Deb Butler, candidate for NC House District 18
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Candidates for NC House District 18
Republican John Hinnant is running against Democratic incumbent Deb Butler. District 18 covers New Hanover County. Get to know the candidates with our NC 2022 Voter Guide.
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Name: Deb Butler
Political party: Democrat
Age as of Nov. 8, 2022: 61
Campaign website: ElectDebButler.com
Occupation: Attorney and legislator
Education: Law Degree/Wake Forest University
Have you run for elected office before? Yes, NC House
Please list highlights of your civic involvement: I have served as a volunteer at our hospital, served as a Director of the Cape Fear Green Building Alliance, the Historic Wilmington Foundation and the Wilmington Regional Association of Realtors.
What are the three issues that you see as most important to your district and what will you do to address them?
We must protect women’s access to reproductive health care. I would like to see the codification of Roe. Secondly, our water is contaminated with forever chemicals, and making polluters pay for the clean-up is mandatory, and revising the permitting process to ensure no future contamination is key. Lastly, I want to invest more in public education to get our per-pupil spending and teacher pay to at least the national average as quickly as is fiscally prudent.
At a time when costs are rising, state government has a surplus. How should it be used?
Education and Infrastructure
Will you vote for Medicaid expansion in North Carolina?
Yes.
What has the legislature gotten right, and what has it gotten wrong, about public education in North Carolina?
According to the judge in the Leandro case, we have failed to provide our children the sound basic education they are guaranteed under our Constitution. That is unacceptable. On the positive side, I suppose we have learned better about remote instruction and how to better deliver those lessons when in-person instruction is simply not possible.
Should North Carolina change its abortion laws? How?
The current state law banning abortion after 20 weeks should remain.
Please add anything else voters should know about your position on the legality or availability of abortion in North Carolina.
The Speaker of the House has said that if he achieves another supermajority, an abortion ban is forthcoming. I hear candidates moderating their positions which is because they have seen the polling on this issue, but they have told us where they stand ... believe them.
Should medical marijuana be legalized in North Carolina?
Yes.
What, if anything, should the legislature do to shape curriculum dealing with topics of race, sexuality and gender?
I think curriculum decisions are best made by professional educators with input from local communities.
Do you accept the results of the 2020 presidential election?
Yes.
