I'll be honest with people. I didn't grow up here. I came to Western North Carolina at a turning point in my life. During the pandemic, I was diagnosed with breast cancer.

About Lynne Russo – NC 117 Candidate — Lynne Russo for NC House

After that, I knew I needed a fresh start. I first came to Hendersonville with a close friend who was writing a travel piece on the area. I fell in love with it, went home, and then came back almost immediately to build a life here, even though I didn't know many people. Going through Hurricane Helene alongside my neighbors made that connection permanent.

Lynne Russo did not grow up in Western North Carolina; she first visited Hendersonville and later returned to live there.

Lynne Russo is a communications consultant and community advocate based in the mountains of Western North Carolina. In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, she mobilized support for Appalachian families and fought for the long-term recovery funding the region so desperately needed.

About Lynne Russo — NC 117 Candidate

North Carolina House Rep. Brian Turner, who represents the 116th District, listens as Lynne Russo, a Hendersonville small business owner and candidate for N.C. House District 117, speaks during a press conference at Pack Square Park in Asheville on Oct. 14, 2025, where Democrats called on Republicans to end the government shutdown and lower health care costs.

NC Democrats call to end shutdown, cut health care costs

Lynne Russo works as a communications consultant and is a small business owner.

Lynne Russo - Ballotpedia

Lynne is running for political office for the first time.

2026 North Carolina General Election

She also knows that recovery isn’t just about the last storm—it’s about the headwinds small businesses are facing right now. With tariffs driving up costs, Lynne will push Raleigh to step up: strengthening export vouchers, expanding access to low-interest working capital, supporting supply chain shifts to U.S. suppliers, and making sure existing state tax exemptions and relief programs work for small shops, farms, and manufacturers. That means less time battling red tape and more time serving customers, hiring workers, and keeping Main Street strong.

Lynne Russo's Priorities – Education, Healthcare & Recovery

What we can do: Temporarily suspend the 2% local grocery tax while backfilling counties at the state level; create a healthcare co-op so small business owners, contractors, and self-employed workers can access affordable coverage; demand accountability and transparency around utility rate increases; and be honest about how broader policies, including tariffs, impact costs here at home and provide solutions for NC businesses.

Lynne Russo's Priorities | Hurricane Helene Recovery, Lower Costs & Stronger Schools — Lynne Russo for NC House

What we can do: Cut through red tape so funding reaches people faster; improve coordination between state and local recovery efforts; support small businesses, farmers, and families rebuilding; and ensure rural and hard-hit communities are not left behind.

When Hurricane Helene hit, WNC farmers lost critical fencing, equipment, and infrastructure. Lynne will push for targeted disaster recovery grants to help them rebuild barns, greenhouses, irrigation systems, and more. She’ll also fight for policies that protect family farms, strengthen local markets, and preserve our agricultural way of life because rural resilience starts with supporting the people who grow our food.

Plans to expand export vouchers, access to low-interest capital, U.S. supplier transitions, and state tax relief for small businesses affected by tariffs.

Proposes temporarily suspending the 2% local grocery tax while replacing county revenue with state funding.

Calls for accountability and transparency around utility rate increases.

Calls for reducing administrative barriers and improving coordination between state and local governments so disaster-recovery funding reaches people faster.

Plans to seek targeted disaster-recovery grants for farmers rebuilding barns, greenhouses, irrigation systems, and other infrastructure.

- Plans to expand export vouchers, access to low-interest capital, U.S. supplier transitions, and state tax relief for small businesses affected by tariffs.
- Proposes temporarily suspending the 2% local grocery tax while replacing county revenue with state funding.
- Calls for accountability and transparency around utility rate increases.
- Calls for reducing administrative barriers and improving coordination between state and local governments so disaster-recovery funding reaches people faster.
- Plans to seek targeted disaster-recovery grants for farmers rebuilding barns, greenhouses, irrigation systems, and other infrastructure.

Economy

What we can do: Restore local control so communities can make their own zoning and development decisions; require transparency and local input for large-scale projects like data centers before they are approved; protect farmland and support the families who have worked that land for generations; and ensure growth is balanced with protecting natural resources like water and open space.

Supports restoring local authority over zoning and development decisions.

Calls for transparency and local input before approving large-scale projects such as data centers.

Supports protecting farmland and the families who work it.

Calls for growth that protects water, open space, and other natural resources.

- Supports restoring local authority over zoning and development decisions.
- Calls for transparency and local input before approving large-scale projects such as data centers.
- Supports protecting farmland and the families who work it.
- Calls for growth that protects water, open space, and other natural resources.

Energy & the Environment

Every North Carolinian deserves access to care without the fear of financial ruin. As Medicaid expansion is threatened and healthcare costs are set to rise dramatically in January, too many families will be forced to choose between paying their bills and seeing a doctor. I will fight for policies that protect working families, lower prescription drug prices, and ensure that rising costs don’t put healthcare out of reach. Access to quality care should never be a luxury—it is a basic right, and I will make it my mission to defend it.

In Western North Carolina, we don’t expect perfection from our leaders. We expect courage. The kind that holds firm when it matters. Ending the shutdown without securing health-care protections wasn’t courage. It was surrender. If our leaders in Washington can find common ground to reopen the government, they can find the will to protect affordable health care. They just have to care enough to fight for it.

My health insurance went up 546%, and Washington looked away

Proposes a healthcare cooperative for small-business owners, contractors, and self-employed workers to access affordable coverage.

Plans to pursue policies that lower prescription-drug prices and keep healthcare costs within reach for working families.

Calls on federal leaders to protect affordable healthcare.

- Proposes a healthcare cooperative for small-business owners, contractors, and self-employed workers to access affordable coverage.
- Plans to pursue policies that lower prescription-drug prices and keep healthcare costs within reach for working families.
- Calls on federal leaders to protect affordable healthcare.

Healthcare

As of January 5, 2026, Lynne Russo’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Voting & Elections

Public Safety

What we can do: Strengthen public schools and support teachers; ensure students have the resources they need to succeed; recognize that families want options and flexibility; and focus on outcomes, not ideology.

North Carolina ranks near the bottom nationally in education funding, 43rd in overall teacher pay and 39th in starting salary, leading to high turnover and ongoing staffing shortages. Lynne will fight to fully fund public schools and push back on the continued diversion of $1.3 billion in taxpayer dollars to private school vouchers. She’ll also work to rebuild and modernize schools damaged by Hurricane Helene, ensuring students and teachers have safe, functional classrooms equipped for the future.

Supports strengthening public schools and supporting teachers.

Plans to fully fund public schools and oppose the diversion of $1.3 billion in taxpayer funding to private-school vouchers.

Plans to rebuild and modernize schools damaged by Hurricane Helene.

- Supports strengthening public schools and supporting teachers.
- Plans to fully fund public schools and oppose the diversion of $1.3 billion in taxpayer funding to private-school vouchers.
- Plans to rebuild and modernize schools damaged by Hurricane Helene.

Education

Western North Carolina is home to one of the highest concentrations of veterans in the state, yet many still struggle to access the care and support they deserve. Lynne will expand rural healthcare options through mobile units and telehealth partnerships, so no veteran has to drive hours or wait months for basic care. She’ll also support expanded transportation assistance, ride-share programs, and improved access to VA travel grants. And for caregivers, Lynne will fight to strengthen respite programs, peer support networks, and rural mental health services because these aren’t luxuries, they’re lifelines.

Plans to expand mobile healthcare units and telehealth partnerships for rural veterans.

Supports expanded transportation assistance, ride-share programs, and access to Department of Veterans Affairs travel grants.

Plans to strengthen respite programs, peer-support networks, and rural mental-health services for veterans' caregivers.

- Plans to expand mobile healthcare units and telehealth partnerships for rural veterans.
- Supports expanded transportation assistance, ride-share programs, and access to Department of Veterans Affairs travel grants.
- Plans to strengthen respite programs, peer-support networks, and rural mental-health services for veterans' caregivers.

Foreign Policy and Immigration

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Lynne Russo

- Proposes temporarily suspending the 2% local grocery tax while replacing county revenue with state funding.
- Calls for accountability and transparency around utility rate increases.
- Calls for reducing administrative barriers and improving coordination between state and local governments so disaster-recovery funding reaches people faster.
- Plans to seek targeted disaster-recovery grants for farmers rebuilding barns, greenhouses, irrigation systems, and other infrastructure.

Lynne Russo's campaign for North Carolina House of Representatives District 117 is her first entry into politics.

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Supports expanding access to state-led recovery programs and targeted grants for small businesses.

Supports targeted disaster recovery grants for farmers.

Supports affordable housing projects that also protect community character.

Said, "I am also committed to ensuring healthcare is accessible and affordable, and that veterans receive the respect, care, and opportunities they’ve earned."

Plans to expand rural veteran healthcare through mobile units and telehealth partnerships, and supports improved transportation assistance and access to VA travel grants.

Supports expanded transportation assistance, ride-share programs, and improved access to VA travel grants.

Supports increasing funding for public schools and opposing the use of taxpayer dollars for private school vouchers.

Isaac Brickman

Buket Urgen

Jennifer Capps Balkcom

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