GREENSBORO, N.C. (WGHP) – With so much energy and so many dollars flowing in the tight races for the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives, you may not have noticed that lawmakers who have much more direct effect on your lives – those in the General Assembly – are on the ballot this year, too.

When you go to the polls starting with early in-person voting on Thursday, you might have a new name or two on the ballot in your district for the North Carolina House or Senate.

The North Carolina Supreme Court in February ordered the General Assembly to redraw districts, and those approved may have given you a different district or candidate. You certainly will have an important choice.

Skip to the answers:

At stake in the House is how much control the Republicans have. A supermajority that was capable of overturning vetoes by the governor was in place in much of the previous decade, but the GOP lost that override power in 2020 and wants to get it back.

Observers project that if the GOP were to take “super” control of the House and the Senate – 72 seats in the House and 30 in the Senate – they would implement conservative priorities on issues such as abortion rights, taxes, parental rights in schools and election rules.

The GOP now controls 69 of the 140 seats in the House, meaning it needs to gain three to achieve its required three-fifths majority, and we know some incumbents already have been chosen to return.

Rep. Pricey Harrison (D-Greensboro) is headed back to Raleigh, along with Wayne Sasser (R-Albermarle) in District 67, Kanika Brown (D-Winston-Salem) in District 71, Donny Lambeth (R-Winston-Salem) in District 75, Julia C. Howard (R-Mocksville) in District 77, Sarah Stevens (R-Mount Airy) in District 90 and Kyle Hall (R-King) in District 91.

Another candidate – Dennis Shane Miller, a Democrat from Thomasville running in House District 80 – said he has left the race because of a new job he has taken, which means incumbent Republican Sam Watford of Thomasville also will advance (although Miller said he withdrew too late to have his name removed from the ballot).

That’s six Republicans and two Democrats just from the 14 counties of the Piedmont Triad who are returning to Raleigh.

Contested races

The Civitas Partisan Index, an election watchdog for the conservative John Locke Foundation, evaluates how elections might go based on partisan lean. It rates districts as either leaning for a party (2-5% advantage), likely (6-9%) or safe (10% or more).

“I know and have used the Civitas Partisan Index,” Chris Cooper, a professor from Western Carolina University who also is an expert and blogger about elections. “Pretty straightforward measurement. It doesn’t take into account the details of the candidates but just the district lean.

“I bloviated a bit on that and other measures, but the bottom line is that all of the standard measures are pretty similar.”

There are 19 House districts statewide that CPI rates as toss-up or “lean Democratic” – which essentially means they are within the margin of statistical error – and five of them are in the Triad, three now represented by incumbent Republicans who could be tested:

• House District 59, where longtime Rep. Jon Hardister (R-Whitsett) is in a race against Democratic newcomer Sherrie Young, who starts with a 2-point Democratic advantage.
• Rep. John Faircloth (R-High Point) in District 62 is slightly behind Democrat Brandon Gray by this analysis. So is Rep. Jeff Zenger (R-Lewisville) in District 74, where Carla Catalan Day of Winston-Salem has a 1-point head start.
• Incumbent Rep. Robert Reives (D-Goldston) has a 4-point bulge on Republican Walter Petty of Siler City in District 54, and incumbent Rep. Ricky Hurtado (D-Graham) is up by 3 points over Republican Stephen Ross of Burlington in District 63.

House 59 under the scope

The race in House District 59 is a snapshot of the entire competitive issue. The district, which begins at the Guilford-Alamance County line, was redrawn a little farther west and into Greensboro, to the point that it now has that Democratic lean.

Hardister, who is the House majority whip (or a ranking member), has served since 2010, when he won in District 57. He moved east as the districts were redrawn by court order, eventually relocating to Whitsett under District 59.

His victories have been dominant – with more or less 60% of the vote – until 2020, when Democrat Nicole Quick pushed him a bit, with Hardister winning with 52.3% of the vote.

Young, his challenger, is a newcomer and a bit of a political cipher. She surprisingly won the Democratic primary in May by a 3-1 margin over businessman Eddie Aday of Gibsonville.

But Young, 31, an academic recruiter, only recently launched a campaign website, and she has filed only one financial report with the state that showed very few assets. She also has a pending criminal charge related to weapons.

Quick in 2020 beat Hardister in seven precincts, getting about 59% of the votes in those. Young won her primary in those same precincts with nearly 74% of the vote.

But other than Facebook and YouTube, it’s unclear how she is campaigning. State and county Democratic officials didn’t shed much light about that, either.

Kathy Kirkpatrick, the chair of the Democratic Party in Guilford County, says her organization works “on behalf of all candidates who request our assistance.”

She says party members distribute literature, knock on doors and “provide time for candidates to speak at various meetings.” A representative from the state Democrats didn’t respond to a question about its role.

Young answered the questions that were submitted to all candidates.

The candidates speak

WGHP reached out to candidates from the Piedmont Triad who will be on the ballot for the House in the General Election, asking each the same basic question.

Many – but far from all of them – responded, and some did so in much more detail than others. Those responses are presented as offered, lightly edited and formatted, with the candidates in alphabetical order. Incumbents are noted.

House District 50

What would be your priorities if you are elected, and why should voters choose you?

Charles Lopez (R-Mebane)

• School choice/parent choice
• Adoption – Affordable and accessible to local families for local kids in our foster care system
• Caswell County – Business advocate. Caswell is open for business.

Voters should consider me because I have been successful in the private arena as a former educator, a small business owner and as a community leader. In all facets, when I say I am going to do something, I do it. I also offer transparency in communication, and ultimately, I respect all regardless of party or ideologies. Our wallets are hurting. This year we need to vote with our wallets in mind. We can agree to disagree on social issues.

Renee Price (D-Hillsborough)

Among my priorities are the right to vote and the right to representation; a sound basic education for all children; infrastructure including workforce/affordable housing, broadband and multimodal transportation; healthcare and human services for all; women’s rights to determine their own healthcare and reproductive rights; criminal justice reform; climate change mitigation and environmental justice. I am in my 10th year as a county commissioner and my second year as chair, having years of experience working to empower communities, both rural and urban, so that people can live, work and play in safe, nurturing environments. For me, public service is an honor, and as a Representative in the NC House, I will listen and work with my constituents on the issues and values that are of concern to them.

Where do you stand on three key issues the General Assembly has left up in the air: Medicaid expansion, legal sports betting and medical marijuana?

LOPEZ: No to Medicaid expansion, no to legal sports betting, undecided on medical marijuana.

PRICE: North Carolina desperately needs Medicaid expansion. Medical marijuana should have been legalized a long time ago. Though sports betting is of no interest to me personally, people enjoy it, and it should be allowed.

Would you support a constitutional amendment to protect access to legal abortion?

LOPEZ: No, I am pro-life.

PRICE: Absolutely!

House District 54

What would be your priorities if you are elected, and why should voters choose you?

Walter Petty (R-Siler City)

I have spent my entire life in this district. I know the people, their values, and our history. I know what their family values are and what is important to them. I will ensure this district has a voice in Raleigh. I have experience and a proven track record in both business and government as a former commissioner. I can set a budget and operate within it.

My goals are:

• Support and enhance education while requiring accountability in performance along with a parent’s bill of rights and increased school security.
• Support and enhance all public service agencies (Law Enforcement, Fire, Rescue, EMS)
• Work for a strong NC economy and be a good stewardship of taxpayer’s dollar.

Where do you stand on three key issues the General Assembly has left up in the air: Medicaid expansion, legal sports betting and medical marijuana?

PETTY: I believe we need to make sure all people have access to health care. Because I have served on boards in the medical field, I have seen firsthand the impacts of uninsured and underinsured patients. That places a tremendous burden on the facilities and increases the cost of coverage for those that do pay. Additionally, the system has been cumbersome and inefficient causing it to not be able to serve as many as people as necessary. This has driven up the per capita spending to a level too high for services rendered. Additionally in the past there have been a lot of unfunded mandates put on the states. Reform is underway that will address many of these issues making it easier for everyone to get behind it. Although I’m personally not a big fan of betting, NC is already in the business with the lottery. I need more information about the ramifications and to hear from the public on this issue.  Marijuana should be treated as any other drug seeking approval for treatment. It should go through all the same trials and testing as any prescription or controlled substance. It is an issue for FDA not politicians.  

Would you support a constitutional amendment to protect access to legal abortion?

PETTY: Like most Americans I am in favor of reasonable restrictions placed upon abortion with
certain exceptions, such as in the case of the life of the mother.

House District 57

What would be your priorities if you are elected, and why should voters choose you?

Michelle Bardsley (R-Greensboro)

I bring 30 years of leadership, business finance/accounting/IT, and K-12 education experience to the NC House 57 position. I am married (celebrated 30 years this summer) and have four adult children (all GCS graduates), with two grandsons in NC. I enjoy working hard and helping others succeed. I look forward to serving our families, businesses, and community. My campaign priorities are:  

• Grow our NC economy, fight inflation, develop our workforce, and lower taxes. 
• Support our police and first responders, ensure safe neighborhoods, and implement criminal justice reform.
• Ensure school safety (including SROs), improve student learning, respect the parental voice and school choice, and enhance educator pay. No CRT.
• Offer mental and physical health care options that meet the needs of NC citizens.
• Create workforce housing options for a growing economy, community, and boomerang children.

Ashton Clemmons (D-Greensboro), incumbent

The voters of Guilford County should continue to choose me to represent them in the NC House because I am focused on solving problems and investing in the futures of the people of our state. My priorities if re-elected are to continue to advocate for a strong public education system that trusts and invests in our children and educators; strengthening the early childhood workforce to support the current and future workforce of our state; protect voting rights; and secure our future with cleaner air and water.

Where do you stand on three key issues the General Assembly has left up in the air: Medicaid expansion, legal sports betting, and medical marijuana?

BARDSLEY: I will work to create health care options that meet the needs of our NC citizens and businesses. Medicaid expansion will depend on the details in the proposed legislation. Legal sports betting should be allowed and regulated with consumer demand. Medical marijuana (cannabis) should be allowed if prescribed by a doctor.

CLEMMONS: We should immediately expand Medicaid! I lean towards protecting consumers by legalizing and regulating the sports betting industry, though will have to look carefully at the language in proposed legislation. Finally, I support legalizing medical marijuana use to help North Carolinians struggling with a wide range of health issues it could benefit.

Would you support a constitutional amendment to protect access to legal abortion?

BARDSLEY: I do not believe this is a constitutional issue. Learn more at www.michellebardsley.com

CLEMMONS: Yes, we should trust the women of our state to make their healthcare decisions with their families and doctors and codify Roe v. Wade.

House District 58

What would be your priorities if you are elected, and why should voters choose you?

Amos Quick (D-Greensboro), incumbent

Voters should vote for me based on my experience as an elected leader (12 years serving on the Guilford County Board of Education and 3 terms in the NC House) and for my effectiveness in working for my district and all North Carolinians. My priorities in the next session of the General Assembly are economic development; improving educational outcomes; housing affordability; access to healthcare and equity throughout the state.

Where do you stand on three key issues the General Assembly has left up in the air: Medicaid expansion, legal sports betting, and medical marijuana?

QUICK: I favor Medicaid expansion. I am opposed to sports betting. And any bill that legalizes marijuana in NC would have to address the historic and disproportionate impact that previous marijuana legislation has had in our community in my opinion. 

Would you support a constitutional amendment to protect access to legal abortion?

QUICK: The language of any constitutional amendment would have to be before me before I could address this question. That has been my consistent stand for previous constitutional amendments as well. Details matter when we talk about the high bar of amending our constitution.

House District 59

What would be your priorities if you are elected, and why should voters choose you?

Jon Hardister (R-Whitsett), incumbent

My top priorities will be inflation, energy costs, job creation, education and public safety. I have a proven track record of working across the aisle to get results and move North Carolina in a positive direction. This year CNBC rated North Carolina as the best state for business, a testament to the work we have done in the legislature.

Sherrie Young (D-Greensboro)

• Make tax dollars count in the areas needed. Putting a stop to the inflation rise while also raising the minimum wage to $18.50, so citizens are able to afford health insurance and necessities of daily life.
• Providing reasonable job training with job placement when completed would result in higher salaries. Finding a way so that every citizen receives health insurance would cut back on covid related issues and deaths. 
• Education on how to convert to healthy lifestyles would be promoted to elderly people like the silver sneaker partners with the YMCA. 
• Mainly cleaning up the overtaxed issues like tags and titles, city taxes, homeowners’ taxes and etc.

Where do you stand on three key issues the General Assembly has left up in the air: Medicaid expansion, legal sports betting, and medical marijuana?

HARDISTER: Medicaid expansion – Depends on the final details of the proposal. Medical marijuana – Yes, I believe doctors should have the ability to prescribe cannabis for medical use. Sports betting – Yes, this is a matter of consumer choice and regulating an activity that people do anyway. It will also generate more revenue for the state.

YOUNG: I’d support all three being approved in my book for many reasons. Medicaid expansion is needed for citizens going without care. Alarmingly it’s over 14,000 without health care as well as elderly people who need life or death procedures while I would also purpose offering additional sponsorship for hardship situations. Legal sports betting harms no one as long as it’s paid out to the winners and is used for a good cause. Legalizing medical marijuana would help cancer patients and those with terminal illnesses alleviate pain and would also bring more jobs to the city. 

Would you support a constitutional amendment to protect access to legal abortion?

HARDISTER: No, I do not believe we should make this a constitutional issue. 

YOUNG: Of course, a women’s rights would remain intact because her choice should be her decision, not the world’s.

House District 60

What would be your priorities if you are elected, and why should voters choose you?

Bob Blasingame (R-Jamestown)

My first priority is District 60. If there is something the state can do that will provide increased opportunities and benefit for the citizens of District 60 then I will work with any and all to accomplish those objectives. On a broader scale we must return to vetting the laws we pass in the light of the NC and US Constitutions. The NC General Assembly can set a great example for the rest of the country by ceasing the practice of burying unrelated pet projects and bills within meaningful legislation. There should never be a vote on a bill unless every single member has read the bill in its entirety. I will work to return the practice of medicine to our doctors. This is an issue that has evolved over many years, but I want my doctor to determine the best course for my health care, not some agency bureaucrat. Our education system needs to prepare students to be productive citizens of North Carolina by maintaining high standards, accountability and order in the classroom. Our students need to be prepared to step into careers and we need to make sure those career opportunities are plentiful here in North Carolina. A good, high paying job provides a better quality of life for everyone and enables all of us to extend a hand of assistance to those who are in need.
Why vote for me? I am a Christian, grass-roots conservative and have had issues with both political parties. I am not a politician and will bring a commonsense approach to serving the people of District 60.

Cecil Brockman (D-High Point), incumbent

It is important that North Carolina changes the minimum wage into a living wage so that anybody and everybody who wants to work can experience the American Dream. Similarly, I believe that affordable housing should be accessible to anyone making what North Carolina considers a living wage.

Where do you stand on three key issues the General Assembly has left up in the air: Medicaid expansion, legal sports betting and medical marijuana?

BLASINGAME: Medicaid expansion: I think the General Assembly estimate is that Medicaid expansion will add 500,000 individuals to the Medicaid roles in North Carolina. Other estimates sight that many who have employer-provided insurance will lose that insurance as those employees would qualify for Medicaid under the new guidelines. Bringing the number added to the roles closer to 1 million. If it is hard now under Medicaid to get your sick child to see a health care worker, imagine what it will be like when there are 500,000 to 1 million more people placing a demand on the Medicaid system. Bear in mind that we can’t go online and order up 5,000 new doctors and a few hundred thousand nurses and health care technicians. A harsh reality is that health care providers receive about 60 cents on a dollar for seeing Medicaid patients. Those health care providers have bills to pay and payrolls to meet just like every other business. Hard, but that is the truth of the situation. As I have stressed, it would be better for North Carolinians to have good-paying jobs with excellent benefits so they can call the doctor’s office, make an appointment and receive the medical attention they need in a timely manner. Does the General Assembly want $9 billion in federal funding? Probably. But as enticing as that is, it’s quicksand, and we can do better for North Carolina. Legal Sports betting: I don’t know that this is a key issue considering everything else we have faced in the last three years. Many will say it adds to the excitement of watching the events and they bet responsibly. But there are many others who literally bet the farm or possibly the family grocery money. The latter group are the ones who can least afford to lose. Do people play the lottery who should be using their money for other purposes? I’m sure that is true. We can’t hover over the whole population and keep them from making poor decisions. But often is the case that the rest of us end up picking up the broken pieces of families who were harmed by irresponsible gambling. Same for alcohol, pornography and other potentially harmful habits. As we have often done in the past, I think it would be best to let the people of North Carolina vote on this issue. It needs to be in a General Election and not buried in some special election where only a fraction of voters shows up. Medical Marijuana: I have seen reports and heard testimony from people with serious diseases that say marijuana gives them relief from the effects of their disease. We would of course want to do anything we can to relieve another’s suffering. It is the strict regulation of marijuana for truly medical purposes that presents the greatest challenge. In some other states that have legalized medical marijuana you can set up an online call with a doctor from the service you called, tell him about your sore back or your headache and get a prescription for medical marijuana. Simple as that. If someone tells you marijuana isn’t addictive and isn’t a gateway drug, you should consider what’s in it for them if they get you to believe those lies. We have dealt with the oxycodone and meth problems with limited success. I suggest we put medical marijuana through the same clinical trials that we do other drugs and then distribute it through licensed pharmacies as we do other prescription drugs. No separate marijuana dispensaries or mail order. Then we will learn the true intentions of everyone championing medical marijuana.

BROCKMAN: I support the expansion of Medicaid and I have sponsored legislation for it. I support the legalization of recreational and medical marijuana. I don’t believe the state should be able to make money off of marijuana until all who have been imprisoned for marijuana have been freed. I support sports betting, which is already happening. The state needs to be able to tax it so that we can spend the money on public education.

Would you support a constitutional amendment to protect access to legal abortion?

BLASINGAME: No, I would not support a constitutional amendment to codify abortion. We know that life begins at conception and that from the moment that child is conceived it has its own, distinct DNA. It is a unique individual. Name one society on the planet that condones, outside of war, one human being taking the life of another human being. Of the 60 million babies that have been aborted since Roe v Wade, less than 1% of the pregnancies were due to rape, incest or to save the mother’s life. In the case where the mother’s life is deemed to be at risk if the pregnancy continues, that diagnosis must be made by an obstetrician familiar with the mother’s medical history and in consultation with others who may suggest ways to preserve the pregnancy and protect the mother at the same time. If no other alternative can be achieved to preserve the pregnancy without sacrificing the mother, then the ultimate decision is down to the mother. There are many issues and variables surrounding the issue of abortion. But the way it has been embraced and celebrated by so many that should know better is purely evil and demonic. We have taken the first steps to heal our society by returning the issue of abortion to the States. It is up to all of us to find ways to make abortion a measure of last resort to save the mother’s life, rather than the cavalier discarding of a child because their existence just isn’t convenient.

BROCKMAN: Yes, I would support a constitutional amendment to protect access to legal abortion.

House District 62

What would be your priorities if you are elected, and why should voters choose you?

John Faircloth (R-High Point), incumbent

My priorities are fiscal responsibility and new industry, public safety and law enforcement, and education of children. I believe I am the best candidate to represent District 62 because I have over 30 years of law enforcement experience coupled with six years serving local government and twelve years serving the people of NC in the General Assembly.

Brandon Gray (D-Oak Ridge)

The stakes have never been higher. The choice has never been more clear. We can send a career politician back to Raleigh, or we can send a fighter. We can send someone who is going to keep politicians out of the doctor’s office, who will vote to expand Medicaid, someone who wants to fully fund our schools and keep them safe, and who wants an economy that works for everyone not just the wealthy. Next year, our legislature will determine how NC will protect our constitutional rights. You know I’m not voting to take away any of our rights; I am voting to protect them and to move our state forward. For far too long we have seen politicians take our state back in time. We’re not going back.

Where do you stand on three key issues the General Assembly has left up in the air: Medicaid expansion, legal sports-betting and medical marijuana?

FAIRCLOTH: Medicaid expansion: I support Medicaid as everyone needs access to health care, whether they can afford it or need the payment assistance from a third party. Legal sports-betting: I support sports betting if it is carefully and properly managed by the right people. Medical marijuana: I support medical marijuana if it is administered by a medical professional.

GRAY: Medicaid should’ve been expanded over 10 years ago. Not expanding Medicaid was a failure by my opponent and his Republican colleagues. Growing up I had Medicaid. It gave me access to the life-saving health care I needed but that my family could not afford. Every North Carolinian deserves affordable healthcare. I support legalizing sports betting and marijuana. Both would be good for the economy. 

Would you support a constitutional amendment to protect access to legal abortion?

FAIRCLOTH: I would support an amendment that protects access to legal abortion in the event of incest/rape and to protect the life of the mother.

GRAY: I would. If we flip this seat, we will be able to protect reproductive rights here in NC. I will always vote to protect a woman’s right to choose. I trust women to make their own healthcare decisions.

House District 63

What would be your priorities if you are elected, and why should voters choose you?

Ricky Hurtado (D-Graham), incumbent

My priorities after winning re-election will be: 

• Building an economy that works for everyone, including fighting for the rights and fair compensation of working people.
• Make sure our schools are safe places for children to receive the quality education that is their constitutional right.
• Expand access to affordable housing and healthcare to make life more affordable for families.

Where do you stand on three key issues the General Assembly has left up in the air: Medicaid expansion, legal sports betting and medical marijuana?

HURTADO: I am in favor of Medicaid expansion – it is long past due to expand access to affordable healthcare to more people in NC. I am not in favor of sports gambling without very strong guardrails to protect vulnerable youth who may suffer from addiction. I am in favor of medical marijuana and believe it will bring health benefits to veterans and other communities. 

Would you support a constitutional amendment to protect access to legal abortion?

HURTADO: Yes, I am in favor of codifying Roe v. Wade in North Carolina to protect access to safe, legal abortion in our state. 

House District 65

What would be your priorities if you are elected, and why should voters choose you?

Reece Pyrtle (R-Stoneville), incumbent

I am running to continue serving in the NC House so that I can defend constitutional freedom and liberty, protect our 2nd Amendment rights and deliver a quality education in our K-12 schools. I will also continue to support military, law enforcement and first responders, advance small business entrepreneurship, and bring job opportunities to Rockingham County. As the retired chief of police for the City of Eden, I’ve centered my life and my career around serving our community. I know the people, I understand the issues, and I’ve got the experience to get things done for the residents of Rockingham County.

Where do you stand on three key issues the General Assembly has left up in the air: Medicaid expansion, legal sports betting and medical marijuana?

PYRTLE: I am open to supporting Medicaid expansion if it’s done the right way – eliminating the fraud that currently plagues the system and ensuring we are fiscally responsible in our approach. I do support the legalization of sports gambling, as countless North Carolinians are currently partaking in this form of wagering – we have an opportunity to regulate the process, make it safe, and collect tax revenue for the state to benefit the people. It doesn’t make much sense to disallow sports wagering when current law allows folks to place bets on which ping pong ball is going to come out of a machine at random. I may support medical marijuana if the legislation has defined parameters (i.e. prescribed by a doctor and administered by a pharmacist).

Would you support a constitutional amendment to protect access to legal abortion?

PYRTLE: I believe in the right to life, and I stand firmly against abortion in all cases except rape or incest as documented and reported to the proper authorities.

House District 70

What would be your priorities if you are elected, and why should voters choose you?

Susie Scott (D-Asheboro)

My priorities are to defend and support public schools and teachers, protect the health and livelihood of the people in my district, and advance government transparency and fair and just laws.

Where do you stand on three key issues the General Assembly has left up in the air: Medicaid expansion, legal sports betting and medical marijuana?

SCOTT: North Carolina is one of only 12 states that have not expanded Medicaid. Other states who did expand Medicaid, like Ohio, saw their emergency department use decline along with better health outcomes, more primary doctor visits and continuous health insurance coverage among program enrollees. Hospitals in those states have seen a sharp decrease in the number of patients who were unable to pay for services. Expanding Medicaid would bring money back into our state and help working families as well as rural hospitals like our own Randolph Health. I have not looked closely at legalizing sports betting and would need to do more research before forming an opinion on betting on professional sports. I absolutely oppose legalizing betting on any school sports including universities and colleges. I believe that we should legalize medical marijuana. When someone is suffering from cancer, seizures, or other debilitating illnesses, medical marijuana could be prescribed by a physician who would evaluate the benefits and risks for each patient. It should be an option for patients whose other choices are to live in pain or use stronger drugs with more severe side effects.

Would you support a constitutional amendment to protect access to legal abortion?

SCOTT: Yes. Every pregnancy is unique, and we do not know the details of each situation. It can carry great risks for some people. My grandmother was told that she would probably not survive a fourth pregnancy after giving birth to three healthy daughters. I know people who had ectopic pregnancies where abortion was their only option. The current 20-week ban forces physicians caring for a high-risk pregnancy to delay necessary care until their patient’s condition imposes an immediate threat of death or major medical damage. There are no exceptions in the ban for rape, incest, or patients who find out that the baby they were expecting has no hope of surviving after birth. This is a cruel ruling that places the lives of patients at risk. I believe a patient’s health, not politicians, should guide important medical decisions at all stages of pregnancy.

House District 74

What would be your priorities if you are elected, and why should voters choose you? 

Carla Catalán Day (D-Winston-Salem)

I am a working-class mother and public health worker raised in Forsyth County running for NC House District 74. I am running for NC House because I love and care about everyday working people in this state. My priorities will be the priorities of the people of District 74, plain and simple. I’m not here for useless extremism and infighting. I’m running because I believe in democracy. I believe that if I get elected my sole duty is to represent everyone in District 74 and ensure our state government is working for them. Not the other way around.

• I will work collaboratively with representatives across the state to ensure that working people and families are being taken care of. We have a big issue in our state government, the policies that people overwhelmingly want and need just aren’t getting the attention they deserve. 
• I will work every day to ensure that Medicaid is expanded to the families that need it, that public schools have all the resources they need to help our students thrive, that the expansion of business doesn’t put our environment in jeopardy, and that every individual’s reproductive freedoms are protected. 
• I attended public school here, raised my daughter here, and started my own small business in this district. My husband puts on his police uniform every day to help keep our community safe.
• For the past nine months I’ve been on the phone and knocking door-to-door across my community. I’ve heard about the triumphs and struggles from hundreds of people in District 74, I’m listening and I’m ready to represent my community. Many people are struggling to find affordable and adequate housing, the costs of nearly everything are rising while wages are not keeping up, and a visit to the hospital could mean a lifetime of debt for many families. I know this because I’ve been here and spoken to the people in District 74. We need the laws written in Raleigh to reflect the needs of working people in our state. Period.

Where do you stand on three key issues the General Assembly has left up in the air: Medicaid expansion, legal sports betting and medical marijuana?

DAY: I want to be urgently clear – if elected I will thoroughly look into any issue that is of importance to the people of my District. For the past several months, I’ve had the pleasure to personally speak to hundreds of families in District 74. I’ve been listening and I’ve done my research: people want more rights and freedoms, not less. The General Assembly must take seriously the overwhelming majority of NC residents that support the expansion of Medicaid and the legal use of medical marijuana. These are two different policies with one significant thing in common: the mass majority of N.C. residents have expressed support for these reforms. There are far too many laws – like that of Medicaid expansion – that have faced extreme pushback for no reason other than the personal opinion of a few elected officials and their wealthy supporters. We need to work together to change that, especially when these reforms could greatly help working families and those facing poverty. I believe it is the responsibility of House and Senate members in the General Assembly to enact democracy in its truest form. To be of, by and for the people. Anything less just won’t cut it. 

Would you support a constitutional amendment to protect access to legal abortion? 

DAY: If elected I will be doing everything in my power to ensure that reproductive rights and freedoms in our state are available to anyone who needs them. Whether or not abortion care is right for you, someone you love has had or may need an abortion one day, and we deserve a government that works to care for everyone.

House District 78

What would be your priorities if you are elected, and why should voters choose you? 

Erik Davis (D-Asheboro)

My priorities would be numerous, but the top of the list currently would be the protection of women’s and LGBTQ+ rights, the expansion of Medicaid in the state, expanding on the initiative to provide affordable access to the internet, and fighting for education reform to bring in better wages, assistants, and lower class sizes. Voters should choose me over my opponent if they want a representative who will listen to the people, who respects the rights of all people, who doesn’t call the LGBTQ+ community “perversions” equal to bestiality who also somehow cause natural disasters by simply existing, who will respect the reproductive rights of women, who will try to enhance public education instead of demonizing it, and who will be willing to call out corporations when they sacrifice the betterment of the populace for their own gain. 

Where do you stand on three key issues the General Assembly has left up in the air: Medicaid expansion, legal sports betting and medical marijuana?

DAVIS: I completely support expanding Medicaid. We already pay for the vast majority of it while getting nothing for it. Expanding Medicaid will bring our tax dollars we already spend back into the state, lower premiums, reduce the load on the medical system, increase highly effective and cheaper preventative care, pay for itself, and literally save lives across the entire state. There is no legitimate reason to not expand. Sports betting is a bit of a tricky issue. It is already done across the state without regulation, even if it isn’t legal. Legalizing it would help remove the seedier elements and bring tax dollars into the state, as well as allow it to be more properly regulated and provide more protections for those who are involved. I would want to study more on the topic and hear from citizens before I could give a completely definitive answer. I don’t want to just be a “yes man” as a representative. I want to be properly informed on the topic and hear from those I represent. I feel we should legalize the sale of marijuana, especially for medicinal purposes. 

Would you support a constitutional amendment to protect access to legal abortion? 

DAVIS: I completely support protecting abortion rights in North Carolina. I feel the Supreme Court erred in returning this long-held right to the states, especially given the extremely slippery slope it created for other basic rights, and I want to protect this and other rights at the state level. 

Who didn’t respond?

Although we sent our questions to all persons in competitive elections from districts in the Triad and followed with a reminder, some did not respond, not even to say they did not want to participate in answering questions that might inform the electorate:

Those House candidates who did not respond were:

District 54: Incumbent Rep. Robert T. Reives (D-Goldston).

District 58: Chrissy Smith (R-Greensboro).

District 63: Stephen Ross (R-Burlington).

District 64: Ron Osborne (D-Graham), Dennis Riddell (R-Snow Camp).

District 65: Jay Donecker (D-Reidsville).

District 70: Brian Biggs (R-Trinity).

District 72: Incumbent Rep. Amber M. Baker (D-Winston-Salem), Shelton Stallworthy (R-Winston-Salem).

District 74: Incumbent Rep. Jeff Zenger (R-Lewisville).

District 78: Neal Jackson (R-Robbins).

District 80: Dennis S. Miller (D-Thomasville), incumbent Rep. Sam Watford (R-Thomasville).

District 81: Incumbent Rep. Larry Potts (R-Lexington), Joe Watkins (D-Lexington).

District 93: Ben Massey (D-Grassy Creek), incumbent Rep. Ray Pickett (R-Blowing Rock).

District 94: Incumbent Rep. Jeffrey Elmore (R-North Wilkesboro), Chuck Hubbard (D-Wilkesboro).