SOUTHEASTERN N.C. — Democratic candidate David Hill is running against Republican incumbent Michael Lee for the district 7 Senate seat. Libertarian candidate John Evans is also campaigning for the seat.
READ MORE: What to expect when voting in NC during the 2024 election season
A pediatrician, Hill is focusing his campaign on three top issues.
“As I talk with voters across New Hanover County, three issues come up repeatedly,” he said. “Voters tell me they’re worried about whether or not their water is safe to drink, about the skyrocketing cost of housing in our community, and that our schools and teachers don’t have the necessary resources.”
Absentee ballots are already being mailed and early voting opens mid-October. Locations include:
- Carolina Beach Town Hall, 1121 N. Lake Boulevard
- CFCC Downtown Campus, Health Sciences Building, 415 N. Second St.
- Future NHC Board of Elections, 226 Government Dr.
- Northeast Regional Library, David Poynter Room, 1241 Military Cutoff Rd.
- NHC Senior Resource Center, Multipurpose Room, 2222 S. College Rd.
Voters will be able to cast ballots at any of the above places and even register to vote beforehand on Oct. 17-18, Oct. 21-25, Oct. 28-Nov. 1, 8 a.m. – 7:30 p.m., and Oct. 19-20 and Oct. 26-27, noon – 5 p.m., and Nov. 2, 8 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Election Day is Nov. 5, with polls opening at 6:30 a.m. and closing at 7:30 p.m. All voters will have to go to their precinct to cast a ballot, as shown on their voter registry.
An ID must be presented to cast a ballot in the election. Acceptable forms of ID include NC drivers license or state ID, U.S. passport, college or student university ID, some state employee IDs and out-of-state drivers license or ID, as long as voter registration was done within 90 days of the election. IDs not in good standing can be expired by one year or less.
Port City Daily has compiled candidate questionnaires so voters can read up on contenders’ stances before heading to the polls this election season. All answers have been edited only for clarity; the candidates’ opinions and statements are not a reflection of Port City Daily.
The paywall is dropped on profiles to help voters make informed decisions ahead of the election.
Port City Daily: What would be your first three priorities if elected, and are there any bills you would seek to immediately introduce in the 2025 session? Explain the latter, if so.
David Hill (DH): When I’m in the General Assembly, I will fight to:
1. Clean our drinking water and hold corporate polluters accountable
2. Lower the cost of housing so people can keep more money in their pocket
3. Fully fund our local public schools and raise teacher pay
PCD: Housing and rental costs in the tri-county region, as well as statewide, have significantly increased in recent years. What policies would you advocate for addressing the state’s affordable housing crisis?
DH: No matter where you live in New Hanover County, whether you rent or own, the cost of housing is through the roof. The General Assembly, along with our local government, must work to lower housing costs. I’m going to Raleigh to tackle the housing affordability crisis with every tool at our disposal, including securing funds to increase New Hanover County’s housing stock so that families can buy a home and put down roots and young people can afford to live and work in New Hanover County.
PCD: Many North Carolina residents cite education among their top concerns for the 2024 election. The National Education Association ranks North Carolina 38th in the nation for teacher pay and the teacher attrition rate increased this year. Do you believe the state’s education funding model is adequate or would you advocate for changes — what, if so? What is your position on public vs. private school voucher spending?
DH: Public education is essential to ensuring that every child has the opportunity to reach their full potential. But while public schools suffer, hundreds of millions of our tax dollars flow to charter schools and exclusive, unaccountable (often religious) private schools. This is unconscionable at a time when North Carolina ranked 38th in the nation for teacher pay. with an average teacher salary almost $13,000 below the national average and per-pupil spending was ranked recently 48th in the nation.
We must fully fund our public schools, give teachers a real inflation-adjusted pay raise, and ensure that the 1.4-million students in public schools receive a high-quality education.
PCD: Recent severe flooding from storms statewide, from Brunswick to Buncombe counties, have left devastation in its path, including demolished infrastructure. The National Weather Service anticipates major regional storms to increase in coming years. What policies would you advocate for to increase long-term resiliency?
DH: The devastation we’ve seen from recent storms, both here in New Hanover County and in western North Carolina, is heartbreaking. But while no amount of preparation can fully prepare us for the devastating effects of natural disasters, short-sighted decisions in Raleigh have made our communities less safe and put countless lives unnecessarily at risk.
In recent years, we’ve seen the General Assembly weaken protections for wetlands that would normally absorb stormwater, reject limits on construction on steep slopes, and slow-walk the adoption of updated building codes, making it harder for the state to qualify for federal climate-resilience grants. With devastating weather events likely to continue, we need to increase North Carolina’s storm resiliency from the mountains to the sea, and I’m eager to tackle this issue once elected.
PCD: The North Carolina Department of Transportation is seeking public input to determine future funding sources as the motor fuels tax — which provides almost half of the agency’s state revenues — becomes a less reliable means of covering infrastructure projects. Do you advocate for any alternative funding sources or spending priorities for the NCDOT — what, if so?
DH: Ensuring that we continue to prioritize and fund quality roads, bridges, ports, and other transportation infrastructure is essential to our quality of life and our region’s economy. As funding sources like the motor fuels tax decrease and transportation infrastructure grows in tandem with our population, we need a comprehensive plan to fund transportation infrastructure into the future that doesn’t increase the cost burden on hardworking North Carolinians.
PCD: The General Assembly has taken several measures to limit authority of municipalities — as seen in variance ordinances including tree regulation, impact fees, and some zoning policies — and the executive branch, for example in appointment powers (i.e. Coastal Resources Commission, Wildlife Commission, Building Code Council and Residential Code Council). What is your philosophy on the balance between the General Assembly’s powers and the executive branch, along with municipalities’ powers? Would you advocate for any reevaluations of authoritative powers on a specific issue?
DH: While there may be some areas where state preemption is necessary, generally I believe in the power of local municipalities and their voters to set local laws. If elected, I would work to roll back some of the areas where the state has preempted local officials, particularly around local environmental and gun safety initiatives.
PCD: The NC Budget and Tax Center argues North Carolina has a regressive tax code by requiring low-income residents to pay a higher portion of their income in state taxes than the most high-income residents. What is your view on this assessment and would you advocate any changes to state tax policy?
DH: I believe that everyone should pay their fair share and that hardworking North Carolinians shouldn’t be unduly burdened by taxes while wealthy corporations benefit from tax cuts. Ensuring that people and businesses can reinvest in our community and our state is essential.
One proposal I am passionate about is reinstating the Earned Income Tax Credit to help working families burdened by inflation. We used to have a state Earned Income Tax Credit, and when the federal government utilized these credits during the pandemic, we nearly eliminated childhood poverty in North Carolina.
PCD: North Carolina is recognized as the nation’s second best state for business by CNBC, but is ranked as the worst state for workers by Oxfam. Are there any policies you would advocate to balance and improve the state’s conditions for business and labor?
DH: We must ensure we have an economy that works for everyone, not just the people at the top. I believe ingrowing our economy from the bottom-up and the middle-out, by investing in our people and our community. I will fight to lower taxes on families, crack down on price gouging, invest in public education to attract high-paying jobs, and support local businesses and the film industry.
PCD: PFAS and 1,4-dioxane contamination in the tri-county region has been a major concern for residents in recent years. Local utilities have expressed issues over filtering substances that unfairly burdens ratepayers and dischargers. Would you advocate legislation to require dischargers to limit releases of the substances and pay for remediation? Explain.
DH: We all cherish our local environment and the natural beauty of New Hanover County, and we all deserve clean air to breathe and safe water to drink. As a pediatrician, I have seen the impact of PFAS chemicals on our health, and I’m running to clean our water and hold corporate polluters like Chemours accountable. I will do what our current elected officials have failed to do: I will fight to stop PFAS chemicals at the source, limit PFAS chemicals in products, establish state-level PFAS water quality standards, and make polluters pay for clean-up and new filtration technology.
PCD: A North Carolina law, SB 20, shifted the legal timeframe for most abortions from 20 weeks to 12 weeks. Organizations including the North Carolina Medical Society, the NC Academy of Family Physicians, and the NC Obstetrical and Gynecological Society oppose the law, arguing it will increase maternal mortality risk and limit safe care. Do you share these concerns and advocate for changes to North Carolina’s abortion laws? Explain.
DH: We all deserve the freedom to make our own medical decisions and to get the care we need when we need it. Unfortunately, my opponent told this community he would oppose an extreme abortion ban but then caved to extremists and voted six times to ban abortion. I work with OB-GYNs every day and have seen how this ban is harming women and putting lives at risk. I’m running to defend reproductive freedom because the women of North Carolina deserve the freedom to make their own healthcare decisions — including abortion, IVF, and birth control —without interference from the government.
PCD: Duke law professors Ryke Longest and Amanda Martin have raised concerns that North Carolina has inadequate ethics and conflict-of-interest oversight for public officials. Do you agree with their assessment and would you take any actions or advocate any policies to address this issue? And do you believe the state’s campaign finance, lobbying, and financial disclosure laws should be amended in any way?
DH: I believe in the utmost transparency in government and would support measures that increase transparency in Raleigh instead of limiting it.
PCD: A 2023 budget provision gave lawmakers authority to ignore public records requests and destroy public documents they deem not public records. A diverse coalition including the John Locke Foundation and the NC Press Association sent a public letter to the General Assembly requesting lawmakers rescind the provision because it “undermines the principles of transparency” the state’s public records law was designed to protect. Do you have a response totheir concerns and would you advocate for changes to increase transparency in the stategovernment? How?
DH: I believe in the utmost transparency in government and would support measures that increase transparency in Raleigh instead of limiting it.
PCD: A separate 2023 budget provision expanded the powers of the Joint Legislative Committee on Government Operations, also known as “Gov Ops.” Critics have raised concerns over the committee’s powers, including the authority to carry out warrantless search and seizure of documents from any entity receiving public funds engaging in possible acts of malfeasance. Would you advocate any changes to the committee’s authority and oversight?
DH: I have grave concerns over abuse of power by the current legislature and support more oversight for our government officials and how they exercise their power. We have seen how consolidation of power in North Carolina, especially the Republican supermajority caused by gerrymandering, only serves to hurt the people of North Carolina.
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