Josh Dobson
American politician from North Carolina
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Josh Dobson (born July 19, 1981) is an American politician, most recently serving as North Carolina Commissioner of Labor. He previously served in the North Carolina House of Representatives.
Josh Dobson | |
|---|---|
| |
| 18th Labor Commissioner of North Carolina | |
| In office January 2, 2021 – November 6, 2024 | |
| Governor | Roy Cooper |
| Preceded by | Cherie Berry |
| Succeeded by | Luke Farley |
| Member of the North Carolina House of Representatives from the 85th district | |
| In office January 29, 2013 – January 1, 2021 | |
| Preceded by | Mitch Gillespie |
| Succeeded by | Dudley Greene |
| Personal details | |
| Born | July 19, 1981 |
| Party | Republican |
| Education | McDowell Technical Community College Gardner-Webb University (BA) Appalachian State University (MPA) |
Early life and education
Dobson was born on July 19, 1981, in North Carolina. He grew up in Avery County, and graduated from Avery High School. He then went to McDowell Technical Community College, where he completed an associate’s degree; Gardner-Webb University, where he got a bachelor’s degree; and Appalachian State University, where he earned a master’s degree in public administration.[1] He was appointed to the North Carolina House of Representatives on January 29, 2013, after Mitch Gillespie resigned.[2] Before becoming a State Representative, Dobson was a county commissioner for McDowell County.[1]
Legislative tenure
2014 election
Dobson was unopposed in the Republican primary, and he defeated JR Edwards in the general election.[3]
| 2014 North Carolina House of Representatives election | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Republican | Josh Dobson | 15,467 | 74.9 |
| Democratic | JR Edwards | 5,188 | 25.1 |
2016 election
Dobson was unopposed in both the Republican primary and the general election.[3]
2018 election
Commissioner of Labor
2020 election
In May 2019, Dobson decided to run for North Carolina Commissioner of Labor.[5] He defeated Democrat Jessica Holmes in the November 2020 general election.[3][6] He assumed office on January 2, 2021.[7]
Tenure
On December 6, 2022, Dobson announced that he would not seek reelection or election to any other public office in 2024.[8] He resigned on November 6, 2024, the day after 2024 elections, saying, "After 21 years of public service, I look forward to pursuing new opportunities in the private sector."[9]