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Diane Wheatley

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Diane Wheatley
Republican Party
Candidate, North Carolina House of Representatives District 43
North Carolina House of Representatives District 43
Tenure
2021 - Present
Term ends
2027
Years in position
5
Predecessor: Elmer Floyd (D)
Compensation
Base salary
$13,951/year
Per diem
$104/day
Elections and appointments
Last election
November 5, 2024
Next election
March 3, 2026
Personal
Profession
Nurse
Contact
Official website
Personal Facebook

Diane Wheatley (Republican Party) is a member of the North Carolina House of Representatives, representing District 43. She assumed office on January 1, 2021. Her current term ends on January 1, 2027.

Wheatley (Republican Party) is running for re-election to the North Carolina House of Representatives to represent District 43. She is on the ballot in the Republican primary on March 3, 2026.[source]

Biography

Diane Wheatley was born in Fort Campbell, Kentucky. Wheatley graduated from 71st High School. She earned an associate degree in nursing from Fayetteville Technical Community College. Wheatley's career experience includes working as a nurse.[1]

Committee assignments

2023-2024

Wheatley was assigned to the following committees:

2021-2022

Wheatley was assigned to the following committees:

The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.


Elections

2026

See also: North Carolina House of Representatives elections, 2026

General election

The primary will occur on March 3, 2026. The general election will occur on November 3, 2026. General election candidates will be added here following the primary.

Democratic primary

Democratic primary for North Carolina House of Representatives District 43

Janene Ackles (D) and Ronald Pittman (D) are running in the Democratic primary for North Carolina House of Representatives District 43 on March 3, 2026.

Candidate
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Janene Ackles
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Ronald Pittman

There are no incumbents in this race.

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Republican primary

Republican primary for North Carolina House of Representatives District 43

Incumbent Diane Wheatley (R) and Clarence Goins (R) are running in the Republican primary for North Carolina House of Representatives District 43 on March 3, 2026.

Candidate
Image of Diane Wheatley
Diane Wheatley
Image of Clarence Goins
Clarence Goins

Incumbents are bolded and underlined.

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Endorsements

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2024

See also: North Carolina House of Representatives elections, 2024

General election

General election for North Carolina House of Representatives District 43

Incumbent Diane Wheatley defeated Janene Ackles in the general election for North Carolina House of Representatives District 43 on November 5, 2024.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Diane Wheatley
Diane Wheatley (R)
 
57.3
 
24,753
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Submit photo
Janene Ackles (D)
 
42.7
 
18,422

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 43,175
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

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Democratic primary election

The Democratic primary election was canceled. Janene Ackles advanced from the Democratic primary for North Carolina House of Representatives District 43.

Republican primary election

The Republican primary election was canceled. Incumbent Diane Wheatley advanced from the Republican primary for North Carolina House of Representatives District 43.

Campaign finance

Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Wheatley in this election.

Pledges

Wheatley signed the following pledges.

  • U.S. Term Limits

2022

See also: North Carolina House of Representatives elections, 2022

General election

General election for North Carolina House of Representatives District 43

Incumbent Diane Wheatley defeated Elmer Floyd in the general election for North Carolina House of Representatives District 43 on November 8, 2022.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Diane Wheatley
Diane Wheatley (R)
 
55.0
 
14,389
Image of Elmer Floyd
Elmer Floyd (D)
 
45.0
 
11,778

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 26,167
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for North Carolina House of Representatives District 43

Elmer Floyd defeated Kimberly Hardy and Prince Christian in the Democratic primary for North Carolina House of Representatives District 43 on May 17, 2022.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Elmer Floyd
Elmer Floyd
 
59.9
 
3,581
Image of Kimberly Hardy
Kimberly Hardy
 
36.0
 
2,150
Silhouette Placeholder Image.png
Submit photo
Prince Christian
 
4.1
 
244

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 5,975
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Republican primary election

Republican primary for North Carolina House of Representatives District 43

Incumbent Diane Wheatley defeated Clarence Goins in the Republican primary for North Carolina House of Representatives District 43 on May 17, 2022.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Diane Wheatley
Diane Wheatley
 
51.3
 
2,297
Image of Clarence Goins
Clarence Goins
 
48.7
 
2,179

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 4,476
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Campaign finance

2020

See also: North Carolina House of Representatives elections, 2020

General election

General election for North Carolina House of Representatives District 43

Diane Wheatley defeated Kimberly Hardy in the general election for North Carolina House of Representatives District 43 on November 3, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Diane Wheatley
Diane Wheatley (R) Candidate Connection
 
51.8
 
20,408
Image of Kimberly Hardy
Kimberly Hardy (D) Candidate Connection
 
48.2
 
18,988

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 39,396
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for North Carolina House of Representatives District 43

Kimberly Hardy defeated incumbent Elmer Floyd in the Democratic primary for North Carolina House of Representatives District 43 on March 3, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Kimberly Hardy
Kimberly Hardy Candidate Connection
 
54.1
 
4,887
Image of Elmer Floyd
Elmer Floyd
 
45.9
 
4,144

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 9,031
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for North Carolina House of Representatives District 43

Diane Wheatley defeated Clarence Goins in the Republican primary for North Carolina House of Representatives District 43 on March 3, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Diane Wheatley
Diane Wheatley Candidate Connection
 
55.5
 
3,257
Image of Clarence Goins
Clarence Goins
 
44.5
 
2,615

There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 5,872
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Campaign finance

2012

See also: North Carolina House of Representatives elections, 2012

Wheatley ran in the 2012 election for North Carolina House of Representatives District 45. She lost to John Szoka in the Republican primary on May 8, 2012.[2][3][4]

North Carolina House of Representatives District 45 Republican Primary, 2012
Candidate Vote % Votes
Green check mark transparent.pngJohn Szoka 57.7% 3,093
Diane Wheatley 42.3% 2,266
Total Votes 5,359

Campaign themes

2026

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Candidate Connection

Diane Wheatley has not yet completed Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey. If you are Diane Wheatley, click here to fill out Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey.

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2024

Diane Wheatley did not complete Ballotpedia's 2024 Candidate Connection survey.

2022

Diane Wheatley did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.

2020

Candidate Connection

Diane Wheatley completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Wheatley's responses.

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My father was a Command Sergeant Major and original member of the Army’s Special Forces. Growing up in a military family I developed a strong love of country and desire to serve. I attended 71st High School and Fayetteville Technical Community College, graduating with an Degree in Nursing.  That same year I passed the state boards and became a registered nurse.  I worked at both Cape Fear Valley Medical Center and the Fayetteville Children’s Clinic, and served on the Cape Fear Valley Hospital Board of Directors as the Ethics and Compliance Chairman.


In 1973, I married Al Wheatley of Fayetteville. We have three children – Arleen, Brian and David.  We were involved in government contract work for over 30 years, specializing in school bus transportation. Our company was recognized as one of the top contractors for quality and efficiency.


My political career began in 1994 with a successful run for the Board of Education.  During my first term I was elected Chair and shepherded a crucial $98 million bond issue for school construction.   The next year I was appointed Facilities Chairman and oversaw the construction of 10 school which all came in on time and under budget. 1998 saw my reelection to a second term and as Chair again in 2001.  That year I was awarded the Certificate of Advanced Achievement by the NC School Board Association’s Academy for School Boardsmanship.  In 2002 I was elected for a third term and then in 2004 I was elected as a county commissioner.

  • Most of my time in office I have been the only Republican on a board. I have learned the art of working with others to accomplish things for the benefit of those who elected me. It has been my experience that conflict usually arises more over methods rather than goals. Remaining civil, being willing to consider others views and a desire to get things done goes a long way. Especially if you are not overly concerned with who gets the credit.
  • I see any office that I have held as both a sacred trust and as a responsibility to the people of Cumberland County. As the representative for the 43rd district, I will work every day to earn that trust and fulfill that responsibility to the best of my ability.
  • I will not be in Raleigh to just take up space. I have the experience and background to hit the ground running and that is what I intend to do. I will be fully engaged and working hard for the folks in the 43rd District beginning the day I take the oath of office.
1. Healthcare – I became a Registered Nurse because of my passion for caring for the sick. After I retired from full time nursing, I continued as a volunteer medical missionary in service to some of the poorest areas in the world. I have experienced healthcare from the best to the worst. I have also gained knowledge of the administrative side of medicine while a member of the Cape Fear Valley Medical Center Board of Directors. I want with all my heart to help develop a sustainable system that provides health care to all our citizens. I have the knowledge and experience to help guide that process.

2. Education – Along with being on the Cumberland County Board of Education for ten years, my business was support services to school systems. For over three decades I worked daily with students, teachers and administrators. I have an intimate knowledge of the inside workings of the educational system. I also believe that the education of our children is the most important single responsibility of the State and that a free public education is a key element in seeing that all our children have the opportunity to becoming all that God intends them to be.

3. Jobs – The basic common denominator of a healthy economy is jobs. Most of our jobs come from small businesses. As a small business owner I supplied as many as 100 people at a time with good paying jobs. I know what it takes to be successful in that environment. I also know what government can do to facilitate success and what it can do that creates roadblocks to that success. We are likely to be in for some challenges in the coming years. With good fiscal policy and limited regulation, the state can be a partner in restoring us to the kind of financial independence that we all seek.
First of all, my Dad. He spent 30 years in service to this country and rose to the top of his profession. At the same time he remained loyal to his family. Although in the early part of his career we were quite poor, my brother and I never knew it. We did know that we were loved. Secondly, Ronald Reagan. He came on the scene when American moral and self-image was the worst in my lifetime. Through his unapologetic patriotism, positive attitude, humor and overwhelming belief in the American people he turned the country around.
I believe the core responsibility of an officeholder is to speak for and act in the interest of the people that elected them. They should be informed about the issues before them, maintain a high degree of integrity when deciding how to vote, resist any outside pressure to do what is not in the best interest of the people they represent, and be honest and open about the decisions they make.
Primarily, that I had been able to make everyday life better for the people of the 43rd District. I would also like to leave with the seat in the 43rd District seen as one that has influence in the General Assembly. Finally, I would like to leave a legacy of integrity and honesty associated with the office.
There are 50 members of the senate and 120 members of the house. This means that it takes 61 votes to pass a bill in the house rather than the 26 required in the senate. That makes it more than twice as hard to build a coalition to get legislation through. It's easy to get lost in the crowd.
I think it is absolutely crucial. Politics is something that can only be learned “on the job.” It is best to learn the basic by starting out volunteering on a local board then maybe as a member of the school board or city council. In these smaller settings you get to learn the group dynamics of governmental bodies. You also build credibility with other officeholders and staff. You learn what works and what doesn't when trying to move an agenda item forward. State level politics require a fair amount of experience and statesmanship to be effective. It is not the place to come in as a beginner.
Everything state government does, whether it is healthcare, education, public safety or infrastructure, depends on funding and funding depends on a healthy state economy. We are currently looking at having to recover from an unprecedented reversal of economic fortune both nationally and in North Carolina. Having representatives that have experience and insight in business will be indispensable in attacking the problems we will face as we try to recover from the impact of the Covid-19 and the related close down of our economy.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

2012

Wheatley's website highlighted the following campaign themes:[5]

Economic Development

  • Excerpt: "We need to take a critical look at all state regulations and reporting requirements with the express purpose of eliminating as many as possible within the constraints of the interest of the general population. Additionally, any state bureaucracy tasked with the enforcement of a regulation affecting commercial enterprises should have courtesy inspectors that help businesses understand what is expected of them."

Government for the People

  • Excerpt: "As a member of the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners, Diane had to deal with the unfunded mandates that were handed down by federal and state government. She also saw their impact on local budgets."

Education

  • Excerpt: "As a long time member of the Cumberland County Board of Education and twice its chair, Diane has the experience and insight to bring no nonsense solutions to the educational challenges of the 21st century. She is known for her tireless work for parents and children. She was the first local official to advocate for schools of choice within the Cumberland County Schools."

Quality Job Creation

  • Excerpt: "To provide the jobs that our citizens need, we must create a business climate that encourages not only new businesses, but the expansion of existing ones. State government must be a partner in encouraging economic growth."

Campaign finance summary

Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.

Diane Wheatley campaign contribution history
YearOfficeStatusContributionsExpenditures
2024North Carolina House of Representatives District 43Won general$92,787 $99,264
2022North Carolina House of Representatives District 43Won general$115,485 $92,528
2020North Carolina House of Representatives District 43Won general$143,590 N/A**
Grand total$351,863 $191,792
Sources: OpenSecrets,  Federal Elections Commission ***This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
** Data on expenditures is not available for this election cycle
Note: Totals above reflect only available data.

Scorecards

See also: State legislative scorecards and State legislative scorecards in North Carolina

A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.

Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.

Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of North Carolina scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.


2024


2023


2022


2021









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External links

Officeholder

North Carolina House of Representatives District 43
  • Website
    		•

    Personal

  • Facebook
    		•

    Footnotes

    1. ↑ Diane Wheatley, "About," accessed April 3, 2021
    2. ↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections, "2012 Primary Election Results," accessed June 12, 2014
    3. ↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections, "2012 General Election Results," accessed June 12, 2014
    4. ↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections, "Official Primary Election Results," accessed June 22, 2012
    5. ↑ dianefornchouse.com - Issues

    Political offices
    Preceded by
    Elmer Floyd (D)     		North Carolina House of Representatives District 43
    2021-Present    		 Succeeded by
    -


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