Early voting starts in less than a month, and Swain County Democrats got to hear from candidates during their monthly meeting Tuesday, Jan. 21 held at the United Community Bank with about 30 voters attending.
There was palpable enthusiasm for how the U.S. Congressional seat for the 11th district will shape up, with Republican Mark Meadows having declined to run again for the seat and changes in the district potentially favoring more Democratic votes. Those seeking the seat were among the guest speakers Tuesday.
U.S. Congress 11th district
Moe Davis, Appalachian State graduate and military litigator, is a retired Colonel who served for 25 years. He encourages all of the voters to trust and verify what candidates are saying.
“I’m running on my record, I’m not running way from it,” he said. “I spent 25 years in the military, and I resigned at Guantanamo over the issue of torture. When I was ordered to use evidence obtained by torture, I said that’s the not the America I joined the military to defend.”
He then worked on Capital Hill, taught at Howard University and was a judge with the Department of Labor before he moved to Asheville with his family. Healthcare is a top platform, he said.
“I believe in this country and in Democracy, and in these mountains,” he said. “It’s going to take some red votes in November, and I think I can get those because I am a disabled veteran.”
Next to speak was Phillip Price, of McDowell County, who was the Democratic pick in the last race against Meadows. He moved to the mountains when he was 18 and has lived in six counties and runs a lumber business with his wife. They have three children together.
Through their business, he said, he’s worked within all 17 counties and has developed relationships with people.
“That’s why I can win this election; I never stopped running for office,” he said. “My platform is about us. It’s about improving the lives of people in Western North Carolina, it’s about healthcare, education, environment and infrastructure,” he said.
On healthcare, he said instead of more tax cuts for billionaires, the country needs to invest in universal healthcare, which would also bring jobs to the district, he said. On education, he said he wants to invest in pre-K programs and job readiness training for the 21st century. On the environment, Price suggested a plan to divest from fossil fuels and in particular switch to making plastic from hemp. On infrastructure, he said funding for the expansion of broadband is a top goal.
“These are real solutions to real problems that we will feel— all of us in Western North Carolina,” he said.
Gina Collias, of Buncombe County, was the third to speak on her campaign for the congressional seat. A newcomer to politics, she is an attorney, real estate agent and wife and mother of three. Affordable healthcare and education are among her platforms. She relayed her own experience of going to school at University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, and the mountain of debt between her and her husband, who is a VA medical doctor, once they graduated.
“I want to help students get that back and be able to work off and pay it back,” she said of student loan debt. “I want when someone in your family is sick to be able to go to the doctor, and I don’t want them have to decide between paying rent and paying the doctor bill.”
She supports a plan toward universal healthcare, she said, adding she’s a candidate who can “bridge differences and build bridges.”
She added protecting social security and Medicare are also important.
“Finally, no one is above the rule of law, and that’s how I got into this race,” Collias said. “After the 2016 election, I found out 7 of our 15 electors had lied under oath about where they lived. The Republicans corrupted our electoral college system here.”
She led a legal team to investigate and spoke before a Senate Judiciary committee on a total of 50 elected officials throughout the country who had lied about their residency.
“I’m passionate about it. My name is Gina Collias and I want to be the first Congresswoman for District 11,” she said.
State Representative 119th
Unlike on the Republican side, Joe Sam Queen, Democrat currently in office as the NC State Representative for the 119th district, has no opposition in the primary. Regardless, he was in attendance Tuesday and spoke passionately about his priorities at the state level.
“I look forward to a good campaign,” he said. “We’re going to work and win because it matters who we elect. It matters tat we can expand Medicaid in North Carolina. There is $30 million a year wasted; this is your tax dollars that you have paid out of the 119th—Haywood, Jackson and Swain— to the federal government… Our general assembly is denying that care to come to our citizens who need it: hardworking, low wage neighbors of ours who would have full healthcare.”
He also criticized the Republican led legislature for the state’s failure to adopt the full state budget. Under Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper, he said, all state employees would see pay increases.
Expanding broadband is a top priority, he said. “My goal and my passion and commitment is everywhere we have electricity, we have high speed internet.”
Swain County Commission
Local candidate Phil Carson, who is running for a seat as a Swain County commissioner, also spoke briefly. If elected, he would add to the 12 years he’s spent on the board including eight as chairman.
“I am eager to still serve the people of this county,” he said. “It’s not what I can do for me or what I get out of it, it’s how can I serve you; that’s my goal to be a public servant for our folks.”
He added he feels confident that he did a good job of representing the people of the county in the past.
The meeting continued with the party covering monthly business followed by a meet and greet with the candidates.