N&O endorsements: Our choices in Wake County’s NC House races

N.C. House races are about more than winning a seat. They are about controlling the legislature.

House Republicans gained a veto-proof majority last year when Rep. Tricia Cotham made a stunning switch to the Republican Party after being elected from Mecklenburg County as a Democrat.

Cotham’s switch, along with a supermajority in the state Senate, set up a historic number of overrides of vetoes issued by Gov. Roy Cooper, a Democrat. A veto override requires a three-fifths vote in the Senate and the House, a balance the GOP just barely holds in both chambers.

Democrats have little chance to take control of either chamber given how Republicans have assured their majority through gerrymandering. But Democrats think they have an opportunity to break the supermajority and once more restore the power of a veto.

With Democratic gubernatorial nominee Josh Stein likely to succeed Cooper, who is term-limited, the ability to sustain a veto will give new leverage to Democratic lawmakers.

District 11

(West Raleigh, Cary)

Democratic incumbent Allison Dahle, 60, of Raleigh, works full-time as a legislator. She has a favorable district but faces two challengers, Republican Phillip Hensley, 42, and Libertarian Matthew Kordon, 27, both of Cary.

Dahle, a Raleigh native seeking her fourth term, advocates for civil rights for LGBTQ people, expanded mental health services, reproductive rights and environmental protections.

Hensley, a cigar store owner, said the district would be better represented by a Republican who can sponsor successful legislation and gain more from the state budget. “We need someone in there to advocate for Cary and it has to be someone who has some influence,” he said.

Kordon, a software engineer, favors more flexibility in public education requirements, including an end to teacher licensing.

We recommend reelecting Allison Dahle.

District 21

(Southwestern Wake County)

Democratic state Rep. Ya Liu, 43, of Cary, is a lawyer, small-business owner and former member of the Cary Town Council. She is seeking a second term. Among her top issues are reproductive rights, environmental protections and support for public schools. Liu, an immigrant from China, says on her campaign website, “My life has been a testament to the power of the American Dream.”

Liu is being challenged by Republican Mary Miskimo, 59, of New Hill. A small-business owner and former teacher, Miskimo is making her first run for office. She supports school choice and wants to get more state support to ease traffic congestion in the fast-growing district.

We recommend reelecting Ya Liu.

District 33

(Garner, central Wake County)

Democrat Monika Johnson-Hostler, 49, of Raleigh, is seeking to succeed longtime Democratic Rep. Rosa Gill, who did not seek reelection after serving in the state House since 2009. Johnson-Hostler, a member of the Wake County Board of Education, is executive director of the NC Coalition Against Sexual Assault. Her top issues are increasing teacher pay and getting more mental health support for students.

Also running is Libertarian Chris Costello, 49, of Garner is a real estate agent. He supports helping small businesses get started and creating more affordable housing.

We recommend Monika Johnson-Hostler.

District 34

(North-central Raleigh)

Democratic Rep. Tim Longest, 33, a Raleigh lawyer, is seeking a second term. He backs restoring the earned-income tax credit, opposes school vouchers and supports stronger environmental protections. Challenging Longest is Libertarian Ed George, 62, of Raleigh, and a consultant for construction management. George favors school choice, less regulation of small businesses and an end to the certificate of need requirements for major purchases by health care providers.

We recommend reelecting Tim Longest.

District 35

(Northern Wake County)

This is a highly contested race between two first-time candidate to succeed Democratic Rep. Terence Everitt, who is running for state Senate.

Democratic nominee Evonne S. Hopkins, 48, of Raleigh, is a family law attorney. Her top issues are protecting reproductive rights, strengthening public schools and encouraging more affordable housing. Republican nominee Mike Schietzelt, 37, of Wake Forest, is a litigation attorney. He wants to reduce regulations on small businesses, lower the individual income tax rate and support public schools. Also running is Libertarian Michael Oaks, 24, of Raleigh. Oaks, a mechanical engineer, wants to roll back zoning regulations to reduce the cost of new homes.

We recommend Evonne Hopkins.

District 36

(Southern Wake County)

Democratic Rep. Julie von Haefen, 53, of Apex, also serve as substitute teacher She is seeking a fourth term in the House. She supports more funding for public schools, protecting reproductive rights and addressing the cost and shortage of child care services. She also wants to end gerrymandering and make the legislative process more open to the public.

Republican Becki Allen, 43, a Cary homemaker, supports expanding school choice, lowering taxes and strengthening law enforcement. Also running is Travis Groo, 47, of Holly Springs. He is chair of the Libertarian Party of Wake County.

We recommend the reelection of Julie von Haefen.

District 37

(Southeast Wake County)

Rep. Erin Pare, 45, of Holly Springs, is Wake County’s only Republican incumbent in the General Assembly. Seeking her third term, Pare supports school choice, keeping taxes low and tighter restrictions on abortion.

Pare’s Democratic challenger is Safiyah Jackson, 46, of unincorporated Wake County. Jackson works for the North Carolina Partnership for Children, which supports early childhood organizations. Jackson wants to end gerrymandering, expand paid family leave and increase the minimum wage. Also running is Libertarian Christopher Robinson, who could not be contacted.

We disagree with Pare’s positions on many issues, but she has energetically represented the views of many people in one of the county’s more conservative districts. We recommend reelecting Erin Pare.

District 40

(Northwest Wake County)

Democratic incumbent Joe John has a long record of public service, including time as a prosecutor, Superior Court and Court of Appeals judge and, since 2017, state House representative. At 85, he’s running again. He thought about retiring but didn’t want his seat lost to a Republican when it’s crucial to break the GOP’s supermajority. John is an advocate for independent redistricting, and more funding for the court system and public schools. He is being challenged by Republican Jerry Doliner, 74, a former dry cleaner and laundromat owner, who wants lower taxes and better score results from public schools.

Also running is Libertarian Mike Munger, 66, of Wake County, a professor of economics and political science at Duke University. He wants to simplify zoning rules for housing, apply means testing to school tuition vouchers and “rationalize” the North Carolina Alcoholic Beverage Control System.

We recommend reelecting Joe John.

District 41

(Morrisville, western Wake County)

Democratic Rep. Maria Cervania, 56, of Cary, is a biostatistician and public health worker. Cervania wants to expand access to health care, especially reproductive health care, protect voting rights and increase funding for public schools, early childhood education and child care. She is being challenged by Libertarian Matthew Laszacs, 44, of Cary, a business executive. He supports expanding school vouchers and easing housing zoning rules to create more affordable housing.

We recommend reelecting Maria Cervania.

District 66

(Northern Wake County above I-540)

Democratic Rep. Sarah Crawford, 43, of Raleigh, is CEO of the Tammy Lynn Center for Developmental Disabilities. Her top issues are creating more affordable housing, opposing the expansion of school vouchers and addressing the mental health needs of young people. Also running is Libertarian Michael Nelson, a manager at IBM.

We recommend reelecting Sarah Crawford.