Rachel Hunt
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| Member of the North Carolina Senate from the 42nd district | |
| Assumed office January 1, 2023 | |
| Preceded by | Jeff Jackson (redistricted) |
| Member of the North Carolina House of Representatives from the 103rd district | |
| In office January 1, 2019 – January 1, 2023 | |
| Preceded by | Bill Brawley |
| Succeeded by | Laura Budd |
| Personal details | |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Olav Nilender |
| Children | 2 |
| Relatives | Jim Hunt (father) Carolyn Hunt (mother) |
| Education | University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill (BA) University of South Carolina (JD) |
| Website | State Senate website |
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Rachel H. Hunt is a member of the North Carolina State Senate. A Democrat, Hunt was elected in November 2022 to represent the 42nd district based in Mecklenburg County. Prior to that, Hunt served two terms in the North Carolina House, twice beating Republican Bill Brawley.[1] She is the Democratic Nominee in the 2024 North Carolina lieutenant gubernatorial election.
Hunt is the daughter of former governor Jim Hunt and his wife Carolyn.[2] An attorney and certified college counselor, she is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the University of South Carolina School of Law.[3]
Hunt was first elected to the North Carolina House of Representatives in 2018, after defeating the incumbent Republican incumbent William M. Brawley. The 2018 race was decided by only 68 votes after being one of the most expensive legislative races in the state that year.[4] Hunt was re-elected in 2020 by 9.86% in a rematch against Brawley.[5] In 2022, Hunt was elected to the North Carolina Senate to replace Jeff Jackson who vacated the seat to run for the United States Senate.[1] On November 8, 2022, Hunt defeated Cheryl Russo in the race to represent the 42nd State district.[5]
Despite serving in the minority, Hunt helped pass several pieces of bipartisan legislation including clean energy legislation to cut carbon emissions by 70%. Hunt has also co-sponsored bills to codify Roe v. Wade and expand Medicaid.[2][6]
Hunt is a mother of two children, and is married to Olav Nilender, a physician.[8]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Rachel Hunt | 47,621 | 54.96% | |
| Republican | Cheryl Russo | 39,024 | 45.04% | |
| Total votes | 86,645 | 100% | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Rachel Hunt (incumbent) | 26,818 | 54.93% | |
| Republican | Bill Brawley | 22,008 | 45.07% | |
| Total votes | 48,826 | 100% | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Rachel Hunt | 19,133 | 50.09% | |
| Republican | Bill Brawley (incumbent) | 19,065 | 49.91% | |
| Total votes | 38,198 | 100% | ||
| Democratic gain from Republican | ||||
| North Carolina House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of the North Carolina House of Representatives from the 103rd district 2019–2023 |
Succeeded by |
| North Carolina Senate | ||
| Preceded by | Member of the North Carolina Senate from the 42nd district 2023–present |
Incumbent |
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