Jess Rivera

Jess Rivera served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 2004 to 2012. She earned a high school diploma from Murrieta Valley High School and attended Old Dominion University. Her career experience includes working as a barber.[1]

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I'm Jess Rivera, a Marine Corps veteran, barber, and small business owner in Wilson, NC. I own The Garrison Barber & Parlor in downtown Wilson and I'm running for NC State Senate District 4.

I swore an oath at 17 to serve my country. I deployed to Iraq on two combat tours in 2005 and 2007, where my mission was to protect the innocent from the chaos of war. When elected, I will swear an oath at 40 to serve my community, and my mission is the same: to protect us from the chaos of poor policy.

Working families in Greene, Wayne, and Wilson Counties are feeling that chaos every day. Gas, groceries, housing, healthcare, and utilities keep getting more expensive while wages stagnate. Our schools are underfunded and our rural communities are under-served. These conditions didn't happen by accident. They are the result of piss-poor leadership that prioritizes party over people, creating these conditions of failure. I'm here to bring solutions to these problems.

I know what it means to stretch a dollar, run a payroll, and serve the public. I've done it in uniform and I do it every day behind the chair. I'm running because we need someone in Raleigh who will actually fights for us.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Rural healthcare is disappearing. Hospitals are closing, mental health services are stretched thin, and too many families in our district are driving an hour for basic care. That ends with real investment in local healthcare, not Raleigh press releases.Our public schools are underfunded and our teachers are underpaid. When we gut education, we gut our future. I'm fighting for well-funded rural schools and community colleges that connect students to real jobs close to home.Work should pay. Period. Small businesses and working families in Greene, Wayne, and Wilson Counties are getting squeezed from every direction while wages stay flat. I'm for economic growth that actually stays local and lifts the people doing the work.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Affordability is the fight I wake up thinking about. When families can't make rent, can't afford groceries, and can't reach a doctor without driving an hour, that's a policy failure. I see it in my barbershop every day.

Public education keeps me up at night. Parents are watching their kids sit in underfunded classrooms with overworked teachers while Raleigh plays political games with the school budget. Strong schools are the single best investment a community can make in its future.

And honest government. I've watched people lose faith in public institutions because too many people in office stopped giving a damn about results. Show up. Be transparent. Deliver.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

Run For Something, Victory LGBT, Vote Vets, Veterans For Responsible Leadership. As the applications come back approved, we will add them to the list and our site.