Grier Martin

Who is Grier Martin?

Grier Martin is a Democratic member of the North Carolina General Assembly representing the state's 34th House District. His district includes the northern part of Raleigh in Wake County. He is an attorney from Raleigh and is the son of D.G. Martin.

Martin was first elected in the 2004 elections, defeating incumbent Republican Don Munford. Martin defeated Republican J.H. Ross in the November 2006 and 2008 elections, and Republican Steve Henion in 2010. He chose not to run for re-election in 2012 after redistricting placed him in the same district with fellow Democratic Rep. Deborah Ross. But in 2013, Ross resigned from the legislature, and with her endorsement, local Democrats selected Martin to take her place for the remainder of the term. Martin serves as the House Democratic Conference Co-Chair.

During his first tenure in the House, Martin at one point co-chaired the Transportation Subcommittee of the Appropriations Committee and chaired the Homeland Security, Military, and Veterans Affairs Committee. He received the Disabled American Veterans of North Carolina "Legislator of the Year" award, the Pesticide Education Project "Legislative Leadership" award, the National Guard Association of the United States' Charles Dick Medal of Merit, the Brain Injury of North Carolina's "Our Hero Award," and was named a "Freshman of the Year" by the Conservation Council of North Carolina. In 2010 Martin was named "Defender of the Environment" by the League of Conservation Voters of NC. National and state Democrats recruited Martin to run for the U.S. Senate against Elizabeth Dole in 2008, but he declined in order to spend time with his young family. In 2011 Martin was appointed by Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta to serve on the Reserve Forces Policy Board.