In the NC House District 25, It's Preacher v. Preacher

NC House District 25

North Carolina House District 25 is one of those gerrymandered monstrosities meant to keep a Republican in office. It juts and twists around Franklin and Nash counties like a bad case of nerves and takes in a bit of Rocky Mount. It's been represented by Republican Jeffrey Collins since the Tea Party election of 2010, and no Democrat has ever made much of a showing against him. But Collins is vacating the seat, and any time you have an open seat -- especially in a year like 2018 -- anything can happen. It is said that Collins hand-picked his Republican successor (see below).

Democrat James D. Gailliard is the founding pastor of Word Tabernacle Church in Rocky Mount, a genuine megachurch "serving thousands of families from ten North Carolina Counties and six Virginia counties. In 2013, Word Tabernacle was named amongst the 100 fastest growing churches in America."

Gailliard is a native of Philadelphia, a graduate of the Central High School for Boys and Morehouse College, where he was an honors student. He worked in corporate America before feeling called to the ministry. “The necessary work of the faith community, not-for-profits, human, economic and community development entities is often hindered and not helped by state and federal legislation,” Gaillaird said. “This is particularly the case in Nash County. I am running for public office because I believe in legislation that advances the interest of our entire community.”

James Gailliard

Gailliard said Nash County and the state needs pragmatic, common-sense legislation regarding education, economics, health care, housing, and social policy that can only be authored by a group of legislators capable of considering various opinions, ideologies, and perspectives. “I am interested in finding common ground for the common good so that each resident has an opportunity to advance and become civically engaged and contributors to our tax base.”

Gailliard ran for this seat in 2016 against Collins and got 31.90% of the vote.
Republican John Check is a semi-retired Methodist minister who serves as a senior advisor to the president of NC Weslesyan College (where, incidentally, Democrat Gailliard also sits on the Board of Visitors). Check said he would let God guide him in his legislative choices. Maybe God can also help him get some campaign apparatus up and running, since I could not find him anywhere -- no website, not on Facebook, Twitter ... forget about it! On the NC Wesleyan College site, he's mentioned in press releases for giving sermons on special occasions.