The Ballot Brief
Brunswick County, North Carolina

North Carolina Senate District 8

3 candidates are tracked for North Carolina Senate District 8 on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Richard (Rick) Combes, Tim White and Bill Rabon. Candidate information follows official Brunswick County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

About this race

Richard (Rick) Combes (Democratic), Tim White (Libertarian), Bill Rabon (Republican) meet on the November 3 ballot; Bill Rabon is the sitting member, per the General Assembly's roster. Party nominees were chosen at the March 3 primary (a second primary is held only when no one reaches 30 percent plus one); unaffiliated candidates qualified by petition. The field is the State Board of Elections' certified general-election candidate list (read September 7, 2026). This seat is elected by district; only the district covering your address appears on your ballot.

What this office does

State legislator. State legislators write and vote on state laws and the state budget, which fund schools, roads, prisons, universities and health programs, and set the rules for local governments and elections. Each member represents one district and serves on committees that shape bills before a floor vote. Terms are two years in most state houses and four in most state senates.

This race. Elected by district: only voters who live in the district see this race on their ballot. The sitting officeholder, Bill Rabon, is on the ballot.

North Carolina › Brunswick County › North Carolina Senate District 8

Richard (Rick) Combes

Democratic

Top priorities
  • Addressing PFAS contamination in the region's drinking water
  • Funding replacement of the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge without new tolls
  • Supporting strong public schools

Per the campaign site.

Biography

Richard (Rick) Combes is the Democratic candidate for North Carolina Senate District 8, per his campaign site. He holds a chemical engineering degree from the University of Michigan and an MBA from the University of Chicago, worked at Kraft Foods and later led construction of a resin plant in High Point, retired at 60, and subsequently drove for a rideshare service across Columbus, Brunswick and New Hanover counties.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

Tim White

Libertarian

Biography

Tim White, of Bolivia, is the Libertarian candidate for North Carolina Senate District 8. He has lived in Brunswick County since 2009, after coming to North Carolina through military service as a paratrooper with the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, per the Cape Fear Libertarian Party. He works as a private wealth manager and has been a financial advisor since 2014. No campaign website was found as of September 27, 2026.

Bill Rabon

Bill Rabon

Republican Incumbent

Biography

Bill Rabon is the incumbent Republican state senator for North Carolina Senate District 8, representing Brunswick, Columbus and New Hanover counties, per the North Carolina General Assembly. He is serving his 8th term in the Senate. No campaign website was found as of September 27, 2026.

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Questions about this race

Who is running for North Carolina Senate District 8 in 2026?

3 candidates are tracked for North Carolina Senate District 8 on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Richard (Rick) Combes, Tim White and Bill Rabon. Candidate information follows official Brunswick County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

When is the North Carolina Senate District 8 election in North Carolina?

Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Registration deadlines, early voting dates and mail ballot rules for North Carolina are on the North Carolina election hub at theballotbrief.com.

How do I see my exact Brunswick County ballot?

Enter your ZIP code in the lookup at theballotbrief.com for the statewide and congressional races, or a full street address to add the county, city and district contests for that location.

Verify this race

Candidate roster from official Brunswick County and state election office filings, last verified September 29, 2026. Bios and priorities carry their attribution inline.

Cross-check with the official North Carolina election office, or see the full Brunswick County sample ballot and your exact ballot by address.

The rest of your Brunswick County ballot

14 tracked races in Brunswick County, North Carolina. Landed here from another county's search? Look up your own ballot below.

Also on your ballot
North Carolina House District 19North Carolina District Court Judge, District 15, Seat 2North Carolina District Court Judge, District 15, Seat 5See all 14 Brunswick County races
Candidate profiles
Richard (Rick) Combes, full profileTim White, full profileBill Rabon, full profileOfficial North Carolina election office