North Carolina general election: November 3, 2026
Who is running for NC House, District 88 in 2026?
Here are the candidates for NC House, District 88 on the November 3, 2026 ballot. This race is on the ballot for voters in North Carolina House District 88.
Positions come only from each candidate's own votes, official actions, statements and questionnaire answers, never from party labels. Every item links to its source.
Side by side
Each candidate's position on the issues this office handles, from their own record. Details and sources are in each profile below.
| Issue | Ray CraigRepublican | Mary BelkDemocrat |
|---|---|---|
| Healthcare | Mostly private market; roll back the government's roleQuestionnaire answer · low | Keep the Affordable Care Act and fix what is brokenVoted · medium |
| Abortion | Illegal, except to save the mother's life or in cases of rape or incestQuestionnaire answer · medium | Legal in all cases, left to the woman and her doctorQuestionnaire answer · high |
| Guns | Keep current laws and enforce what is already on the booksQuestionnaire answer · low | All of that, plus ban assault-style weapons and high-capacity magazinesOfficial action · medium |
| Immigration | Secure the border first; deport those with criminal records; keep legal immigration steadyQuestionnaire answer · low | No single answer fits; see evidence |
| Energy and climate | All of the above: oil, gas, nuclear and renewables, and let markets pickQuestionnaire answer · low | No single answer fits; see evidence |
| Election rules | Photo ID required, with current access otherwiseQuestionnaire answer · low | No single answer fits; see evidence |
| Marijuana | No public position | Medical use onlyQuestionnaire answer · medium |
| Redistricting | No public position | Independent commissions draw maps, with a national ban on partisan gerrymanderingOfficial action · medium |
| Paid leave | No public position | Create a national paid family and medical leave program plus paid sick daysOfficial action · medium |
Ray Craig
RepublicanPrivate citizen
Ray Craig is a former sales engineer who has also done counseling and ministry work; he grew up in Clover, S.C., attended Clemson and interned for U.S. Sen. Strom Thurmond12. He has not held elected office, previously ran for U.S. House in South Carolina, and is endorsed by the N.C. Police Benevolent Association1. He is the Republican nominee3.
Where they stand 6 issues · tap any issue for the evidence
AbortionIllegal, except to save the mother's life or in cases of rape or incestmedium
Questionnaire answer · medium confidence- Strongly agreed that human life begins at conception and deserves legal protection at every stage, and said abortion may be considered when the mother's life is at stake or in cases of rape or incest. (2016) source
- In 2026 strongly agreed that abortion providers should not receive taxpayer funds, but left the rest of the 2026 questionnaire unanswered. (2026) source
GunsKeep current laws and enforce what is already on the bookslow
Questionnaire answer · low confidence- Strongly disagreed that more restrictive gun control laws are needed to protect public safety. (2016) source
HealthcareMostly private market; roll back the government's rolelow
Questionnaire answer · low confidence- Strongly agreed that Congress should repeal the Affordable Care Act, and disagreed that it is the government's responsibility to make sure everyone has health care. (2016) source
ImmigrationSecure the border first; deport those with criminal records; keep legal immigration steadylow
Questionnaire answer · low confidence- Agreed with building a wall and other infrastructure giving complete control over the border, and with opposing resettlement of Syrian refugees without proper vetting. (2016) source
Election rulesPhoto ID required, with current access otherwiselow
Questionnaire answer · low confidence- Disagreed that people should be able to vote without photo identification. (2016) source
Energy and climateAll of the above: oil, gas, nuclear and renewables, and let markets picklow
Questionnaire answer · low confidence- Agreed that regulations on domestic oil drilling are more restrictive than necessary, and disagreed that governments should pay to develop wind and solar energy until they are economically feasible. (2016) source
No public position found on: Safety net programs, Minimum wage, Business regulation, School choice, Curriculum and books, Housing and growth, Policing and crime, Judges, Politicians trading stocks, Marijuana, Gender care for minors, Redistricting, Term limits, Campaign finance, Electoral College, Ranked-choice voting, Death penalty, Qualified immunity, Mandatory minimums, Drug prices, Childcare and pre-K, Paid leave, Student loans, AI regulation, Kids online, School vaccines, Nuclear power, E-Verify mandate, Transgender athletes, DEI programs, Religion in schools, China policy.
Mary Belk
Democrat · IncumbentNorth Carolina State Representative, District 88
Mary Belk has represented District 88 in Mecklenburg County in the North Carolina House since 2017 and chairs the House Democratic Joint Caucus12. Raised in Charlotte, she earned a political science degree from UNC Charlotte and is a partner in a vacation rental business2. She is the Democratic nominee for a sixth term24.
Where they stand 16 issues · tap any issue for the evidence
AbortionLegal in all cases, left to the woman and her doctorhigh
Questionnaire answer · high confidence- Answered that there should be no restrictions on abortion and said it is a personal decision a woman should make with her doctor, not one politicians should make. (2022-10-07) source
- Voted against overriding the governor's veto of Senate Bill 20, which limited most abortions to the first 12 weeks of pregnancy (passed 72 to 48). (2023-05-16) source
MarijuanaMedical use onlymedium
Questionnaire answer · medium confidence- Answered yes when asked whether medical marijuana should be legalized in North Carolina. (2022-10-07) source
GunsAll of that, plus ban assault-style weapons and high-capacity magazinesmedium
Official action · medium confidence- Was a primary sponsor of House Bill 732, which would require a permit to buy a long gun or assault weapon, a 72-hour waiting period, safe storage, firearm liability insurance and limits on magazine size, and would ban bump stocks and ghost guns. (2025-04-03) source
- Voted against overriding the governor's veto of Senate Bill 41, which repealed the state's pistol purchase permit requirement (passed 71 to 46). (2023-03-29) source
- On second reading, voted against Senate Bill 50, which allows adults to carry a concealed handgun without a permit (passed 59 to 48). (2025-06-11) source
RedistrictingIndependent commissions draw maps, with a national ban on partisan gerrymanderingmedium
Official action · medium confidenceHealthcareKeep the Affordable Care Act and fix what is brokenmedium
Voted · medium confidence- On second reading, voted for House Bill 76, which expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act and directed the state to pursue work requirements if federal regulators allow them (passed 96 to 23). (2023-02-15) source
- Answered yes when asked whether she would vote for Medicaid expansion in North Carolina. (2022-10-07) source
Paid leaveCreate a national paid family and medical leave program plus paid sick daysmedium
Gender care for minorsNo single answer fitslow
Voted · low confidence- Voted against overriding the governor's veto of House Bill 808, which bars gender transition treatments such as puberty blockers and hormones for minors, with limited exceptions (passed 74 to 45). (2023-08-16) source
Transgender athletesNo single answer fitslow
Voted · low confidence- Voted against overriding the governor's veto of House Bill 574, the Fairness in Women's Sports Act, which limits girls' and women's school and college teams to students who are female at birth (passed 74 to 45). (2023-08-16) source
Curriculum and booksNo single answer fitslow
Voted · low confidence- Voted against overriding the governor's veto of Senate Bill 49, the Parents' Bill of Rights, which sets parents' rights to review curriculum and school materials (passed 72 to 47). (2023-08-16) source
Election rulesNo single answer fitslow
Voted · low confidence- Voted against overriding the governor's veto of Senate Bill 747, which ended the three-day grace period for mail ballots arriving after Election Day and changed same-day registration rules (passed 72 to 44). (2023-10-10) source
ImmigrationNo single answer fitslow
Voted · low confidence- Voted against overriding the governor's veto of House Bill 10, which requires sheriffs to cooperate with federal immigration detainers and added money for private school scholarships (passed 72 to 44). (2024-11-19) source
- Voted against overriding the governor's veto of House Bill 318, the Criminal Illegal Alien Enforcement Act, which expanded requirements for jails to cooperate with federal immigration detainers (passed 72 to 48). (2025-07-29) source
- Voted against overriding the governor's veto of Senate Bill 153, the North Carolina Border Protection Act, which expanded state cooperation with federal immigration enforcement (passed 71 to 47). (2026-06-24) source
- On second reading, voted against House Bill 261, which created longer sentences for felonies committed by people unlawfully in the country (passed 84 to 29). (2025-04-30) source
DEI programsNo single answer fitslow
Voted · low confidence- Voted against overriding the governor's veto of Senate Bill 227, which bans diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs in public K-12 schools (passed 71 to 47). (2026-06-24) source
- Voted against overriding the governor's veto of Senate Bill 558, which bans diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs in public colleges and universities (passed 71 to 47). (2026-06-24) source
- Voted against overriding the governor's veto of House Bill 171, which bans diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs in state agencies (passed 71 to 47). (2026-06-24) source
School choiceNo single answer fitslow
Voted · low confidence- Said the state has made mistakes in implementing charter schools, which as a whole have not performed as well as public schools. (2022-10-07) source
- On second reading, voted against House Bill 823, Choose Your School, Choose Your Future, which expanded the state's private school scholarship program to families of all incomes (passed 65 to 45). (2023-05-17) source
Energy and climateNo single answer fitslow
Voted · low confidence- Voted against overriding the governor's veto of Senate Bill 266, which removed the state's 2030 interim goal for cutting carbon emissions from power plants (passed 74 to 46). (2025-07-29) source
Policing and crimeNo single answer fitslow
Voted · low confidence- On second reading, voted for House Bill 813, the Pretrial Integrity Act, which required judges rather than magistrates to set release conditions for some serious charges and allowed a 48-hour hold for people arrested while already on pretrial release (passed 92 to 25). (2023-05-03) source
- Voted against final passage of House Bill 307, Iryna's Law, which tightened pretrial release rules and changed death penalty procedures (passed 81 to 31). (2025-09-23) source
Term limitsNo single answer fitslow
Voted · low confidence- Voted against House Joint Resolution 151, which asked Congress to call a convention to propose congressional term limits (passed 69 to 48). (2023-03-08) source
No public position found on: Safety net programs, Minimum wage, Business regulation, Housing and growth, Judges, Politicians trading stocks, Campaign finance, Electoral College, Ranked-choice voting, Death penalty, Qualified immunity, Mandatory minimums, Drug prices, Childcare and pre-K, Student loans, AI regulation, Kids online, School vaccines, Nuclear power, E-Verify mandate, Religion in schools, China policy.
Last reviewed 2026-10-06. Spotted something wrong? Every claim links to its source so you can check it yourself.