Caleb Rudow, candidate for NC House District 116
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Candidates for NC House District 116
Republican Mollie Rose is running against Democrat Caleb Rudow, a current House member. District 116 covers Buncombe County. Get to know the candidates with our NC 2022 Voter Guide.
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Name: Caleb Rudow
Political party: Democrat
Age as of Nov. 8, 2022: 36
Campaign website: https://www.rudowfornchouse.com/
Occupation: Legislator and data scientist
Education: BA in Philosophy from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; master’s degree in global policy studies from the LBJ School of Public Affairs
Have you run for elected office before? NC State House District 114
Please list highlights of your civic involvement: Served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Zambia; mentor with Big Brothers Big Sisters and worked as an organizer for the Democratic Party
What are the three issues that you see as most important to your district and what will you do to address them?
We need to lower the cost of health care by expanding Medicaid and increasing competition for health care in Western North Carolina. We need to create more affordable housing by increasing public investment and incentivizing private investment in the sector. We need to invest in our public education system and raise teachers’ pay to the national average.
At a time when costs are rising, state government has a surplus. How should it be used?
We should use the money from our surplus to fully fund our schools, raise teachers’ pay and restore the pay increase for a master’s degree.
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?
We have underfunded our public schools and not given the proper pay and respect our teachers deserve. I was encouraged by the addition of teacher pay increases in the last budget but believe it’s too little, too late, and we need to take stronger action to support teachers and public schools.
Should North Carolina change its abortion laws? How?
There should be fewer restrictions on abortion after 20 weeks.
Please add anything else voters should know about your position on the legality or availability of abortion in North Carolina.
Abortion is health care and politicians have no business interfering with and regulating family planning decisions that should be made between a patient and a doctor. I believe we should do more to improve access to these health care services and more to support families with young children.
Should medical marijuana be legalized in North Carolina?
Yes.
What, if anything, should the legislature to do shape curriculum dealing with topics of race, sexuality and gender?
We have great teachers in our state and we should leave decisions on curriculum up to them.
Do you accept the results of the 2020 presidential election?
Yes.
This story was originally published October 18, 2022 at 9:33 AM with the headline "Caleb Rudow, candidate for NC House District 116."
