North Carolina grew by nearly 150,000 people in 2025. Following Texas and Florida, it is the third largest state in population growth. Unfortunately, high interest rates, housing prices, and property taxes are pricing many people out of the market for buying a home. The Tarheel State is facing a severe housing shortage, especially after Hurricane Helene. Our state’s housing crisis must be addressed soon.
North Carolina lawmakers are right to be concerned about children’s safety online. Many apps available to kids can expose them to bullying, predators, harmful content, and addictive algorithms that many parents are struggling to manage. Doing nothing is not an option.
Lenoir County currently has a 3.5% unemployment rate, and the median income is just over $45,000. Legislation is moving through Congress that would hand Washington bureaucrats sweeping new authority over workplace contracts in eastern North Carolina and across the nation. As a conservative, I see this as disastrous, but this bill should gravely concern you regardless of your political affiliation. It will empower union bosses and unaccountable government arbitrators at the expense of workers andbusinesses alike.
North Carolina received $1.4 billion in federal funding for Hurricane Helene recovery. More than half was designated for single‑family housing. A year and a half later, only 30 single‑family homes have been completed through HUD‑supported programs—a pace that clearly falls short of the need in Western North Carolina.
Modern cars generate massive amounts of data—information that determines not only how they drive but also who can repair them, and which parts can service them. Right now, major automakers are leveraging this data to exclude both independent repair shops and aftermarket parts manufacturers from accessing the diagnostic information North Carolina drivers depend on. Unless Congress intervenes, this quiet power grab will negatively impact our state's manufacturing base, mechanics, and consumers.
Walk into almost any gas station in North Carolina and you’ll find gummies and vapes in bright, candy-colored packaging with names designed to appeal to children. They look harmless, but they aren’t. These are hemp-derived THC products, and right now, North Carolina has no age restrictions on their sale, meaning children can legally buy them.
America stands at a crossroads in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease. As a representative serving Cabarrus County, I see firsthand how this illness devastates families, drains savings, and places enormous strain on caregivers. It is not a distant policy issue—it is personal for millions of Americans. Congress must act now to challenge the President and his administration to launch a bold, coordinated national initiative to defeat Alzheimer’s once and for all.
From the beginning of his tenure in the North Carolina General Assembly, it’s always been evident that Thom Tillis was not a true right-wing, authoritarian extremist.
As a farmer and businessman, I commend our state leaders for their commitment to upgrading infrastructure, paving the way for North Carolina to become a thriving economic hub. From border to border, we can witness firsthand how investments are rejuvenating roads, bridges, and utilities, providing a solid foundation for long-term growth.
To describe North Carolina as one of America’s chief political battlegrounds is a well-worn cliché. I’ve certainly done my part to wear it out. In past columns I’ve called our state a “flirt” (which happens to be a reddish shade of purple) that still contains just enough split-ticket voters to surprise even the most experienced of political prognosticators
North Carolina’s Medicare enrollees are feeling the squeeze after the Democrats’ promises of reduced Medicare costs and better health care go unfulfilled. Over two years ago, the Biden-Harris administration introduced the “Inflation Reduction Act” (IRA) despite strong and unified GOP resistance. The left stood confidently behind the Biden-Harris Administration’s initiatives, despite rising costs and empty promises.
North Carolina’s future isn’t locked down by Republicans or Democrats—it’s the independents and swing voters who hold the real power." With 16 electoral votes at stake, faith is influencing both sides, but weaponizing religion to win political points only deepens the division. In this battleground state, independents will be the ones to tip the scales in 2024.
