Name: Winn Decker
Age: 34
Party affiliation: Democrat
Campaign website: WinnForNC.com
Occupation & employer: Nonprofit Education Policy Consultant
Years lived in the area: 12
1. What in your background qualifies you to represent the people of your North Carolina district effectively? What would you cite as your three biggest career accomplishments?
I am the son of two public school teachers, and I have lived in North Carolina for more than a decade. I came here for graduate school, earned a Ph.D. in public administration focused on budgeting, and built a career in education, workforce, and state policy. That work has kept me close to how decisions in Raleigh land in classrooms, local governments, and households in a fast-growing region.
I have worked with governors’ offices, state agencies, legislators, and local leaders, and I spent time at the U.S. Senate Budget Committee. I know how a budget gets built and how a good idea falls apart without a plan to carry it out.
Three accomplishments stand out. First, I helped launch North Carolina’s HBCU Caucus, the first bipartisan, bicameral caucus of its kind in the country, bringing Republicans and Democrats together to support the state’s 10 HBCUs.
Second, I helped design state workforce and postsecondary plans that connected schools, employers, and elected officials around jobs people could actually get.
Third, I have published peer-reviewed research focused on best practices in public budgeting, taxes, and economic growth. It shaped how I approach policy. State government should spend responsibility and prioritize economic growth and financial stability for families.
I would bring that same approach to the General Assembly and judge my work by whether families in southern Wake County feel a difference in their household budget.
2. What do you believe to be the three most pressing issues facing the next General Assembly? What steps do you believe the state should take to address them?
The next General Assembly faces a few challenges that cut across nearly every issue area.
First is affordability. Housing costs, child care, and utility bills are rising faster than wages in many parts of the state. The state needs to take a more active role in supporting housing supply, coordinating infrastructure investment with growth, and holding utility companies like Duke Energy and regulators accountable. Ignoring affordability undermines economic growth and pushes costs onto families and local governments.
Second is public education, from early childhood through postsecondary. North Carolina’s long-term competitiveness depends on strong public schools and clear pathways into good jobs. That means stable funding, paying and retaining educators, and aligning education and workforce systems so students can move smoothly from school into careers without unnecessary barriers.
Third is responsible budgeting and governance. The state cannot continue making major fiscal decisions without long-term planning. That includes passing budgets on time, being honest about the impact of tax policy, and preparing for uncertainty around federal funding.
3. Federal cuts to Medicaid are expected to cost the state $50 billion over the next decade, according to the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services. How would you address Medicaid funding to maintain coverage for the millions of North Carolinians enrolled?
“Federal cuts are already changing Medicaid in North Carolina. Work reporting rules began in January, and the federal cap on hospital assessments is shrinking the money that pays the state’s share. Together, those changes put coverage for about 725,000 North Carolinians on Medicaid expansion at risk.
To keep that coverage in place, I would do three things. First, budget Medicaid honestly. About $200 million of this year’s rebase was one-time money for costs that recur every year, which distorts how fast costs are really growing and sets up the same scramble next spring. Second, implement the new rules so that people who do qualify, do not lose coverage over paperwork. That means using data the state already has, giving people enough time to respond, and funding the staff to do it well, because coverage losses shift costs to hospitals and local governments. Third, revisit the trigger law before a formula makes the decision for the state. It was a reasonable safeguard in 2023, but ending expansion should be a deliberate choice that weighs uncompensated care, rural hospital stability, and the cost to the state.”
4. The General Assembly has voted to put a constitutional amendment on ballots that, if passed, would put a cap on property tax increases. Do you support the amendment? Why or why not?
The amendment itself does not put a cap on property taxes, and relies on a future General Assembly to craft a levy limit policy; which the current General Assembly has not proposed. The General Assembly has always had the ability to craft policies addressing property taxes and has simply chosen not to. That has had a serious impact on homeowners in places like Wake County, where a combination of growth requirements and sharp increases in property values has led to property tax increases that have become unaffordable. Change has been needed for residents to have more stability in their property taxes. My PhD dissertation on property taxes showed that balanced property tax limits, such as a levy limit, are associated with increased economic growth and local governments operate well within those constraints, but those returns are diminishing.
We need legislators who will be honest with voters about property taxes and work with local governments to reduce property tax bills while ensuring public safety and services are funded.
5. How would you address the rising costs of housing, childcare, and basic necessities facing North Carolina families?
“Rising costs are putting real pressure on families, and there is no single fix. Housing, child care, transportation, and basic necessities are all connected, and state policy often treats them in isolation.
On housing, the state needs to increase supply while coordinating infrastructure and transportation so growth is sustainable. That means supporting a wider range of housing types, aligning infrastructure investments with where housing is built, and giving local governments the tools to plan effectively rather than shifting costs onto them.
Child care is both a family issue and a workforce issue. The state should focus on stabilizing the child care system by supporting providers, addressing workforce shortages, and making care more affordable for working families. When child care breaks down, it affects labor force participation and household stability.
More broadly, the General Assembly needs to be honest about how state decisions affect household costs. That means budgeting in a way that does not shift expenses onto families through higher property taxes, higher utility bills, underfunding schools, or longer and more expensive commutes for workers. It also means recognizing that cutting revenue without a plan often raises costs elsewhere, even if those costs do not show up directly in the state budget.”
6. Climate disasters are intensifying: Hurricane Helene devastated Western North Carolina in 2024, Tropical Storm Chantal flooded the Triangle in 2025, and coastal erosion threatens the Outer Banks. With much affordable housing located in flood-prone areas and FEMA resources stretched thin, what is your plan for climate resilience and disaster relief?
“Climate disasters are no longer isolated events in North Carolina. In just the past few years, flooding in Western North Carolina, repeated storms in the Triangle, and erosion along the coast have exposed how vulnerable many communities are. In southern Wake County, residents see how rapid growth and aging infrastructure collide when heavy rain overwhelms stormwater systems, disrupts daily life, and threatens homes. Too often, low-income families and renters bear the greatest risk, as affordable housing is more likely to be located in flood-prone areas with fewer protections.
The state needs to get ahead of these risks instead of responding only after the damage is done. That means investing in stormwater systems, flood mitigation, and resilient roads and utilities, while giving local governments the flexibility to plan responsibly for growth. It also means holding developers and insurers accountable when building or underwriting in high-risk areas, rather than allowing costs to be pushed onto families and local governments after disasters strike. FEMA resources are stretched, and recovery cannot fall solely on local communities. North Carolina should maintain flexible emergency funds, move faster on recovery, and partner closely with local governments and community organizations already doing this work. How the state plans for climate risk will shape whether communities can recover and remain affordable places to live.”
7. The General Assembly recently passed a new congressional redistricting map. This marks the state’s seventh congressional map since 2016. How do you view the most recent redistricting? And do you support independent redistricting processes, or do you believe the legislature should retain this power?
North Carolina’s most recent redistricting is part of a troubling pattern. This is the seventh congressional map since 2016, and that kind of instability is not healthy for a democracy. The congressional map passed in 2025 was the most blatant gerrymandering we’ve seen. Every single House Republican voted to redraw the congressional maps not in response to a court order, but at the direct request of President Trump in hopes of sending more Republicans to DC over the will of North Carolina voters.
Constantly redrawing districts to serve those in power undermines voter confidence and makes elections feel more like political gamesmanship than fair competition. Gerrymandering by any party weakens representation, but the current maps reflect a clear effort by legislative leaders to lock in power rather than respond to voters.
I support an independent redistricting process with clear standards and real checks and balances. Decisions about representation should not be made by the same politicians who benefit from the outcome. The redistricting maps, combined with recent power grabs around the State Board of Elections, and the fight we saw to retroactively invalidate votes during Justice Riggs’ election, point to a broader erosion of trust in how our elections are administered. Restoring confidence requires transparency, independence, and guardrails that put voters ahead of partisan advantage. North Carolinians deserve elections that are fair, stable, and worthy of their participation.
8. North Carolina ranks near the bottom nationally in teacher pay. How would you address teacher compensation, and what will you do to ensure a budget passes that adequately funds education?
The failure to pass a budget for over a year hurt our state greatly. North Carolina teachers went a full year without a raise.The raises that finally came helped beginning teachers far more than experienced educators with 15 to 24 years of experience. Teacher pay should not be treated as a bargaining chip. North Carolina needs to pass budgets on time and commit to sustained, competitive compensation that keeps pace with the cost of living, including for the veteran teachers we most need to keep.
Doing that requires discipline in how we fund public education. Unfunded mandates and shifting priorities in the state budget have pushed more pressure onto counties, even as expectations for schools continue to rise. We also need clearer guardrails around education funding. Opportunity Scholarships should not grow at the expense of public schools, and the Education Lottery should be used transparently and consistently for its intended purposes, supplementing, not replacing, core education funding.
Strong public schools depend on aligning priorities with the budget and following through year after year. I grew up with two public school teachers, and my time at The Hunt Institute showed me how much teachers and support staff matter, not only to students but to our state’s growth.
9. North Carolina currently has a 12-week abortion ban with certain exceptions. Some legislators have proposed further restrictions. Do you support the current law, believe access should be expanded, or would you support further restrictions?
“I do not support further restrictions on abortion, and I believe decisions about pregnancy and reproductive health should be made by a patient in consultation with their doctor, not by politicians. The current law has already created barriers and uncertainty for patients and providers, particularly in complicated or time-sensitive situations.
North Carolina should focus on supporting comprehensive reproductive health care. That includes protecting access to abortion, expanding access to contraception, and supporting medically accurate health education so people can make informed decisions. Policies that restrict care tend to fall hardest on those with fewer resources, without reducing the need for care itself. The state’s role should be to support safe, legal health care and informed choice, not to insert itself into private medical decisions.”
10. Federal legislation will ban most hemp-derived THC products, like Delta-8, by December 2026, threatening North Carolina’s hemp industry. Meanwhile, recreational marijuana remains illegal and medical marijuana bills have stalled. What is your position on hemp regulation and would you address the upcoming federal ban, if at all?
“North Carolina’s hemp industry has become an important part of the state’s agricultural economy, and abrupt changes at the federal level could have serious consequences for farmers and small businesses who followed the rules and invested in this market. As federal policy shifts, the state should focus on providing clarity and stability for producers, not leaving them in limbo. That means engaging early with federal partners, giving farmers time to adapt, and ensuring state regulations are clear, consistent, and focused on safety rather than punishment.
At the same time, the current patchwork approach to THC products is not sustainable. North Carolina should move toward a more coherent cannabis policy that prioritizes public health, consumer safety, and access to legitimate medical use. I support advancing medical marijuana legislation and creating a regulated framework that replaces today’s gray market with clear standards, testing, and oversight. We can protect farmers, safeguard consumers, and reduce uncertainty by addressing this issue directly instead of allowing federal action and inaction in Raleigh to dictate outcomes by default.”
11. Iryna’s Law eliminates cashless bail, requires mental health evaluations for certain defendants, and attempts to restart the death penalty by requiring alternative execution methods if lethal injection is unavailable. The law also accelerates death penalty appeals. Where do you stand on the death penalty and these criminal justice reforms?
“I do not support the death penalty. The risk of wrongful convictions is real, and once an execution is carried out, there is no way to correct those mistakes. Those risks fall disproportionately on marginalized defendants and people who cannot afford strong legal representation. Restarting executions by changing methods or accelerating appeals does not address the underlying problems with capital punishment. It simply reduces the time available for review in a system that has already proven it can get things wrong.
Public safety depends on a justice system that is fair and credible. That means adequately funding public defenders so caseloads do not overwhelm the right to a meaningful defense, using mental health evaluations appropriately, and resisting the politicization of the courts. Judges and prosecutors should be focused on applying the law fairly, not signaling that they are “tough on crime.” A speedy trial should never come at the expense of accuracy or due process.”
12. Tech companies are investing heavily in North Carolina data centers, bringing tax revenue but also consuming significant electricity and water resources. How should the state balance data center investment with environmental protection and community concerns?
North Carolina, and especially the Triangle, has long been a hub for technology and innovation, and data centers are now part of that growth. They bring investment and tax revenue, but they also place significant demands on electricity, water, and local infrastructure.
Projects are being proposed faster than anyone can measure what they will cost. I support a statewide moratorium on data center permits pending a study of their impacts and clear regulatory requirements that protect taxpayers and neighborhoods. Holly Springs and Wake County have already paused new projects, but a town cannot ban data centers outright under state law, so the state has to set the floor.
Those requirements should set clear expectations from the start. Large, energy- and water-intensive projects should plan for how they will affect the grid and local systems, and they should pay the costs of that demand, so households are not left covering grid upgrades through their utility bills. The state should strengthen oversight, require transparency around resource use, and give local governments a meaningful role in decisions. Growth should work for the communities hosting it, not leave them managing higher costs or strained infrastructure after the fact.
13. Give an example of an opinion, policy, vote or action you changed based on constituent feedback. If you have not yet held elected office, describe a time when you changed your position on an issue after listening to those affected by it.
“As technology became more common in classrooms, I was initially open to the idea that personal devices, like phones, could be managed in ways similar to other educational tools. Like many people, I believed the challenge was less about whether technology belonged in schools and more about how it was used.
Over time, listening to teachers, parents, and students changed that view. Educators were clear about the impact phones were having on attention, classroom management, and student well-being, and newer research reinforced those concerns. Based on that feedback and evidence, I came to support clearer limits on cell phone use during the school day, with appropriate exceptions. That experience reinforced how I try to approach policy: listen to the people closest to the issue, pay attention to the evidence, and be willing to adjust when it becomes clear something is not working as intended.”
14. Are there any issues this questionnaire has not addressed that you would like to address?
“One issue cuts across many of these questions, which is how the General Assembly does its work. Too often, bills pass without enough thought about how the law will be implemented, who will oversee it, and how it will be funded so the burden does not fall on local governments and taxpayers. Whether it is education funding, infrastructure, health care, or environmental policy, families feel the consequences when the state does not plan carefully or does not revisit a policy that is not delivering.
I am running to bring a more disciplined approach to governing. I plan to be a representative who values evidence, listens to communities, and treats policymaking as an ongoing responsibility.”
