Senator Buck Newton represents District 4 in the North Carolina State Senate, covering Wilson, Greene, and Wayne counties. Eldon Sharpe "Buck" Newton III, born July 5, 1968, in Wilson, North Carolina, is a lawyer and politician who assumed office for his current term on January 1, 2023, after defeating incumbent Democrat Toby Fitch by a 16-point margin. He previously served in the Senate from 2011 to 2016 as part of the 2010 Republican wave that flipped the chamber for the first time in 140 years, and ran unsuccessfully as the Republican nominee for North Carolina Attorney General in 2016, losing to Josh Stein by 0.5%. Notable positions include Chairman of the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Justice & Public Safety, and Vice Chair of the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Justice and Public Safety; he advocates for strengthening criminal justice, protecting Second Amendment rights, opposing government overreach, supporting law enforcement, and cutting taxes. In 2024, he sponsored legislation prohibiting public mask-wearing without health exceptions.

Education and Political Experience

• Education: Graduated from Hunt High School; earned a BS in Political Science from Appalachian State University; received a JD from Campbell University.
• Political Experience: Practicing attorney at Newton and Lee for over 20 years; first elected to NC Senate in 2010 ; 2016 AG nominee; re-elected to District 4 in 2022; current 2025-2026 session with 5 total Senate terms.