Name: Mary Patterson 

Age: 63

Party affiliation: Democrat

Campaign website: n/a

Occupation and employer: Substitute Teacher and Durham Public Schools System 

1. What are your primary concerns for the state of North Carolina?

Equal and Fair Employment EEOC Practices and Pay; Homelessness; Fair Housing; Terminating At Will State; Eliminating Excessive Rental Fees like Cable/Internet, Pest Control and Trash Fees especially when services at not being adequately provided as a part of someone’s lease agreement; Clean Mold Free Housing 

2. What in your background qualifies you to represent the people of this state effectively? What would you cite as your biggest career accomplishments? 

Over 45 years living in the State of North Carolina having lived and worked here. Acquiring a Master’s Degree for working as a Business Consultant for various companies and employment.

3. If elected, what three policies would you prioritize and how would you work across the aisle to enact those initiatives?

1. Promote Clean Mold Free Housing. Terminate all EPA and NC Department of Human Health Science Housing and Building Inspectors that do not go out in the field to perform and conduct proper clean air quality inspections. 2. Enforce EEOC Federal and State Laws. Work with other political colleagues to remove DEI Laws, and terminate all grant/funding organizations not in EEOC compliance. 3. Terminate the “AT WILL” clause for the state of North Carolina and any company / organization exercising this clause to terminate employees for no legal reason. 

4. North Carolina expanded Medicaid two years ago. However, federal budget cuts now threaten the program due to a state “trigger law” that ends expansion if federal support drops below 90%. How would you address Medicaid funding to maintain coverage for the millions of North Carolinians enrolled?

Perform budget cuts increasing the politicians take home pay for giving them an annual raise in pay using that money towards funding programs much needed for the people of North Carolina in need of Medicaid and health insurance for improved health care. Defund programs keeping millionaires millionaires for paying equal taxes into the taxation system. 

5. How would you address the rising costs of housing, child care, and basic necessities facing North Carolina families?

Increase fair wages for underpaid Teachers, Educators, School Employees, and other professionals on contracts that get prematurely terminated unfairly without being paid to the contractor. 

6. Thousands of North Carolina workers lost their jobs in 2025 due to federal budget cuts—RTI International and FHI 360 alone have laid off hundreds of employees, while Duke University and the University of North Carolina face massive funding cuts and hiring freezes. How would you address both the human toll and the long-term economic impact of these federal funding changes on our state?

Remove political funding to organizations that are not properly exercising EEOC laws for recruiting and hiring all races and people of color that are qualified without blatant discrimination and racism. 

7. 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?

Reserve funding in FEMA programs for assisting environmental disasters and people in need. Rebuilding housing in non-flood plains. Ensure insurance companies reimburse the homeowners of all/total face amounts on policies paid for and not just 1/2 reimbursement refund back to the policy holders and homeowners. Insurance Companies must pay all of the policy face amounts and not just half for refund reimbursements. 

8. Federal agents have arrested more than 250 people in immigration enforcement operations across North Carolina, creating fear in immigrant communities and disrupting businesses and schools. How do you view the enforcement actions, and how would you address their impact on North Carolina’s economy and communities?

Allow all immigrants to apply for legal entry into the country with proof of identification with the understanding that they are not entitled to participate in collecting Social Security Retirement, SNAP, Medicaid, and Medicare programs for funding. 

9. Federal contractors are no longer required to maintain nondiscrimination policies, and many DEI-related programs have been eliminated across sectors in our state. What is your view on recent changes to DEI and antidiscrimination policies?

I support terminating DEI related programs for enforcing Equal Employment Opportunity Compliance Federal Laws deleting racial identification on job applicataions, deleting and eliminating blatant exercising of racism for fair and equal employment for everyone removing racial discrimination. 

10. Federal education funding faced significant delays and cuts in 2025, affecting Title I programs, teacher training, and after-school services in North Carolina. How will you work to ensure stable federal education funding for our state’s schools?

Eliminate student loan debt for prior educators and educators here in the state of North Carolina due to lack of competitive compensation of educators here in the lowest paid 49th state in the nation for educators. 

11. President Trump has dramatically expanded executive power through emergency declarations, the use of federal agents in cities without local coordination, and the termination of already-appropriated funds without congressional approval. What role should Congress play in checking executive power?

Perform Checks and Balances of already-appropriated funds for congressional approval. Congress should vote on what issues are being generated in exercising checking executive power. 

12. Both Democrats and Republicans are experiencing severe internal divisions. How would you navigate disagreements within your own party while still effectively representing North Carolina’s interests? Or, if you are running as an independent, how will you work effectively with both parties?

Collaborate, meet, and negotiate with other Political Politicians in Office as well as other US House of Representatives for a firm standing on any / all disagreements within my own party while effectively representing North Carolina’s interests. 

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.

N/A. Not applicable yet. 

14. Are there any issues this questionnaire has not addressed that you would like to address?