Source: Editorial
This November, one of the most closely watched North Carolina legislative races is a rematch of the 2024 race for House District 74. House District 74 is currently represented by Republican Jeff Zenger, a local real estate developer. His opponent, Democrat Amy Taylor North, is running against him for the second time.
Zenger has represented HD 74 in Forsyth County for three terms, pushing his and his party’s own interests at the expense of his constituents.
Self-described as pro-business, Zenger is the owner of Solomon Development LLC. His legislative work and personal business became intertwined in 2025 when Zenger put forward House Bill 765, a bill that would restrict local government’s enforcement of land-use rules.
The bill was filed after Zenger’s development company, Solomon, was twice denied by the town council of Lewisville, which Zenger himself once served on, to build apartments on a plot of land he previously bought. After being denied by the town council, Zenger threatened a lawsuit against the town he represents in the legislature. The town settled with him for $1.8 million in taxpayer dollars.
When it comes to education, Zenger is a “champion of school choice” and has been an outspoken advocate for the state Republicans’ controversial private school voucher program, saying it’s the strongest way to educate children. The program uses tax dollars to pay for students’ tuition to private schools. Republicans praised vouchers as creating a choice for the average family; however, 2025 data shows that many of the vouchers that year went to families that already had kids in private schools. Nearly a quarter of recipients were in the state’s highest income bracket ($259,750 or more for a family of four).
While private schools receive millions of dollars from vouchers, the state’s public schools are lagging due to a lack of funding. The choices made by Zenger and his Republican colleagues to leave the students and teachers of North Carolina’s public schools behind to funnel money into private school vouchers have resulted in the state ranking last in the country for public school spending.
Another controversial decision came from his filing of House Bill 618, which would allow individuals to, without a prescription, obtain the infamous horse deworming drug, Ivermectin, which became popular in 2020 when President Donald Trump and others falsely claimed it could treat COVID-19 symptoms.
Outside of his own legislation, he follows his Republican colleagues, voting with them 99% of the time. While the state went without a budget for over a year, Zenger made sure his priorities and those of his party were seen to. Zenger supported the GOP’s push to opt the state into Trump’s school choice tax program, while shirking their duty to public schools in providing students with a sound, basic education.
While Republican state and county boards of elections remove polling locations from voters, Zenger has supported his Republican colleagues’ voter suppression efforts, including a gerrymandered congressional map that targeted one of the few seats held by a Democrat and an elections bill that gives voters a week less to vote for primary elections, primary runoffs and special elections.
While state agencies and teachers struggled financially without a state budget, Zenger used his power to help utility giants like Duke Energy make life more expensive for North Carolinians by raising rates in Senate Bill 266.
When Zenger and his Republican peers finally sent a budget to Governor Josh Stein, after being handcrafted by a select number of lawmakers behind closed doors, the results were lacking. Stein signed the budget but not without noting it has some “real flaws”.
Zenger has been in North Carolina politics for years, and his record shows he’s only working for his and his party’s own interests. His opponent, Amy Taylor North, wants to bring a different viewpoint to Raleigh.
North, a PTA mom of two, according to her campaign website, has spent her life serving her community through churches, schools, and the general public. She has volunteered with Women of Action, REACH Women’s Network, and Community for Public Schools. Her priorities include increasing access to healthcare, fully funding schools, and fighting to restore and protect family and individual freedoms.
“North Carolina is the most beautiful place to live, work, and raise a family. And while things are rough right now, folks here understand the importance of looking out for their neighbors. Now, I’m doubling down to help build a safer, better West Forsyth County,” said North.
