Voters in House District 119 will choose among three Republican candidates on Primary Election Day, March 3, as they compete for a seat in the North Carolina House of Representatives.
Incumbent State Rep. Michael Clampitt of Bryson City is seeking a fifth term, first elected in November 2016. Challenging him in the Republican primary are Savannah (Anna) Ferguson of Whittier and Shane Michael Yow of Sylva, both hoping to bring new leadership to the district.
Each of the candidates recently participated in a question and answer session, outlining their positions on key issues and sharing their priorities if elected. Their responses offer voters insight into their backgrounds, policy views and visions for District 119 as the primary election approaches.
Questions
• Tell us about yourself.
• If you are elected, what is one tangible change residents would probably notice in your first year?
• What do you believe is the county’s most underused asset and why has it not been fully leveraged?
• What role do you see the state playing in helping counties deal with work-force housing?
• Health and mental health care availability and affordability is an issue in Western NC and Swain County. What programs at a state level can help fill the health/mental health care needs of Swain County residents?
• How will you work with healthcare providers to shape health policy, funding and regulations?
• When you look at state funding for rural counties, how will you prioritize needs for Swain County?
• Do you support higher pay for teachers; and what can the state do in terms of funding to help resolve the shortage of school bus drivers?
Mike Clampitt
I’m Mike Clampitt and I currently serve as your House Representative for District 119. I grew up in Swain County and graduated from Swain County High School. I have a two-year degree in fire science. I worked as the captain of Charlotte Fire Department for 28 years, dually employed with Central Piedmont Community College as its director of fire and rescue for 14 years. I have already been elected to the State House of Representatives four times. I was on the Hurricane Helene Select Committee and able to obtain $18 million for disaster declared counties that equaled about $50,000 per fire and rescue department. I would like to continue using my experience for constituent services and assistance for District 119, as we are facing some very challenging obstacles.
Tangible changes
Constituent services is the most important thing we do in the legislature. People have issues getting their Gold Star ID (REAL ID) or getting their driver’s license or issues with insurance or issues with DOT—getting their roads surfaced. The most notable change would be for individuals with issues that need to be addressed—getting them addressed immediately in Swain, Jackson and Transylvania counties.
Underused assets
As far as the county being able to capitalize on the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Nantahala National Forest, I would say that is most underused thing within the county. That is federal and it would take coordination between county leaders and National Park Service superintendent to better utilize park attendance on our side of the line. Tennessee gets the majority of funding, etc., and I think that North Carolina is short changed. It would be beneficial for our county leaders to have a working relationship with the National Park Service superintendent.
Swain County doesn’t have much flat area suitable to put in housing. Number 1, it takes finding locations to put housing. Number 2, infrastructure is very important. Is going to be in the city or county? If it is in the county, those people will have to well and septic system. If in the city, we are currently having issues with not having enough water supply. The sewer system in at maximum take. Until we are able to get a handle on the sewer system and water system being utilized so much, it hampers growth at the moment. I have been working diligently to get infrastructure funding for the town.
Work-force housing
It is going to take a collaborative effort between local governments, private entities and state to assist those county entities. One aspect is reviewing the stringent requirements for having housing put in and codes, etc. In some instances, it means insurmountable odds for some people to try to get a home put together, or even a manufactured home put in and setup.
Mental health care
That is an issue across the state—in all 100 counties. We are going to have to be innovative in how to come up with funding to address these issues. We are seeing it happen—in some of the court cases with people experiencing mental health issues—we are lacking treatment facilities and available supportive care for them. It is at a crisis at this time. We are really going to have to address that in this next session of legislature.
Health care funding
The regulations don’t come from as much from me, in the legislature, as it does the Department of Insurance. I think having a working relationship with the Department of Insurance might be how we can take and streamline some of the regulations and be innovative as to how we come up with funding to do that.
State funding for Swain
For all three counties—Swain, Jackson and Transylvania—the counties I represent, prioritization is number 1. Most people think the state line ends at Statesville. That’s what “Statesville” means—state line. It is another four hours from there to the Tennessee, North Carolina state line. Rural counties have been forgotten for years. I have worked diligently to take and identify that we have needs and issues for infrastructure when it comes to water and sewer. Also, the schools in all three counties received state grants in the past year: $52 million in Swain for a new middle school; $52 million in Jackson County for a new school; and $62 million in Transylvania County. I worked hard to get funding for counties to better the education of students in our area. I think that speaks volumes to my efficiency, having been in the legislature four terms.
Teacher pay, bus driver shortage
Do I support higher pay for teachers? It is a simple answer—Yes. I think we all support higher pay for teachers. Teachers play an important role in all the communities as they’re the spearpoint of education for all children from pre-K through seniors in high school. It is important to have a better pay scale because as the saying goes, “you get what you pay for.” I think we need to review state policy having to do with our “state education lottery” payout system. The lowest amount of money goes to payouts. That number has increased for the schools, since I have been here four terms. The lottery takes in a tremendous amount of money. The problem comes in when it is put into the overall budget for the state. There are a lot of hands trying to get that money.
As far as resolving the issue of school bus drivers, that is an issue in all 100 counties. It is going to take a collaboration between local county governments and school board systems, which takes work between county commissioners, school boards and state to assist with supplemental funding. The problem comes in, with any of the projects we are talking about, with paying for it. That is a real issue, especially since Hurricane Helene. That is a once in a millennial type of storm. We are facing tremendous debt across the state, especially in disaster declared counties. Some have not gotten back to completely normal yet. A lot of infrastructure was damaged. Canton is getting money from the feds, etc. It is going to take a combination of the state working with FEMA. Hopefully, our federal delegation will work diligently to take and revamp FEMA’s red tape and bureaucracy, which is totally out of control.
Anna Ferguson
My name is Anna Ferguson, and I am seeking election to the NC House of Representatives as a Republican Party Member. I was born and raised in the Qualla Community, where I worked as a small business owner for most of my adult life. I graduated from North Carolina State University with a BA in Business Management. I have been married to my husband Greg for 29 years, and we have a son currently in graduate school. I have served on various boards, including the EBCI’s Governing Board for the Office of Internal Audit and Ethics, the Cherokee Planning Board, and the North Carolina Community Foundation. This is my first time seeking election to a public office.
Tangible changes
The first thing people would see is a budget passed for North Carolina. That we are the only state operating without an approved budget is a dubious distinction that angers me as a taxpayer. When we pay our state taxes, we do so with the assurance that those dollars maintain the successful management of state programs. It should be criminal for the State Legislature to hold these funds hostage while refusing to come together and perform the basic functions of their jobs.
I would also like for people to see me at local Commissioner and Alderman meetings. I think these meetings are key to understanding community needs.
Underused assets
Education. I fear we have a system that can handle a student only if they fall within the mean standard of learning. If you have a student who is outside of this standard, the current system does not seem to support them. I was sad to learn that Swain County no longer offers an AP program to help college bound students. I also worry that students needing special services to help bring them up to grade level are going unrecognized.
As with most state funding, we seem to not receive the educational support and services that we see in other more populated areas of North Carolina. We need to be more vocal and demand that we receive the assistance needed to pull Swain County education up to a level that produces the best version of our children.
Work-force housing
Swain County is in a particularly unique situation because so much of the land within its borders is unavailable for any type of development. In addition, land available for workforce housing must compete with the profitability of vacation rental use. The state could help this situation by offering tax incentives to developers for creating moderately priced housing. I strongly support renovating existing structures and residential property, but understand that building new is often less expensive than repairing and repurposing. However, given Swain County’s land shortage, incentives to make renovation more cost-competitive would also help create more work-force housing.
Mental health
Medicaid programs are the obvious answer. However, with Federal cuts in Medicaid funding on the horizon, how North Carolina is going to cover the cost difference is a huge concern. I am not familiar with how the State Legislature currently determines fund distribution, but I worry they will favor more densely populated areas over rural communities. If we lose a medical facility in our area, it could mean a ninety-minute drive for health care. I worry state leaders will not take this into account.
Health care funding
Any decision made in a governing position should not be made in a bubble. The people actively participating in the industry impacted by these decisions are the best people to determine if an action will succeed. This is doubly true for healthcare, arguably the most specific and important service the government provides to its citizens. If I am tasked with making any decision regarding healthcare, I would always consult with professionals located in Swain, Jackson and Transylvania counties. They are the experts who can detail what is needed in our district, and this issue is too important for me to attempt to determine policy without their input.
State funding for Swain
Swain County needs State support for filling the void of tax revenue lost due to Federal Land located within its borders. While there is a great deal of property not available for development or tax revenue, the services provided by the county are not lessened because of this situation. Assistance is needed to help build and maintain public services that would otherwise be funded from property taxes. There is a deficit in the county budget that is due to circumstances created by the state and federal government. Therefore, it is the duty of the state to help alleviate this burden.
Teacher pay, bus driver shortage
I support higher pay for teachers, but only if the increase in salary goes directly to the teacher’s paycheck. We need to also examine benefits to ensure they are not negatively impacted by a pay increase.
I am not very familiar with how bus drivers are trained and compensated. I do know Wake County school districts have instituted a bonus system to attract more school bus drivers. This money comes from the NC Department of Public Instruction, and securing a similar system for Swain County could help rectify the driver shortage.
Michael Yow
I am a North Carolina native who has lived in Jackson County since 2005. I was born in Stanly County, North Carolina and moved here to attend WCU. I fell in love with the area and have made my life here. I graduated from WCU with a Bachelor of Social Work and a Master of Public Affairs. I also have a Master of Social Work from Florida State University. I currently work in community-based mental health, carrying eight years of experience in the mental health field, as well as six years of experience in the insurance industry. I enjoy making music in my spare time, playing in two rock bands with my best friends, as well as leading music at my church on Sunday mornings.
Tangible changes
My platform has stayed consistent on making sure that everyone in the 119 and North Carolina as a whole should be given the right to basic needs – food, water, shelter, and safety. North Carolina implemented a pilot program in 2024 to assist in providing basic needs for daily living to those under financial hardship. This included dependable access to food, functional transportation, comprehensive healthcare, and housing improvement resources. The Trump administration stripped this funding at the federal level, followed by the General Assembly completely removing funding at the state level. WNC families depended on this program as they worked to further stabilize their living situation, leading to a higher quality of life. I will make it a priority to secure this funding again through bipartisan legislation. North Carolinians deserve to live with a feeling of safety and security, without the anxiety behind where their next meal will come from or how they will find work without reliable transportation. I will be shouting support from this in the House Chambers on day one and won’t stop making noise until our state’s residents are cared for.
Underused assets
Swain County hosts a variety of destination-based activities, such as the GSMR, top-tier trout waters, miles of trails to hike, direct access to the Great Smoky Mountains Natl. Park, and a downtown that could come straight from a picture book. Yet, over half of Swain County’s residents are struggling to make ends meet, with almost 25% of the county under the poverty line. The economic impact of a tourism-funded community should be reflected on the people who live there year-round. Reinvest the revenue from tourism into people first, places second. If people are able to meet their basic needs – food, water, shelter, and safety, quality of life improves, communities become safer, and the economy benefits.
Work-force housing
As a conservative, I believe that the government should have limited oversight over the people under its care. The only roles it should play are ensuring that the people have access to food, clean water, sustainable housing, and well-maintained public safety and infrastructure. However, large corporations, such as venture capital LLCs, real estate holding groups, insurance corporations, and for-profit healthcare firms are absolutely NOT people, and should be heavily regulated to prevent rising costs. Our housing market has been saturated with holding groups and conglomerates that have driven the cost of sustainable housing well beyond even the better paying jobs in the area. Regulate the big money players, tax the billionaires, and hold the wealthy elite accountable so the average person living and working in Western NC can have a fair shake.
Mental health
Rather than try to build new programs to address this issue, let’s address the issue of the current GOP. The NC House and Senate Republicans need to get over themselves, pull themselves up by their bootstraps, stop complaining about their feelings, and pass a budget. I’m running for election to go to work for my district as a professional, not to be in some flashy political theatre. The Republicans in the General Assembly would do well to remember our roots and do the same professional work. However, as I stated in a previous answer, North Carolina implemented a pilot program in 2024 to assist in providing basic needs for daily living to those under financial hardship. This included dependable access to food, functional transportation, comprehensive healthcare, and housing improvement resources. The Trump administration stripped this funding at the federal level, followed by the General Assembly completely removing funding at the state level. WNC families depended on this program as they worked to further stabilize their living situation, leading to a higher quality of life. I will make it a priority to secure this funding again through bipartisan legislation.
Health care funding
The only people who are qualified to decide if a procedure is medically necessary, therefore covered by insurance, are Doctors of Medicine, not a panel of corporate executives at an insurance firm looking to cut costs for the benefit of their shareholders. The fact that private health coverage exists, and that the only affordable way to get it for most people is through a job that provides benefits shows how far down we have fallen. This country has made more medical breakthroughs and has the most advanced medical technology in the world, but a hard-working American is able to fall into bankruptcy because they needed an ambulance ride that wasn’t pre-approved by their insurance. This capitalist, do-only-for-you attitude needs to go. This isn’t a left vs. right, conservative vs. liberal, Republican vs. Democrat issue. It shouldn’t be a political talking point period. What is the other option, to let them die? Doesn’t sound very Christian.
Funding for Swain County
For years, Swain County has been one of two counties in NC that doesn’t get as much funding for education as the other 98. This is due to the county’s land area vs. population. Along with fighting for the provision of basic needs, I will fight to ensure that Swain County Schools have ALL of the same resources as the rest of the state.
Teacher pay, bus driver shortage
Teachers deserve at minimum, double what the state pays. Teachers at Swain High School see between 100-120 students daily, are still expected to be at school when weather deems conditions unsafe for students, required to volunteer at the admission gates for sporting events outside of working hours, take on department leadership roles with no additional pay, and balance what the state requires them to teach vs. how each student learns. Public school teachers are the life blood of our state, and I’ll fiercely defend their vocation without any hesitation and with all conviction. As for our bus driver shortage, pay them more or incorporate the duty into a mixed role within government employment with a pay increase. Tax the corporations. Tax the billionaires.