Helfrich and Rhodes to meet in Oct. 6 forum at Cornelius Town Hall
CORNELIUS, NC (September 24, 2026) – The Lake Norman Chamber of Commerce will host a candidate forum featuring the race for North Carolina House District 98 between incumbent Rep. Beth Helfrich, a Democrat, and Republican challenger John Rhodes. The two-hour forum will be held Tuesday, Oct. 6, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at Cornelius Town Hall, 21445 Catawba Avenue in Cornelius.
The forum will be moderated by Justin Ckezepis, owner and general manager of WSIC. Ckezepis, who grew up in the Lake Norman area, hosts “Good Morning LKN” on WSIC 105.9 FM. WSIC is sponsoring the forum and will stream the event live on WSIC.com and across its social media platforms, including Facebook, X, LinkedIn, YouTube and Truth Social.
Helfrich, the Democratic incumbent, is a third-generation Davidson resident and a graduate of North Mecklenburg High School and Davidson College. According to her campaign website, she worked as a teacher and school administrator for nearly two decades and has been active in education and community organizations. A mother of five, Helfrich has also served as a PTO president and member of a local School Improvement Team. During her first term representing District 98, Helfrich has identified good governance, responsible growth, public education and safe communities among her legislative priorities.
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Rhodes, the Republican challenger, is a former District 98 representative seeking a return to the North Carolina House. According to his campaign website, Rhodes has lived, worked and served in North Mecklenburg for nearly four decades. His public service includes work as a Mecklenburg County MEDIC, firefighter, Cornelius Town Commissioner and previous service representing District 98 in the North Carolina House. A longtime small-business owner and real estate broker, Rhodes has also been active in civic and community organizations throughout the Lake Norman area. His campaign identifies transportation, taxes, public safety and individual liberties among his priorities.
“The Lake Norman Chamber is pleased to provide forums for our members and the residents of our communities to learn more about the candidates seeking public office,” said Bill Russell, president and CEO of the Lake Norman Chamber. “We are thankful for the support and cooperation of our local governments and their staffs in allowing us to facilitate these forums. While the Chamber does not endorse candidates, our hope is that these forums provide voters with an opportunity to better understand the candidates, their experience and their positions on issues that affect our communities.”
The format will be similar to candidate forums conducted by the Chamber in previous years, with attendees given an opportunity to submit written questions for the candidates. Local residents, business owners and community leaders are encouraged to attend and participate.
Candidates for other races may also be recognized during the evening and provided an opportunity, as time permits and at the discretion of the moderator, to briefly introduce themselves and share their qualifications for office.
For more information about the candidate forum, contact the Lake Norman Chamber of Commerce at 704-892-1922 or visit www.lakenormanchamber.org.
The Lake Norman Chamber of Commerce, representing approximately 950 business members, has served the Huntersville, Davidson, Cornelius and greater Lake Norman region since 1987. The Chamber works to strengthen the regional business community through advocacy, education, networking and community engagement.
