Political career
Willingham was first appointed to the 70th district of the North Carolina House of Representatives in 2002 to succeed Toby Fitch, who stepped down to become a judge. Willingham ran for a full term in the new 24th district (the geographic successor to the 70th district[2][3]) in 2002, but lost the primary to Jean Farmer-Butterfield who went on to win the general election. Willingham unsuccessfully challenged state senator Clark Jenkins in the 2004, 2006, and 2008 primaries. Willingham then served 2 terms on the Edgecombe County School Board.[4] Willingham returned to the NC House in 2015, after being elected in 2014 to the 23rd district. Since his initial election in 2014, Willingham has been re-elected to the NC House a total of 4 times, most recently in 2022.
Electoral history
2020
North Carolina House of Representatives 23rd district general election, 2020[5]
| Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
|
Democratic |
Shelly Willingham (incumbent) |
21,754 |
58.76% |
|
Republican |
Claiborne Holtzman |
14,656 |
39.59% |
|
Green |
Abbie (Bud) Lane |
612 |
1.65% |
| Total votes |
37,022 |
100% |
|
Democratic hold |
2018
North Carolina House of Representatives 23rd district general election, 2018[6]
| Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
|
Democratic |
Shelly Willingham (incumbent) |
15,959 |
60.85% |
|
Republican |
Claiborne Holtzman |
10,266 |
39.15% |
| Total votes |
26,225 |
100% |
|
Democratic hold |
2016
North Carolina House of Representatives 23rd district general election, 2016[7]
| Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
|
Democratic |
Shelly Willingham (incumbent) |
27,208 |
100% |
| Total votes |
27,208 |
100% |
|
Democratic hold |
2014
North Carolina House of Representatives 23rd district Democratic primary election, 2014[8]
| Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
|
Democratic |
Shelly Willingham |
2,978 |
35.61% |
|
Democratic |
R. B. (Rusty) Holderness |
2,543 |
30.41% |
|
Democratic |
Taro Knight |
1,715 |
20.51% |
|
Democratic |
Bronson Williams |
1,126 |
13.47% |
| Total votes |
8,362 |
100% |
North Carolina House of Representatives 23rd district Democratic primary run-off election, 2014[9]
| Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
|
Democratic |
Shelly Willingham |
2,702 |
52.16% |
|
Democratic |
R. B. (Rusty) Holderness |
2,478 |
47.84% |
| Total votes |
5,180 |
100% |
North Carolina House of Representatives 23rd district general election, 2014[10]
| Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
|
Democratic |
Shelly Willingham |
18,660 |
100% |
| Total votes |
18,660 |
100% |
|
Democratic hold |
2008
North Carolina Senate 3rd district Democratic primary election, 2008[11]
| Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
|
Democratic |
Clark Jenkins (incumbent) |
16,187 |
50.52% |
|
Democratic |
Shelly Willingham |
13,200 |
41.20% |
|
Democratic |
Henry Williams II |
2,652 |
8.28% |
| Total votes |
32,039 |
100% |
2006
North Carolina Senate 3rd district Democratic primary election, 2006[12]
| Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
|
Democratic |
Clark Jenkins (incumbent) |
7,969 |
64.28% |
|
Democratic |
Shelly Willingham |
4,429 |
35.72% |
| Total votes |
12,398 |
100% |
2004
North Carolina Senate 3rd district Democratic primary run-off election, 2004[14]
| Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
|
Democratic |
Clark Jenkins (incumbent) |
6,070 |
54.47% |
|
Democratic |
Shelly Willingham |
5,074 |
45.53% |
| Total votes |
11,144 |
100% |
Committee assignments
[16]
2021–2022 session
- Appropriations
- Appropriations - Transportation
- Alcoholic Beverage Control (Vice Chair)
- Insurance (Vice Chair)
- Election Law and Campaign Finance Reform
- Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House
- State Personnel
2019–2020 session
- Appropriations
- Appropriations - Transportation
- Alcoholic Beverage Control
- Insurance
- Election Law and Campaign Finance Reform
- Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House
- State and Local Government
2017–2018 session
- Appropriations
- Appropriations - Justice and Public Safety
- Alcoholic Beverage Control
- Elections and Ethics Law
- Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House
- State Personnel
- Transportation
2015–2016 session
- Appropriations
- Appropriations - Information Technology
- Alcoholic Beverage Control
- Elections
- Agriculture
- Banking
- Education - Universities
- Judiciary IV
References
- "The Voter's Self Defense System". Vote Smart. Retrieved 28 January 2019.
- "1992 House Base Plan 5" (PDF). North Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved January 28, 2022.
- "INTERIM HOUSE REDISTRICTING PLAN FOR N.C. 2002 ELECTION" (PDF). North Carolina General Assembly. Retrieved January 28, 2022.
- Calvin Adkins (January 17, 2014). "Willingham ponders District 23 run". The Daily Southerner. Retrieved January 28, 2022.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
- North Carolina State Board of Elections.
- North Carolina State Board of Elections.
- North Carolina State Board of Elections.
- North Carolina State Board of Elections.
- North Carolina State Board of Elections.
- North Carolina State Board of Elections.
- North Carolina State Board of Elections.
- North Carolina State Board of Elections.
- North Carolina State Board of Elections.
- North Carolina State Board of Elections.
- North Carolina State Board of Elections.
- "Shelly Willingham". Retrieved January 28, 2022.