HERTFORD — Earlier this week, under the golden glow of autumn at Albemarle Plantation, retired Superior Court Judge Jerry R. Tillett and Washington County Commissioner John C. Spruill stood shoulder to shoulder before a packed audience, offering what they called “a tier-one team for a tier-one region.” Both men — candidates for neighboring legislative seats — spoke with conviction about restoring prosperity, protecting property rights, and empowering local families across Eastern North Carolina.

Tillett, a candidate for North Carolina Senate District 1, began by introducing himself “as a Christian and a conservative who has been involved in public service and business throughout [his] adult life.” A native of the coastal region, Tillett detailed a long career that has spanned law enforcement, the courtroom, and the private sector. “I’m a trained lawyer,” he said, “and formerly worked as a law enforcement ranger. I served as the Senior Resident Superior Court Judge for 33 years for the First Judicial District — the largest in the state.”

Beyond the bench, Tillett’s background includes roles as Chief of Staff and Chief Legal Counsel in the state Senate. “I’ve also owned a law firm, three water sports businesses, and worked in property development,” he said, noting that his experience “gives me insight into dealing with payroll, taxes, and complex bureaucracies.”

He said those experiences shaped his belief that strong local economies depend on fair governance and individual initiative. “I believe in law and order, a fair application of the rule of law, and economic prosperity for all,” Tillett said.

Spruill, the Republican candidate for North Carolina House District 1, followed with a message equally grounded in service. “I’m a Washington County Commissioner and Fire Chief of the Roper Fire Department,” he said. “I stepped up to run after seeing the magnified needs across Eastern North Carolina.”

Spruill’s speech focused on cutting red tape, defending working families, and modernizing infrastructure. He said too much of rural policy is dictated from Raleigh or Washington by people unfamiliar with coastal life. “North Carolina fisheries are the most regulated in the nation,” he said, “and a lot of it is based on conjecture, not data. We need to stop strangling our local businesses and property owners with unnecessary regulation.”

A Shared Vision for Prosperity

Both candidates emphasized that economic growth begins at home. “We’ve got to support our homegrown businesses — from our farmers and fishermen to our small-town manufacturers,” Tillett said. He added that the “finger counties” of northeastern North Carolina are uniquely positioned to thrive if leaders make the right investments. “We’re well-positioned to leverage our rail and ports to attract light industry and processing, which would provide good, sustainable jobs.”

Spruill agreed, pointing to the need for ready-to-build industrial sites. “We’ve got to have the infrastructure in place — water, sewer, natural gas, internet — permitted and ready for a factory to move in,” he said. “If we can create ‘mega sites’ or ‘ready sites,’ we can compete for national investment right here in Eastern North Carolina.”

He summarized his economic platform with three pillars: Live Well, Work Proud, and Grow Strong.

Under Live Well, Spruill promised “lower taxes, safe communities with well-resourced first responders, strong schools with well-paid teachers, affordable housing, food security, and affordable healthcare.”

Under Work Proud, he said, “we’ve got to support local farmers who are struggling with input costs, support reliable transportation, and update aging infrastructure like water and sewer plants.”

And under Play Free, he pledged to bring “a piece of the national investment to Eastern NC — to create better-paying jobs beyond the service industry.”

Addressing Coastal and Rural Challenges

Tillett used his remarks to call for a “legislative fix” to what he described as North Carolina’s “absolute, inexorable, hard and fast rule” against hardened structures on the coastline. “Property owners should be able to protect their own property,” he said. “Our coastal residents deserve the same right to defend their homes that others take for granted.”

He also warned that healthcare access is becoming a crisis across the region. “We have a critical problem of access to healthcare in rural North Carolina,” Tillett said. He attributed the shortage of physicians to a system that prioritizes profit over patients. “The provider model of larger institutions is focused on profit and a ‘checklist’ approach to care,” he said, arguing that the state’s Certificate of Need (CON) laws also limit competition and innovation.

Spruill said uninsured patients have compounded the problem. “They strain rural hospitals,” he noted. “We need to cut outdated supervision rules so Nurse Practitioners can practice more affordably and independently. That’s how we make primary care more accessible.”

Standing Up for Property Owners and Farmers

Both candidates fielded questions about Homeowners Associations (HOAs), foreign land ownership, and renewable energy development — all hot-button issues in rural counties.

Tillett said that an HOA reform bill had “passed one chamber but not the other” and would likely return in the next session. He cited a key legal precedent: “The North Carolina Supreme Court holds that a majority cannot legislate to the financial detriment of the minority, which can affect things like raising dues.”

Spruill took a more cautious stance on state intervention. “People sign a legal agreement when they join an HOA,” he said. “The question is how much the legislature should get involved in private contracts.”

On foreign land ownership, Spruill warned that “adversarial governments — specifically the Chinese government — own thousands of acres in Eastern North Carolina.” He said he supports “bills that limit land purchases near military bases and from adversarial governments.” He also proposed a targeted solution to help family farmers: “We need to cut the farm property tax credit for corporations buying up farmland for profit. That would level the playing field for family farmers.”

The candidates also addressed the proliferation of solar and wind farms. Spruill said that solar projects are “taking up valuable farmland because they’re incentivized by a large 80% reduction in property and personal property tax.” Tillett added that “the leases often rely on subsidies,” and that “the tremendous amount of cement needed for wind farms makes land reuse difficult.”

Faith, Freedom, and the Future

Though their speeches delved into policy details, both men spoke with emotion about the moral foundation of public service. “Everything we do should be grounded in faith, family, and freedom,” Tillett said. “Those are the values that built this part of the state — and they’re the values that will rebuild it.”

Spruill echoed that sentiment, describing leadership as service rather than status. “I’m not a career politician,” he said. “I’m a firefighter, a commissioner, a husband, a father. I’m running because I want to make life better for the people I see every day.”

Their message resonated with the audience, many of whom nodded as Tillett emphasized the need for constitutional stewardship. “We are trustees of what our forefathers built,” he said. “Our duty is to preserve law and liberty — and to make sure opportunity still means something in places like Hertford, Edenton, Roper, and Columbia.”

A Regional Partnership

Both men highlighted the importance of working together — one in the Senate, one in the House — to ensure the region has a united voice in Raleigh. “This is not about ego,” Tillett said. “It’s about teamwork. If we coordinate across chambers, we can bring results home.”

Spruill agreed, calling the partnership “a chance to finally get Eastern North Carolina its fair share.” He added, “We’re not asking for handouts. We’re asking for the same investment, the same opportunity, that other parts of the state take for granted.”

As the evening closed, the two candidates received a standing ovation. The message was clear: their campaign is as much about shared identity as shared policy. “This region deserves better,” Tillett said. “Better healthcare, better infrastructure, better jobs — and leaders who won’t stop until we get there.”

Spruill nodded in agreement. “We’re building something together,” he said. “And we’re going to make Eastern North Carolina a place where our kids can live well, work proud, and grow strong.”

Gallery of photos from Christina Williams