Wesley Knott, candidate for NC House of Representatives District 66
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Candidates for NC House District 66
Democrats Sarah Crawford, Wesley Knott and Frank Pierce are running for the nomination for North Carolina House of Representatives in District 66 in Wake County. The winner will face Republican candidate Ives Brizuela de Sholar and Libertarian candidate Micao Penaflor in November’s general election. There is no incumbent in the district.
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Name: Wesley Knott
Political Party: Democratic
Age on election night: 26
Website: https://wesleyknott.com
Occupation: Public Company Auditor
Education: Accounting, Economics — University of Mississippi
Have you run for elected office before? (Please list previous offices sought) No
Civic involvement: I served as a Wake County Democratic Party precinct chair and district coordinator, supporting the party at the grassroots level before stepping away to run for office.
School test scores dropped during the COVID-19 pandemic. What should North Carolina do to improve student performance?
From fully funding our schools to raising teacher/staff salaries (and indexing them to inflation), the need for direct investments in our school systems is clear. But we should also invest in universal broadband access and end child poverty by strengthening our social safety net.
What do you want to happen in North Carolina if Roe v. Wade is overturned?
Safe, legal access to abortion has played an invaluable role in accelerating women’s rights. We’re going to build on that progress in North Carolina, not roll it back. I don’t know what’s unclear about this. Reproductive health care is health care, and health care is a human right.
What should North Carolina do to reduce violent crime?
Ending poverty will be a good start. We know that our safest communities aren’t the ones with the heaviest police presence, but rather the ones where the least people lack for their most basic needs. When we invest in people and their well-being, all of us are safer for it.
Should medical marijuana be legalized in North Carolina?
Absolutely. It’s affordable, non-addictive, and safe to use. I also support legalizing recreational marijuana. In my lifetime, few laws, if any, have contributed more to mass criminalization than marijuana prohibition, disproportionately affecting Black and brown folks. It’s time to legalize it.
What should the state’s minimum wage be? What policies would you support to help struggling North Carolinians?
I support setting the statewide minimum wage to two times the HHS poverty line (which for 2022 would be $13.59) and indexing it to inflation so when prices for rent, groceries, and child care go up, the minimum wage is adjusted automatically to keep up. No one working full-time should live near poverty.
Should North Carolina expand Medicaid, and how?
Health care isn’t a privilege for the wealthy — it’s a basic human right. We could pay just 10 cents on the dollar to expand Medicaid and cover over 500,000 uninsured North Carolinians. We should do it now, automatically enrolling people based on their current eligibility for other programs.
Is there an area where you disagree with your party? Why?
I support raising the statewide minimum wage to two times the individual poverty line (currently $13.59) and incentivizing local municipalities to raise wages in their jurisdictions as needed. I also support indexing teacher salaries to average annual employee pay (currently $56,215 in North Carolina).
What are your top issues? Pick up to three.
Climate change; poverty and income inequality; and criminal justice
This story was originally published April 25, 2022 at 8:04 AM.