Kelly VanHorn has an associate in arts from Corning Community College, a bachelor's degree from SUNY Cortland, and a master's in teaching special education from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. 

Kelly is an educator and middle school math teacher. 

Kelly previously ran for North Carolina State Representative in 2024 but did not win.

A few teachers make run for legislature | | the-dispatch.com

Kelly's campaign for state representative in District 105 is her first run for public office. 

Supports prioritizing maintenance and expansion of existing roads.

Supports securing state partnerships for regional transit.

- Supports prioritizing maintenance and expansion of existing roads.
- Supports securing state partnerships for regional transit.

Economy

As of January 2, 2026, Kelly VanHorn’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Energy & the Environment

Believes healthcare is a right and aims to ensure all residents have access to quality, affordable care.

- Believes healthcare is a right and aims to ensure all residents have access to quality, affordable care.

Healthcare

Supports legislation that protects the right to vote and ensures fair, open, and accessible elections.

- Supports legislation that protects the right to vote and ensures fair, open, and accessible elections.

Voting & Elections

Supports prioritizing citizen safety by ensuring well-trained law enforcement, a court system that swiftly holds criminals accountable, and a juvenile justice system that balances accountability with necessary treatment for violent youth offenders.

Supports prioritizing citizen safety with well-trained law enforcement, a court system that swiftly holds criminals accountable, and a juvenile justice system that balances accountability with necessary treatment for violent youth offenders.

- Supports prioritizing citizen safety with well-trained law enforcement, a court system that swiftly holds criminals accountable, and a juvenile justice system that balances accountability with necessary treatment for violent youth offenders.

Public Safety

Supports fully funding the Comprehensive Remedial Plan (Leandro Plan) for education.

Supports expanding access to North Carolina's Pre-K program for at-risk four-year-olds.

Supports creating seamless transfer pathways from community colleges to the University of North Carolina System.

Supports policies that keep community college tuition low and expanding access to state-funded scholarships and grants.

Supports increasing funding for the North Carolina Need-Based Scholarship to provide financial relief to low- and middle-income students and families.

- Supports fully funding the Comprehensive Remedial Plan (Leandro Plan) for education.
- Supports expanding access to North Carolina's Pre-K program for at-risk four-year-olds.
- Supports creating seamless transfer pathways from community colleges to the University of North Carolina System.
- Supports policies that keep community college tuition low and expanding access to state-funded scholarships and grants.
- Supports increasing funding for the North Carolina Need-Based Scholarship to provide financial relief to low- and middle-income students and families.

Education

Foreign Policy and Immigration

Kelly VanHorn

- Supports prioritizing maintenance and expansion of existing roads.

Emileigh Crouch

Buket Urgen

Believes educators in charter and private schools should receive pay equal to public school educators.

Supports funding for "continuous, high-quality training and support for teachers, helping them master new standards and address the evolving needs of students."

Supports fully funding teacher assistants and increasing wages for classified workers, aiming for a minimum of $20 per hour, and advocates for enhanced funding for specialized instructional support personnel, including school nurses, counselors, social workers, and school psychologists.

Supports increasing funding for school safety by implementing non-invasive detectors at school entrances that can scan for weapons and drugs.

Supports dedicated seats for an Educator representative and a Parent representative on the local school board.

Supports legislation ensuring comprehensive services for students with special needs, advocating that funding should not influence Individualized Education Program (IEP) decisions, but rather student needs should guide IEPs, with accurate data required for proper funding of mandated services.

Supports increasing funding for students with disabilities, English Language Learners, and students in high-poverty schools.

Tricia Cotham has a bachelor 27s degree in history from the University of North Carolina-Charlotte and a master 27s degree in school administration from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. She has two boys.

Tricia Cotham - Ballotpedia

What's Behind Tricia Cotham's Democratic Divorce

Tricia Ann Cotham has a bachelor's degree in history from the University of North Carolina-Charlotte and a master's degree in school administration from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. She has two boys.

Tricia is a small business owner. She previously worked as a teacher.

Tricia is currently a small business owner. She previously worked as a teacher.

Tricia is currently a member of the North Carolina House of Representatives, representing District 105. She was first elected in 2007 and served as a Democrat until 2023. She switched to the Republican Party in 2023. Tricia was re-elected in 2024.

2024 NC Election Update | Williams Mullen

Representative Tricia Ann Cotham - Biography - North Carolina ...

Tricia is currently a member of the North Carolina House of Representatives, representing District 105. She was first elected in 2007 and served as a Democrat. In 2023, she switched to the Republican Party. She is serving her sixth term.

Supports a cut in state taxes of over 40% to alleviate the financial strain on families and small businesses due to rising prices.

Supported a cut in state taxes of over 40% to alleviate the "strain on hardworking families."

- Supported a cut in state taxes of over 40% to alleviate the "strain on hardworking families."

As of January 2, 2026, Tricia Ann Cotham’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Supports bipartisan legislation to make it harder for repeat offenders charged with violent crimes to be released.

Supported legislation to make it harder for repeat offenders charged with violent crimes to be released.

Supports requiring sheriffs to cooperate with immigration officials when detaining illegal immigrants charged with violent crimes.

Supported a bill requiring sheriffs to cooperate with federal immigration authorities.

- Supported legislation to make it harder for repeat offenders charged with violent crimes to be released.
- Supported a bill requiring sheriffs to cooperate with federal immigration authorities.

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Tricia Ann Cotham

Tricia Cotham has a bachelor''s degree in history from the University of North Carolina-Charlotte and a master 's degree in school administration from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. She has two boys.

Tricia is currently a member of the North Carolina House of Representatives, representing District 105. She was first elected in 2007 and served as a Democrat until 2023. She switched to the Republican Party in 2023. She is serving her sixth term.

- Supports a cut in state taxes of over 40%, to alleviate the "strain on hardworking families across North Carolina."

- Supported bipartisan legislation to make it harder for repeat offenders charged with violent crimes to be released.
- Supported a bill requiring sheriffs to cooperate with federal immigration authorities.

Tricia Cotham has a bachelor 's degree in history from the University of North Carolina-Charlotte and a master 's degree in school administration from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. She has two boys.

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- Your State Representative participates in the legislative process at the state level. They are one of 129 members of the North Carolina House of Representatives. The North Carolina House of Representatives is the lower house of the North Carolina General Assembly (the state's lawmaking body).
- Your State Representative drafts laws, approves budgets, has oversight of the state executive branch, and debates and votes on proposed laws.
- In addition to drafting and voting on bills, your State Representative can serve on committees. This is important because many bills can be stalled in committee, preventing them making it to a vote.
- Your State Representative 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.
- State Representatives are elected to a 2-year term. There is no term limit.

Your representative and state lawmaker in North Carolina House of Representatives.

North Carolina State Representative, District 105, Republican Primary

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