RepublicanIn office since Nov 2014

Sam Watford

North Carolina State Representative, District 80 since 2014. Ran in 6 elections between 2014 and 2024, winning 6. Re-elected in 2026. Next on the ballot in 2028.

North Carolina State Representative, District 80

Official website Wikipedia

In office: 12 yrs; Since 2014
Bills became law: 1; 2 sponsored, 2025–2026 session
Votes missed: 12.0%; Chamber median 3.8%
With party: 99%; On votes splitting the parties
Last margin: +36.0; Won 2026
Next election: 2028; Nov 7, 2028

Source: Wikidata, congress-legislators and Open States; 99chambers legislative recordsUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 9:43 AM ET

Committees

As of 2026-10.

Environmental Review Commission · advisory member
Local Government Legislative · co-chair
State and Local Government · chair
Agriculture and Environment
Energy and Public Utilities
Finance
Housing and Development
Property Tax Reduction and Reform Select

Source: Open States committeesUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 9:43 AM ET

Legislation

2025–2026 session · 2 sponsored · 1 became law

BillIntroCmteHouseSenateLaw

HB 247 Underground Safety Revisions.
CONSTRUCTION; ELECTRICITY GENERATION & DISTRIBUTION; INFRASTRUCTURE; NOTIFICATION; PRESENTED; PUBLIC; RATIFIED; REPORTS; TELECOMMUNICATIONS; TITLE CHANGE; UTILITIES; UTILITIES COMN.; WATER & SEWER SYSTEMS; CHAPTERED; CABLE & SATELLITE TV; CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY; UNDERGROUND DAMAGE BOARD · Became law Jun 2025

Source: Open States billsUpdated Nov 6, 2026, 4:22 PM ET

Voting record

2025–2026 session · placement by roll-call votes

Where Watford sits in the North Carolina House of Representatives

Watford is closer to the center than 62% of the chamber's Republicans.

Closest: Hugh Blackwell, Ben Moss, Carson Smith

Source: 99chambers roll-call scalingUpdated Nov 6, 2026, 4:55 PM ET

With Watford’s party

Votes with the chamber's Republicans99%
Cosponsorships of the other party's bills18%

Black tick: the average of Republicans in the North Carolina House of Representatives.

Source: 99chambers legislative scores from roll calls and cosponsorships

Key votes

Votes chosen for their effect, not their side: Watford’s vote, each party’s majority, and the result. An orange vote differs from most Republicans.

Date	Bill	Watford	Rep. majority	Dem. majority	Result
Aug 5, 2026	SJR 1091: Adjournment Resolution.	Yes	Yes	No	Passed 78–28
Aug 5, 2026	HB 268: 2026 Budget Technical Corrections - II.	Yes	Yes	No	Passed 79–28
Aug 4, 2026	HB 834: State Board of Elections Administrative Changes.	Yes	Yes	No	Passed 74–35
Aug 4, 2026	SB 1092: 2026 Senate and House Appointments.	Yes	Yes	No	Passed 71–38
Aug 4, 2026	SB 445: Regulatory Reform Act of 2026.	Yes	Yes	No	Passed 84–26

Source: 99chambers key votes from Congress.gov, Voteview and Open States roll calls

Career

Offices held, and every time Watford was on a ballot. Filled marks are general elections won; hollow marks are primaries; an orange outline is a loss.

201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025202620272028North Carolina House of Representatives, District 80 North Carolina House of Representatives, District 80

Source: 99chambers results archive (MEDSL, Klarner, state election offices)

Elections

Margin against the seat’s presidential baseline: how the seat voted for president in the same or nearest year.

Year	Race	Result	Margin	Seat	+/−
2026	North Carolina House of Representatives, District 80	Won	R+36.0	R+51.1	−15.1
2024	North Carolina House of Representatives, District 80	Won	R+51.4	R+51.1	+0.3
2022	North Carolina House of Representatives, District 80	Won	R+56.9	—	—
2020	North Carolina House of Representatives, District 80	Won	R+50.4	—	—
2016	North Carolina House of Representatives, District 80	Won	—	—	—
2014	North Carolina House of Representatives, District 80	Won	—	—	—
2014	North Carolina House of Representatives, District 80 (primary)	Won	+8.9	—	—