Shannon W. Bray, a Libertarian from Apex, is running for the U.S. Senate seat representing North Carolina in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election. Bray is a Navy veteran and cybersecurity professional making his third bid for the seat.
He faces Republican Michael D. Whatley, Democrat Roy Cooper and Green Party candidate Michael Dublin, according to BallotReady election data. Bray is certified for the ballot.
Candidate information
- Party: Libertarian
- Residence: Apex, North Carolina
- Education: Master's in cybersecurity, University of Delaware (2018); bachelor's in information technology, Colorado State University; associate's in history, Arapahoe Community College (2014)
- Military service: U.S. Navy (1991–1997)
- Current role: Virtual chief information security officer, 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 and father, according to his campaign social media account. He says on his campaign website that he authored a book titled "Liberty Unleashed," which he says draws from his campaign experience, military service and legal disputes with government entities.
Experience and public service
Bray has run for office in North Carolina four times, according to INDY Week. He was the Libertarian nominee for U.S. Senate in both 2020 and 2022. In 2024, he placed second in the Libertarian primary for governor and was the party's nominee for lieutenant governor.
His professional background spans cybersecurity and information technology. He served as a senior systems architect at the U.S. Department of Defense from 2018 to 2019, according to BallotReady. He was also a technology fellow with the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary from 2014 to 2017. Earlier roles included chief architect at Planet Technologies, senior web developer at Visa and adjunct instructor in computer science at Arapahoe Community College.
On the issues
Bray's policy positions draw from his campaign website and from INDY Week's reporting on the race.
Monetary policy and economy: Bray calls for abolishing the Federal Reserve, according to INDY Week. On his campaign website, he says he wants to fight inflation, protect savings "from hidden taxation" and remove barriers for entrepreneurs and workers.
Technology and digital assets: Bray says he supports creating cryptocurrency-friendly policies, according to INDY Week. His campaign website calls for protecting digital privacy and civil liberties "without building a surveillance state" and modernizing 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 says he favors lower costs, simpler taxes and ending wasteful government spending. He also lists government accountability, transparency and oversight among his priorities.
Immigration and civil rights: Bray says on his campaign website that he supports secure borders with a "fair, workable legal process" for immigration. He also says he wants to defend the Bill of Rights and limit federal overreach.
The Lake Norman Beacon sent a questionnaire to all candidates in this race. Bray has not returned a response. This profile is based on publicly available information.
