Ben Clark (politician)

Ben Clark
Member of the North Carolina Senate
from the 21st district
In office
January 1, 2013 – January 1, 2023
Preceded byEric Mansfield
Succeeded byDanny Britt (Redistricting)
Personal details
Born1959 (age 64–65)
Fort Bragg, North Carolina, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
EducationNorth Carolina A&T State University (BS)
Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville (MBA)
George Washington University (GrDip)
WebsiteOfficial website

Ben Clark is an American politician who served in the North Carolina Senate from the 21st district (representing constituents in Hoke and Cumberland counties) from 2013 to 2023.[1][2] He also served as secretary of the Senate Democratic caucus.[3] On September 20, 2021, Clark announced he wouldn't seek re-election in 2022.[4] On November 22, 2021, Clark announced he would run for the congress in the newly-drawn NC-09 Congressional district.[5]

NC Senate

During five terms in the NC Senate, Clark has made his focus supporting the military, expanding healthcare access, and providing every child with a sound education. Clark led the effort to reopen NC schools after COVID-19 rates fell. He was 1 of 4 Democratic conferees on the 2021 budget that repealed NC taxes on military retirement income[6]

Electoral history

2020

North Carolina Senate 21st district general election, 2020[7]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Ben Clark (incumbent) 50,105 68.02%
Republican Sev Palacios 23,557 31.98%
Total votes 73,662 100%
Democratic hold

2018

North Carolina Senate 21st district Democratic primary election, 2018[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Ben Clark (incumbent) 6,491 55.63%
Democratic Naveed Aziz 5,177 44.37%
Total votes 11,668 100%
North Carolina Senate 21st district general election, 2018[9]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Ben Clark (incumbent) 33,238 70.94%
Republican Timothy Leever 13,616 29.06%
Total votes 46,854 100%
Democratic hold

2016

North Carolina Senate 21st district Democratic primary election, 2016[10]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Ben Clark (incumbent) 11,736 49.80%
Democratic Naveed Aziz 10,432 44.27%
Democratic Eronomy Neon (Mohammed) Smith 1,398 5.93%
Total votes 23,566 100%
North Carolina Senate 21st district general election, 2016[11]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Ben Clark (incumbent) 49,081 71.74%
Republican Dan Travieso 19,338 28.26%
Total votes 68,419 100%
Democratic hold

2014

North Carolina Senate 21st district Democratic primary election, 2014[12]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Ben Clark (incumbent) 6,421 55.68%
Democratic Billy R. King 3,860 33.47%
Democratic Sylvia Adamczyk 766 6.64%
Democratic Eronomy (Mohammed) Smith 484 4.20%
Total votes 11,531 100%
North Carolina Senate 21st district general election, 2014[13]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Ben Clark (incumbent) 31,663 100%
Total votes 31,663 100%
Democratic hold

2012

North Carolina Senate 21st district Democratic primary election, 2012[14]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Billy R. King 4,353 24.46%
Democratic Ben Clark 3,525 19.81%
Democratic Larry Shaw 3,523 19.79%
Democratic Curtis Worthy 3,385 19.02%
Democratic Allen Thomas, Jr. 2,489 13.98%
Democratic Eronomy (Mohammed) Smith 523 2.94%
Total votes 17,798 100%
North Carolina Senate 21st district Democratic primary run-off election, 2012[15]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Ben Clark 2,436 59.88%
Democratic Billy R. King 1,632 40.12%
Total votes 4,068 100%
North Carolina Senate 21st district general election, 2012[16]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Ben Clark 57,805 100%
Total votes 57,805 100%
Democratic hold

References

  1. ^ "North Carolina General Assembly - Senator Ben Clark (Democrat, 2017-2018 Session)". Ncleg.net. Retrieved 2017-10-07.
  2. ^ Ovaska, Sarah (2013-03-04). "The Class of 2013 - Senator Ben Clark". NC Policy Watch. Retrieved 2017-10-07.
  3. ^ Twitter account of NC Senate Democrats
  4. ^ Travis Fain (September 20, 2021). "Cumberland County state senator won't seek re-election". Capitol Broadcasting Company, Inc.
  5. ^ Associated Press (November 23, 2021). "NC Lawmakers John Szoka, Ben Clark Launch Congressional Bids". US News.
  6. ^ "Military Retirement".
  7. ^ [1] North Carolina State Board of Elections.
  8. ^ [2] North Carolina State Board of Elections.
  9. ^ [3] North Carolina State Board of Elections.
  10. ^ [4] North Carolina State Board of Elections.
  11. ^ [5] North Carolina State Board of Elections.
  12. ^ [6] North Carolina State Board of Elections.
  13. ^ [7] North Carolina State Board of Elections.
  14. ^ [8] North Carolina State Board of Elections.
  15. ^ [9] North Carolina State Board of Elections.
  16. ^ [10] North Carolina State Board of Elections.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ben Clark.
North Carolina Senate
Preceded by Member of the North Carolina Senate
from the 21st district
2013–2023 		Succeeded by