Sam Searcy Announces Candidacy for North Carolina State Senate District 17

December 04, 2017

Fuquay-Varina, NC – Today small business entrepreneur Sam Searcy announced he will be running for state Senate District 17 and suspending his campaign for Congress. He will be running against Republican Senator Tamara Barringer.

“I’ve seen first-hand what happens when North Carolina families struggle to make ends meet,” said Searcy. “My family lost our home when I was in 7th Grade and I began working to help support my family when I was fourteen. Too many families in North Carolina are facing the same challenges we did. I’m running for state Senate because I want to be a voice for those families, and by breaking the Republican majority, we can end dysfunction in Raleigh and focus on improving health care and ensuring we have an economy that works for everyone.”

Searcy gives North Carolina Democrats a highly credible challenger in one of the most vulnerable Republican Senate districts in the state where Republican incumbent Tamara Barringer was reelected with less than 1% of the vote in 2016. Searcy said he will be reporting $500,000 in his first campaign filing report due ten days after he receives his first contribution; almost matching the amount Barringer raised in the 2016 cycle.

“We all saw what happened in Virginia when Democrats who care about the people in their district run for office,” said Searcy. “I’ve created several successful small businesses in North Carolina. I’ve balanced the books and seen what it takes to create good, well-paying jobs. By flipping Senate District 17 and helping break the majority in the Senate I can fight to ensure every child in North Carolina has the same opportunities to live the American Dream that I did.”

Senate District 17 is located in southwest Wake County and is similar to state legislative districts that flipped from Republican to Democratic control in Virginia in November.

Sam Searcy grew up near the small town of Hendersonville, NC. His mother was a teacher’s assistant in public schools and his dad worked in the factories. Sam became the first person in his family to graduate from a four-year college. With the help of student loans and on-campus jobs, he put himself through Appalachian State University. Sam worked a few different jobs until the Great Recession hit. He, like many North Carolinians, found himself laid off. He took a job at local garden center to support his family. Eventually, he helped start two local companies which continue to employ people right here in North Carolina.

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