Politics

VOTER GUIDE: House District 117

By Lightning Reports, Published: February 20, 2026

Christopher Lamar “Chris” Wilson leans heavily into his teaching career to advocate for better pay for educators.

“I am running to restore competitive teacher compensation, rebuild our educator pipeline, fulfill the Leandro mandates, and ensure that every child in Western North Carolina has access to a well-funded, well-staffed public school,” says Wilson, who is director of bands at Polk County Middle School. He switched his party affiliation from unaffiliated to Republican before filing for the District 117 seat.

During a roundtable in Durham involving educators who are running for seats in the North Carolina Legislature, Wilson said his experience working in public, private and charter schools convinced him that private-school vouchers hurt public schools.

The band leader, a 45-year-old single father of two, is also director of the Bounty of Bethlehem, the nonprofit that puts on the free Christmas dinner for the community. He lives in Hendersonville.

Jennifer Capps Balkcom, 47, rode strong support from the farming community to win election to the state House in 2022.

“I’ve been happily married to my husband Clint for 16 years and I’m a proud mom,” she says. “As an eighth-generation native, I grew up on our family’s farm and I have lived in Henderson County my entire life. I’m the grateful daughter of Kathy Ward and Ronnie Capps and the lucky stepdaughter of Dickie King.”

A mortgage lender, she also manages her family’s small business. She and her family live in Naples. They attend First Baptist Church in Hendersonville.

Why are you running for the North Carolina Legislature?

Balkcom: I would be honored to continue serving Henderson County and the state. I’ve delivered conservative, common-sense results in public safety, child protection, and women’s sports. I’ve secured over $37 million in state funding for long-term needs, growth, safety and economic stability, including $14.75 million for expanded sewer and water infrastructure, $14 million for flood mitigation, $2.34 million for BRCC, $2 million for agricultural services and $1 million for Emergency Medical Services. I also acquired additional funding for volunteer fire departments, the Sheriff’s Office, and the Fletcher Police Department, supporting first responders, law enforcement, families, small communities and public service providers.

Wilson: I am running because North Carolina's public education system is in crisis, and the current representation in District 117 has failed to address it. After more than a decade of advocating for educators across our state, I have witnessed firsthand how legislative neglect has eroded teacher morale, depleted our workforce, and undermined the constitutional promise of quality education for every child. North Carolina now ranks 50th nationally in both per-pupil spending and funding effort, according to the Education Law Center's Making the Grade 2025 report. Our teachers earn $12,000 below the national average, and we are losing experienced educators in unprecedented numbers.

The Legislature still has not adopted a 2025-26 budget, 7½ months after the start of the fiscal year. (North Carolina is the only state in the U.S. that has failed to adopt an FY2025-26 budget.) Failing to adopt a budget by the June 30 deadline is more the pattern than the exception. What would you do to change this?

Wilson: To change this pattern, I would advocate for several reforms:

• Establish enforceable budget deadlines with consequences. Other states have adopted mechanisms that trigger automatic continuing resolutions or restrict legislative activity until a budget is passed. North Carolina should consider similar accountability measures that incentivize timely action.
• Increase transparency and public engagement early in the budget process.
• Prioritize bipartisan collaboration on core functions. I would work across the aisle to secure agreement on these foundational responsibilities first, before addressing more contentious policy debates.
• Demand leadership accountability. I will use my platform to publicly hold leadership accountable when budget delays harm schools and communities in District 117.

Balkcom: Unlike the federal government, when the state House and Senate do not agree on the numbers, our budget rolls over and funding continues at current levels. No programs are cut and the state government does not shut down. The current budget impasse centers around teacher pay: it’s our feeling in the House that the state needs to invest more in public education; this includes increasing teacher pay, including raising starting teacher pay. Our goal in the House is to strengthen North Carolina’s public school system to attract and keep the best teachers. I believe that’s a goal worth fighting for.

The city of Hendersonville and Henderson County have been in conflict for decades on the topic of water and sewer extensions, growth regulation on the city's borders (land annexed in order to receive city sewer service). Yet the Legislature scrapped a proposed bill endorsed by the City Council and Board of Commissioners. What role if any do you see the Legislature playing to resolve this conflict?

Balkcom: The proposed agreement (it wasn’t a bill) between  Hendersonville and Henderson County that was brought to the legislature would require a change in state law affecting every city, county and water and sewer district across North Carolina. This would be impossible to implement. The city and county must develop a plan protecting property owners and addressing growth concerns. Once both sides agree, the legislature can codify it into state law. In the absence of an agreement, the legislature can intervene to protect the interests of taxpayers and ratepayers. We don’t want a repeat of the Asheville debacle from decades ago.

Wilson: When both the Hendersonville City Council and the Henderson County Board of Commissioners reach consensus on a path forward, the Legislature should honor that agreement and provide the statutory tools necessary to implement it. The decision to scrap a locally endorsed bill reflects a troubling pattern of state overreach that undermines home rule and disrespects the hard work of local officials who understand their communities' needs far better than distant legislators in Raleigh. If elected, I would champion local autonomy, support the locally endorsed compromise, facilitate dialogue and mediation when needed, oppose partisan interference. I will resist efforts by state leadership to impose ideologically driven mandates that override local decision-making.

Do you think teacher pay is about where it should be at this time or do you think it ought to be higher? If higher, how would you go about achieving that?

Wilson: Teacher pay in North Carolina is unacceptably low and represents a policy failure with profound consequences for our students, our schools, and our economy. With average salaries $12,000 below the national mean and the state poised to rank dead last in teacher compensation, we are losing experienced educators to neighboring states and other professions at an unsustainable rate. This is not a market accident—it is the predictable result of deliberate policy choices that prioritize tax cuts for the wealthy and corporate interests over investment in the public institutions that sustain our communities.

Balkcom: It should be higher. As I mentioned above, my feeling is that the state needs to invest more in public education, increasing teacher pay, including raising starting teacher pay. Our goal in the House is to strengthen North Carolina’s public school system to attract and keep the best teachers. We can do that if the Senate agrees to it. Ultimately, I think we’ll get it done.

What specifically are your highest priorities in the Legislature for serving your district?

Balkcom: My first priority will always be the citizens of Henderson County and securing as much funding for the county as possible. I will continue to provide our folks with the best constituent service that I can. As far as state policy goes, farmland preservation is very important to me; I know first-hand how important family farms are to our food production and our food security. I will also continue to work hard to deliver legislation that strengthens public safety, protects children and families, increases teacher pay and reflects the values of our community.

Wilson: My highest priorities for District 117 are:

1. Restore competitive teacher compensation and benefits

2. Fully fund public education and implement Leandro mandates by ensuring that every school in Western North Carolina has the resources necessary to provide a sound basic education, including adequate staffing, modern infrastructure, instructional materials, and support services for students with special needs.

3. Address the teacher pipeline crisis

4. Support local governance and infrastructure

5. Protect public education from privatization by opposing the expansion of voucher programs that divert public funds to unaccountable private schools and ensuring that every dollar allocated for education serves students in transparent, democratically governed public schools.

6. Advocate for Working Families and Economic Opportunity

What other major priorities do you have for your district and the state?

Wilson: I am committed to:

Infrastructure and environmental stewardship:

• Investing in transportation, broadband expansion, and sustainable water management.

Health care access and affordability:

• Expanding Medicaid, supporting rural health care providers, and addressing the opioid crisis and mental health needs in our communities.

Criminal justice reform and public safety:

·      Supporting evidence-based approaches to public safety that prioritize rehabilitation, reduce recidivism and address the root causes of crime.

Electoral reforms:

·      Ending partisan gerrymandering, expanding voter access, and restoring transparency and accountability to state government.

Economic development:

·      Partnering with local businesses, community colleges, and workforce development agencies to create pathways to good-paying jobs for residents of District 117.

Support for veterans and military families

Balkcom: I will continue to advance legislation and work hard on issues that have won me the endorsements of the North Carolina Values Coalition, the National Rifle Association, Americans for Prosperity, North Carolina Right to Life, the National Federation of Independent Business, Stand For Health Freedom, North Carolina Grassroots Government PAC, North Carolina Property Rights Fund, and the Convention of States North Carolina. I have also been honored to receive the Defender of Safety Award twice by the N.C. Sheriff’s Association and designated a Jobs Champion by the N.C. Chamber of Commerce in both of my terms.