U.S. Senate is Thomas Johnson. His website says Thomas Johnson U.S. Senate 2026, United for Progress, Evangelical Christian, Bold Vision to Adress Fatherlessness, Crisis, and NC, Foster Care Survivor who enables discipleship of vulnerable children, equips and mobilizes kingdom business across state and U.S. U.S. Air Force captain, decorated veteran who survived 9-11 at Pentagon, built spy satellites as a CIA fellow, enabled America's most lethal and secretive operations against our enemies. There are links for Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Spotify, I believe that is, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

Amanda Benbow Lunn: 1:14:20

Under policies, he says U.S. Senate candidate Thomas Johnson is the only candidate with a bold evangelical vision for North Carolina families. 9-11 Attacks surviving, decorated U.S. Air Force officer and CIA fellow, small business owner who added financial and strategic value to NC businesses and Fortune 500 companies. Evangelical. Husband and father who serves in his local church. Veteran 9-11 survivor who equipped war fighters to eliminate our enemies. CIA fellow with an award-winning career. Veterans Affairs Vision to drive up quality outcomes for NC veterans. Small business owner created multimillion dollar strategy consulting firm from scratch. Led client Fortune 100 company through a public $500 million crisis. Lectures on artificial intelligence's impact on business culture to MBAs. Policies.124, which enables expedited removal of veterans administration employees who contribute to substandard care for our veteran heroes. Co-sponsor Amend Bridge Act of 2025. S.1119 to incentivize domestic cold chain storage and freight of America's produce to reduce cost, complexity, freight, bottlenecks, and delivery inefficiency to reduce America's food cost by 15% or more. He lists links to Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Spotify, Ballotpedia, iVotor Guide, Vote 411, Facebook, LinkedIn. He says Evangelical, a vision for the church to stand in the gap for the fatherless in North Carolina. Veterans survived 9-11 at the Pentagon and knows some battle scars are not visible. Heroes deserve excellent care. Small business owner built agile immersive into a global consulting company and enables small business leaders across North Carolina. There are some articles: the future is fathering, bringing home healthy bacon, filling the father vacuum along with others. In his About tab, it says U.S. leaders who most deeply understand the American promise are not those born closest to power, but those who overcome much to reach it. Thomas Johnson belongs unmistakably to this class of overcomers, the least likely of U.S. senators, and perhaps for that very reason a candidate who could become the most consequential U.S. Senator in history. Johnson's story does not begin in privilege or political inheritance, but in foster care, where uncertainty shaped resilience long before ambition took form. Adopted at the age of five, he grew up with an intimate knowledge of instability and grace. Lessons that would later inform a leadership style grounded not in abstraction, but in lived experience. Long before he would advise Fortune 500 executives or lecture international audiences, Johnson learned how systems either fail or save the people entrusted to them. From those early years emerged a disciplined young man drawn to service, earning admission to the United States Air Force Academy, an institution that has long shaped citizens before it shapes officers. There, Johnson absorbed the habits of responsibility and constraint that would definitely define his life's work. As an Air Force officer and later a CIA fellow, he operated in environments where quiet competence mattered more than recognition and where foresight often carried greater weight than authority. It was at the National Reconnaissance Office that Johnson helped build next generation intelligence satellites contributing to the architecture of American security at a time when space was still considered an adjunct rather than a frontier. In writings little noticed at the time, he forecast the coming commercial space revolution, years before private enterprise would confirm his vision. Fate, ever unpredictable, spared him on September 11th by mere minutes at the Pentagon, a moment that sharpened rather than silenced his sense of duty. Johnson's post-government career followed a path familiar in outline but rare in depth. At Lockheed Martin, Capital One in Accucenture, Accenture, he navigated the complexities of institutions struggling to adapt to rapid change. Eventually, he founded Agile Immersive, building from the ground up a consulting firm that would earn the trust of global companies such as T-Mobile, MetLife, and FedEx. His work focused not on slogans or silver bullets, but on something more enduring, organizational grit, cultural alignment, and the moral dimension of leadership in times of disruption. Yet Johnson never combined his thinking to domestic borders. As an annual lecturer on artificial intelligence and cultural transformation at Goethe Business School in Frankfurt, Germany, he became a translator of American innovation for a global audience, helping leaders understand that technology, absent values, solves little, and teaching that grit must be coupled with intellectual curiosity to overcome corporations' most formidable challenges. What distinguishes Johnson most, however, is not the breadth of his accomplishments, but the continuity of his commitments. He returned again and again to the cause that first shaped him, working with Agape of North Carolina to strengthen foster care across all 100 counties of the state. In this work, policy is personal, and reform is measured not in headlines, but in homes made safer and futures made possible. There is also woven through his public life a current of creative imagination, an award-winning screenwriter and actor, with credits on HBO and the Discovery Channel, Johnson has explored history and character through art as well as analysis. His annual 007 rally fundraiser, part spectacle, part service, channels adventure into remembrance, supporting the CIA Officers Memorial Foundation and honoring those who served in silence. At home, Johnson's life is less historic and more elemental. With his wife Amanda Bradley Johnson, he is raising four young children, Ezra, Elijah, Ephraim, and Eden Lee, alongside Pearl Buttons Johnson, a devoted poodlemix who has witnessed more of history than she will ever recount. It is here, amid bedtime stories and ordinary grace that Johnson's ambitions are most clearly grounded. If history has taught us anything, it is that the U.S. Senate has been at its best when populated not by those who sought power early, but by those who arrived seasoned by overcoming obstacles, service, failure, and reflection. Thomas Johnson stands in that lineage, a man shaped by institutions yet never captive to them, driven by vision, yet anchored in humility. Should he enter the chamber, it may one day be said that America's greatest senator was also its least expected. Experience you can count on. Thomas Johnson demonstrates proven leadership in business, cultural transformation, and social impact that unites North Carolina for progress. It says proven business leadership, championship of cultural transformation, dedicated to social services, a unity candidate focused on progress. And then he has a contact button where you can text him to donate to his U.S. Senate campaign, to volunteer, along with his contact information. Doing a Google search, basically, really only anything on ballotpedia showed up beyond general election information. Thomas Johnson is running for election for the U.S. Senate to represent North Carolina. He's on the ballot for the Republican Party on March 3rd. Thomas Johnson served in the U.S. Air Force. He earned a high school diploma from Richard Montgomery High School, a bachelor's degree in political science from the U.S. Air Force Academy, and a master's degree in space commercialization from the U.S. Air Force Institute of Technology. Johnson's career experience includes serving as a CIA fellow, founding and serving as a CEO of Agile Immersive, and serving in leadership roles for Lockheed Martin, Capital One, and Accenture. His professional experience also includes serving as an annual lecturer on artificial intelligence and cultural transformation at Goethe Graduate Business School and working as an actor and screenwriter. Johnson has been affiliated with Agape of North Carolina, a child welfare agency. He did answer some of the Ballotpedia survey questions. Please list below three key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office? He writes Extended religious liberty and the essential freedom of assembly to include all evangelical Christian churches. Designate churches and houses of worship as essential institutions in our state with a right to convene during national or state crisis or tragic events. Dramatically improve American military veteran health care across North Carolina and our nation. Our veterans deserve the best health care. I will tie veteran health care outcomes directly to health care provider, hospital executive, and VA administration leaders' pay, job tenure, and incentives. Reduce North Carolina's grocery bills by at least $200 a month or $2,400 a year by revising and amending existing legislation. Extend existing provisions for tax credits and tax offsets for grocery stores like Food Lion, Harris Teeter, and Walmart to pass along savings to grocery store customers, incentivize the reduction of the cost of cold chain storage, freight, bottlenecks, and last mile deliveries so consumers enjoy the savings. What areas of public policy are you most passionate about? I survived 9-11 by mere seconds and a few feet at the Pentagon that day. I am a walking miracle. I know for a fact that not all battle scars are visible and that veterans need a network of care and community to thrive. All veterans deserve our honor and care to heal, mend, and flourish in our great nation. I survived the foster care system and was adopted at five. I went on to become a high school valedictorian, U.S. Air Force Academy graduate, and was chosen to become a CIA fellow. I built spy satellites that were utilized in the most lethal and secretive missions our armed forces ever carried out. I will leave North Carolina with a bold vision of transparency, unified effort, and accountability. Our brightest days are ahead.

Amanda Benbow Lunn: 1:23:54

Under his campaign finance summary for 2026, which notes that data may not be complete for this year, he has raised $3,560 and he has spent $1,932.

Amanda Benbow Lunn: 1:24:06

He did answer our 2026 NC Deep Dive Voters Guide questions for number one, experience and preparation, which part of your background best prepares you for this role and what aspects of the job would be new for you. He says Thomas Johnson founded and led a global strategy consulting firm that increased billions of dollars of market share, vitality, and efficiency for global brands like FedEx, T-Mobile, and MetLife. Mr. Johnson is a recognized authority on corporate strategic transformation and is an annual lecturer on strategic transformations to MBA students at Goethe Graduate School of Business in Frankfurt, Germany. North Carolinians want gas, grocery, and healthcare prices to be transformed, and Mr. Johnson has already started working on it. Mr. Johnson has initiated a North Carolina tariff exemption for North Carolina agriculture with President Trump and Trade Representative Dr. Navarro. Two, top priority. If elected, what is the first issue you would focus on and how would it directly affect people in North Carolina? Mr. Johnson has initiated an amendment to the Religious Freedom Restoration Act with Senators Grassley, Schmidt, Lee, Lankford, and Hawley so that federal, state, and local overreach into our houses of worship like during COVID will never happen again. In crisis, Americans need to be able to seek God and gain comfort through faith. 3. Decision making. When deciding how to vote, how do you weigh party positions, constituent input, policy outcomes, and constitutional limits? Mr. Johnson prioritizes our constitutional, our constitutional framers' intent and responsive citizen-centric government as the highest priority in his decision rubric. Mr. Johnson is an innovator. He wants to bring simple, radical transparency to all congressional and federal expenditures, leveraging blockchain technology and a single set of books for congressional, presidential, civil, operational, and military appropriations and expenditures. He wants to eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse and drive up transparency. Number four, red line non-negotiable principle. What is one issue or principle you would not compromise on, even under political pressure? He writes, human life begins at baby's conception. The unborn are protected by the constitutional right to life. Number five, independence and representation. When would you say no to party leadership, donors, or advocacy groups in order to best represent your constituents? He says rule of law and citizen-centric responsive government are Thomas Johnson's priorities and always will be. Number six, concrete example, can you describe a specific local or practical problem in North Carolina and explain how your approach would differ from current efforts? President Trump's tariffs have increased cost pressure on North Carolina agriculture, specifically pork, poultry, and produce. Thomas has started a dialogue with President Trump and Dr. Navarro to convince them that North Carolinian farmers deserve a tariff exemption so that they can pass along the 35% decrease in costs down the supply chain to grocery stores like Food Lion or Walmart and on to consumers for a $200 reduction in grocery bills per week. 7. Accountability. How should voters hold you accountable if they feel you are not representing their interest? Our campaign runs by cell phone text. Text Johnson to 53555 right now. You have direct access to our staff 24 hours a day in the palm of your hand. 99% of North Carolina has this ability and can tell us how they really feel about their interests at any time, day or night. Eight. Learn more. How can voters learn more about you, your values, and your priorities beyond a campaign slogan or endorsement? You can text Johnson to 53555 or go to TLJ2026.com or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, or LinkedIn. He also included a Spotify link for an episode. And that concludes the list of all of the candidates that will be on the Republican ballot for the U.S. Senate in this upcoming 2026 primary. Again, those names are Margot Dupree, though she has been disqualified from running, so I'm not sure if her name will. Will not be on the ballot, Richard Dansie, Donald M. or Don Brown, Michael Whatley, Elizabeth A. Temple, Michele Morrow, and Thomas Johnson.

Amanda Benbow Lunn: 1:28:09

And that brings this episode of the NC Deep Dive to a close. Make sure you check out all the other relevant episodes for the 2026 primary election at www.ncdeepdive.com, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Audible, or wherever you currently listen to your podcast. I will be including helpful links for each candidate and voting in general on our website show notes, including our NC Deep Dives Voters Guide for the 2026 primary election. We were blessed to have many candidates that took the time to share their thoughts and speak to voters within Southern Wake County. The Voters Guide is arranged by party affiliation and organized in such a way to make it relatively easy to find the races or the candidates you might be interested in. All candidates' websites are linked if I was able to find one. I also consciously chose to arrange the voters' guide starting at the end of the ballot. So often we are aware of the larger races yet don't hear about or take the time to learn about the smaller ones. As always, if you have any questions, concerns, or topics you'd like to share, you may contact us via social media or by emailing ncdeepdive at gmail.com. If you found value in this episode, we'd love for you to subscribe, review, and share it to help us in our mission to help voters make their most informed choices. Thank you for engaging with this episode and becoming a more informed citizen. Democracy is a team sport. Together we make democracy work and our communities a better place to work, play, and live. Your vote matters, your voice matters, you matter. Until next time, my friends, Namaste. The love and light in me sees and honors the love and light in you.