The North Carolina House of Representatives is made up of 120 members of the General Assembly who are elected for two-year terms. The House has lawmaking powers, along with the N.C. Senate. Additionally, House members have the authority to tax and spend, allocate funds, override a gubernatorial veto, provide state agency oversight and elect UNC Board of Governors members. They also conduct constituent services and have the sole power of impeachment.
Candidates must be 21 years old to run for the House and they must have lived in their district for at least one year before the general election.
The N.C. House of Representatives has 47 Democrats, 71 Republicans and 2 unaffiliated members. To override a veto of any bill by the governor, three-fifths of both chambers (72 House members and 30 senators) must vote to override it.
North Carolina House District 104 is one of the districts in the southern part of the county and includes the SouthPark Mall area and much of Quail Hollow and Cotswold. Median age and income are higher than the North Carolina medians, and 72% of the population is white.
Among registered voters in the district, 44% are unaffiliated, 28% are Democrats and 28% are Republicans.
Incumbent Democrat Brandon Lofton is seeking his fifth term and he faces Republican (and former Democrat) Trina Boyd.
N.C. House of Representatives 104 Candidates
Trina Boyd
Party: Republican
Incumbent: No
Age: Unable to verify
Previous experience in elected office: None; ran unsuccessfully for county commissioner in 2022
Occupation: Small business owner, Women in Power
Description:
Boyd's top priorities are helping local businesses grow, creating jobs and making sure families can support themselves. Her platform focuses on making it easier for entrepreneurs to start new businesses. She supports expanding access to professional networking, business education, and grant-writing workshops as direct tools to elevate working families and independent professionals. Boyd also cares about keeping neighborhoods safe and stable, focusing on keeping the local economy strong and making sure Charlotte's small businesses have a voice in state government.
Other personal:
Boyd previously ran for Mecklenburg County Commissioner as a Democrat in 2022 and says she has a degree in healthcare administration (her LinkedIn page says a degree from the University of Phoenix). She was asked in a Charlotte Observer interview during the previous election if there was any part of her party's platform she disagreed with and she replied no. She started a women's networking organization, Women in Power and is a mother. She says she served on the PTSA of Palisades Park Elementary School.
Brandon Lofton
Party: Democrat
Incumbent: Yes
Age: 47
Previous experience in elected office: N.C. House of Representatives (2019 - present)
Occupation: Attorney; N.C. House representative
Description:
Lofton's top priorities are helping public schools succeed and creating equal opportunities for all children. He believes that a person's "opportunity in life should not be determined by the circumstances of your birth or by the partisan leaning of your legislature." He wants to fully fund public schools by increasing teacher pay and expanding access to support staff like counselors and nurses. He also works to "promote a vibrant and inclusive economy" by expanding access to affordable healthcare, child tax credits and childcare. Additionally, Lofton aims to end gerrymandering and opposes any efforts to limit voting access. He was the first primary sponsor on 11 bills, including several proposed studies (e.g. how N.C. teacher compensation fares compared to other states). In the most recent legislative session, he was present for 707 of 802 votes (in the bottom third of House delegates).
Other personal:
Lofton is from Charlotte and married with two children. He met his wife in college and started his law career working at the historic civic rights law firm Ferguson Stein Chambers. He has a bachelor's degree from UNC Chapel Hill and a JD from New York University.
