Here are six lawmakers from Mecklenburg to watch in Raleigh

With 17 members, Mecklenburg County has North Carolina’s largest legislative delegations. One out of every 10 lawmakers comes from the county.

The county’s delegation includes four newcomers: Democrats John Autry, Chaz Beasley and Mary Belk and Republican Andy Dulin, all in the House. Republican Rep. Scott Stone, appointed to a mid-year vacancy, will be serving his first full term.

As with most urban delegations, Mecklenburg’s is dominated by Democrats in a Republican-controlled legislature. Here are six lawmakers to watch.

Rep. Bill Brawley

Brawley, 67, is a Matthews Republican poised to become Mecklenburg County’s most influential lawmaker. In his fourth term, he chairs the House Finance Committee. That panel would debate any attempt to redistribute sales tax revenue, a big fight in 2016.

Sen. Dan Bishop

This will be the first Senate term for the Charlotte Republican who was first elected to the House in 2014. Last year Bishop, 52, was a prime sponsor of House Bill 2. A former Mecklenburg commissioner, he replaced retired GOP Sen. Bob Rucho.

Sen. Joel Ford

The third-term Democrat in his third term will keep one eye back on Charlotte where he plans to challenge Mayor Jennifer Roberts this year. Ford, 48, is a pragmatist who believes in looking for ways to work with the Senate’s conservative GOP leadership.

Sen. Jeff Tarte

In his third term, the former Cornelius mayor could be in a position to help Charlotte and other cities as co-chair of the Senate’s State and Local Government Committee. Tarte, 60, is a moderate Republican who has reached across the aisle and recognizes the value of N.C. cities to the state.

Rep. John Bradford

In his second term, the Cornelius Republican, 42, has risen to House GOP leadership as a deputy majority whip. During a December special session, he co-sponsored a bill to cancel the toll contract with I-77 Mobility Partners, a subsidiary of the Spanish firm Cintra. It may come up again.

Rep. Andy Dulin

The Charlotte Republican may be in his first term, but he’s no stranger to the General Assembly. As a city council member in 2013, Dulin, 57, went often to fight efforts to take Charlotte’s airport from city control. At one point he blasted senators whom he said “absolutely bum-rushed” through an airport bill.

This story was originally published January 20, 2017 at 4:26 PM with the headline "Here are six lawmakers from Mecklenburg to watch in Raleigh."