💥GBA hosts primary candidate forum

Last week, the Gaston Business Association welcomed voters, business leaders, and community members for our 2026 Primary Candidate Forum, bringing together candidates from contested races across the ballot. The evening was proudly sponsored by the Gaston Association of Realtors (GAR) and Gaston Christian School, whose support helped make the event possible.

The forum featured candidates running for:

• Gaston County Commissioner

• Gaston County Sheriff

• Gaston County Board of Education

• North Carolina House of Representatives

• United States House of Representatives

Go deeper: GBA President & CEO Patrick Mumford served as moderator, guiding a structured and business-focused discussion centered on economic development, public safety, education, workforce, infrastructure, and policies impacting Gaston County’s business climate.

• The forum was open to the public and professionally live streamed to ensure broader access for voters who could not attend in person.

• A full recording has also been published on YouTube and can be viewed here.

The big picture:   As part of our broader advocacy and civic engagement efforts, the GBA has once again partnered with the Election Hub, a project of the Civic Knowledge Initiative, to provide voters with unbiased, advertisement-free information about candidates running for office in Gaston County.

• The Election Hub offers a free online voter guide where candidates can share their background, priorities, and positions with voters.

• The platform is designed to promote transparency, accessibility, and informed decision-making—without political endorsements or paid advertising.

What's next: The Election Hub site for this election cycle has officially launched and can be accessed here. Early Voting begins Thursday, February 12th-28th, with the primary election scheduled to take place on March 3rd.

The bottom line: At the GBA, we believe informed voters and engaged leaders are essential to a strong business community. We are grateful to our sponsors, candidates, and attendees for contributing to a thoughtful and respectful conversation about the future of Gaston County.