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 certified for the ballot, according to BallotReady election data. He faces Republican Michael D. Whatley, Democratic candidate Roy Cooper and Green Party candidate Michael Dublin.

A Navy veteran and cybersecurity professional, Bray describes himself on X as a "Tech entrepreneur & blockchain advocate," according to his campaign social media account. His campaign website highlights digital privacy, government accountability and technology infrastructure among his priorities.

Candidate information

  • Party: Libertarian
  • Residence: Apex, North Carolina
  • Military service: U.S. Navy, 1991–1997
  • 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)
  • Current role: Virtual chief information security officer, Secured Systems LLC (2015–present), according to BallotReady

Experience and public service

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

His professional background spans technology and defense. He served as a senior systems architect at the U.S. Department of Defense from 2018 to 2019 and as a technology fellow with the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary from 2014 to 2017, according to BallotReady. Earlier roles included senior web developer at Visa and chief architect at Planet Technologies.

Bray also taught computer science as an adjunct instructor at Arapahoe Community College from 2006 to 2011.

He said on his campaign website that he authored a book titled "Liberty Unleashed." It is available on Amazon. The book draws from his campaign experience, military service and legal disputes with government entities, according to the site.

On the issues

Bray's policy positions draw from his campaign website and INDY Week reporting. Positions sourced from his campaign site reflect the candidate's own statements.

Economy and monetary policy: Bray calls for abolishing the Federal Reserve, according to INDY Week. On his campaign website, he says he wants to fight inflation, protect savings and remove barriers for entrepreneurs and workers.

Technology and digital assets: Bray supports creating cryptocurrency-friendly policies, according to INDY Week. His campaign website calls for protecting digital privacy rights "without building a surveillance state" and modernizing government technology systems.

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

Immigration and civil rights: Bray's campaign website calls for secure borders with a fair legal immigration process. He says he wants to defend the Bill of Rights and limit federal overreach.

Education: Bray's campaign website advocates for local control of schools, skills training and what he calls "parent empowerment."

The Ballantyne Beacon sent a questionnaire to all candidates in this race. Bray had not responded as of publication.