North Carolina House of Representatives District 98 candidate surveys, 2022

Elections in North Carolina, 2022

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This article shows responses from candidates in the 2022 election for North Carolina House of Representatives District 98 who completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey.

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• Click here to see Candidate Connection survey responses.

Candidates and election results

General election

General election for North Carolina House of Representatives District 98

Incumbent John Bradford III defeated Christy Clark in the general election for North Carolina House of Representatives District 98 on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		John Bradford III (R)	50.9	18,080
		Christy Clark (D)	49.1	17,420

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 35,500
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey responses

Ballotpedia asks all federal, state, and local candidates to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. The section below shows responses from candidates in this race who completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Survey responses from candidates in this race

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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.

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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?

John Bradford III (R)

I am a champion of tax reform to allow working families to keep more of their hard-earned money during tough economic times. This is driven by high inflation and a federal government that’s focused on spending our tax dollars and forcing us deeper into debt.

I am a strong promoter of better pay for NC teachers. I have voted for teacher pay raises every single year of my elected service. I support teacher performance bonuses for longevity as well as working to help low-performing schools.

I voted for legislation to keep our schools safe with over $400M in funding for safety improvements. I believe in establishing a task force of mental health care providers to retool state services to allow for early detection and treatment of at-risk children.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

John Bradford III (R)

- Champion of tax reform to allow working families to keep more money and help businesses solve the supply-chain issues that are driving inflationary costs for consumers.

- Keep our schools safe and establish a task force of mental health care providers to retool state services to allow for early detection and treatment of at-risk children.

- Strong promoter of better pay for NC teachers and voted for teacher pay raises every single year of elected service.

- Strong supporter of our active military, veterans, law enforcement and first responders.

- Advocate for IDD such as Autism and Down syndrome.

- I support Medicaid expansion along with a clear plan to ensure NC is proactively saving money for the future in case the federal government ever reduced their subsidized funding levels. Healthcare access for those who need it the most is incredibly important to me. NC must make sure it has the financial resources to cover any unforeseen changes in the federal funding level so that people do not lose immediate access to their healthcare & NC taxpayers do not have to pay the bill.

- I support NC’s current law which provides a woman’s choice up to 20-weeks. This has been NC’s law since 1973 and, notably, is longer than many other states and countries which have time limits on lawful abortions. After 20-weeks, I support special exceptions for cases such as when the mother’s health is in danger, rape or incest. Like most people, I do not support full-term abortions.

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

John Bradford III (R)

I look up to my parents and I am very lucky they are still alive. They have been married for 52-years and were high school sweethearts. I try to be like them because they have always worked hard and lived within their means. My parents are very kind and welcoming to everyone.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

John Bradford III (R)

The Peanut Butter Falcon is a heart-warming movie that focuses on an unlikely friendship between a troubled young man and another young man with Down syndrome. While this is not political philosophy per se' this topic is a passion of mine and I frequently sponsor legislation to help the Down syndrome and IDD community.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

John Bradford III (R)

Accessibility, Availability, Trust, Work-Ethic, Honesty and Integrity

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

John Bradford III (R)

I treat everyone with respect and work in a bi-partisan manner. I think we need more elected officials that can work across the aisle. It is healthy to disagree as long as it does not become personal and demeaning.

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

John Bradford III (R)

Serve their constituents honorably and to the best of their ability. Listen to the needs of the community and try to deliver positive and meaningful results.

What legacy would you like to leave?

John Bradford III (R)

I enjoy being an advocate for individuals that have Down syndrome. I try to lead by example. For example, I have hired 4 interns with Down syndrome to work for my legislative office. My company created its own philanthropy program to support the Down syndrome community and advocate for the adoption of foster, rescue, and shelter animals. https://www.petscreening.com/ps4ds

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

John Bradford III (R)

I remember the NASA Space Shuttle Challenger explosion like it was yesterday. We were watching it at school when it exploded. I am from SC and that mission was notable to me because there was an astronaut, Ronald McNair, on board who was also from SC. I was 11-years old.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

John Bradford III (R)

I had my very own neighborhood lawn business starting at 12-years old. I ran my lawn business until I turned 15 when I was hired by a local Radio Shack where I worked all the way through high school and also during my college Christmas breaks. My parents taught me the value of hard work at an early age and I continue that same work ethic today.

What is your favorite book? Why?

John Bradford III (R)

"Sam Walton: Made in America" He is the founder of WalMart and used fundamental business principles that still apply today.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

John Bradford III (R)

Take It Easy by the Eagles

What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the governor and state legislature?

John Bradford III (R)

The Executive and Legislative branches must find ways to work together. In NC, for example, the Governor always creates a budget that is sent to the legislature.

What do you perceive to be your state's greatest challenges over the next decade?

John Bradford III (R)

We must live within our means while providing essential services to our citizens. Our state is ranked #1 for business and we need to continue lowering taxes for hard working families. We must continue to focus on our education system because the quality of our tomorrow is directly determined by the quality of education we give students today. I have always been an education champion and will continue to be one as long as I serve.

What are the benefits and drawbacks of a unicameral state legislature, in your opinion?

John Bradford III (R)

The North Carolina General Assembly is a bicameral legislature of the State government of North Carolina.

Do you believe that it’s beneficial for state legislators to have previous experience in government or politics?

John Bradford III (R)

In my personal experience serving on my Town Board has been incredibly beneficial to my service in the state legislature.

Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other legislators? Please explain your answer.

John Bradford III (R)

Yes. It's incredibly important to build relationships with other legislators. I am a business owner and not a medical doctor or lawyer, for example. I have built bi-partisan relationships with other legislators that have strengths in areas that I do not have.

What process do you favor for redistricting?

John Bradford III (R)

I favor an independent process assuming that a true independent resource can be found.

If you are not a current legislator, are there certain committees that you would want to be a part of?

John Bradford III (R)

I am a current legislator.

If you are a current legislator, what appealed to you about your current committees?

John Bradford III (R)

As a small business owner I know the challenges that small business owners face on a daily basis. Most of my committees are business-related which allows me to bring first-hand experience to each one.

Is there a particular legislator, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?

John Bradford III (R)

No.

Are you interested in running for a different political office (for example, the U.S. Congress or governor) in the future?

John Bradford III (R)

No because I am focused on my current role.

Both sitting legislators and candidates for office hear many personal stories from the residents of their district. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful?

John Bradford III (R)

My office has strong constituent relations. There are many that are touching and memorable. We have helped many families that have children that have been diagnoses with PANS/PANDAS. I have a daughter that was diagnosed with PANS a few years ago so these cases are very personal and impactful to me.

Should the legislature oversee or grant the use of emergency powers?

John Bradford III (R)

In our state the legislature grants the authority to the Executive branch to use emergency powers.

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

John Bradford III (R)

Yes. Life is full of compromise and we need elected officials that are willing to compromise to pass reasonable legislation.

See also

More about these elections:

• North Carolina House of Representatives elections, 2022

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