Local Dem candidates share vision for future: Education, healthcare among main talking points

SALISBURY — Shoaf’s Wagon Wheel might be known for its dance nights, but on Saturday, it was packed with visitors to listen to various Democratic candidates introduce themselves and ask for their support.

The list of candidates at the Rowan County Democrats Annual Fun Fest included current Rowan-Salisbury School Board Chair Alisha Byrd-Clark, running for District 76 of the General Assembly; Dr. Rebecca Childs running for Byrd-Clarks’ vacated seat; Alissa Redmond, running for Rowan County Board of Commissioners; Tangela Morgan, running for District 33 of the NC Senate; Joanne Chesley, running for NC House District 83; and Ed Eldred, running for seat 14 of the NC Court of Appeals.

Despite campaigning for different positions, many of the candidate’s platforms overlapped. For example, access to equitable education was mentioned during multiple speeches.

“(Republican judges) have been rubber stamping what the Republican legislature has been doing,” Eldred said. “They are refusing to enforce the NC constitutional guarantee for our children to have free, basic, sound education.”

Byrd-Clark added, “I believe in a district where every child, regardless of their background, has access to high-quality education that prepares them for the future. Our teachers deserve not only respect but also the resources and compensation that reflects the critical role they play in shaping our children’s lives.”

Meanwhile, Redmond asked the room what it cared more about, expanding the airport or making sure the ceiling at Henderson Independent School didn’t fall in on students trying to eat their lunch.

Other candidates’ backgrounds included years of educational experience, like Chesley’s tenure across multiple levels of instruction from grade school to administration to college.

“To see how our public schools are being stripped of funding,” Chesley said of voucher programs, “I cannot stand on the sides.”

Morgan pointed to her time teaching at Knox Middle School and shared a message she recently received on Facebook from a former student.

“I just want to thank you for what you did for me in seventh grade,” Morgan began reading the message. “…Man, did I need you. You started me on a path of self-awareness and respect for others in a way I cannot even begin to thank you for. Because of you, I was able to make close friendships and have difficult conversations. If it weren’t for you, I would probably not have the best friend I have today and would not be the person that I am.”

Morgan said of all the things she shared about herself, it’s that letter that she believes best qualifies her to be elected.

As for the school board candidate there, Childs described herself as “an educator by trade.”

“I treat education like my craft that I am constantly trying to improve and get better at,” Childs said. “Education is not just my job. It is a fundamental part of who I am.”

Childs later said that she believes all students “deserve to be in a school system that believes that they can achieve and support them to obtain the goals that they have set out for themselves.”

Another topic that rose to the top was access to healthcare, especially access to abortion.

Byrd-Clark called efforts to roll back access to reproductive healthcare for women unacceptable.

“Healthcare is a fundamental right, and I will fight to expand access to affordable quality healthcare for every resident of District 76,” Byrd-Clark said. “… As your representative, I am committed to defending expanding women’s reproductive freedoms, a fundamental right that ensures women can make the choices that best suit them and their families.”

Redmond told the crowd that she was running to build a better world for her daughters.

“Right now, they have fewer rights than I did, and they have fewer resources in our public schools than I did when I was a student,” Redmond said. “I think there is a lot we can do here to collaborate and see growth.

The event on Saturday was a way to share platforms but as Eldred said it’s also a way to get a feel for the pulse of voters and to make sure they are aware of some of the less than prominent races taking place that could have a big impact on them.

“One of our messages is ‘Vote from the bottom up,’ don’t forget the judges and people here, apparently, have not forgotten the judges,” Eldred said.
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Seats on the Court of Appeals are not geographically designated. Rather they can hear cases from across the state. It’s one step below the NC Supreme Court.

Byrd-Clark echoed that sentiment.

“Our local elections are equally if not more important,” Byrd-Clark said. “It is at the local level where our decisions directly impact our daily lives and where policies are shaped that affect our schools, neighborhoods and our futures. As we move forward, let us carry with us the understanding of the power of change, which is starting here in our community. Let’s be sure our voices are heard, our votes are cast, and our futures are secured with the leadership we choose today.”

To learn more about Democratic candidates in Rowan County, visit rowancountydemocrats.com. As the election season gets underway, continue following the Salisbury Post’s coverage of candidate events to learn more about the people running to represent Rowan County.

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