Name: Dan Blue

Age: 77

Party affiliation: Democrat

Campaign website: danblueforsenate.org

Occupation & employer: Attorney

Years lived in the area:

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? 

Having represented Wake County in the General Assembly for over 40 years, I have a deep understanding of the district and of how the legislature operates and what is needed to work in a bipartisan manner to address the work of the people. My three biggest career accomplishments are serving as the Speaker of the House, serving as president of the National Conference of State Legislatures, and having the privilege of practicing law alongside my family. 

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?

“Education funding, including teacher raises. Dramatically increase teacher pay, claw back funding for vouchers and private schools.

Healthcare, including Medicaid funding. Continue our commitment to Medicaid. Return to a system where the GA picks up more of the increasing cost of healthcare for our state employees and retirees.

Property tax relief. Allow local governments (counties and municipalities) to continue adjusting property taxes based on their unique local needs. But establish clear oversight through a statutorily mandated process, where these property tax increases are reviewed and reported to the GA on an annual basis.”

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?

I’m going to ask North Carolina’s Congressional Delegation to ensure that the federal government continues its commitment to Medicaid and I’ll fight at the legislature to continue our commitment.

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 General Assembly already has the authority to rein in property tax adjustments by local governments.We expect our local leaders to be responsible and held accountable for how they manage taxpayer money. There needs to be guardrails applied to the rate with which local property taxes are increasing. But we also need to allow local governments to do what needs to be done for their communities without legislative overreach.

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

We need to provide relief where we can, and that starts with a more progressive, targeted tax structure that is focused on middle and lower income families. We need to ensure we’re paying state workers a living wage, protect rate payers from rising electric bills, and restore childcare stabilization grants. We need to find ways to reduce the regulatory burden on housing construction to control the dramatic increase in the cost of housing.

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?

To start, we need to adopt stronger building codes to ensure that the homes being rebuilt are made to withstand the next storm. We also should look at expanding insurance programs like NCIUA’s FORTIFIED roof program to reduce risks to the homes in the next hurricane’s path. States don’t have the resources to fully fund disaster relief efforts. The federal government, up until the Trump Administration, has generally been a reliable partner. Under Trump, they have not been reliable and have not funded disasters as previous administrations have done. In addition, disaster relief funding should never be based on whether your state or community voted for the president. That’s not how this should work. So, I would press all of our Congressional representatives in the House and Senate to fully fund disaster relief efforts.

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? 

The most recent round of redistricting was a blatant power grab, and was clearly done, not in the interest of the people, but in an obvious attempt to appease President Trump. The methodology of redistricting has gotten out of hand and it’s imperative that we need redistricting reform and independent redistricting in order to return to a process that operates independent of partisan politics. The quickest way to get rid of gerrymandering is to return the General Assembly to Democratic control or regain the State Supreme Court in 2028 and hope that the court can overturn this erroneous decision made the Newby Court. Then, maybe, we can get to an independent commission.

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?

Increasing teacher pay is always at the top of my list and I support Governor Stein’s efforts to dramatically increase teacher pay. While I am not opposed to private school vouchers, the money currently spent on vouchers could be better used in our public schools. We have to take care of our public schools first. I would also restore income caps for voucher recipients and restrict voucher funds to private schools that don’t discriminate.

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?

Medical care is personal and complicated, and the decisions made need to be solely between a doctor and patient. The abortion bans in North Carolina and other states have put people in real medical danger — some have even died because they could not access the care they needed. I do not support the current law, and access to life-saving care should always be made available. 

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?

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?

Public safety and justice must go hand in hand, requiring an approach that holds violent offenders accountable while upholding constitutional rights. Restricting cashless bail for violent felonies and integrating mental health evaluations into pretrial procedures are practical steps to protect our communities and address the root causes of crime before they occur. However, I stand firmly opposed to efforts to restart the death penalty, accelerate post-conviction appeals, or adopt alternative execution methods. North Carolina’s capital punishment system has historically been marked by deep systemic flaws and racial disparities, and rushing appeals risks irreversible error. True accountability and permanent public safety are far better served through sentences of life imprisonment without parole, while focusing state resources on supporting law enforcement, aiding victims, and strengthening our mental health systems.

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 can remain a national hub for innovation without sacrificing our environment, our water supply, or the financial well-being of our working families. Balancing data center investment requires clear state guardrails: first, establishing large-load utility tariffs and strict ratepayer protections so multi-billion-dollar tech corporations cover the full cost of their energy infrastructure rather than shifting higher utility bills onto everyday consumers; second, requiring data centers to invest in on-site renewable power generation and closed-loop, water-efficient cooling technologies to safeguard our local power grids and precious water resources; and third, ensuring local communities have a meaningful seat at the table to evaluate noise pollution and environmental impacts before projects are approved. 

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.

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