Benton Sawrey is a dedicated public servant and lifelong resident of Johnston County running to fight for lower taxes, less regulation, and our traditional, eastern North Carolina values.

Sawrey was born and raised in Smithfield, where generations of his family have called home.  He is a proud graduate of Smithfield-Selma High School and later followed in his father and grandfather’s footsteps by attending N.C. State University.  After graduation, he attended and earned a law degree from the University of South Carolina School of Law.

In his regular job as an attorney at a local law firm, Sawrey works with small-business owners, farmers, and families on complex regulatory, tax, litigation, and transactional matters. His professional experience in the legal and business communities provides him with a deep understanding of the challenges facing North Carolina’s economy and the real-world impact of government policy on local enterprises and agricultural operations. 

Sawrey is committed to serving his community.  He served two terms on the Board of Trustees at Johnston Community College as well as being a member of the Board of Directors for the Partnership for Children of Johnston County and the Downtown Smithfield Development Corporation prior to being elected to the North Carolina Senate. 

Since taking office in 2023, Benton has been a commonsense conservative leader in Raleigh.  This past session, he led the North Carolina Senate with the most bills that he authored having passed the chamber. He has successfully worked to rein in overregulation, protect our community’s values, control government spending, and lower North Carolina’s tax burden on families, small businesses, and farmers. 

The job is not done – Johnston County deserves an effective advocate in the North Carolina Senate that delivers results.