Greensboro's African American Community Newspaper since 1967
Community members heard from candidates seeking positions in the N.C. Senate and N.C. House of Representatives this November during a candidate forum held on Sept. 12 at Temple Emanuel in Greensboro.
Bill O’Neil, senior reporter with WXII Channel 12, served as the moderator of the forum.
Candidates answered curated questions written by the Public Policy committee of the AAUW (The American Association of University Women) and the Temple Emanuel Social Action committee.
Candidates were asked a series of three questions, focusing on key topics such as voting, healthcare, education, and taxes.
Candidates running for N.C. House Districts 57, 59 and 62 and N.C. Senate Districts 26 and 27 were present for the debate.
The forum opened with questions about Senate Bill 20, which will make it unlawful to have an abortion after the twelfth week of a woman’s pregnancy and will require that abortion procedures be performed in a hospital and not in a healthcare clinic. House Bill 533 will prohibit abortion after conception except when necessary to preserve the life of the mother.
Tracy Clark, a Democratic candidate for N.C. House District 57, said, “I will always respect the woman’s right to choose about what makes the best sense for her body and her future, and that is along with her decision with her partner and in consultation with her doctor.” Clark currently was selected by the Guilford Democratic Party board to complete the unexpired term of District 57 Rep. Ashton Clemmons, who resigned earlier this year.
Clark also stated her opposition to public school funds being reallocated to private schools.
“It is very difficult to prove that it makes sense to take taxpayer dollars for the small wealthy subset of people, when our teachers are drastically underpaid, our staff is underpaid, there are employee shortages. So I am adamantly against this bill,” she stated.
Clark’s Republican opponent is Janice Davis, shared that as a mother of eight children and a naturalized citizen from the Philippines, she supports the current bills on abortion. Davis also said she supports House Bill 1074, which will amend the N.C. Constitution to say “only a citizen of the United States” who meets all of the requirements can vote. North Carolina Constitution already states that “every person born in the United States and every person who has been naturalized, 18 years of age, and possessing the qualifications set out in this Article, shall be entitled to vote at any election by the people of the State, except as herein otherwise provided.”
“For the authenticity of our election we should ask for ID to verify they are a legal voter or not,” said Davis. “I am very comfortable and proactive supporting this bill [on abortion] for the 12 weeks, and then if there is a problem with the child or harm to the mother, then it’s 20 weeks.”
N.C. House District 59 Republican incumbent Alan Branson said that he believes that abortion decisions should be left to individuals.
“I think the state and the federal government should not be involved in this. I think it should be solely left up to the individual families,” said Branson, who will face Democrat Tanneshia Dukes on the ballot. Dukes also agreed that women should have autonomy over their own reproductive rights.
“I think that privacy is between a woman and her doctor,” said Dukes. “This issue comes back to access and opportunity. That means that if a person does not have the money to foot the bill, this is now an unwanted pregnancy. Not just an unwanted pregnancy, but it also goes back to the high maternal mortality rate, which North Carolina is leading in. This is something that should have never hit the house floor.”
N.C. House District 59 candidates were also asked about approving medical marijuana, with Branson saying that he can’t support it because he is a business owner with a fleet of CDL (commercial driver’s license) drivers who are drug tested regularly.
“The insurance companies, the owners and operators are not on their side, and that is my reason for not standing with medical marijuana,” he said.
Davis noted that when it comes to approving medical marijuana, she would support it, but it all comes down to what guidelines will be used to determine access for patients.
“When we talk about medical marijuana, we also have to discuss who has access and what that opportunity looks like, such as who is able to get a doctor’s prescription and what those parameters will be. The same goes for dispensaries,” said Davis.
Candidates running in the N.C. House District 62 race are Republican incumbent, John Blust and Democrat, Marjorie Benbow.
Blust said he supports a law that restricts abortion, and he supports public funds being used to fund vouchers for private schools.
“I’m not for interfering with anybody’s reproductive health,” said Blust. “But one side of this issue just doesn’t seem to want to admit or recognize that there’s two lives involved, not just one. And who speaks for the other life involved?” he said.
Blust also said his support of school vouchers comes down to school choice and the unique talents of individual students.
“I’m way more worried about producing the outcomes from children learning actual things, rather than just measuring the inputs and having bragging rights,” he said.
Benbow said that she does not support the North Carolina legislature’s abortion bill or private school vouchers when that money can be used for teacher and staff salaries.
“We should be increasing teacher pay. Too often teachers use their own money to pay for supplies. If I get elected, I will take these vouchers out. I promise. Access to public education is a right for the citizens,” said Benbow.
N.C. House 60 Democratic incumbent Cecil Brockman and Republican challenger, Joseph Perrotta did not participate in the forum.
In the Senate District 26 race, Republican incumbent Phil Berger will face Democratic challenger Dr. Steve Luking. Berger reiterated his support of abortion restrictions.
“We in the General Assembly tried to take a balanced approach to what we did, and it’s my belief that Senate Bill 20 represents that balanced approach. At some point, when does the fetus deserve protection too,” said Berger, who also gave his support to House Bill 10, which requires all N.C. Sheriffs’ departments to hold detainees for up to 48 hours when immigration status is unknown and must comply with federal ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) laws.
Luking, a physician, remarked that he did not support the abortion bill, nor HB 10 and reminded people that the state’s agriculture industry largely depends on undocumented workers.
“I’m not in favor of Senate Bill 630. I’m a family doctor and I’ve fought my whole life to preserve life, save life and extend lives. But I also fought my whole life as a doctor to honor the autonomy of each patient to make their own rightful decision on how they care for themselves and their own healthcare,” said Luking.
On school vouchers, Luking said, “School vouchers are a trickery for the rich, and it’s ignoring all of the one and a half million public school students who are depending on a solid education from our state,” he said.
Alvin Robinson, a Constitution Party candidate, is also on the ballot running for the N.C. Senate District 26 seat in the Nov. 5th General Election. Robinson was not present at the forum.
The N.C. Senate District 27 race is between Democrat incumbent Michael Garrett and Republican challenger Paul Schumacher.
Garrett noted that taxpayer funds should not go to private school vouchers, because public schools have always provided upward mobility for students.
“Public education is always what has created opportunity for families in this country. Public education is the ladder that children climb to pursue their dreams,” said Garrett. “They say it’s about school choice. But does the assembly talk with people trying to work two or three jobs to make ends meet, to provide for their family? Do they really have that choice? Absolutely not.”
Garrett also supports women’s rights to have choices regarding their reproductive rights.
Schumacher said he supports the abortion bill, and that more investment is needed in public schools, but he supports school choice and private school vouchers.
“I don’t want to legislate women’s bodies, but I do believe that being in a medical facility [for and abortion] is well worth it,” he said, adding, “School vouchers should be the same for all income levels. The grades coming from our schools is abysmal; and the outcomes on national tests need to be improved.”
Early Voting begins on October 17. The General Election November 5.
