Ray Russell
Member of the North Carolina House of Representatives
from the 93rd district
In office
January 1, 2019 – January 1, 2021
Preceded byJonathan Jordan
Succeeded byRay Pickett
Personal details
Born (1957-03-22) March 22, 1957
Manchester, Tennessee, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseRhonda Russell
Residence(s)Boone, North Carolina, U.S.
Alma materFreed-Hardeman University Memphis State University Georgia Institute of Technology
OccupationProfessor
Websiterayfornc.com

Carl "Ray" Russell (born March 22, 1957) is an American politician, professor, self-taught meteorologist. Russell is a current member of the Watauga County commission, and former member of the North Carolina General Assembly, who represented the State's 93rd House district (comprising Watauga and Ashe Counties) from 2019 until 2021. He taught at Appalachian State University from 1991 until 2021, first in the Mathematics department and later in the Computer Science department.[1]

Self-taught in meteorology, Russell founded the popular regional weather website, Ray's Weather Center (RaysWeather.com).[2][3][4] In 2016, Russell ran the entire length of the Blue Ridge Parkway to raise money for the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation.[5]

Education

Russell earned bachelor's degrees in computer science and religion at Freed-Hardeman College in 1979, a MS in computer science at Georgia Institute of Technology in 1985, a MS in mathematics at Memphis State University in 1982, and a Ph.D. in computer science at Georgia Institute of Technology in 1989.

Political career

Russell, a Democrat, defeated incumbent Republican Jonathan Jordan on November 6th, 2018.[6] Russell won by a margin of 52 percent to 48 percent of Jordan.[7][8] In the 2020 Democratic Primary, Russell defeated challenger Turner Doolittle by a margin of 88 percent to 12 percent.[9]

He was defeated for re-election in 2020 by Republican challenger Ray Pickett.

On October 4, 2022, Russell was appointed to the Watauga County Commission following the resignation of chairman John Welch.[10]

Electoral history

2020

North Carolina House of Representatives 93rd district Democratic primary election, 2020[11]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Carl Ray Russell (incumbent) 9,950 88.08%
Democratic Turner Doolittle 1,346 11.92%
Total votes 11,296 100%
North Carolina House of Representatives 93rd district general election, 2020[12]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Ray Pickett 24,680 53.01%
Democratic Carl Ray Russell (incumbent) 21,875 46.99%
Total votes 46,555 100%
Republican gain from Democratic

2018

North Carolina House of Representatives 93rd district general election, 2018[13]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Carl Ray Russell 18,787 52.21%
Republican Jonathan Jordan (incumbent) 17,196 47.79%
Total votes 35,983 100%
Democratic gain from Republican

References

  1. ↑ https://compsci.appstate.edu/faculty-staff/dr-ray-russell
  2. ↑ Daddio, Jess (2016-01-21). "The Man Behind RaysWeather.com". Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine. Retrieved 2019-02-12.
  3. ↑ O’Donnell, Lisa (November 11, 2018). "Strong showing at ASU, in Ashe County helped weatherman flip N.C. House seat". Winston-Salem Journal. Retrieved 2019-02-12.
  4. ↑ Poston, Jonathan (November 21, 2021). "Q&A with Ray Russell, founder of Ray's Weather Center". Mountain Xpress. Retrieved November 21, 2021.
  5. ↑ "Relay With Ray – Celebrating the Blue Ridge Parkway in the Centennial Year of the National Park Service". Retrieved 2019-02-12.
  6. ↑ WRAL (6 November 2018). "Democrats break veto-proof majority in General Assembly". wral.com. Retrieved 9 November 2018.
  7. ↑ "North Carolina Election Results – Election Results 2018 – The New York Times". The New York Times. Retrieved 9 November 2018.
  8. ↑ "NC SBE Contest Results". er.ncsbe.gov. Retrieved 2019-02-12.
  9. ↑ "Ray Russell".
  10. ↑ https://www.wataugademocrat.com/news/local/former-state-representative-russell-appointed-to-watauga-county-board-of-commissioners/article_2324ef0c-44ca-11ed-8d0a-cb895cab2b99.html
  11. ↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections.
  12. ↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections.
  13. ↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections.


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