{{Short description|American politician}} {{infobox officeholder | name = Lisa Barnes | image = Senator Lisa S. Barnes.jpg | state_senate = North Carolina | district = 11th | term_start = January 1, 2021 | term_end = | predecessor = Rick Horner | successor = | state_house1 = North Carolina | district1 = 7th | term_start1 = January 9, 2019 | term_end1 = January 1, 2021 | preceded1 = Bobbie Richardson | succeeded1 = Matthew Winslow | birth_name = Donna Lisa Stone | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1966|07|16}} | birth_place = Nash, North Carolina, U.S. | party = Republican | spouse = {{marriage|Johnny Barnes|December 12, 1987}} | alma_mater = Peace College (AA)<br>North Carolina State University (BA) | signature = Lisa Stone Barnes signature.png }}
'''Lisa Stone Barnes''' (born July 16, 1966) is an American businesswoman and politician. A member of the Republican Party, she was elected to the North Carolina House of Representatives in 2018 after serving for six years on the Nash County board of commissioners. Rather than seek reelection, Barnes instead decided to instead run for the state senate in 2020, defeating former senator Allen Wellons.
==Early life and education== Barnes was born Donna Lisa Stone to Mr. and Mrs. Donald R. Stone in Nash County, North Carolina. She graduated from Southern Nash High School and Peace College before marrying Johnny Carson Barnes at Middlesex Church of God on December 12, 1987.<ref>{{cite web|title=Stone, Barnes exchange vows|work=Rocky Mount Telegram|date=January 3, 1987|page=19|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/59442235/|accessdate=September 17, 2020|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Donna Lisa Stone marries Johnny Carson Barnes Dec. 12|work=The Nashville Graphic|date=January 6, 1987|page=2|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/59442185/|accessdate=September 17, 2020|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from North Carolina State University in 1988 and completed the legal assistant program at Meredith College.<ref>{{cite web|title=Nash County students receive degrees at NCSU|work=The Nashville Graphic|date=May 11, 1988|page=2|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/59442567/|accessdate=September 17, 2020|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref><ref name="nashvillegraphicbio">{{cite web|title=Nash County Commissioner District 4: Lisa Stone Barnes|work=The Nashville Graphic|date=October 24, 2012|url=https://www.nashvillegraphic.com/news.php?viewStory=15442|accessdate=September 20, 2020}}</ref>
==Political career== thumb|left|Barnes in 2018 as a member of the state house Barnes ran for the 4th district seat on the Nash County board of commissioners in 2012, challenging incumbent Republican Danny Tyson. Central to the race was a proposed Sanderson Farms poultry processing plant, which Tyson, who was running for a third term, supported.<ref>{{cite web|first=Darla|last=Slipke|title=Sanderson Farms tops Nash forum|work=Rocky Mount Telegram|date=April 25, 2012|page=1A|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/59651990/|accessdate=September 20, 2020|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> Barnes, having previously cited environmental concerns about the project during her tenure on the county planning board, opposed it.<ref>{{cite web|first=Amelia|last=Harper|title=Planning Board denies Sanderson|work=The Nashville Graphic|date=March 23, 2011|url=https://www.nashvillegraphic.com/news.php?viewStory=10540|accessdate=September 20, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Amanda|last=Clark|title=Nashville Chamber hosts candidate forum|work=The Nashville Graphic|date=May 2, 2012|url=https://www.nashvillegraphic.com/news.php?viewStory=14019|accessdate=September 20, 2020}}</ref> She went on to win the primary and defeated Bert Daniel in the general election, becoming the county's youngest commissioner.<ref>{{cite web|first=Amanda|last=Clark|title=Barnes, Daniel win District Four primary|work=The Nashville Graphic|date=May 9, 2012|url=https://www.nashvillegraphic.com/news.php?viewStory=14075|accessdate=September 20, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Darla|last=Slipke|title=Barnes to push for transparent Nash board|work=Rocky Mount Telegram|date=November 7, 2012|page=3A|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/59654789/|accessdate=September 20, 2020|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>
In 2018, Barnes defeated former state representative Glen Bradley for the Republican nomination in North Carolina's 7th state house district.<ref>{{cite web|title=Barnes wins primary|work=The Nashville Graphic|date=March 2018|url=https://www.nashvillegraphic.com/news.php?viewStory=34611|accessdate=September 17, 2020}}</ref> That November, she succeeded in unseating incumbent Democratic representative Bobbie Richardson, whose district was heavily redrawn in response to a federal lawsuit alleging racial gerrymandering by the state legislature. Barnes was sworn into office by North Carolina Supreme Court associate justice Paul Martin Newby.<ref>{{cite web|first=LaMonique|last=Hamilton Barnes|title=Barnes, Gailliard set to join legislature|work=Spring Hope Enterprise|date=January 2, 2019|url=https://www.springhopeenterprise.com/stories/barnes-gailliard-set-to-join-legislature,155701|accessdate=September 17, 2020}}</ref>
A year into her term, Barnes announced her intention to run for the 11th district state senate seat being vacated by the retiring Rick Horner in 2020.<ref>{{cite web|first=Amelia|last=Harper|title=Barnes files to fill open Senate seat|url=https://www.rockymounttelegram.com/news/local/barnes-files-to-fill-open-senate-seat/article_4bd9f2ea-9439-5cd0-b209-5fb75e9325e4.html|work=Rocky Mount Telegram|date=December 16, 2019|accessdate=September 17, 2020}}</ref> After defeating Johnston County commissioner Patrick Harris and retired Air Force colonel Dennis Nielsen in the March primary by a wide margin, she faced the Democratic nominee, former senator Allen Wellons in November.<ref>{{cite web|first=Lindell J.|last=Kay|title=Lisa Barnes to face Allen Wellons for Nash, Johnston state Senate seat|work=Spring Hope Enterprise|date=March 3, 2020|url=https://www.springhopeenterprise.com/stories/lisa-barnes-to-face-allen-wellons-for-nash-johnston-state-senate-seat,202952|accessdate=September 17, 2020}}</ref> Barnes defeated Wellons by a ten-point margin.<ref>{{cite web|title=Lisa Stone Barnes Defeats Allen Wellons In State Senate Race|work=The Johnston County Report|date=November 3, 2020|url=https://jocoreport.com/lisa-stone-barnes-defeats-allen-wellons-in-state-senate-race/|accessdate=November 20, 2020}}</ref>
==Personal life== Barnes lived in Spring Hope, North Carolina with her late husband, Johnny, who was president of Barnes Farming Corporation before his death in 2025. Barnes Family Farms was put into receivership after defaulting on more than $40 million in loans.<ref>{{Cite web |last=WRAL |date=2025-01-06 |title=Bank seeks $40M in unpaid loans from NC senator's family farm. She says it's 'offensive' |url=https://www.wral.com/story/bank-seeks-40m-in-unpaid-loans-from-nc-senator-s-family-farm-she-says-it-s-offensive/21796046/ |access-date=2025-01-07 |website=WRAL.com |language=en}}</ref>
They have three children: Bethany, Joshua, and Jacy. They attend the Ridgecrest Worship Center in Rocky Mount, where Barnes has served as co-president of Women's Ministries.<ref name="nashvillegraphicbio" />
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *[https://www.ncleg.gov/Members/Biography/H/735 North Carolina General Assembly website] *[https://www.lisastonebarnes.com/ Campaign website] *{{Conglinks|votesmart=163025}} {{Authority control}}
{{s-start}} {{s-par|us-nc-hs}} {{s-bef|before=Bobbie Richardson}} {{s-ttl|title=Member of the North Carolina House of Representatives <br/> from the 7th District|years=2019–2021}} {{s-aft|after=Matthew Winslow}} |- {{s-par|us-nc-sen}} {{s-bef|before=Rick Horner}} {{s-ttl|title=Member of the North Carolina Senate <br/> from the 11th district|years=2021–present}} {{s-inc}} {{s-end}}
{{North Carolina State Senators}}
{{Portal bar|Biography|Politics|United States}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Barnes, Lisa Stone}} Category:Living people Category:1966 births Category:Republican Party North Carolina state senators Category:Republican Party members of the North Carolina House of Representatives Category:North Carolina State University alumni Category:People from Nash County, North Carolina Category:William Peace University alumni Category:21st-century members of the North Carolina General Assembly Category:21st-century American women politicians