Affordability top concern for Senate candidate in Iredell County. What she wants.
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Candidate prioritizes affordability, citing housing and property taxes as urgent concerns.
- Mentions income-based billing and stronger developer commitments as affordability options.
- Supports expanding Medicaid and seeks early revenue agreement to pass a 2026 budget.
To help voters learn which candidates are on their ballot and where they stand on important policy issues, The News & Observer is publishing candidate questionnaires in all state and federal races in North Carolina on the March 3, 2026, ballot.
Below are the candidates running for N.C. Senate District 37 who responded to our questionnaire, in order by the date their responses were received. Some candidates did not provide a photo.
Senate District 37 in Iredell and Mecklenburg counties has a Democratic primary between Precinda Bjorgen and Raygan Angel
Angel did not respond to the questionnaire. Sen. Vickie Sawyer is running unopposed in the Republican primary.
Precinda Bjorgen
Age as of March 3, 2026: 64
Political party: Democratic
Campaign website: N/A
Current occupation: Self-employed
Professional experience: Business owner, managing and accounting.
Education: Bachelor’s degree, agricultural business management, NC State University, 2019
Please list any notable government or civic involvement: 2026 Mooresville Citizenship Academy graduate, Iredell County agricultural extension
The legislature sets teacher base pay. What do you think the salary range should be for teachers, from starting to 30+ experience? $45,000 to $89,000
As of January, North Carolina was the last state not to have passed a new, comprehensive budget. What would you do to help make sure a budget passes? A key strategy for me is to reach an early agreement on revenue and also negotiate on tax and policy differences, and to emphasize that delaying hurts economic growth and stability.
What is the most important issue in your district and what do you want to do about it? Economic pressures and cost of living: Housing, whether it’s ownership or renting, the cost of utilities and property taxes is becoming unaffordable, especially for low-wage workers. There are several options that could work for energy costs and property taxes, such as billing based on income. This could especially work for seniors or single-family households. Affordable housing needs stronger legal commitments from developers to cooperate to keep affordable units.
North Carolina’s income tax rate for individual taxpayers is 3.99%. Should that be reduced further? No
Do you think the state is using taxpayer money efficiently? Why or why not? No, we are underfunding our public services and neglecting the working poor.
Do you support legalizing medical marijuana use? Why or why not? I do support legalizing medical marijuana.
What do you see as the biggest barrier to health care access in your district, and what actions would you take to address it? Insurance costs are the biggest obstacle to health care. Insurance companies have made record profits for several years and N.C. Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey has increased insurance rates on insurance premiums. The solution is to keep and expand Medicaid expansion with no requirements for coverage. Things like work requirements cause higher administrative costs and lapses in coverage. Several states show consistent coverage helps to support work and livelihoods.
