News

Johnson wins re-election in House District 113

By Amy McCraw, Published: November 6, 2024

Republican State House Representative Jake Johnson earned a fourth term in office Tuesday defeating Democratic challenger Michelle Antalec.

With 20 of 28 precincts reporting, Johnson earned 30,986 votes or 66.20 percent of the vote to Antalec’s 15,820 votes or 33.80 percent of the vote, according to unofficial election results reported from the North Carolina Board of Elections Tuesday night.
Johnson was first elected to the state House District 113 seat in 2019. The district includes Henderson, Polk Rutherford and McDowell counties
Johnson on Tuesday night thanked his family, friends and supporters across the district for their encouragement and dedication.
“We are ready to hit the ground running and get back to work serving everyone across District 113,” he said in a text message. “We will be focused on the recovery effort in Western North Carolina and rebuilding our economy.”
Workforce development and broadband infrastructure will be important issues when the legislature goes back into session, he said.
At 30 years old, Johnson is the youngest member of the N.C. General Assembly. A native of Polk County, he is a former member and chair of the Board of Commissioners there. He owns a small real estate company that does traditional brokerage as well as site selection and preparation with builders throughout the region. In his spare time, he enjoys being outside and fishing. He is a member of Silver Creek Baptist Church in Mill Spring.
Recently retired, Antalec has been a corporate vice president in risk management, an adjunct instructor of finance and business law at a community college and a Senate intern. She has a bachelor’s degree in political science from Millsaps College and a master’s degree in finance from Louisiana State University.
In response to questions from the Lightning before Tuesday’s election Johnson said he was running for re-election because “during my time in office we have continued to have success passing commonsense policy that benefits citizens across the state. We have brought record amounts of money back to District 113 that will benefit our kids and grandkids for generations to come. When someone grows up in this district like I did, I want them to know that whatever path they decide to take, there will be a chance for them to succeed right here in Western North Carolina.”
Johnson also said workforce development in North Carolina will be one of his top priorities during the next two years. “We have done a great job in this state the last decade with economic development. Forbes consistently ranks North Carolina among the best states to do business. We see this reflected in consistent budget surpluses that we have reinvested into our communities,” he said. “Now, I think it is critical that we shift to workforce development. Step one is making sure kids in school know that they have options when it comes to career paths. A 4-year university degree is an option, but not the only option. Community colleges and trade schools often provide a huge return on investment, and we see the demand for trade jobs continuing to grow.”