James D. Gailliard

James is a senior pastor at Word Tabernacle Church. He previously served as a North Carolina state representative for House District 25. He is also the founder and chairman of The REACH Center, Inc., and a trustee of Elizabeth City State University. 

James previously served in the North Carolina House of Representatives, representing District 25. He served two terms from 2019 to 2023. He ran for re-election in 2022 but did not win.

James Gailliard - Ballotpedia

Pastor James Gailliard to run for N.C. Senate District 11 | WNCT

Supports providing state-level tax incentives for small businesses that hire locally and offer apprenticeships.

Supports revitalizing historic business corridors in Rocky Mount, Henderson, and Louisburg.

Supports establishing community-based job training centers in partnership with local churches, providing wraparound services including childcare, transportation, and financial literacy.

Supports advocating for state funding to match federal workforce development grants, ensuring District 11 receives its fair share of the $73 million allocated for community college programs.

Supports creating the “Second Chance Workforce Initiative” to provide skills training and mentorship.

Supports partnering with local colleges to offer debt-free certification programs in healthcare, advanced manufacturing, and information technology.

Supports providing tuition-free technical training in high-demand fields such as healthcare and information technology.

Supports mobile food markets, community gardens, and nutrition education programs.

Supports policies that endorse local food systems and farmers markets that accept Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.

Supports partnering with churches to address food insecurity through expanded food pantries, community kitchens, and nutrition education programs.

Supports police-community partnerships while maintaining accountability through civilian oversight.

Supports eliminating barriers to employment from unpaid court debt.

Supports creating faith-based reentry programs that partner churches with formerly incarcerated individuals to provide mentorship, job placement, and housing assistance.

Supports expanding problem-solving courts, such as drug and mental health courts.

Supports eliminating probation supervision and community service fees.

Supports protecting and expanding Medicaid.

Supports the establishment of community health centers in underserved areas of District 11.

Supports the “Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Initiative,” which would expand doula services and midwifery care covered by Medicaid.

Supports equal insurance coverage for mental and physical health.

Supports increasing investment in mobile health units to serve rural and elderly populations.

Supports statewide coverage of mental health counselors in every public school.

Supports expanding access to dental care through Medicaid.

Wants to increase funding for health navigators to assist residents in accessing care.

Supports protecting North Carolina from federal reductions in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Medicaid.

Supports partnering with churches to provide health education and preventive care outreach.

Supports expanding the North Carolina Teaching Fellows Program.

Supports universal pre-kindergarten programs and community-based early childhood programs.

Supports increasing Pell Grant funding and providing student debt relief.

Supports advocating for reforms in the ratio of teachers and counselors to students, ensuring they are trauma-informed.

Supports quality educational options while ensuring strong public school funding, and recognizes that 64% of African-American voters support expanded Opportunity Scholarships.

Supports providing wraparound services for students, including mental health support, nutrition programs, and after-school care.

Supports ensuring full constitutional funding for public schools while maintaining quality school choice options.

Supports environmental justice, saying it is "a sacred responsibility given to us since the Garden of Eden."

As of January 5, 2026, James D. Gailliard’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Supports making early voting more accessible by funding polling places in rural areas.

Supports establishing automatic voter registration at state agencies.

Supports investing in civic education starting in middle school.

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- Your State Senator participates in the legislative process at the state level. They are one of 50 members of the North Carolina Senate. The North Carolina Senate is the upper house of the North Carolina General Assembly (the state's lawmaking body).
- Your State Senator drafts laws, approves budgets, has oversight of the state executive branch, and debates and votes on proposed laws.
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- Your State Senator is responsible for representing your interests. They also are responsible for helping you navigate the state's services and bringing back resources to your district.
- The State Senator is elected to a 2-year term. There is no term limit.

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James is a senior pastor at Word Tabernacle Church. He previously served as a principal at Impact, a consulting firm, and as a trustee of Elizabeth City State University. He is also the founder and chairman of The REACH Center, Inc. 

James previously served two terms in the North Carolina House of Representatives, representing District 25. He was first elected in 2018 and served until 2022. He ran for re-election in 2022 but did not win. 

Supports fair housing enforcement and anti-discrimination measures.

Supports creating emergency rental assistance programs and eviction prevention services.

Supports partnering with local churches and nonprofits to provide financial literacy education and home ownership preparation programs.

Supports affordable housing development through public-private partnerships with faith communities.

Supports creating the “Homes and Hope Initiative” to provide down payment assistance.

Supports establishing the “Abundant Life Nutrition Program” to combine policy advocacy with community-based solutions.

Supports the “Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Initiative,” expanding doula services and midwifery care covered by Medicaid.

Supports increasing funding for health navigators to assist residents in accessing healthcare.

Supports defending against federal cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Medicaid.

Supports advocating for changes to the teacher and counselor-to-student ratio.

Supports ensuring "full constitutional funding for public schools while maintaining quality school choice options."

Supports student debt relief and increasing Pell Grant funding.

Supports providing additional services for students, such as mental health support, nutrition programs, and after-school care.