Cawthorn: National debt is the top issue
Lee Buchanan
editor@thefranklinpress.com
Madison Cawthorn burst on to the state and national political scene in March, when he trounced the favorite, Linda Bennett in a runoff to become the GOP candidate for the 11th Congressional District.
The Henderson County Republican, a real estate investor and motivational speaker, now faces Democrat Moe Davis, a retired US Air Force colonel, in a race for the 11th District representing 17 Western North Carolina counties.
His upset victory in the runoff is evidence of strong support in the general election, Cawthorn said.
“I had a strong message, one that people want to get behind,” he said. “Washington DC is filled with cowards on both sides, career politicians that don’t have our best interest at heart.”
Experience
Cawthorn acknowledges questions about his lack of political experience.
“I don’t blame them, but I do not believe that experience is really defined by how many years you’ve been alive but what you’ve done in those years,” he said. “I myself have gone through pain and suffering, and it taught me grit and empathy for others.”
Cawthorn has been a staunch supporter of President Trump, and some critics say he has moved further to the right after his primary runoff victory.
“I don’t think I’ve moved to the right,” he said. “My positions have not changed.
“I’m definitely a supporter of the president. I love what he does with foreign policy and trade deals, but I see that there are flaws in our president.”
Healthcare
Asked about his legislative priorities, Cawthorn puts health care reform at the top of his list.
“We’ve got to get health care fixed,” he said. “I think Republicans have been doing a pretty poor job being the party of ‘no’ in health care reform.”
Cawthorn said the best approach to reform is a market-based system.
Broadband
Inadequate broadband internet access is a common theme in much of the district’s 17 counties, and Cawthorn agreed that infrastructure reform to facilitate that expansion is a critical need in Western North Carolina.
He supports a free-market approach but added that federal funding may be necessary to solve the problem.
“It depends on how fast the free market plans work,” he said. “I’d like to do it much like the 1930s Rural Electrification Act. But we’ve been so reckless with our spending that the piggy bank’s pretty much dry.”
Stimulus funding
Cawthorn supports the paycheck protection plans that have helped businesses weather the COVID crisis while keeping employees on the payroll, but he’s less enthusiastic about other stimulus funding.
“I would rather see more slashes on spending and regulations during this time of economic crisis,” he said. “Our debt is our number-one national security concern.”
Racial justice and police
Cawthorn supports additional training for law enforcement officers, he stops short of advocating systemic changes.
“Our law enforcement, especially here in Western North Carolina, does an incredible job, but we should all be held to higher standards,” he said as he voiced support of police body cams, de-escalation training.
“People are saying they want broad changes,” he said. “I believe my opponent [has said that] defunding the police doesn’t really mean defunding the police, but AOC [Alexandria Ocasio Cortez] and [Nancy]Pelosi have expressed their desire to defund. That’s a path we don’t need to walk down.”
Asked what sets him apart from Moe Davis, Cawthorn said his opponent is “as far left as he can go” and said Davis would move even further to the left if elected.
“I am forthcoming and honest,” Cawthorn said. “I’m not going to say one thing and do another.”
This is an unprecedented election season, with traditional campaigning complicated by coronavirus restrictions, but Cawthorn said his campaign is well-positioned as the election season begins in earnest.
“I’ve never run a campaign before, so for me this is a normal campaign,” he said.
Recent polls show the race is a toss-up.
“We know that this is a close race,” Cawthorn said. “We know we’re ahead, but not by a margin where we can rest on our laurels.”
Democrat Moe Davis to ‘fight for what’s right’
Jessica Webb
editor@thesmokymountaintimes.com
Moe Davis, the Democratic candidate running for N.C.’s 11th District Congressional seat said that if elected, he would work to represent everyone in the district.
“I’m going to fight for what’s right,” Davis said. “I’m going to represent folks here, not anyone else.”
A retired Air Force Colonel and former chief prosecutor at Guantanamo Bay, Davis grew up in Shelby and now lives with his family in Buncombe County after retiring to Western North Carolina after a 25-year career in the Air Force.
Healthcare
Healthcare is an issue on the minds of many and Davis considers it among his priorities. Davis supports a public option, such as a buy-in to Medicare that would enable all Americans access to healthcare services.
“I think COVID-19 has really put a spotlight on an issue that was already present before. We have far too may people in this district without access to healthcare,” Davis said. “We need to decouple employment and healthcare coverage, so when you lose your job you don’t lose your ability to go to the doctor.”
He supports a public option but with room for people to buy private insurance.
Broadband
Davis said he supports efforts to expand broadband internet to rural areas. In particular, he said he supports a bill from Rep. Jim Clyburn (S.C.) that would appropriate $80 billion for broadband similar to the rural electrification plan that brought electricity to many rural areas.
“Again, COVID-19 has highlighted that it’s an important issue,” Davis said. “Fourteen of 17 counties in the district were above the national average in poverty before COVID-19, and our ability to attract industry is hampered by the lack of broadband. So, it’s holding us back economically.”
Equality
This year has seen a lot of social unrest across the United States including protests and demonstrations in Western North Carolina. Among the top concerns heard from the Black Lives Matter movement is equality and an end to police brutality.
On addressing those concerns, Davis said he’s attended rallies both for the Black Lives Matter movement and Back the Blue events.
“I know my opponent believes all Democrats are racist; it’s nonsense,” Davis said. “If you think racism has ended you’re living in a bubble, and it’s not just an issue of race. It’s gender, it’s religious persuasion. I think everyone has the right to be treated fairly. You ought to have the ability to compete fairly and achieve what your capabilities and efforts can achieve. To me that doesn’t seem like an extreme position.”
On concerns about police brutality, Davis relies on his background in law enforcement to understand the issue. He graduated in the first class of students in the criminal justice program at Appalachian State University. Davis was also a law enforcement training instructor at the North Carolina Justice Academy and was involved with law enforcement in his military career.
He’s not in favor of calls to defund the police but he does agree in examining law enforcement in this country.
“Whoever came up with the label defund the police should have their butt kicked— that’s a horrible label,” Davis said. “I think a more accurate description is reimagining law enforcing. I think every agency and institution ought to be constantly reasoning and asking what are they doing today and what should they be doing tomorrow?”
Unlike his Republican opponent
On the question of what sets him apart from his Republican opponent, Madison Cawthorn, Davis stressed on what they share.
“I think the one thing we have in common is we both love WNC, but we have vastly different views on how we move forward,” Davis said. “He’s campaigning on all the things that divide us race, guns; and what I want to focus on is the issues that impact folks on a daily basis and impact their kids’ future: healthcare, broadband, education poverty, the environment. I think those are the things people are concerned about and truly impact their daily lives. For folks who believe in facts, the fact is Western North Carolina is behind in all those areas.”
Davis again said his focus is to represent everyone in the district if elected.
“My obligation representing the district is to represent the entire district and to help everyone Democratic, Republican, unaffiliated and alike. You can look at my record and see I’ve got the education, training, and experience to do the job.”