Bulloch County native, Marilyn Womack Avila, has won a seat in the North Carolina House of Representatives.
    Official results were certified by the State Board of Elections Nov. 28.  Representative-elect Avila was born and raised in Bulloch County near Portal and is the daughter of the late Noyce and Christine Womack. She is a graduate of Portal High School and went on to receive her B.S. Degree in Chemistry from Georgia Southern University.
    “Throughout my career, I have always carried with me the traditional values I learned from my parents growing up in rural Georgia.  I truly enjoyed and treasure the family, friends and memories from my early years living in Bulloch County.”       

    Avila had an extensive career in business and as a textile chemist before beginning work for the John Locke Foundation in Raleigh, a North Carolina-based public policy think tank. Avila has also been an active leader in the Republican Party rising to Chair the party in the state’s capitol county of Wake.
    She has been married to businessman Alex Avila for 34 years and they have two children, David and Katherine.
    Avila defeated incumbent Rick Eddins by a 2 to 1 margin in the May 2 Republican Primary and faced no opposition Nov. 7.  
    Chemists from Georgia have a strong record of success in North Carolina politics.  The only Republican two-term Governor in North Carolina history was a former Davidson College chemistry professor and Georgia native, Jim Martin, who served from 1985 to 1992.