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Abbie Lane
From Ballotpedia
This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.
Abbie Lane (Democratic Party) (also known as Bud) ran for election to the North Carolina House of Representatives to represent District 23. He lost in the Democratic primary on March 5, 2024.
Lane completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2023. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Abbie Lane was born in Washington, North Carolina. He graduated from North Edgecombe High School in 2002. He earned an associate degree in marketing from Pitt Community College and a certification in leadership from Edgecombe Community College.[1] He worked in entertainment and sports management for a decade. He changed careers and spent time working with multiple Fortune 500 companies to implement procedures to enhance customer service experiences as well as remote workspaces.[2]
In 2021, Lane became a Fall Fellow with the North Carolina Institute of Political Leadership Fellowship and in 2022 became a Fellow with the E.A. Morris Fellowship. He has also completed training and certifications with Young Americans For Liberty Win At The Door, MoveOn Progressive Power Summit, the National Democratic Training Committee, and the Victory Institute.[2] In the Spring of 2023, Lane returned to the Democratic Party after spending more than 20 years registered as unaffiliated/independent. As of September 2023, Lane served as the 1st Vice Chair of the Edgecombe County Democratic Party and as a State Executive Committee member of the North Carolina Democratic Party representing Edgecombe County.[2]
Elections
2024
See also: North Carolina House of Representatives elections, 2024
General election
General election for North Carolina House of Representatives District 23
Incumbent Shelly Willingham defeated Brent Roberson in the general election for North Carolina House of Representatives District 23 on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Shelly Willingham (D) | 56.5 | 25,140 |
 | Brent Roberson (R) | 43.5 | 19,390 | |
| Total votes: 44,530 | |||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for North Carolina House of Representatives District 23
Incumbent Shelly Willingham defeated Abbie Lane in the Democratic primary for North Carolina House of Representatives District 23 on March 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Shelly Willingham | 78.8 | 6,769 |
 | Abbie Lane | 21.2 | 1,816 | |
| Total votes: 8,585 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary election
The Republican primary election was canceled. Brent Roberson advanced from the Republican primary for North Carolina House of Representatives District 23.
Campaign finance
Endorsements
Lane received the following endorsements.
- Former State Sen. Erica Smith (D)
2022
See also: North Carolina House of Representatives elections, 2022
General election
General election for North Carolina House of Representatives District 23
Incumbent Shelly Willingham defeated James Crowell Proctor in the general election for North Carolina House of Representatives District 23 on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Shelly Willingham (D) | 54.4 | 16,488 |
| James Crowell Proctor (R) | 45.6 | 13,809 | ||
| Total votes: 30,297 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Abbie Lane (Independent)
Democratic primary election
The Democratic primary election was canceled. Incumbent Shelly Willingham advanced from the Democratic primary for North Carolina House of Representatives District 23.
Republican primary election
The Republican primary election was canceled. James Crowell Proctor advanced from the Republican primary for North Carolina House of Representatives District 23.
2020
See also: North Carolina House of Representatives elections, 2020
General election
General election for North Carolina House of Representatives District 23
Incumbent Shelly Willingham defeated Claiborne Holtzman and Abbie Lane in the general election for North Carolina House of Representatives District 23 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Shelly Willingham (D) | 58.8 | 21,754 |
 | Claiborne Holtzman (R) | 39.6 | 14,656 | |
| Abbie Lane (G) | 1.7 | 612 | |
| Total votes: 37,022 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
The Democratic primary election was canceled. Incumbent Shelly Willingham advanced from the Democratic primary for North Carolina House of Representatives District 23.
Republican primary election
The Republican primary election was canceled. Claiborne Holtzman advanced from the Republican primary for North Carolina House of Representatives District 23.
Green primary election
The Green primary election was canceled. Abbie Lane advanced from the Green primary for North Carolina House of Representatives District 23.
Campaign finance
Campaign themes
2024
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Abbie Lane completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2023. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Lane's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
| Collapse all
I grew up in rural eastern North Carolina to a mom who as 1 of 13 children had to drop out of school in the 8th grade to help provide for her family and a step dad who was the son of a Southern Baptist minister and that worked his entire life farming and in a farming manufacturing company until it closed. We were lower middle class but I never knew how little we had as my parents went without to make sure I had everything I needed to succeed. I was one of the first in my family to graduate from college where I attended Edgecombe and Pitt Community to receive my degree in Marketing and currently am a full time student at Fayetteville State University where I'm in my senior year of my Bachelor's in Political Science. The morals and work ethic that my parents instilled in me still carry over today in everything I do and are very much what has driven me to be a community activist and the realm of politics so that I can be a voice for the voiceless.
- We need an elected official that is of, by, and for the people who truly understands the problems and concerns that every citizen is currently facing.
- In politics there are enough who are willing to be an echo to keep their title but what we need is someone to be a Voice Not An Echo.
- Without accountability and transparency there can truly be no Democracy which is why we must fight to maintain each as pillars of justice that stand between us and watching democracy fall.
The areas of public policy that I am personally passionate about are access to affordable housing and even more so as we in rural communities see our residents transitioning into becoming seniors a need to adequately address the need for senior housing and communities. Coming from public schools that were always the most underfunded in the county, from the time I was in middle school I was an advocate and even spoke before the school board to fight and help get everything we received. From this access to high quality public education that is also equal regardless of what neighborhood you call home and creating innovating ideas of how to return our students to the top of the list nationally and internationally are areas I'm passionate about. There is also still a huge and growing urban-rural divide that I'm looking to take on and eliminate. We can't allow rural areas to continue to fall further behind in job creations, livable wages, education, healthcare, technology, etc. It is beyond time that the focus is put on eliminating these deserts and increase the livelihoods of all of our communities.
My political and theological ideology are truly a blend of a little of everything. I have always been a big believer that the best ideas come when you have all the voices at the table and that is how I structured my life to learn and grow if even slightly by everyone and everything I have encountered. Outside of my parents and family some of my earliest individuals I looked up to were teachers. W.C. Crews, Carolyn Worden, and Angela Lawton amongst countless others all had lasting impacts on helping to shape the person I am today. One of my biggest inspirations is one that so many have and that is MLK Jr. Here was a man that didn't have to but still chose to not only stand for what he in his soul knew was right even when standing not only wasn't easy but he knew it would cost him everything. In the literal face of adversity he never faltered in his beliefs or convictions or allowed hate to ever fog his judgment. At least once a month I still listen to his "I Have A Dream" speech to remind me not just how far we as a society have come but how far we still have to go. It serves as a reminder to me that just because something is politically acceptable or even legal it isn't always right. We should always be aware that sometimes what is right doesn't coincide with what is legal. I carry that into how I have always viewed politics as a staunch reminder that we will always need those voices not afraid to speak up, stand up and be heard and go against the grain.
I believe the most important principles and characteristics for an elected officials are integrity, honesty, compassion, transparency, being a great listener, being analytical, and having a willingness to serve others above your own self interest. A good elected official remembers their job is to serve not just the people of their party or only the voters who elected them but their entire community. It is important for elected officials moving forward to help change how politicians are seen and actively work to show they have the best interest of their communities in their decision making and also pull back the political curtain and bring a new level of transparency to bring the citizens back into the mix of decisions that effect us all.
The qualities that I possess that I believe would make me a successful officeholder are very much the same qualities that make me a successful, good, and well rounded friend, brother, son, partner, and person. I'm empathetic and understanding of everyone's individual stories and journey while at the same time analytical in how I'm able to approach any situation. I'm able to separate the factual information, from the emotional response, and my own individual views on any issue. The fact that I'm not afraid to follow the unbeaten path allows me much more freedom to work on solutions and sets the groundwork to bring representatives from both sides of the aisle to discussions. I always look for a new approach or new view before making decisions and believe that everyone should have a seat and voice at the table for discussions and decisions. I'm compassionate and will fight not just for what I personally believe in but what is right for the greater good of those I serve. I understand that my views and beliefs end where the next persons begin and vice versa. I have always been an out of the box thinker and observer so I'm not limited to how I'm told things are or have to be but instead can also view the possibilities of what CAN be while never being afraid to ask why, when being told "that's just how things are".
The legacy that I would like to leave is to instill hope that no matter where you come from, what you look like, etc you can step up and help lead all of us to a positive change. I want to be remembered in history as someone that was able to break gridlock and find solutions that not only left my community and the state better than I found it but also created a blueprint on how things can be over how they are. If anything I want my legacy to be one that is positive and when discussed can be said that I not only worked as the same person I campaigned as but that I also was able to create the change that I always talked about wanting to see and be a part of.
The first of what would be considered historical events that I truly remember was the 100 Year Flood that struck North Carolina back in 1999. At the time I was 14-15 and my sister was still a baby. I remember it as most who lived through it like it was yesterday. We went to sleep late that night thinking it was just another hurricane only to be woken up early by the news that the river and creeks were all flooded and many of the road ways were already impassable. My step father was away with his job overseas so my mother was left with a baby and a teenager and no idea what she should do next. As the waters closed in we headed to higher ground with other family in the area. The water closed in there as well essentially making us an island before the National Guard set down the chopper in the field. We were told you come now or we don't know when we can come back for you. Being that she had a baby my mom and I left all of our stuff to make sure that my baby sister had everything she needed as we only had time and room for one bag. We got on a helicopter not knowing where we were going, when we could come back or even IF there would be anything to come back to. For the next month we and countless other members of our family stayed with my grandparents on the other side of the river that was not touched by the flood. It was during that time I truly learned what the UNITY in community meant as there was no differences just one goal and that was healing. I remember the President coming to town and getting to meet him. It was in that moment that I realized the power of our elected officials and how they can instill even in just a small way hope when you otherwise felt you didn't have any. That moment has always stayed with me. After that I spent the rest of my time there volunteering in any way I could and am just blessed that we were lucky to have a home to come back to unlike so many who lost everything and communities that still haven't fully recovered.
My first job like many in the town I grew up in was at Pizza Inn. The amazing thing is over 2 decades later I'm still close with all of those I worked with over the years proving just how influential those early experiences are to our personal growth. I had the job through most of high school since at that same time I began working in professional wrestling. I would go to school Monday-Friday and be on the road most weekends.
I love the entire Dan Brown line of books such as The DaVinci Code, etc but my all time favorites is a 3 way tie. 1984, Animal Farm, and Fahrenheit 451. Each just resonated and stuck with me through the years and in many regards were a catalyst for shaping how I viewed the world and more so politics. They are just as if not more relevant today as they were when they were written and serve to me as a constant reminder of what I don't want to become. Their cultural significance also can't be overlooked especially with Orwell (and a lesser degree Bradbury). Being born in 1984 the symbolism also was never lost on me when I think big picture and bringing things full circle.
I'm someone that believes music is the soundtrack to life and has it playing most of the day every day. I love music and my playlist much like my political philosophy runs the spectrum and pulls from so many sources from classical to Motown to country to rock to alternative christian to pop to top 40 and all things in between. So many songs are ear worms that at least once a day there is some song that gets stuck. The most recent was Peaches from the Super Mario movie soundtrack. Luckily anytime that happens I have a playlist that helps.
Something that has always been a struggle in my life is that I come from a family that genetically is disposed to anxiety. From an early age I have been diagnosed with a general anxiety disorder and in the past it kept me from being able to work in the public. I'm an advocate for talking about mental health because in many ways that is what opened me up to be able to do what I do today. When you stop seeing it as a stigma that you have to hide and can openly talk about it you realize not only how many others are struggling in silence but also the power that revealing it has in helping to maintain it. When you learn your triggers as well as what you can do to curve them you regain the power in your life. It is something that I will deal with the rest of my life but the difference of me now versus even a decade ago is now I control the narrative and don't allow a medical condition to stop me from achieving my dreams.
North Carolina has lost its identity. We once were the leader of the south and its time we get back to that. Our greatest challenge is finding a way to keep our traditions while also elevating what it is we do and what we are known for to position us for the future. We have to invest in our future while also remembering our past and our roots. When I say we have to invest in our future I mean energy, agriculture, technology, infrastructure, education, and business. These are all areas we at some point were leaders and where I believe in the next decade we can again be in all of those fields. We also have to stop what we have seen grow recently with super majorities abusing their positions to grab more power for themselves and in turn all but eroding the system of checks and balances. In a time where we need more accountability and transparency we need to move to creating laws and systems that do just that not ones that remove all credibility the public have left with politics.
I believe you need a mixture of all walks of life, backgrounds, and experiences. We have tried the format where only those seen as "elite" have been able to serve and it failed us. We have tried the format where only those with legal experience were elected and it to led to more bureaucracy and red tape. Using my belief that the best results and ideas come from when everyone has a voice at the table, in my perfect world of politics each chamber would be made up of just that. You would have the legal experts such as lawyers, former judges, etc. You would have farmers, small business owners, those blue collar workers from manufacturing plants, livestock, etc. You would have your white collar individuals who represent investments and the corporate side of business. You would have your teachers, your religious leaders, your scientist, your entrepreneurs, your real estate developers, your historians. You would have students, single parents, and those who work minimum wage jobs or before being elected had to work multiple jobs to make ends meet. Anytime you pigeon hole one aspect of what is needed or what is acceptable you guarantee you close out all of those other voices and ideas.
My entire campaign is based around giving the voiceless a voice so even before I was officially a candidate when I would be out in the community I constantly had people that knew I was considering running approach me with their stories. To me and it sounds cliche but every story is touching, memorable, and impactful because to that individual it is the biggest story. As their representative that is how I to have to be able to see it from their point of view. The thing is their stories aren't my stories to tell. In politics you to often see politicians retell a story to try and drive home whatever point it is they are trying to get voters to see about themselves. That is where I'm different. I listen and empathize with these stories not so I can use them later for my own gain but to know what it is that the people I plan to serve truly need from me. Many of these lives I have been able to be brought into for just a brief moment and they don't get help by me using it as a talking point but instead by knowing I have given each my personal word that I will carry each of their stories as part of my own into the House. They are the WHY in why I fight.
Trickle Down Economics
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
2022
Abbie Lane did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
2020
Abbie Lane completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Lane's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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Growing up in rural Eastern North Carolina I was raised by my mother who was one of thirteen children and had to quit school in the 8th grade and my stepfather who was the son of a Southern Baptist Minister who was on farms and in a tractor manufacturing plant from the time he was 18 until they closed the doors. Growing up we were lower middle class but I never knew that because my parents went without to make sure that I had the tools I needed to succeed. They instilled in me at an early age that it isn't about how much you have but what you choose to do with it and that mentality and work ethic has carried me through my life. Becoming one of the first in my family to attend college where I studied Cyber Crimes Technology, Criminal Psychology, and Business Marketing I decided to put down roots in the same community where I was raised and to give back for all that it had given me. Now at the age of 36 I'm married to my husband and have dedicated myself into being the voice of a community that for to long has been made voiceless and speak up and for all of those who have become or been made to feel disenfranchised.
- It's time we return the power to the people
It's time that people, principles, and possibilities again matter more than party affiliation
- We need a full review of all current laws on the book to modernize and stream line our justice system and remove all loopholes and redundancy
The areas of public policy that I'm most passionate about are modernizing and correcting our flawed voting and elections system, and bringing transparency and statesmanship back to politics. We must pull back the curtain and issue a full review of every law we currently have on the books to not just stream line and remove loopholes from our broken justice system but also bring the power back where it belongs (to the people) and give them more control over our government. I'm strong in my beliefs that access to high speed internet especially in rural areas is no longer a luxury but now a necessity the same as electricity and other utilities since it is now needed and will be needed more and more in every aspect of daily life from work to education to public safety moving forward. I'm fully committed to rebuilding our working and middle classes to again allow us all to help lift ourselves up as well as restore many freedoms that we have allowed ourselves to lose due to over regulation and taxation. While there are countless others the last cornerstone of my policy is unity and true equality where we start to work to bring all voices and ideas to the table to have a voice and a say in how we can work to again start to bind the wounds that have been formed in our communities and again become ONE people.
My political and theological ideology are truly a blend of a little of everything. I have always been a big believer that the best ideas come when you have all the voices at the table and that is how I structured my life to learn and grow if even slightly by everyone and everything I have encountered. One of my biggest inspirations is one that so many have and that is MLK Jr. Here was a man that didn't have to but still chose to not only stand for what he in his soul knew was right. Even when standing not only wasn't easy but he knew it could cost him everything. In the literal face of adversity he never faltered in his beliefs or convictions or allowed hate to ever fog his judgment. At least once a month I still listen to his "I Have A Dream" speech to remind me not just how far we as a society have come but how far we still have to go. It serves as a reminder to me that not just because something is politically acceptable or even legal is it always right and that we should always be aware that sometimes what is right doesn't coincide with what is legal. I carry that into how I have always viewed politics as a staunch reminder that we will always need those voices not afraid to speak up, stand up and be heard and go against the grain.
I believe the most important principles and characteristics for an elected officials are integrity, honesty, compassion, transparency, being a great listener, analytical, and having a willingness to serve others above your own self interest. A good elected official remembers their job is to serve not just the people of their party or only the voters who elected them but their entire community. It is important for elected officials moving forward to help change how politicians are seen and actively work to show they have the best interest of their communities in their decision making and also pull back the political curtain and bring a new level of transparency to bring the citizens back into the mix of decisions that effect us all.
The qualities that I possess that I believe would make me a successful officeholder are very much the same qualities that make me a successful, good, and well rounded friend, brother, son, husband, and person. I'm empathetic and understanding of everyone's individual stories and journey while at the same time analytical in how I'm able to approach any situation and separate the factual information, from the emotional response, and my own individual views on the issue. The fact that I'm not limited by party allows me much more freedom to work on solutions instead of party politics and sets the groundwork to bring representatives from both sides of the aisle to discussions. I always look for a new approach or new view before making decisions and believe that everyone should have a seat and voice at the table for discussions and decisions. I'm compassionate and will fight not just for what I personally believe in but what is right for the greater good of those I serve. I understand that my views and beliefs end where the next persons begin and vice versa. I have always been an out of the box thinker and observer so I'm not limited to how I'm told things are or have to be but instead can also view the possibilities of what CAN be while never afraid to ask why when being told "that's just how things are".
The first of what would be considered historical events that I truly remember was the 100 Year Flood that struck North Carolina back in 1999. At the time I was 14-15 and my sister was still a baby. I remember it still as most who lived through it like it was yesterday. We went to sleep late that night thinking it was just another hurricane only to be woken up early by the news that the river and creeks were all flooded and many of the road ways were already impassable. My step father was away with his job overseas so my mother was left with a baby and a teenager and no idea what she should do next. As the waters closed in we headed to higher ground with other family in the area before the water closed in there as well essentially making us an island before the National Guard set down the chopper in the field. We were told you come now or we don't know when we can come back for you. Being that she had a baby my mom and I left all of our stuff to make sure that my baby sister had everything she needed as we only had time and room for one bag. We got on a helicopter not knowing where we were going, when we could come back or even IF there would be anything to come back to. For the next almost month we and countless other members of our family stayed with my grandparents on the other side of the river that was not touched by the flood. It was during that time I truly learned what the UNITY in community meant as there was no differences just one goal and that was healing. I remember the President coming to town and getting to meet him and it was in that moment that I realized the power of our elected officials in if even just a small way restoring hope when you otherwise felt you didn't have any and that moment has always stayed with me. After that I spent the rest of my time there volunteering in any way I could and am just blessed that we were lucky to have a home to come back to unlike so many who lost everything and communities that still haven't fully recovered.
Like so many teenagers I started working during high school part time in a local pizza shop that pretty much everyone in my town at some point has worked in if they were raised here. I kept the job through high school. During that same time I also had the opportunity to live a life long dream up until that point and work in professional wrestling. So my week consisted of school and working my part time job Monday-Friday then being on the road most weekends Friday-Sunday and then doing it all over again. That dream that was a weekend thing in high school carried over and became a close to ten year career on top of finding time to still fulfill my promise to my parents and attending college.
I love the entire Dan Brown line of books in recent years but my all time favorites is a 3 way tie. 1984, Animal Farm, and Fahrenheit 451. Like so many all three were required for me in high school but each just resonated and stuck with me and in many regards were a catalyst for shaping how I viewed the world and more so politics. They are just as if not more relevant today as they were when they were written and serve to me as a constant reminder of what I don't want to become. Their cultural significance also can't be overlooked especially with Orwell (and a lesser degree Bradbury). Being born in 1984 the symbolism also was never lost on me when I think big picture and bringing things full circle.
I'm someone that truly believes music is the soundtrack to life and has it playing in some regard most of my day every day. I love music and my playlist much like my political philosophy runs the spectrum and pulls from so many sources from classical to Motown to country to rock to alternative christian to pop to top 40 and all things in between. So many songs are ear worms that at least once a day there is some song that gets stuck. The most recent was Dance Monkey by Tones & I. Luckily anytime that happens I have a playlist of classic Motown and classic Country that assist.
I have always seen the two chambers as equal in what their goals and functionality is. To me they are the left and right hand of our political system with each complimenting the other. When it comes to importance differences the biggest to me is the direct relation to which they serve the people. In the House you have more members so compromise is more affluent but its the closest representation of the people since each district is smaller allowing more one on one face time and feedback. In the senate you don't have that same ability due to having to serve a larger district and thus more individuals. This is why I have always felt the House is my calling for what I seek to achieve.
I believe you need a mixture of all walks of life, backgrounds, and experiences. We have tried the format where only those seen as "elite" have been able to serve and it failed us. We have tried the format where only those with legal experience were elected and it to led to more bureaucracy and red tape. Using my belief that the best results and ideas come from when everyone has a voice at the table in my perfect world of politics each chamber would be made up just that. You would have the legal experts such as lawyers, former judges, etc. You would have farmers, small business owners, those blue collar workers from manufacturing plants, livestock, etc. You would have your white collar individuals who represent investments and the corporate side of business. You would have your teachers, your religious leaders, your scientist, your entrepreneurs, your real estate developers, your historians. Anytime you pigeon hole one aspect of what is needed or acceptable you guarantee you close out all of those other voices and ideas.
North Carolina has lost its identity. We once were the leader of the south and its time we get back to that. Our greatest challenge is finding a way to keep our traditions while also elevating what it is we do and what we are known for to position us for the future. We have to invest in our future while also remembering our past and our roots. When I say we have to invest in our future I mean energy, agriculture, technology, infrastructure, education, business. These are all areas we at some point were leaders and where I believe in the next decade we can again be in all of those fields.
Our forefathers knew that absolute power corrupts absolutely and thus our system of checks and balances were founded to make sure that no one arm of government ever became to large as well as that the will of the people would always be put first requiring that for our system to work compromise would have to exist. That is what we have gotten away from with the extreme partisanship we see currently in politics where many are willing to give up their values and what it is they stand for so that their "team" can "win". I believe the ideal relationship between the governor and legislature is simple we have to get away from extreme partisanship and return to putting the people first. The system was designed to require compromise but today that no longer exist on either side of the aisle and both would rather do nothing than be seen as even remotely giving the other a win. In the end we all lose and suffer because of it. Legislatures need to again focus on doing whats right for the citizens they serve and not worry about how or what the governor will do with the bill. If you write solid stand alone bills the people will demand action. The governor needs to work as a leader instead of trying to be an extended arm of the legislature. By giving the governor line item veto power I feel we regain that balance that our forefathers envisioned because at that point all sides would again be forced to compromise and work together for the good of the state instead of just their party.
I believe its always beneficial to have open lines of communications and work on building relationships. Just because you may not agree on one idea doesn't mean you won't agree on another and need that persons vote. If you closed them out because of one difference you now have lost that opportunity to not just find the common ground on the idea you do agree on but to bring the other idea back to the table and find a solution that both of you are comfortable with.
I'm a strong believer in knowing not just your own strengths but also your weaknesses and putting the best people in the right spot to best succeed. Due to that concept the committees that I would want and hope to be a part of are Alcoholic Beverage Control/Appropriations, Agriculture & Natural & Economic Resources/Appropriations Information Technology/Education - Community Colleges/Elections & Ethics Law/Ethics/Redistricting/Regulatory Reform/Rules Calendar & Operations of the House/Transportation/Wildlife Resources.
I'm in a unique position being that I'm running on the Green Party ticket but identify as Unaffiliated. There currently isn't leadership outside of Republican and Democrat in the legislature so I not only would have to work in a leadership position but also work with both sides of the aisle. That is the role I would most want to take on is the bridge of sorts between the two islands we currently see across the aisle while working to build more bipartisanship alliances and caucuses.
As I mentioned before I have always lived my life where I pull small parts from everywhere so there isn't one former politician that I have modeled myself after. I have always been content being the first me instead of trying to mirror what made someone else successful.
Over the past decade that I have been involved in politics I have been approached and even offered opportunities to run for other positions but declined. Some would ask why would you instead take on a political battle that is a harder road instead of just changing what you are running for to have an easier path. For some who just want to be elected or prefer easy that works but that hasn't been my life nor is it what I'm about. From the time I decided I wanted to run it was always not just for this office but specifically in THIS district. Its hard to understand or even put in words but there has just always been something about the House that calls to me and my visions of the change I want to help bring. So right now no I don't see this as many others do as a place holder or a stepping stone to me I'm running for this office because it is where I believe I can best serve and best fit and there isn't a Plan B.
My entire campaign is based around giving the voiceless a voice so even before I was officially a candidate when I would be out in the community I constantly had people that knew I was considering running approach me with their stories. To me and it sounds cliche I know but every story is touching, memorable, and impactful because to that individual it is the biggest story. As their representative that is how I to have to be able to see it from their point of view. The thing is their stories aren't my stories to tell. In politics you to often see politicians retell a story to try and drive home whatever point it is they are trying to get voters to see about themselves. That is where I'm different. I listen and empathize with these stories not so I can use them later for my own gain but to know what it is that the people I plan to serve truly need from me. Many of these stories of these lives I have been able to be brought into for just a brief moment don't get help by me using it as a talking point but I have given each my personal word that I will carry each of their stories as part of my own into the chambers of the legislature as WHY I fight.
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Campaign finance summary
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See also
2024 Elections
External links
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Candidate North Carolina House of Representatives District 23 |
Personal |
Footnotes
Current members of the North Carolina House of Representatives
Leadership
Speaker of the House:Destin Hall
Majority Leader:Brenden Jones
Minority Leader:Robert Reives
Representatives
District 1
Ed Goodwin (R)
District 2
Ray Jeffers (D)
District 3
Steve Tyson (R)
District 4
James Dixon (R)
District 5
Bill Ward (R)
District 6
Joe Pike (R)
District 7
Matthew Winslow (R)
District 8
Gloristine Brown (D)
District 9
Timothy Reeder (R)
District 10
John Bell (R)
District 11
Allison Dahle (D)
District 12
Chris Humphrey (R)
District 13
Celeste Cairns (R)
District 14
Wyatt Gable (R)
District 15
Phillip Shepard (R)
District 16
Carson Smith (R)
District 17
Frank Iler (R)
District 18
Deb Butler (D)
District 19
Charles Miller (R)
District 20
Ted Davis (R)
District 21
Ya Liu (D)
District 22
William Brisson (R)
District 23
District 24
Dante Pittman (D)
District 25
Allen Chesser (R)
District 26
Donna White (R)
District 27
Rodney Pierce (D)
District 28
Larry Strickland (R)
District 29
Vernetta Alston (D)
District 30
Marcia Morey (D)
District 31
Zack Hawkins (D)
District 32
Bryan Cohn (D)
District 33
District 34
Tim Longest (D)
District 35
Mike Schietzelt (R)
District 36
Julie von Haefen (D)
District 37
Erin Paré (R)
District 38
Abraham Jones (D)
District 39
James Roberson (D)
District 40
Phil Rubin (D)
District 41
Maria Cervania (D)
District 42
Mike Colvin (D)
District 43
Diane Wheatley (R)
District 44
Charles Smith (D)
District 45
Frances Jackson (D)
District 46
Brenden Jones (R)
District 47
Jarrod Lowery (R)
District 48
Garland Pierce (D)
District 49
Cynthia Ball (D)
District 50
Renée Price (D)
District 51
John Sauls (R)
District 52
Ben Moss (R)
District 53
Howard Penny (R)
District 54
Robert Reives (D)
District 55
Mark Brody (R)
District 56
Allen Buansi (D)
District 57
Tracy Clark (D)
District 58
Amos Quick (D)
District 59
Alan Branson (R)
District 60
Cecil Brockman (D)
District 61
Mary Harrison (D)
District 62
John Blust (R)
District 63
Stephen Ross (R)
District 64
Dennis Riddell (R)
District 65
A. Reece Pyrtle (R)
District 66
Sarah Crawford (D)
District 67
Cody Huneycutt (R)
District 68
David Willis (R)
District 69
Dean Arp (R)
District 70
Brian Biggs (R)
District 71
Kanika Brown (D)
District 72
Amber Baker (D)
District 73
Jonathan Almond (R)
District 74
Jeff Zenger (R)
District 75
Donny Lambeth (R)
District 76
Harry Warren (R)
District 77
Julia Howard (R)
District 78
Neal Jackson (R)
District 79
Keith Kidwell (R)
District 80
Sam Watford (R)
District 81
Larry Potts (R)
District 82
Brian Echevarria (R)
District 83
Grant Campbell (R)
District 84
Jeffrey McNeely (R)
District 85
Dudley Greene (R)
District 86
Hugh Blackwell (R)
District 87
Destin Hall (R)
District 88
Mary Belk (D)
District 89
Mitchell Setzer (R)
District 90
Sarah Stevens (R)
District 91
Kyle Hall (R)
District 92
Terry Brown (D)
District 93
Ray Pickett (R)
District 94
Blair Eddins (R)
District 95
Todd Carver (R)
District 96
Jay Adams (R)
District 97
Heather Rhyne (R)
District 98
District 99
Nasif Majeed (D)
District 100
Julia Greenfield (D)
District 101
Carolyn Logan (D)
District 102
Becky Carney (D)
District 103
Laura Budd (D)
District 104
Brandon Lofton (D)
District 105
Tricia Cotham (R)
District 106
Carla Cunningham (D)
District 107
Aisha Dew (D)
District 108
John Torbett (R)
District 109
Donnie Loftis (R)
District 110
Kelly Hastings (R)
District 111
Paul Scott (R)
District 112
Jordan Lopez (D)
District 113
Jake Johnson (R)
District 114
Eric Ager (D)
District 115
Lindsey Prather (D)
District 116
Brian Turner (D)
District 117
Jennifer Balkcom (R)
District 118
Mark Pless (R)
District 119
Mike Clampitt (R)
District 120
Karl Gillespie (R)
Republican Party (71)
Democratic Party (49)
