PEACHLAND- Anson County’s own Gloria Harrington Overcash is running for Anson’s NC House Seat District 55 this November. Overcash is a native of Peachland and was raised on a small farm. Her biggest goal for Anson County is expanding Medicaid.
“After the current legislature failed to pass Medicaid expansion, we’ve had many rural hospitals that have closed their doors,” explained Overcash. Education is also a top concern for Overcash, “One of the ways to recruit new industry and to have a job-ready workforce is to have a strong community college and public school system.”
Overcash is herself a product of the Anson County public school system and graduated from Bowman Senior High School. Following her graduation from Bowman, Overcash would attend college at Wingate University in Wingate, North Carolina and received a degree in communications.
Shortly following her graduation from Wingate, Overcash went to work for the state of North Carolina in the District Attorney’s office. She worked in the victim’s advocacy program there. Overcash says she gave victims and witness a voice during her time at the DA’s office.
“We explained to victims and witnesses’ the court process and what would happen as their case evolved through the court system. From the beginning, when someone was arrested, contact was made with the victim or witness letting them know what they could expect, what would be happening with their case throughout its process in the court system,” said Overcash.
Overcash spent eight years at the District Attorney’s office. “When I started that program,” explained Overcash, “I was assigned in Anson and Union County. I did that for eight years and then went to work for the Senior Residence Superior Court Judge Jim Webb as his trial court coordinator.
Judge Webb was the superior court judge for Anson, Richmond, and Moore counties. Overcash retired from there a little over two years ago, in 2017, after 30 years with the judicial system. “I am quite aware and understand the duties and responsibilities of a legislature and some of my job with Judge Webb involved the tracking of bills as they evolved in the legislature.”
In addition to her work in the judicial system, Overcash is the former chair of the Anson County Democratic Party and served two terms in the 90s and early 2000s. “I have been active in the democratic party on the county, district, and state level,” said Overcash.
“Some of the members of the legislature reached out to me on behalf of the governor asking me to run. That was in December,” explained Overcash. Overcash believes her experience in both the judicial system and in the democratic party, have prepared her for a seat in the NC House.
“One of the things I do want to address is that I feel like, since I am from Peachland and have spent a lifetime helping people in Anson County, that this is just the next step in being able to help the citizens of Anson County, regardless of what party I’m affiliated with. This is not a party thing, this is an Anson County thing,” said Overcash.