North Carolina State Senate District 50 candidate surveys, 2022

Elections in North Carolina, 2022

---

On the ballot: U.S. Senate • U.S. House • State Senate • State House • Supreme court • Appellate courts • Local ballot measures • School boards • Municipal

This article shows responses from candidates in the 2022 election for North Carolina State Senate District 50 who completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey.

• Click here to see candidates and election results.
• Click here to see Candidate Connection survey responses.

Candidates and election results

General election

General election for North Carolina State Senate District 50

Incumbent Kevin Corbin defeated Karen McCracken in the general election for North Carolina State Senate District 50 on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Kevin Corbin (R)	66.2	59,534
		Karen McCracken (D)	33.8	30,347

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 89,881
= 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.

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

Click on a candidate's name to visit their Ballotpedia page.

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.

Expand all | Collapse all

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?

Karen McCracken (D)

Together, we can make like a bit better for the people in our region and beyond.

Be the change you want to see.

Shake Out of Complacency and Move Into Positive Action.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Karen McCracken (D)

1. Healthcare Accessibility and Affordability-Medicaid Expansion, partnership with medical schools to develop internships in low access areas, inviting more health insurance providers to the state.

2. Education/Job Training-Partnering with Community Colleges, Trade Schools, and High Schools to teach, train, and certify students for construction careers such as HVAC, plumbing, electrician, and green energy. Developing a skilled work force helps with drawing businesses to the area, increases money flowing through the area, and addresses the housing crisis. 3. Addressing Drug Addiction through prevention and recovery programs-gain input from counselors, addicts in recovery, families, and service providers. Invite recovery programs into the jails. Partner with public transportation to allow jail inmates to work while awaiting trial. Increase transitional housing availability. 4. Environmental-Economic Partnership-We need to be strategic in utilizing our resources. Rather than pitting environmental concerns against economic concerns, the two need to cooperate so taking care of the planet is economically profitable: more jobs, better health, lower energy costs, less foreign dependence. 5. Broadband/Internet Accessibility-Fine broadband providers who have not fulfilled their duties as they promised they would. Several providers received contracts, grants, and incentives but have insufficiently provided access and have not provided enough bandwidth.

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

Karen McCracken (D)

When I was a girl, my dad said Irene Hooper was a "mover and a shaker." That sounded interesting to me, so I investigated what it was to be a "mover and a shaker." When I saw how she lived her life, shaking up the status quo to move people into cooperative, positive action, I decided I wanted to grow up to be like her. Her efforts to make her community better inspired me to do what I could to make my community better. Together we can make life a bit better for the people of Western North Carolina and beyond. We can shake ourselves out of complacency and move into positive action.

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

Karen McCracken (D)

Read about Robert Greenleaf.

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

Karen McCracken (D)

Understand the issues and impacts of legislation. "Impact" includes short-term and long-term effects and side effects/ripple effects.

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

Karen McCracken (D)

"A quiet, introspective person... a deep thinker. She will make decisions and always be prepared." Linda Phelps, Waynesville.

"Detail conscious. Organized. Reliable. Very good work ethic. You believe in doing a job completely and doing it well." Janice Burnette, Sylva

"I believe Karen can do anything she sets her mind to." Doris Higdon, 4th grade report card.

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

Karen McCracken (D)

Do what's right, not what's easy.

What legacy would you like to leave?

Karen McCracken (D)

When I die, I want people to be able to say, "My life was better because I knew Karen Burnette McCracken."

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

Karen McCracken (D)

In the George Bush-Dan Quayle election, I was in third grade. The student teacher led us in a discussion about who we'd vote for and why. I was 8 years old.

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

Karen McCracken (D)

As a child, I fed the neighbor's pets. When I was a college student, I had some tutoring jobs and some summer internships. My first real job was working for Subway. I worked on and off for Subway from 2003-2014. Whenever I'd return to school or pursue a venture, the store owner would let me know the door was open to return. I would usually work a few hours when I was on school break which helped the store owner out because several of his employees were away on break.

What is your favorite book? Why?

Karen McCracken (D)

C.S. Lewis's Narnia series. Understanding the world of Narnia helps me to understand my own world.

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

Karen McCracken (D)

Captain Marvel.

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

Karen McCracken (D)

"This is the song that never ends..."

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

Karen McCracken (D)

As a foster parent, I love the children, but because of their trauma, they have a difficult time receiving and reciprocating love. Learning to love them in ways they can receive it rather than how I want to give it is a challenge.

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

Karen McCracken (D)

Collaborate to develop good, enforceable, fair laws for the betterment of North Carolina.

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

Karen McCracken (D)

Residual effects of addiction. It leads to additional trauma, domestic violence, increased crime, homelessness, worker shortages, DSS strain, increased incarcerations, poor academic performance, and housing shortages.

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

Karen McCracken (D)

Our system is based on checks and balances. A unicameral legislature may streamline processes, but it loses some of the checks and balances.

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

Karen McCracken (D)

Yes

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

Karen McCracken (D)

Yes. Shared knowledge and wisdom are helpful. Let's not re-invent the wheel.

What process do you favor for redistricting?

Karen McCracken (D)

Third-party outsourcing based on population numbers with consideration for county lines and natural borders.

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

Karen McCracken (D)

Justice and Public Safety because of my experience as a jail chaplain and as a foster parent.

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

Karen McCracken (D)

N/A

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

Karen McCracken (D)

Joe Sam Queen was a visible presence in his district. At events, he congratulated communities on their successes. Mike Clampitt goes over and beyond to be a resource for people in and out of his district. He has a genuine desire to help people.

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

Karen McCracken (D)

One election at a time.

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?

Karen McCracken (D)

One of my mentors shared with me how when she was a girl, she had to wear sack clothes to school. (She hated it.) When she grew up, she worked at a clothing factory. At times she gave my siblings and me nice clothes, and she let our mom know when the factory had sales so my family could have the self-respect of buying nice clothes for ourselves. She became one of the most elegant women I know. She's a fashionista and a loving person. How poetic.

Tell us your favorite joke.

Karen McCracken (D)

I'd tell you a vegetable joke, but it's corny.

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

Karen McCracken (D)

There always needs to be a system of checks and balances.

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

Karen McCracken (D)

Yes. Let's listen to each other, learn from each other, find areas of agreement, and move forward.

See also

More about these elections:

• North Carolina State Senate elections, 2022

Select a district below to read responses from candidates in those races:

District 1District 2District 3District 4District 5District 6District 7District 8District 9District 10District 11District 12District 13District 14District 15District 16District 17District 18District 19District 20District 21District 22District 23District 24District 25District 26District 27District 28District 29District 30District 31District 32District 33District 34District 35District 36District 37District 38District 39District 40District 41District 42District 43District 44District 45District 46District 47District 48District 49District 50Submit