As a product of the public schools in North Carolina, I have witnessed and experienced the range of creative and innovative policies already available to our students. Our universities and community colleges are successfully training our workforce to compete in a global and diverse economy and I recognize the importance of continuing to develop high quality vocational programs so that our students have even more opportunities. I am committed to working with state leaders to provide choices to families, support for our teachers, and the programs students need to succeed.
Our educators have worked diligently to adapt to new challenges, while ensuring our students received the quality education they deserve. In the North Carolina General Assembly, I voted to give North Carolina teachers a pay raise- the sixth year in a row of educator pay raises, which increased the average North Carolina teacher salary.
There is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to educating our children and preparing them for the future. We owe it to our children and the future of our state to provide quality education that offers a range of choices in order to best meet the academic needs and abilities of every student. We need policies that afford parents and students choices at the local level, within our higher education system, as well as a wide range of vocational education options.
Healthcare costs continue to spiral out of control. Residents in rural communities continue to face shortages in care and limited access to specialists, preventing them from receiving the quality care they deserve. During my time in the North Carolina Senate I have sought innovative solutions that control runaway costs, increase healthcare access, and provide relief to North Carolinians burdened by healthcare costs. That’s why I advocated for legislation during the 2021-2022 session that helped increase access to healthcare, cut costs and expand Medicaid.
Healthcare should be patient-oriented and proactive. We need not only to try to address the barriers to quality healthcare, but in conjunction, the barriers to transportation, education and even the motivation to be healthy.
Doctors and medical providers face barriers too: government regulation, costly malpractice insurance, liability and medicaid reimbursement limitations. As your Senator, I will work to tackle many of these obstacles that plague access to quality care in our district.
I know families are struggling under the burden of higher grocery bills, higher gas prices and runaway inflation. I’ve worked hard to provide families with the financial relief they need. That’s why I voted to cut state income taxes in half and made the first $25,000 of every North Carolina family’s income completely tax-free.
As a business owner, I know the challenges our small businesses and corporations face with the rise of inflation. I understand economic recovery should emphasize the need to cut inflation and help ease the burden placed on North Carolina families.
My colleagues and I in the General Assembly have done much to drive down corporate tax rates, control government spending and implement policies that have helped our state’s economy to grow in many areas. District 11 represents a diverse economy with both rural communities and rapidly growing urban areas. It’s important we have leadership that recognizes the dynamic needs of different industries.
As I have done in the North Carolina House and Senate, I will continue to work with other state leaders to adopt business-friendly policies that drive private sector investment and encourage economic growth in all types of communities to create more jobs across the state.
I know farmers don’t quit until the job is done and I promise to do the same as an advocate for the agriculture industry.
Our state is built on a foundation of agriculture and hardworking farmers. I know this better than most, having grown up on a farm in Nash County. I have been married my husband Johnny for over 35 years, and since then it has been an honor to work alongside him within the agribusiness industry- growing some of NC’s finest sweetpotatoes.
I have always been a proud advocate for the agricultural community and most recently had the privilege of serving as Chair of the NC Senate Agriculture, Energy and Environment Committee, and also voted to override Governor Cooper’s veto of SB 582- the NC Farm Act of 2023.
