# Brian Turner (politician)

Brian Mills Turner is a Democratic member of the North Carolina House of Representatives. Turner represented the 116th district (including constituents in western Buncombe County) from 2015 to 2023 and again since 2025.
In November 2021, Turner announced that he wouldn't seek re-election in the 2022 election.
In 2023, following redistricting, Turner announced he would be seeking election to the newly drawn 116th district. He was elected to serve in the position again in 2024, facing no primary or general election opposition.

## Education and professional career

Turner earned a bachelor's degree in economics from Northwestern University in 1996 and a Master of Business Administration from the Babcock Graduate School of Management at Wake Forest University in 2010.
Before his election to public office, Turner worked as a television producer at MTV, as an executive at his family's manufacturing company, and as vice chancellor at University of North Carolina at Asheville. He currently works as a commercial real estate agent.

## Political career

In his first run for elected office in 2014, Turner defeated incumbent representative Tim Moffitt in a hotly contested race. He has been re-elected a total of 3 times, most recently in 2020. On November 29, 2021, Turner announced that he would not seek re-election.
In March of 2023, Audubon North Carolina announced Turner would be joining as policy director.
In late 2023, following redistricting, Turner announced he would run for the newly drawn 116th district. He was elected in 2024, facing no opposition.

## Electoral history
### 2024

North Carolina House of Representatives 116th district general election, 2024 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Brian Turner | 42,815 | 100.00% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 42,815 | 100% |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2020

North Carolina House of Representatives 116th district general election, 2020 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Brian Turner (incumbent) | 33,024 | 61.90% |
| | Republican | Eric Burns | 20,324 | 38.10% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 55,348 | 100% |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2018

North Carolina House of Representatives 116th district general election, 2018 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Brian Turner (incumbent) | 19,571 | 54.88% |
| | Republican | Marilyn A. Brown | 16,091 | 45.12% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 35,662 | 100% |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2016

North Carolina House of Representatives 116th district general election, 2016 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Brian Turner (incumbent) | 28,014 | 100% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 28,014 | 100% |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2014

North Carolina House of Representatives 116th district general election, 2014 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Brian Turner | 13,298 | 51.91% |
| | Republican | Tim Moffitt (incumbent) | 12,321 | 48.09% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 25,619 | 100% |
| | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican |

## Committee assignments
### 2021-2022 session

Source:
* Appropriations
* Appropriations - Agriculture and Natural and Economic Resources
* Wildlife Resources (Vice Chair)
* Alcoholic Beverage Control
* Education - Community Colleges
* Environment
* Marine Resources and Aqua Culture
* UNC BOG Nominations

### 2019-2020 session

* Appropriations
* Appropriations - Agriculture and Natural and Economic Resources
* Wildlife Resources
* Alcoholic Beverage Control
* Education - Community Colleges
* Environment

### 2017-2018 session

* Appropriations
* Appropriations - Information Technology
* Wildlife Resources
* Education - Community Colleges
* Education - Universities
* Judiciary III

### 2015-2016 session

* Appropriations
* Appropriations - Agriculture and Natural and Economic Resources
* Homeland Security, Military, and Veterans Affairs