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DeAndrea Salvador, candidate for NC Senate District 39

Name: DeAndrea Salvador

Political party: Democrat

Age as of Nov. 8, 2022: 32

Campaign website: SalvadorforNC.com

Occupation: NC State Senator, District 39; professional in the Data Privacy industry

Education: UNCC, B.S. in Economics

Have you run for elected office before? · 2020: North Carolina State Senate, District 39; 2022: North Carolina State Senate, District 39 (Incumbent)

Please list highlights of your civic involvement: Incumbent, NC General Assembly, District 39 since 2020; founder, RETI, a non-profit serving the Charlotte area; Clean Aire Carolina, Board Member (2018-present);

Historical Service: Mecklenburg County Air Quality Commission; City of Charlotte’s Sustainable Energy Action Plan, contributor; Elsevier, Advisory Board; Ventureprise, Advisory Board; National Energy Affordability Coalition, Advisory Council; American Association of Blacks in Energy, board member; Youth Empowered Solutions, board member

What are the three issues that you see as most important to your district and what will you do to address them?

The “all-important” quality-of-life issues shared by D39 constituents have consistently been health/safety, economy/infrastructure/climate and teachers/education — each being pursued in a manner that is just and fair. My legislative impacts can be evidenced in bills such as SB 586, SB 793, HB 951, & SBIR/STTR appropriations, but we are capable of more. I will continue to legislate for results, such as my upcoming participation in the North Carolina DOT TEN Commission, while pushing equally in every other area.

At a time when costs are rising, state government has a surplus. How should it be used?

A surplus ensures our operational ability during economic uncertainty and is an indicator of the state’s financial health. However, a surplus of about $6 billion could be perceived as mismanaging funding capacity via bloat that does not contribute to the circulating economy. It is essential to maintain a healthy surplus, while also investing and reinvesting in education, more infrastructure projects, and, importantly, recompensing noted deficits suffered during the years a budget was not passed.

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?

Education is the foundation of community and economic opportunity. While the long session budget did provide raises and bonuses for teachers, it is not enough. According to the US Census Bureau, North Carolina is 44th in the Nation in “per pupil” spending. This reflects our lack of recurring funding for our teachers, students and school infrastructure. We must invest in our schools to set children up for success. Otherwise, we run the risk of losing teachers.

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.

Roe v. Wade had been settled precedent for nearly 50 years. Now, the right to privacy and reproductive freedom is under threat across the country. Hence why I co-sponsored SB888, which seeks to codify the rights found in Roe v. Wade into state law. The choice to have an abortion is profoundly difficult and personal. I support letting people make these decisions with their families and their doctors, not having the government interfere in their freedom of choice.

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?

As legislators, our focus should be closing the gap of any learning losses suffered from the pandemic, properly funding education and helping to support a variety of other initiatives, such as mental health. We have a number of tough challenges to tackle, and curriculum decisions are best left to educators and parents.

Do you accept the results of the 2020 presidential election?

Yes.