SANFORD, N.C.—Army Special Operations veteran and first-time candidate Jason Cain announced his campaign today for the North Carolina House of Representatives’ District 51 seat. Cain, 41, served five combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan in support of the Global War on Terrorism between 2000 and 2010, and was appointed in 2017 as an assistant secretary for the N.C. Dept. of Military and Veterans Affairs. A Harnett County resident with a Sanford address, Cain moved to North Carolina in 2000 while stationed at Ft. Bragg with the 82nd Airborne Division.
“I’ve always tried to do my part in defending our shared values, and this opportunity to serve in the state legislature is my next call to duty,” Cain said. “My passion for making government work will push me every day to effectively serve the people of Lee and Harnett counties,” said Cain. “I’m excited to earn voters’ support and get to work.”
Cain earlier served as the Director of Intergovernmental Affairs at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Prior to joining VA, Cain served as the Director of Outreach at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, the organization that built and maintains the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. He earned his bachelor’s degree at Campbell University while serving in the U.S. Army, and later earned master’s degrees from George Washington University and Harvard University. He currently serves as an adjunct instructor of political science at Wake Technical Community College.
“My experiences in combatting terrorism, fighting the opioid epidemic, and fighting for veterans are some of my life’s most defining experiences,” Cain said. “The people of Lee and Harnett counties deserve someone who will fight hard for them every day in Raleigh,” he continued, “and as your state House Representative, my promise is that I will never back down when defending the community I believe in.”
Cain, a Democrat, emphasized that his campaign is focused on expanding access to Medicaid, ending the school-to-prison pipeline by providing equal access to a high-quality education, and championing economic development in central North Carolina. As a former director at the S.A.F.E. Project (Stop the Addiction Fatality Epidemic), Cain is also dedicated to fighting the opioid addiction epidemic that has plagued our communities.
“The only thing I love more than the Sandhills is the people,” said Cain. “I love being in a community made of our brave service members and my fellow veterans as well as the wholesome and diverse folks that have called Sanford home for generations,” he said, “but we must have representation in Raleigh that genuinely understands the challenges our neighbors face every day because of denied access to health care or a basic, sound education.”
Cain will be on the primary ballot in March.
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