Position/philosophy statement
Limited government, fiscal restraint, traditional values, protection of our constitutional Rights
Current Occupation
Legislator and former CPA
Age (optional)
59
Campaign Phone
252-220-5444
I am currently serving in my second term in the NC House. I was appointed as Deputy Majority Whip and was appointed as Chair or Vice-Chair of several committees in my second term which speaks to my capabilities. I hold a BBA from University of Georgia and practiced as a CPA for many years. My husband (Rob) and I have two married adult children and two grandsons (so far). Rob is a retired Army Special Forces Officer currently working for the USMC, so I am well-acquainted with military life in the US and overseas, which is helpful in serving the many veterans and their families in our District.
My overall goals are to maintain or expand the fundamental freedoms of North Carolinians across myriad issues: limiting taxes and regulations as much as possible, protecting our way of life in coastal communities (fishermen, hunters, gun owners, etc). There are three pieces of legislation I have already committed to working on next session including a seafood labeling law, efforts to expand medical options for veterans, and statutory guidance for shellfish leasing in Bogue Sound. Keeping in close contact with our county and town officials and responding to identified needs within the District are my top priorities.
Public education must be adequately funded while also helping parents access the best educational choices for their children. The focus of our schools should be the preparation of our students for workforce readiness and future success, while emphasizing the core basics of reading, writing and arithmetic. We must also support and grow our technical education opportunities with vocational and trade school support. North Carolina's commitment to our Community Colleges should be maintained and expanded to meet the workforce requirements of our rapidly growing state. Free speech and viewpoint diversity must be protected on our college and university campuses.
Tax policy should not be used to favor certain corporations, organizations or individuals over others. A simple and fair tax structure supports NC's economy by attracting human and financial capital to our state. In recent years, North Carolina has ranked consistently in the top few states for business and the inflow of investments and population growth. Our state's tax policy should ensure that the our public infrastructure needs are met and that the funding requirements for our education systems, state agencies and resource management services are adequate. Beyond that, to every extent possible, the resources earned and created by our people and the private sector should remain with them and not be transferred to the state.
Our laws must protect the law-abiding citizens and their ability to live and raise a family in a safe community. There is no greater responsibility of government. We must ensure that our law enforcement agencies are supported and well resourced and that our District Attorneys and Courts are given the tools needed to effectively prosecute and hold offenders responsible for their actions. I have worked closely with our law enforcement community and with our Conference of DA's to make changes as needed, and I commit to continue these efforts during future sessions.
I have been extraordinarily proud to represent Carteret and Craven counties in the NC General Assembly. We are blessed to live in such a wonderful area of our state. The beauty of our coastal community and the quality of our people are unmatched. I humbly ask for your support as I work to protect what makes our home so special and continue to serve you to the very best of my ability.
Position/philosophy statement
Y’all deserve someone who’ll work for ENC, not DC. Issues: Home Insurance Reform, Education, Military Families & Small Business, incl. fisheries. A lifelong North Carolinian, son of a Veteran, Farmer, & Teacher, driven by Faith to serve my Neighbors.
Current Occupation
Insurance
Age (optional)
49
Campaign Phone
2523920029
Campaign Youtube URL
The Crystal Coast doesn't need a politician. It needs a neighbor, one who wants to work for the residents of ENC, not DC. I've spent my career at the intersection of business, agriculture, & public policy; counseling small-business owners & homeowners working to protect what they've built. I listen, solve problems, & stand behind my word. As a school volunteer & father, I've seen what our children need to thrive and I'll work for it. Coastal families pay double the state average for insurance, and I've spent 20 years across the kitchen table, listening to what keeps families up at night — the same posture I'll bring to Raleigh: showing up, doing the work, & bringing results home to Carteret & Craven.
My top priority is to be accessible & transparent to all constituents. I'll look at every issue through the lens of this district & reach across the aisle, beginning with home insurance reform: coastal families face up to a 32% premium increase over 2 years (highest in NC), & I'll work to end the rate hikes that are pricing working families off the coast. I'll push to fully fund schools, expand opportunity for students, support teachers, & champion small businesses, civilian contractors, & the fishing families who've worked these waters for generations, support Cherry Point families & our veterans, & bring healthcare closer to home for every family. I'm ready to bring folks to the table & work for you the way you work for the Crystal Coast.
Every child in North Carolina deserves a sound, basic, adequately funded education, the promise in our state constitution. I will champion policies to reinvest in schools, raise teacher & support-staff pay, invest in early-childhood learning, & ensure rural & coastal systems like ours in Carteret & Craven get their fair share. Conversations about school choice must include an accessible, fully funded quality public option. After all, in rural communities like ours, the public school is often the only option. I’m the son of a teacher, the husband of an educator, proud graduate of NC public schools, & father to 2 kids in our schools. Let’s work to give kids more, not less, to build thriving communities of character.
Tax policy should reward work and investment in our own communities. Taxes should be low and predictable for small businesses, the backbone of this district, and cut the red tape piling costs onto them. Most small businesses pay through personal income taxes, so relief must reach them directly, not just big corporations. Low taxes still require smart spending: our police, teachers, and first responders deserve reliable funding and competitive pay. There should be real property tax relief programs so families aren't taxed out of their homes. The goal: working families keep more of what they earn while funding the services we all rely on. I’m against the amendment designed to benefit corporations and hurt our rural community.
Safe communities are built on relationships, not response times and arrest rates. I'll partner with our sheriffs and deputies, deputies our families know by name. I'd invest in mental-health resources and professional development for law enforcement officers, and back neighborhood-based community policing. On the law itself, I'd promote stronger penalties for repeat and violent offenders, expand treatment and mental-health courts to break the revolving door of the opioid crisis, and support school-safety laws that keep resource officers in our schools. I will push for policies to keep our first responders staffed and trained for hurricane and tourist seasons.
My family's roots in NC run deeper than the American Revolution. It isn't just where I live, it's who I am. I understand the struggle to avoid being the last generation to farm or fish, and the struggles many families are facing. In NC, an effective legislator must be a good listener, someone comfortable in disagreement, who keeps working with others to find solutions. I don't pretend to have all the answers. But I know how to listen, how to bring folks to the table, and how to find common ground; skills I've practiced in business, in agriculture, and in my community. While the leadership in Raleigh has too often overlooked rural ENC, I'll bring its voice to the table where decisions are made. This race matters because our district deserves a voice that reflects our needs, not just partisanship. I'm not running to be the loudest voice in the room. I'm running to be the most reliable one. Thank you for the opportunity to earn your vote.
