Ric Marshall announced his intentions this week to run for the 30th district North Carolina State Senate seat now held by Don East.

Marshall, a Democrat, said he was at the Surry County Board of Elections office on Monday at noon, ready to file as soon as the filing period officially opened. Also at the office was Don East, the Republican incumbent who is also filing to run for the senate seat.

Although Marshall, 48, will face East and possibly other candidates in the race for the senate seat, he believes he has what it takes to become a senator.

“My compassion for helping and getting things done will make me a good senator,” Marshall remarked.

In a release announcing his candidacy, Marshall listed his primary concerns for the state.

He said, “Creating jobs in rural North Carolina must be our top priority. As unemployment numbers continue to skyrocket, we need to send someone to Raleigh that will actively work to create jobs in our area. We must continue to fight for public education, from K-12 to our community colleges to the universities, a strong education is the link to ensuring our workforce receives the proper training to compete in the global economy.”

Marshall later said that he thinks Surry County needs more representation. “It all goes back to caring about the district and making sure we have jobs for the people.”

The 30th district senate seat encompasses Alleghany, Stokes, Surry and Yadkin counties. In 2008, Marshall ran against Darrell McCormick, a Republican, in the race for N.C. House of Representatives 92nd district seat. Marshall lost to McCormick.

This year, Marshall is ready once again to vie for a seat in Raleigh. He said in his announcement, “I look forward to working with the leaders of our state to create jobs in our communities. As the cities in North Carolina continue to grow larger, we need someone in Raleigh that will constantly be working for the interests of rural North Carolina.”

Marshall is the vice president of sales for Southland Transportation in Dobson, the president of Southland Logistics in High Point, and the co-owner of Foothills Packaging and Distribution in Booneville. He works on a committee that is lobbying for a state prison in Surry County and serves on the board of directors for the Yadkin County Economic Development Board.

He lives in Ararat with his wife, Denise, and their two children. They attend Fellowship Baptist Church in Ararat. In the past, Marshall was a coach at the Armfield Civic Center and a little league coach in Pilot Mountain. He was also active in the American Red Cross and served as a member of the agency’s local disaster relief team.

Contact Meghann Evans at mevans@mtairynews.com or 719-1952.