Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

GASTON – A lot has transpired over the past 20 years within North Carolina’s political arena.

However, one thing remained the same for Michael Wray….he took the title of “Representative” to heart, always fighting for his constituents in NC House District 27.

Wray’s bid for an 11^th term in the State House fell short last year and now he looks back on a career, not harboring any ill will, but rather with a sense of accomplishment.

“I had no clue that I would end up serving 20 years in the State House,” said Wray during an interview with the Roanoke-Chowan News-Herald. “During that time, I was able to build relationships with leadership and put the interests of this district first and foremost. My seniority helped make sure that the people in Halifax, Northampton and Warren counties had a seat at the table when major policy and budget decisions were made.”

Wray, whose political career began as a council member in his hometown of Gaston, noted that his quest to seek election in the NC House back in 2004 was due to a lack of resources and funding that the District was getting from the power brokers in Raleigh.

“Almost all major projects back then were on the back burner for Halifax, Northampton and Warren counties,” he said. “My goal was to get to Raleigh and start working to bring state funding for education, economic development, and infrastructure investments for our counties.

“My service in the NC General Assembly has been laser focused on bringing state funding back to our region to support our classroom teachers, to expand Medicaid and improve job training skills,” he added. “My record of standing up for Northeastern North Carolina is well documented. I will not apologize for standing up for the people of this District. My job was to make sure we got our fair share and I’m proud of the success we achieved.”

Wray pointed out that achieving such success meant working both sides of the political aisle.

“I believe in putting people before politics, so I learned early in my career that it was critical to reach across the party lines and build support for good ideas and good legislation,” he stressed. “I saw my job as an advocate for Halifax, Northampton and Warren counties – making sure we delivered state funding and programs to improve the daily lives of our citizens.”

While Wray was able to obtain state funding for numerous local projects, it was a statewide effort – one that took years of work – that put the biggest smile on his face.

“Medicaid expansion is the most important piece of legislation that I voted in favor of and was signed into law by the Governor,” Wray said. “This legislation will be transformative for the health and welfare of more than 30,000 people in our region and more than 600,000 people across the state.

“Making sure our residents have access to affordable, quality healthcare is essential,” he added. “Furthermore, this legislation will help strengthen our rural health system across the state. Medicaid expansion means our hospitals and doctors can continue to provide healthcare services to their patients without fear of financial failure.”

Wray’s duties within the General Assembly included appointments by the Speaker of the House to serve on committees that work on devising – wording and rewording legislation – that eventually makes its way to the House floor for a full vote.

“Economic development, Appropriations, and Finance were all great committees that I worked on throughout my tenure in the General Assembly,” Wray said. “These committees allowed me time to get into the policy debates and initiatives that could really help our region. One example was increasing funding for our Community College Workforce training programs and funding to help build a new courthouse facility in Northampton County.

“I worked diligently to make sure we did not put tolls on I-95 and then worked to fund new updates and expansion of the vital thoroughfare for Eastern NC,” Wray continued. “The work we did on workforce development and economic development for rural NC has been a success as well. Overall, I can say I went to Raleigh and got some very important things done that will improve the lives of our residents for years to come.”

When asked what advice would he give to someone who is interested in seeking public office, Wray stressed that the first thing they need to know is that “politics is a full contact sport these days.”

“There are many people who are more interested in promoting the political parties than working to deliver results for their people. I am proud that I have always worked to put the people of Halifax, Northampton and Warren counties before petty political squabbles,” he said.

Wray isn’t ruling out a possible return to politics.

“I am humbled to have many people ask me to seek re-election in 2026,” he stated. “That’s something we are going to take some time to consider. Meanwhile, I am going to spend more time with my family and return to a full-day, full-week work schedule – focused on my businesses and farm operations.

“Serving in the North Carolina House of Representatives has been a great honor. I feel like I have been able to serve the people with honor, character, and integrity. We have accomplished many policy goals and feel like the people will benefit from my efforts on their behalf for many years to come with the investments we have made in our district,” he concluded.