Candidates in Alamance County’s three legislative races split predictably along party lines on most, but not all, issues likely to come before General Assembly
Each of Alamance County’s three incumbent Republican state legislators will have a challenger in their races in the November 5 general election, as Democratic challengers have filed for each of the three seats in the General Assembly.
Republican state representative Steve Ross faces Democrat Robin Wintringham, who unsuccessfully ran for a seat on Burlington’s city council in the fall of 2023, in the race for state house district 63.
In house district 64, Republican state representative Dennis Riddell picked up a challenge from Democrat LeVon Barnes.
Incumbent Republican state senator Amy Scott Galey faces Democratic challenger Donna Vanhook of Burlington.
Ross is a financial advisor who lives in Burlington and previously served as a member of Burlington’s city council for 20 years and four years as the city’s mayor.
Wintringham lives in Burlington and lists her employment as “presently campaigning.” Her civic involvement includes Family Abuse Services of Alamance County and the county’s Department of Social Services, among other nonprofit organizations.
Riddell lives in Snow Camp and owns Freedom Earthworks Thermography Services, which uses thermal imaging to conduct residential energy audits; he previously served in the U.S. Naval Reserve, as an engineering officer in the U.S. Merchant Marine; and taught high school social studies.
Barnes is a healthful living teacher at the Center for Creative Studies, a magnet school within the Durham public schools system who lives in Mebane. He unsuccessfully sought an appointment in the fall of 2023 to serve out the remaining term of former Alamance-Burlington board member Patsy Simpson; ran in 2023 for chairman of the North Carolina Democratic Party, losing to current NCDP chair Anderson Clayton; and ran unsuccessfully for a seat on the Durham city council in 2017.
Galey is a licensed attorney who lives in Burlington and previously served four years as an Alamance County commissioner, including three years as the board’s chairman, prior to her elevation to the state senate in 2020.
Vanhook is a retired law enforcement officer and minister who lives in Burlington. She previously
ran unsuccessfully for mayor of Burlington in 2021 and currently serves as one of Alamance County’s elected soil and water conservation supervisors.
All six candidates for Alamance County’s state legislative districts provided their responses this week to a range of issues that they may encounter in the General Assembly.
The Alamance News sought responses from all six candidates – two who are running for the state senate district that includes all of Alamance County and part of Randolph County, as well as the two state house districts, each of which includes a portion of Alamance County.
Critical issues
There was some agreement, regardless of party affiliation, among the candidates about what issues they think are most critical for the state to address.
Galey listed the need to continue to improve education. Vanhook lists raising the minimum wage, childcare access, broadband connectivity, and affordable housing as “intersectional factors” to improve North Carolina’s economy.
On the state house side, Ross pointed to “dealing with the massive destruction in western” North Carolina, as well as an affordable housing crisis he believes will take years to overcome; Wintringham lists “equal rights” for women; Barnes says “it’s time to fully fund our public schools”; and like his incumbent counterpart, Riddell points to “destruction of the western part of the state” as the most pressing issue for the General Assembly to address.
Education
Asked whether state funding for public education should be increased, Galey crossed party lines, agreeing with Wintringham and Barnes that state funding for education is “too little.”
Vanhook didn’t respond to that question but did say that the state should fund the “Leandro plan,” i.e., uphold a 2022 recommendation by WestEd, a California-based educational consulting group, to increase state spending by $5.6 billion per year, starting in 2028, to remedy claims in a long-running lawsuit over whether the General Assembly is fulfilling its constitutional duty to provide a sound basic education to the state’s public school students. [That matter is currently awaiting a decision by the state Supreme Court, as to whether to uphold the so-called “transfer” of state funding for the Leandro plan.]
Vanhook also said the state’s Parents Bill of Rights, passed in 2023 and enacted in January 2024, should be repealed when asked about possible ways to improve the quality of North Carolina’s public schools.
Incumbents Ross and Riddell say they think that state funding for education is about right.
All three incumbent Republican state legislators say they support school choice, as well as state funding for “Opportunity Scholarships” to offset the cost of private school tuition.
“All children should have the ability to attend the school that best meet their needs, regardless of family of origin’s ability to pay,” Galey elaborates.
All three Democratic challengers say they oppose state funding for charter schools, as well as the use of state funding for Opportunity Scholarships.
Vanhook opines, “Opportunity scholarships are a systematic attempt to defund traditional public education by diverting millions of dollars to private religious schools.”
Business issues
The candidates split evenly along party lines about whether the state’s minimum wage should be increased from its current rate of $7.25 per hour.
The three Republicans say no increase is needed; the Democrats say they think it should be increased. Van Hook says it should be increased to “at least $15” per hour; Wintringham, to somewhere between $12 and $15 an hour”; Barnes didn’t give a dollar amount.
Public policy
The partisan split was similar when the six General Assembly candidates were asked about their views concerning potential gun control measures.
Galey, Ross, and Riddell said they think current gun laws are sufficient.
Vanhook says that, as a former law enforcement officer and gun owner, she supports universal background checks, red flags for domestic violence abusers, and bans on assault rifles. Wintringham says she believes that handgun ownership should be restricted to those 25 and older.
Barnes says that, as a licensed concealed carry gun owner, “I support red flag laws because they strike a balance between protecting public safety and upholding responsible gun ownership…while ensuring due process and safeguarding the rights of lawful owners.”
All six candidates say they support eh legalization of marijuana for medical uses. Wintringham adds, “Small quantities of recreational marijuana could be legalized”; and Barnes also supports the concept of legalizing recreational marijuana for adults 21 and older.
Asked about a 2015 law that that prevents the removal of historical monuments – i.e., any object of remembrance on public property, to include Confederate statues, such as that situated at the north side of Alamance County’s Historic Court House – the three Democrats say they would support legislation to allow removal, effectively overturning the 2015 law.
The three incumbent Republican legislators say they would oppose such legislation to allow the removal of Confederate monuments.
General issues
Each candidate was also asked to outline the top three priorities for his or her campaign.
Galey listed improving the economy and providing jobs; investing in public education; and providing resources to right crime and improve public safety. Vanhook listed fully funding traditional public education; ensuring reproductive freedom; and rural infrastructure development.
Ross said his top priorities include education reform, public safety, and affordable housing.
Wintringham, the Democratic challenger for house district 63, listed increasing the availability of affordable housing; improving public education; and women’s healthcare, which she implied to be reproductive freedom. “Women’s healthcare should be without political interference and between her, her physician, and God.”
Riddell cited safe communities and quality educational opportunities for all as his main priorities.
His Democratic challenger Barnes says, “Saving public schools is crucial for Alamance County’s future. We must fully fund education to improve conditions and teacher pay. I will also advocate for raising the minimum wage…Protecting women’s reproductive freedom is essential for equitable healthcare access.”
The General Assembly candidates’ answers to the issues questionnaires HERE. Biographical information is here: https://alamancenews.com/meet-the-candidates-for-general-assembly-state-senate-and-state-house-districts-63-64/
