Barbara Gaskins

This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.

Barbara Gaskins

Democratic Party

Elections and appointments

Last election

November 8, 2022

Personal

Birthplace

Washington, N.C.

Profession

Nonprofit founder

Contact

Campaign website

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Barbara Gaskins (Democratic Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent North Carolina's 3rd Congressional District. She lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.

Gaskins completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Barbara Gaskins' career experience includes founding a nonprofit.

Elections

2022

See also: North Carolina's 3rd Congressional District election, 2022

North Carolina's 3rd Congressional District election, 2022 (May 17 Democratic primary)

North Carolina's 3rd Congressional District election, 2022 (May 17 Republican primary)

General election

General election for U.S. House North Carolina District 3

Incumbent Gregory Murphy defeated Barbara Gaskins in the general election for U.S. House North Carolina District 3 on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Gregory Murphy (R)	66.9	166,520
		Barbara Gaskins (D)	33.1	82,378

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 248,898
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House North Carolina District 3

Barbara Gaskins defeated Joe Swartz in the Democratic primary for U.S. House North Carolina District 3 on May 17, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Barbara Gaskins	80.8	23,051
		Joe Swartz	19.2	5,495

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 28,546
= 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.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Tyron Brown (D)
• Jason Minnicozzi (D)

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House North Carolina District 3

Incumbent Gregory Murphy defeated Tony Cowden, Eric Earhart, George Papastrat, and Brian Friend in the Republican primary for U.S. House North Carolina District 3 on May 17, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Gregory Murphy	75.7	50,123
		Tony Cowden	14.1	9,332
		Eric Earhart	4.9	3,274
		George Papastrat	2.7	1,789
		Brian Friend	2.6	1,698

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 66,216
= 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.

Campaign themes

2022

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Barbara Gaskins completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Gaskins' responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I have grown up and lived my entire life in Eastern North Carolina, and I have seen firsthand the struggles our community faces. I am a mom of three boys, a founder of an incarceration re-entry non profit, and someone who has fought every day to stand up for my neighbors. As a young black woman in the south, I know that the American dream has not always been in reach. But I am running because I believe the American dream can be achieved for all of us. If we have representatives on our side, we can make history – together.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• Our youth is the future of North Carolina, and education is the foundation of that future. Our buildings, our teachers, and our students should be given every resource and opportunity they need to succeed in the 21st century. Every child should have access to quality education regardless of status and we need to invest in their education for the benefit of them, their families, and our communities.
• As someone with a personal experience with the criminal justice system, as well as someone who works day in and day out with current and formerly institutionalized individuals, I know that our criminal justice system can do better. Reforming the criminal justice and policing systems in North Carolina is not a one size fits all solution. We must work together to make reform that is fair, effective, and durable.
• Eastern North Carolina has been falling behind on our infrastructure. With the loss of jobs, the standstill economy, and a lack of leadership we haven’t been able to prioritize our crumbling infrastructure. Infrastructure to me, includes a broad range of topics. Including roads, bridges, canal systems, and clean drinking water to broadband, affordable housing, storm infrastructure, and our environment.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Reviving and rebuilding our infrastructure. Protecting our Veterans and active military. Bringing jobs back to ENC, as well as improving our local economy. Restoring our criminal justice system. Providing accessible broadband. Expanding our healthcare.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

I look up to my grandmother. Our family bloodline goes back to the founding of Eastern North Carolina. My great great great grandfather., Nero Kornegay, was held as a slave right here in craven county, and my grandmother is the last of the Kornegay name. She was born in the 1920’s to a farmer and raised in Ayden NC. My grandmother lived through the Great Depression, both world wars, Jim Crow, and the Civil Rights movement. After her husband passed away, she worked tirelessly to provide for her 5 children. Although our family history and the color of her skin unduly barred her, she persisted in finding that American Dream that Nero had envisioned for us. I would love to follow in her footsteps of providing for those around her and finding my own American Dream.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

I believe that the number one responsibility for someone elected to any office, is to put the people above everything. We are elected by the people, and we must do our best to represent them and fight for their needs. It's our job to bring their voice to the table, and not bring our own personal or party bias above that voice.

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

I grew up in ENC and our family didn’t have a lot of money. I had experienced racism from an early age through job interviews, schooling, and the criminal justice system. When I was a teenager I had my first experience with law enforcement, one which made me realize that I needed to work to help those like me, like you, get real justice and make their way back from incarceration. I earned my education, I started a non profit, and now I am running for Congress. Following in the footsteps of the American Dream that was laid out in front of me in the 1700s.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for representatives to have previous experience in government or politics?

I think it's beneficial, but not necessary. As someone who doesn't have political experience but who has worked with local government agencies, non-profits, and our community I think that "outsiders" provide a unique and fresh take to governing.

What do you perceive to be the United States’ greatest challenges as a nation over the next decade?

I think climate change, the economy, and our infrastructure will be huge challenges we face as a nation. If we don't put in the work now, these issues will only increase. I also think that the polarization within the parties will also be a huge challenge we face. As misinformation spreads and distrust in the government increases, it's going to be harder and harder to focus on the people instead of the party. We need to counteract this by electing people who will focus on the issues at hand. We need to make voting easier, we need to work together, and we need to unify our country.

Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking?

I believe that compromise is necessary, but to a point. When I'm elected I will work across the aisle to get things done for my district. Sometimes that will include compromising on some parts of the policy. But in the end, I will put the needs of my community first and if we stand to benefit then I will do anything in my power to get it passed.

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.

Campaign website

Gaskins' campaign website stated the following:

“	Investing in Our Future Our youth is the future of North Carolina, and education is the foundation of that future. Our buildings, our teachers, and our students should be given every resource and opportunity they need to succeed in the 21st century. Every child should have access to quality education regardless of status and we need to invest in their education for the benefit of them, their families, and our communities. One of the many issues we face in North Carolina is a need for better childhood education. Our K-12 public education system is ranked 32nd in the country. We must ensure and expand early childhood education for all children, especially those who have been left behind in underserved or marginalized communities. We also need to create the resources to allow our children proper access to higher education and specialized education. Our children are the future of North Carolina. We must provide an education system that props up our children, one that helps them succeed and grow. The Plan: Revamp our accountability models so we can prepare children for the future. Invest in diversifying our school training through cultural awareness and inclusion. This Includes access to trade, work based, military, and specialized schooling for children to have an informed choice about their future and their job prospects. Extend and expand the use and the size of stabilization grants in North Carolina so our working families can gain access to high quality ECCE. Fund practices such as Creative Arts programming to help aid children’s social emotional learning as well as their academic learning. Target school infrastructure spending to schools that need it the most. Increase educational opportunities for students to study abroad and host international students. Rebuilding The Middle Class Eastern North Carolina is in a rut. Our economy is slowing down and job opportunities are leaving our area. Unemployment and poverty rates in Eastern North Carolina are consistently much higher than the state average. Our median household income averages around $44,000 and PCI of $23,850 as of 2018. We need to act now so that we can turn ENC back into a place where agriculture, blue collar jobs, and innovation can thrive. We can market our young talent from our colleges, our vacant warehouses, and our key location as an incentive to move companies to ENC. Over the last few years, we have seen a few aerospace, research, and science based companies move into Eastern North Carolina. We have the opportunity to continue growing our specialized workforce and improving our economy. Eastern North Carolina is one of the top agricultural producers throughout the state. We need to expand our agriculture, our fisheries, and make sure we are investing in clean ways to do this. In our district, we also have Port Moorehead, one of two ports in North Carolina. We need to invest in and expand our port so that we can import and export goods while bringing in more jobs. Our communities can grow, but only if we elect someone who understands the issues at hand. The Plan: Provide on the job training in both public and private sectors, which include reimbursement to employers for the extra costs of training. Increase the incentives for companies looking to relocate to ENC. Invest in expanding our agricultural production, fisheries, and small businesses. This includes providing education, training, and resources for people looking to go into these areas. Providing our existing industries and employees with the resources they need to retain, recruit, and become the top talent we need to move into the 21st century. Reforming Our Criminal Justice System As someone with a personal experience with the criminal justice system, as well as someone who works day in and day out with current and formerly institutionalized individuals, I know that our criminal justice system can do better. Reforming the criminal justice and policing systems in North Carolina is not a one size fits all solution. We must work together to make reform that is fair, effective, and durable. Fighting for all of us begins at the foundation of our criminal justice system. We must ensure that all of our courts improve the quality of justice for our citizens as well as create better policies to ensure fairness at all levels of justice involvement. We must establish more equitable partnerships between police and the communities they serve. We must destigmatize mental health and substance use treatment and provide evaluations after use of force situations occur. Our future in North Carolina depends on our ability to reinvest in our communities. We will build community infrastructure that can support formerly incarcerated people as they rebuild their lives. The Plan: Support and create policies to ensure fairness at all levels on bail, arraignment, pre-trial, trial, and sentencing. Legalize Marijuana to not only decrease deaths from opiate overdose, but to boost the economy for both the state and the federal governments, reduce crime on the streets, and ease the monetary burden placed on the courts and families due to marijuana based charges and work to reinvest in communities in which families were broken up due to marijuana. Investing in our most vulnerable communities. Fund resources for mental health treatment and substance abuse treatment for our communities – including currently and formerly incarcerated individuals. Utilize those who have lived experiences to assist formerly incarcerated individuals by meeting them where they are and helping them get to where they need to be through coaching, mentoring, and supportive services. Create incentives for companies to hire formerly incarcerated people. Provide job training and educational resources for the formerly incarcerated. Increase funding and resources for a community policing system, so that police officers and the community can be more involved in holding each other accountable. Supporting House Bill 436 that came into effect this year, a great start in regards to mental health treatment for police officers. Rebuilding Our Communities Eastern North Carolina has been falling behind on our infrastructure. With the loss of jobs, the standstill economy, and a lack of leadership we haven’t been able to prioritize our crumbling infrastructure. Infrastructure to me, includes a broad range of topics. Including roads, bridges, canal systems, and clean drinking water to broadband, affordable housing, storm infrastructure, and our environment. Our affordable housing is decreasing as the years pass. As the economy declines, our rental and buying prices have gone up. In ENC, our rural broadband is not up to standard. With our environment changing our flooding systems, canals, and buildings can’t keep up. And as we forget to clean up and invest in our parks, beautiful beaches, and rivers our pristine landscapes are being damaged. It’s time now more than ever to work together, across the aisle, to fix these life-altering issues and improve our infrastructure. The Plan: Secure funding through Bidens Infrastructure Bill to ensure that our cities have the ability to improve our roads, bridges, and clean drinking water. Provide affordable and accessible broadband to every person in ENC. Invest in the years of defunded care to our parks, coast, and pristine landscapes. Secure funding to improve and expand Port Moorhead. Provide housing subsidies for companies that want to build affordable housing. Implement a land value tax for those who are looking to build. (It shouldn’t cost more in taxes for someone to build affordable housing apartments then to build a parking lot) Reducing our rental costs by increasing available housing, which will create more jobs. Introduce funding for clean agriculture research and implementation to help preserve our environment. Protecting Our Veterans There are over half a million veterans living in North Carolina and 9 military bases and installations. In Eastern North Carolina, we have Marine Corps Camp Lejeune as well as Seymour Johnson Air Force Base. We need to invest in our veterans care, which includes destigmatizing and providing long term access to mental health and substance abuse treatments. The multiple military installations in the district are an integral part to our local economy and to our communities. We need to ensure the care they are receiving is up to par. This goes for active military as well as veterans. As they fought proudly for our freedoms, we must in turn fight for them during and after their service has finished. The Plan: Rebuild and better fund our VA hospitals and treatment facilities. Invest in more affordable housing options for veterans. Provide resources and training programs for veterans to re-enter the workforce or civilian life after they’re out of the military. Invest and prioritize the North Carolina for Military Employment program, that helps veterans overcome obstacles in finding civilian employment. Incentivizing private military contractors to update and make renovations to military housing on a yearly and as needed basis. Support new legislation to better handle sexual assault claims within the military. Expanding Our Healthcare North Carolina is ranked one of the worst health care systems in the United States based on access, cost, and outcomes. With growing unemployment and poverty in ENC, we need to make sure that our healthcare is able to provide life saving treatment, while not bankrupting anyone. Deciding whether to live or die because you can’t afford health insurance is not acceptable. North Carolina is also ranked 9th in people over 65. By 2025 the state government estimates that 1 in 5 residents will be over 65. This alone requires us to take a look at our current healthcare system and rework it to provide for our citizens in the future. We must revamp our healthcare system to provide better access. The Plan: Expand Medicaid. Incentivize providers to move into less accessible areas to increase competitiveness and decrease cost. Expand funding into the NC DHHS, to improve healthcare access and transportation services. Expand and enforce Obamacare. Invest and destigmatize the idea of access to healthcare for all. Protect a woman’s constitutional right to choose. Expand access to women’s healthcare resources, including OB GYN check ups, birth control, STI checks, and mental health resources.	”
—Barbara Gaskins' campaign website (2022)

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2022 Elections

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Candidate

U.S. House North Carolina District 3

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Footnotes

[show]

North Carolina's current delegation to the United States Congress

Senators

Ted Budd (R)

Thom Tillis (R)

Representatives

District 1

Donald Davis (D)

District 2

Deborah Ross (D)

District 3

Gregory Murphy (R)

District 4

Valerie Foushee (D)

District 5

Virginia Foxx (R)

District 6

Addison McDowell (R)

District 7

David Rouzer (R)

District 8

Mark Harris (R)

District 9

Richard Hudson (R)

District 10

Pat Harrigan (R)

District 11

Chuck Edwards (R)

District 12

Alma Adams (D)

District 13

Brad Knott (R)

District 14

Timothy Moore (R)

Republican Party (12)

Democratic Party (4)