There are 50 members in the North Carolina Senate, and they serve as the "upper house" of the General Assembly. Their powers include proposing and passing laws, along with the state House; fiscal oversight of the state budget; gubernatorial veto overrides; confirmation of certain executive branch appointments; redistricting; proposing N.C. constitutional amendments and providing constituent services. State residents must be at least 25 years old to run for the Senate, and they must have lived in N.C. for at least two years. State Senators serve two-year terms with no term limits.
Republican Kevin Crutchfield, a former state legislator, defeated incumbent Chris Measmer in the 2026 primary. He faces Democrat April Cook.
N.C. Senate District 34 covers most of Cabarrus County (a small sliver in the west bordering Mecklenburg County is in District 35). The county has a population of approximately 238,600 people, featuring six main municipalities: Concord (the county seat), Kannapolis, Harrisburg, Midland, Mount Pleasant and Locust. The County's demographic profile is shifting, with significant growth in Black, Asian, and Hispanic populations. The white population made up 59% of the population in 2022, down from 72% in 2010. As of 2023, 28% of registered voters in Cabarrus County are registered as Democrats, 33% are registered as Republicans, and 37% are registered as Unaffiliated. The remainder is registered with other third parties.
N.C. Senate 34 Candidates
Kevin Crutchfield
Party: Republican
Incumbent: Yes
Age: 66
Previous experience in elected office: N.C. House (2022-24)
Occupation: Business owner, Casco Signs
Description:
Crutchfield's campaign page indicates that his main issues are supporting small businesses and economic development, preserving the right to bear arms, and supporting law enforcement and first responders. While in office as an N.C. House member, he sponsored legislation to allow parents to have access to a minor's medical records and a requirement to disclose the use of AI in political ads. He also led the effort to make the Cabarrus County Board of Education elections partisan; that became a reality starting in 2024. Crutchfield lost a race for reelection to the N.C. House in 2024 by fewer than 200 votes. He was in House District 82 at the time and lost the primary to Brian Echevarria.
Other personal:
Crutchfield graduated from UNC Charlotte and worked for 15 years at IBM. He and his wife, Cheryl, founded Casco Signs in 1998 and have grown it into a multimillion-dollar business, according to his campaign page. They also have three other businesses, including a real estate holding company. The Crutchfields have three sons, who attended Cabarrus County schools, and nine grandchildren.
April Cook
Party: Democrat
Incumbent: No
Age: 62
Previous experience in elected office: None
Occupation: CEO, N.C. Association of Free and Charitable Clinics (2022–present)
Description:
Cook has been in the nonprofit healthcare sector, and her top issue is expanding access to affordable healthcare. She also cites the following: increasing public school funding and teacher pay, addressing the cost of housing and childcare, government accountability and protecting access to reproductive healthcare decisions. She says healthcare "should relieve pressure on families, not create financial ruin" and believes "trusting women isn't extreme. It's responsible." Queen City News reported that Cook, who is completing treatment for a breast cancer diagnosis she received in February, said the experience underscores why she entered the race: to ensure "everyone, regardless of income or ZIP code, can access the health care they need." She said in a WSOC interview that her cancer was Stage 2 and that is why she chose to stay in the race. She says she is coming to the race as a non-politician and that is what sets her apart from her opponent.
Other personal:
Cook describes herself as a fourth-generation North Carolinian with roots in Montgomery County. She has lived in Concord for the last several decades. She was the founder and executive director of a nonprofit that provides free and low-cost healthcare to uninsured patients (Cook Community Clinic, formerly Lake Norman Community Health Clinic). She runs a state association of free and charitable clinics. She has volunteered on mission trips to Guatemala and Haiti and has received honors including the Charlotte Business Journal's Excellence in Healthcare Award. She is a mother and has a bachelor's from N.C. State and an MBA from Meredith College.
