Name as it appears on the ballot: Wiley Nickel
Age: 46
Party affiliation: Democrat
Campaign website: www.wileynickelforcongress.com
Occupation & employer: Two-term State Senator and attorney
Years lived in North Carolina: 14
1. What are your primary concerns for the State of North Carolina?
I’m running for Congress because Washington is not working for North Carolina families. In Washington, I’ll be a bipartisan leader who fights to lower the cost-of-living for working families through affordable housing, healthcare, and childcare, and protects a woman’s right to choose.
2. What in your background qualifies you to represent the people of this state effectively? What would you cite as your biggest career accomplishments?
As a father, husband, former White House staffer, attorney, and two-term State Senator, I’ve spent my career building coalitions to deliver results for working families. As a State Senator, I led the fight to pass Medicaid Expansion through the Senate on a bipartisan basis, passed bipartisan legislation to invest in rural broadband access, and pushed bills to improve public safety through investments in our law enforcement and common-sense gun safety reforms.
3. If elected, what three policies would you prioritize and how would you work across the aisle to enact those initiatives?
First and foremost, we must crack down on inflation and work across the aisle to put dollars back into the pockets of middle class families. I’ll support legislation to prevent big oil CEOs from price gouging our consumers, and invest in US manufacturing so that American businesses can compete on the global stage.
Second, I will fight to codify the protections of Roe v Wade into federal law.
Third, we must urgently address the issue of affordable housing in North Carolina. We need to expand low-income housing tax credits and increase the supply of starter homes and end-of-life homes in our region. I’ve spent my career working across party lines to deliver results and I look forward to bringing this bipartisan spirit to Washington.
4. More than 1 million Americans have died due to COVID-19 and millions more are struggling with astronomical medical bills. Do you believe the American health system is working? What is your plan for making sure health care is affordable and accessible to all American citizens? Are you in favor of a single-payer option?
I lost my father to lung cancer at a young age, and know firsthand how a healthcare crisis can shake a family. Access to quality, affordable healthcare is fundamental to the strength of working North Carolina families. As a State Senator, I fought hard to close the Medicaid coverage gap and get affordable healthcare to an additional 600,000 North Carolinians, about ⅓ of whom are our neighbors with disabilities. I’m proud of my work to get Medicaid expansion passed through the State Senate on a bipartisan basis. I also authored a bill to provide funding for a full-time nurse in every public school. I’m in favor of a public option to allow more Americans access to affordable healthcare, and adding vision, hearing, and dental coverage to Medicare plans. I’m committed to working hard to lower prescription drug costs, lower premiums, and expand access to high-quality healthcare services in rural areas by incentivizing staff retention and investing in rural infrastructure.
5. What factors are fueling the country’s growing political polarization and how will you work to mend it?
In the State Senate, and in Congress, I aim to be the kind of leader that puts his constituents first and reaches across the aisle to find solutions we can all agree on. Political polarization not only halts the important work of Congress, but it has brought with it increasing danger for our democracy. Democracy works best when every American has the opportunity to participate and make their voice heard. Fixing American democracy means continuing the work I’ve done in the State Senate to fight back against gerrymandering. I believe we must pass HR1, the For the People Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Act. It’s time to form independent, non-partisan redistricting commissions in each state: voters should choose their politicians, not the other way around. Improving our voting rights is not enough to end polarization. Dark money has flooded into elections across the country, including right here in North Carolina. We need to overturn Citizens United to curb this unlimited spending by special interests, force Super PACs to disclose their “dark money” donors, and improve ethics requirements for both candidates and campaigns. By reforming our elections, we can bring back a healthy American democracy.
6. Rent, property taxes, and home sale prices have generally been rising over the past several years. What, if anything, should the federal government do to address this growing affordability crisis?
North Carolina has been a hub of innovation and new jobs, so it’s vital that our housing supply meets the increasing demand for families moving to our state. We must cut red tape and increase investments in affordable housing developments by expanding the Low Income Housing Tax Credit. Public-private partnerships that facilitate the building and rehabilitation of housing will ensure every taxpayer gets the best bang for their buck. Wealthy, out-of-state investment companies have been able to purchase thousands of affordable North Carolina homes to turn around and rent at high prices. We have to incentivise individual home buyers over out of state corporations and make sure that owner-occupants have the opportunity to buy a home in our state.
7. Do you believe the federal minimum wage should be increased? If, by how much? If not, why?
In North Carolina, our minimum wage has stood at $7.25 for over a decade. While costs on our families have risen, their wages have stagnated. I intend to work in Congress to build an economy that works for everyone, especially our working families. It’s far past time to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour. I stood behind my Democratic colleagues in the State Senate in supporting SB291, which would have made this change to the minimum wage in North Carolina. I look forward to supporting a national $15 an hour minimum wage in the 118th Congress. It is time to give North Carolinians a raise.
8. What specific policies or programs do you endorse or would pursue to combat inflation? Do you foresee the U.S. heading into a larger economic recession and if so, what is the best way for Congress to address it?
Along the campaign trail, I’ve heard from North Carolina working families that are struggling to make ends meet with the rising costs of childcare, housing, healthcare, and food. In the short term, we must enact legislation to stop big oil CEOs from price gouging our citizens at the pump while raking in record profits and driving up the price of transporting goods. In the long term, we must combat supply chain disruptions with investments in transportation infrastructure and greater investments in US manufacturing. By cutting red tape for businesses and entrepreneurs, getting more people back to work, and supporting our farmers, we can cut costs for working families. I’m proud to have a more detailed inflation action plan available on my website at www.wileynickelforcongress.com.
9. The U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling this summer overturning Roe v. Wade. Do you believe abortion should be a fundamental human right? If elected, would you support a federal ban on abortion? What role, if any, should Congress play in restricting or expanding access to abortion?
I firmly believe that women have the right to make their own reproductive healthcare decisions. I’m a proud cosponsor of Senate Bill 888, which would codify the protections of Roe v Wade on the state level. In Congress, I’ll do everything I can to protect a woman’s right to choose and oppose a federal ban on abortion. The first bill I hope to vote for is a bill to put the protections of Roe v Wade into federal law. My opponent has a dangerous position on this issue. In May he told the News & Observer,“abortion should be made illegal throughout the United States. No exceptions.” That would be a death sentence for many women. In Congress, I’ll always fight to protect women’s rights. The right to choose is on the ballot this November.
10. Please state three specific policies you support to address climate change.
I believe that a strong economy and a clean environment go hand in hand. In Congress, I’ll support investments in green jobs and clean energy infrastructure, funding for sustainable transportation initiatives, and a long-term plan towards energy independence. As a State Senator, I pushed for “Polluter Pays” legislation, so that taxpayers aren’t picking up the bill when big polluters spill toxic substances into our air and water. I look forward to supporting legislation to expand clean energy production, protect our coastlines and wildlife, and curb pollution from large corporations.
11. What more, if anything, should Congress do to regulate firearms?
Our communities deserve to feel safe from the impact of gun violence. Our children deserve to feel safe in school. I support common-sense gun safety legislation that is evidence-based and shown to reduce violence. As a gun owner, I believe in and support the 2nd Amendment. I also believe we need to be honest about the epidemic of gun violence our communities experience every day. I’ve advocated for safety measures like universal background checks, safe storage laws, closing the loophole that allows domestic abusers to buy guns, and a ban on high-capacity magazines.
12. Are there any issues this questionnaire has not addressed that you would like to address?
Public safety continues to be a concern for voters in NC13 with rising cases of gun violence and more. In the State Senate, I’m proud of my work pushing for better pay and benefits for law enforcement officers and first responders. That’s why I’ve been endorsed by the North Carolina Police Benevolent Association in this race for Congress. I authored a bill in the State Senate to allocate more funding to law enforcement for mental health co-response programs, so that crisis calls involving mental health and substance abuse issues are answered by specially-trained first responders. In Washington, I’ll work across the aisle to fund law enforcement with the resources they need to recruit and retain good employees, build trust with communities, and keep us safe.
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