Welcome, I'm Rick Combes, Candidate for NC Senate District 8
Engineer. Builder. Listener. Not a career politician—committed to practical solutions, local accountability, and putting people over party.
Real-World Experience. Carolina Values. Practical Leadership.
I’ve been a Carolinian all my life — it just took me 55 years to figure it out. This community is where I feel most at home, and it’s the place that shaped my values: hard work, responsibility, and showing up for the people around me.
My path has taken me from earning a chemical engineering degree at the University of Michigan to completing my MBA at the University of Chicago. That mix of technical training and business experience shaped the way I solve problems and make decisions. Over the years, I’ve worked on projects that demanded both creativity and discipline — including earning a patent for fat-free mayonnaise and leading the construction of a resin plant in High Point, North Carolina. Those experiences taught me how to innovate, manage complex operations, and deliver results that matter in the real world.
One of my earliest research assignments at Kraft Foods was developing a reverse osmosis system to separate protein from the cheese-making waste stream, whey. That technology is still relevant today — it remains one of the most effective tools for addressing water contamination, including the challenges our own region is facing. Understanding these systems firsthand gives me a practical perspective on environmental and infrastructure issues affecting our communities.
I retired at 60 due to health concerns, and I was fortunate to be diagnosed with heart issues before serious damage occurred. After successful surgery, I felt thirty years younger. Not long after, I bought an electric vehicle and decided to spend my time driving for Uber. It turned out to be a life-changing experience. Before rideshare driving, I was very introverted. But meeting people across Columbus, Brunswick, and New Hanover counties taught me how to truly talk with people — and more importantly, how to listen. It gave me a new way to serve the community and opened my eyes to how essential reliable transportation is for everyday life. Technology is changing fast, and our counties need to be ready to adopt the tools that will keep our communities connected and moving forward.
I’m the proud father of three adult sons, all successful in their own lives and spread out across the country. Watching them grow into the men they are today has been one of my greatest joys and a constant reminder of why strong communities and real opportunities matter.
I’m running because I believe our district deserves steady, practical leadership — someone who listens, someone who works, and someone who understands that good decisions come from clear thinking and genuine connection to the people you serve. This is my home, and I’m committed to helping it thrive.
I am not a career politician. I don’t believe our republic was ever meant to be run by career politicians. We need civil servants with real-world experience who can solve problems one at a time. I’m running as a Democrat, but I want to be clear: I will not be beholden to the Raleigh Republicans — and I will not be beholden to the Raleigh Democrats either. A republic works best when representatives listen to the people who sent them there and focus on making their communities better. We are losing that system to national interests, and I intend to push back and fight for our community.
An Approach to OUR Water Problems
PFAS contamination is one of the most serious environmental and public-health
challenges facing North Carolina. These chemicals don’t break down easily, they move through water systems, and they accumulate in the human body. Families deserve clean, safe drinking water — and they deserve leaders who will be honest about what it takes to fix this problem. Read More
Good Governance Starts With Fixing the Small Cracks Before They Become Corruption
Good government doesn’t happen by accident — it happens when leaders take integrity seriously at every level. I believe in a “broken windows” approach to corruption: if you ignore the small cracks, the big breaks follow. When minor ethical lapses go unchallenged, they grow into major abuses of power. When accountability is optional, corruption becomes inevitable. Read More
Cape Fear Memorial Bridge
Brunswick County is one of the fastest-growing counties in the entire United States. Wilmington continues to grow as the Port City — a statewide economic engine that moves billions of dollars in goods every year. Yet despite this extraordinary growth, the current North Carolina General Assembly has failed to plan for the future, failed to fund the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge replacement, and now the people of Leland and Wilmington are being told they may have to pay tolls just to get to work, school, and medical care. That’s not planning. That’s neglect. Read More
Strong Public Schools
North Carolina’s future depends on strong public schools. For generations, we understood something simple and powerful: it was just as important to educate your neighbor’s kids as it was to educate your own. That’s how communities grow. That’s how opportunity spreads. And that’s how we built the North Carolina we’re proud of today. Read More
North Carolina Needs Impact Fees
North Carolina is experiencing rapid growth, and nowhere is that more visible than in Brunswick County — one of the fastest-growing counties in the entire United States. That kind of expansion brings opportunity, but it also puts enormous pressure on roads, water and wastewater systems, stormwater infrastructure, and schools. Read More