NORTH CAROLINA — Max Southworth-Beckwith is a Republican candidate for U.S. Congress in North Carolina’s 7th Congressional District. He must defeat Rep. David Rouzer in the primaries to have a chance in the general election.
Port City Daily has sent a questionnaire to every candidate appearing on ballots in the tri-county region, even those unopposed. For federal and state offices, we asked candidates to address issues pertinent to the Cape Fear: PFAS, offshore wind and more.
The paywall is dropped on profiles to help voters make informed decisions.
As a reminder, the early voting period runs from Apr. 28 to May 14. The voter registration deadline is Apr. 22. Voters may partake in same-day registration throughout the two-week early voting period (check if your registration is active at your current address).
Primary Election Day is May 17. Voters will choose which candidates from their registered party they want to move forward in the formal election. Those who are registered as unaffiliated can choose which party’s primary they want to vote in.
Southworth-Beckwith’s stances on issues are discussed below. All answers are included in full and the candidate’s opinions and statements are not a reflection of Port City Daily. Responses are edited only for grammar, spelling and clarity.
Support local, independent journalism through a monthly subscription or consider signing up for our free newsletter, Wilmington Wire, to get the headlines delivered to your inbox every morning.
Port City Daily (PCD): Name three projects that you would advocate for funding and why.
MSK: First, we need to put a freeze on foreign aid (along with trimming the fat out of a lot of departments) and then we can look at what kind of programs we can support. Programs like:
1. Allocating funds to help Native lands create infrastructure and jobs on the Reservations. Funding for wells and septic systems, building infrastructure like grocery stores and better schools.
2. Looking into helping our States with an actual infrastructure package. North Carolina and in particular the 7th District need to overhaul both are bridges and needs to investigate potentially adding a third.
3. Helping get safe places set up for our homeless veterans and victims of human trafficking.
PCD: Do you support offshore wind development? Clean energy tax breaks? Explain.
MSK: No to offshore wind development, 50/50 on clean energy tax breaks. I believe that a company looking into “clean energy” would have to prove the concept and show data on how it would impact the economy. I am pro-nuclear power and development of technology to turn the nuclear biproduct into renewable energy. Clean energy is fine, but we cannot implement such policy at the cost of the US economy.
PCD: Where do you stand on women’s rights to choose?
MSK: I am pro-life. I believe in States Rights and the federal government should not be in the business of regulating or moderating the morality of its citizens. I believe in a federal viability statute that would prevent abortions past viability of the child. Outside of that, if Texas wants a 6-week bill, and Louisiana wants a 15-week bill, that is up to the states. If you don’t like it, challenge the state in court or elect representatives that will change the bill. Or move to a state that shares your ideals. Roe v Wade was a horrible decision, but until it is repealed, we must obey the law. I just don’t think it is an issue that falls under federal authority.
PCD: Are there any actions you support to increase equitability and opportunities for historically marginalized populations?
MSK: Equitability is not reality if you are refering to equal outcome. I am all for equal opportunity, and the way we get the marginalized to have such chances is we need to stop looking at them as ‘marginalized’. What I mean by this is let us remove all forms of identification of sex, race, and use only first initial of a person’s first name and their last name, their age, and their criteria, Let’s stop focusing on the race of this person, or the sex of this person, or “I need to hire X amount of Y people to get Z federal funds.”
Let’s focus on developing trade programs into the schools. Not everyone is an academic, but that does not mean they are not good at something. Giving the ability to manage the education back to parents and less about government-mandated education, the better we will be to help children on an individual-by-individual bases.
PCD: What needs to be done to address PFAs and other chemicals that are poisoning multiple states’ drinking water?
MSK: We should most certainly investigate not just the contamination of the water, but full spectrum data on what chemicals were used and what is the long-term side effect of those chemicals? We need to know was this an accident or intentional. There are many questions to be answered, but it starts with getting all the data available and most importantly, what is the long-term effect on the citizens.
PCD: What are the top issues in our K-12 schools right now and how would you work to address it?
MSK: Stop CRT being taught, need transparency in the classroom and on the School Board, get parents and PTAs back involved with the Board. We need to expand the school lottery and school choice programs. There is a lot that needs done, but as a federal representative I do not believe that the federal government should be involved in the school system.
PCD: What resources do we need in place to continue to fight Covid-19? How should the US prepare for a future pandemic?
MSK: Nothing. Covid-19 is a horrible disease, but what made it worse was shutting everything down. The federal government does not have the constitutional right to shut down private businesses, mandate masks, force vaccines, or penalize anyone (civil or criminal) who does not agree with unconstitutional mandates.
PCD: Where do you stand on the decriminalization of marijuana? Explain.
MSK: I am for decriminalization of marijuana on the federal level. I am not for full recreational use. I believe it should be regulated, taxed, and treated as any medical product. It should be a States Rights decision on if a state wants to legalize it or not for their state.
PCD: What industries should the US be honing in on to create a better workforce and economy?
MSK: Breaking up large monopolies in tech, pharma, oil and gas, energy, and supply chains. Competition begets betterment. Competition means better workplace environment and pay, also creates more jobs, and stimulates innovations.
We need to restart the Keystone XL Pipeline and become the world exporter of oil and natural gas. All while allowing for the freedom of innovation to bring America clean energy, not through government mandates and overreach, but by allowing the free market to work as it was designed to do.
Have tips or comments? Email info@portcitydaily.com
Want to read more from PCD? Subscribe now and then sign up for our morning newsletter, Wilmington Wire, and get the headlines delivered to your inbox every morning.
