Hamilton Cowles "Ham" Horton Jr. (August 6, 1931 – January 31, 2006)[1] was a Republican member of the North Carolina General Assembly representing the state's thirty-first Senate district, including constituents in Forsyth county.

An attorney from Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Horton served a combined eight terms in the state Senate, from 1971-1975 and 1995-2006.

[4] He previously served as Chief of Staff to Senator Jesse Helms from 1977 to 1978.

He ran for North Carolina's 5th congressional district in the 1978 election.

[5] Senator Horton had a cancerous kidney removed in September after the 2005 legislative session.