Lisa Stone Barnes (born July 16, 1966) is an American businesswoman and politician. A member of the Republican Party, she was elected to the North Carolina House of Representatives in 2018 after serving for six years on the Nash County board of commissioners. Rather than seek reelection, Barnes instead decided to instead run for the state senate in 2020, defeating former senator Allen Wellons.
Lisa Barnes | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of the North Carolina Senate from the 11th district | |
| Assumed office January 1, 2021 | |
| Preceded by | Rick Horner |
| Member of the North Carolina House of Representatives from the 7th district | |
| In office January 9, 2019 – January 1, 2021 | |
| Preceded by | Bobbie Richardson |
| Succeeded by | Matthew Winslow |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Donna Lisa Stone July 16, 1966 Nash, North Carolina, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse |
Johnny Barnes (m. 1987) |
| Residence | Spring Hope, North Carolina |
| Alma mater | Peace College (AA) North Carolina State University (BA) |
| Signature |  |
Early life and education
editBarnes was born Donna Lisa Stone to Mr. and Mrs. Donald R. Stone in Nash County, North Carolina. She graduated from Southern Nash High School and Peace College before marrying Johnny Carson Barnes at Middlesex Church of God on December 12, 1987.[1][2] She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from North Carolina State University in 1988 and completed the legal assistant program at Meredith College.[3][4]
Political career
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Barnes ran for the 4th district seat on the Nash County board of commissioners in 2012, challenging incumbent Republican Danny Tyson. Central to the race was a proposed Sanderson Farms poultry processing plant, which Tyson, who was running for a third term, supported.[5] Barnes, having previously cited environmental concerns about the project during her tenure on the county planning board, opposed it.[6][7] She went on to win the primary and defeated Bert Daniel in the general election, becoming the county's youngest commissioner.[8][9]
In 2018, Barnes defeated former state representative Glen Bradley for the Republican nomination in North Carolina's 7th state house district.[10] That November, she succeeded in unseating incumbent Democratic representative Bobbie Richardson, whose district was heavily redrawn in response to a federal lawsuit alleging racial gerrymandering by the state legislature. Barnes was sworn into office by North Carolina Supreme Court associate justice Paul Martin Newby.[11]
A year into her term, Barnes announced her intention to run for the 11th district state senate seat being vacated by the retiring Rick Horner in 2020.[12] After defeating Johnston County commissioner Patrick Harris and retired Air Force colonel Dennis Nielsen in the March primary by a wide margin, she faced the Democratic nominee, former senator Allen Wellons in November.[13] Barnes defeated Wellons by a ten-point margin.[14]
Personal life
editBarnes lives in Spring Hope, North Carolina with her husband, Johnny, president of Barnes Farming Corporation. They have three children: Bethany, Joshua, and Jacy. They attend the Ridgecrest Worship Center in Rocky Mount, where Barnes has served as co-president of Women's Ministries.[4]
References
edit- ^ "Stone, Barnes exchange vows". Rocky Mount Telegram. January 3, 1987. p. 19. Retrieved September 17, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Donna Lisa Stone marries Johnny Carson Barnes Dec. 12". The Nashville Graphic. January 6, 1987. p. 2. Retrieved September 17, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Nash County students receive degrees at NCSU". The Nashville Graphic. May 11, 1988. p. 2. Retrieved September 17, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b "Nash County Commissioner District 4: Lisa Stone Barnes". The Nashville Graphic. October 24, 2012. Retrieved September 20, 2020.
- ^ Slipke, Darla (April 25, 2012). "Sanderson Farms tops Nash forum". Rocky Mount Telegram. p. 1A. Retrieved September 20, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Harper, Amelia (March 23, 2011). "Planning Board denies Sanderson". The Nashville Graphic. Retrieved September 20, 2020.
- ^ Clark, Amanda (May 2, 2012). "Nashville Chamber hosts candidate forum". The Nashville Graphic. Retrieved September 20, 2020.
- ^ Clark, Amanda (May 9, 2012). "Barnes, Daniel win District Four primary". The Nashville Graphic. Retrieved September 20, 2020.
- ^ Slipke, Darla (November 7, 2012). "Barnes to push for transparent Nash board". Rocky Mount Telegram. p. 3A. Retrieved September 20, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Barnes wins primary". The Nashville Graphic. March 2018. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
- ^ Hamilton Barnes, LaMonique (January 2, 2019). "Barnes, Gailliard set to join legislature". Spring Hope Enterprise. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
- ^ Harper, Amelia (December 16, 2019). "Barnes files to fill open Senate seat". Rocky Mount Telegram. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
- ^ Kay, Lindell J. (March 3, 2020). "Lisa Barnes to face Allen Wellons for Nash, Johnston state Senate seat". Spring Hope Enterprise. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
- ^ "Lisa Stone Barnes Defeats Allen Wellons In State Senate Race". The Johnston County Report. November 3, 2020. Retrieved November 20, 2020.
External links
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