Shannon W. Bray, a Libertarian from Apex, is making his third bid for U.S. Senate in North Carolina's Nov. 3, 2026, general election.

Bray faces Republican Michael D. Whatley, Democrat Roy Cooper and Green Party candidate Michael Dublin, according to BallotReady election data. BallotReady lists Bray as certified for the ballot.

Candidate information

  • Party: Libertarian
  • Residence: Apex, North Carolina
  • Education: Master's degree in cybersecurity, University of Delaware (2018); bachelor's degree in information technology, Colorado State University; associate's degree in history, Arapahoe Community College (2014)
  • Military service: U.S. Navy veteran (1991–1997); U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Technology Fellow (2014–2017)
  • Profession: Virtual chief information security officer at Secured Systems LLC (2015–present), according to BallotReady
  • Campaign website: shannonbray.us

Bray describes himself on X as a "Tech entrepreneur & blockchain advocate | Navy veteran | Author | Dad," according to his social media profile. He said on his campaign website that he authored a book titled "Liberty Unleashed," which he said draws from his campaign experience, military service and legal disputes with government entities.

Experience and public service

Bray has sought office in North Carolina four times. He was the Libertarian nominee for U.S. Senate in both 2020 and 2022, according to INDY Week. In 2024, he placed second in the Libertarian primary for governor before becoming the party's nominee for lieutenant governor, INDY Week reported.

His professional background spans cybersecurity and technology. He served as a senior systems architect at the U.S. Department of Defense from 2018 to 2019 and as chief information security officer at ShareSquared from 2015 to 2019, according to BallotReady. Earlier roles included senior web developer at Visa (2005–2007), chief architect at Planet Technologies (2009–2015) and adjunct instructor in computer science at Arapahoe Community College (2006–2011).

On the issues

The following summaries draw from his campaign website and INDY Week's reporting.

Monetary policy and economy: Bray calls for abolishing the Federal Reserve, according to INDY Week. On his campaign website, he said he wants to "fight inflation and protect savings from hidden taxation" and "remove barriers so entrepreneurs and workers can thrive."

Technology and digital assets: Bray supports creating cryptocurrency-friendly policies, according to INDY Week. His campaign website says he wants to "protect rights without building a surveillance state" and to modernize government technology systems.

Drug policy: Bray supports legalizing drugs at the federal level while allowing states to set their own regulations, according to INDY Week.

Taxes and spending: Bray's campaign website calls for "lower costs, simpler taxes, and an end to wasteful spending." He also lists transparency, oversight and responsible spending as priorities under government accountability.

Immigration: Bray's campaign website says he supports "secure borders and a fair, workable legal process."

Bray did not respond to a candidate questionnaire from this outlet.