Ray Russell is projected to win the Democratic nomination for Watauga County Commissioner of District 2 with 51.36% of the vote, according to unofficial election results.
Russell was appointed to the Watauga County Board of Commissioners in 2023. In 2018, he was elected to represent Ashe and Watauga counties in the NC State House of Representatives.
Russell was a computer science professor at App State for 30 years. He also founded RaysWeather.com, which has been operating for over 25 years.
RaysWeather “covers weather from SW Virginia to SW North Carolina, from Wytheville, VA, to Waynesville, NC, and all the mountains and foothills region in between,” according to the website.
Russell will oppose Republican Savva Kostis in the fall 2026 midterm elections.
