Tim Longest, candidate for NC House District 34

Name: Tim Longest

Political party: Democrat

Age as of Nov. 8, 2022: 31

Campaign website: www.timfornc.com

Occupation: Attorney

Education: J.D. with honors, UNC School of Law; B.A., UNC-Chapel Hill

Have you run for elected office before? No

Please list highlights of your civic involvement: Member, NCBA Appellate Rules Committee; Commissioner, Raleigh Human Relations Commission

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

1. Support our schools. I support raising teacher pay to above the national average to recruit and retain the best teachers for North Carolina. I will fight to fully fund our public schools so that every child has the education they need.

2. Fight for working families. I will fight to bring well-paying jobs to North Carolina, raise the minimum wage and ensure workers’ rights.

3. Protect civil rights and democracy. I will oppose attacks on abortion, voting rights and other civil rights.

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

The use of the surplus that will ensure the biggest return on investment for North Carolina is to fully fund our public schools, from Pre-K to higher education. We need to raise teacher pay to end the teacher shortage and provide our kids a great teacher in every classroom. The surplus could be used to provide well-paying jobs by investing in our infrastructure. We could also provide further relief to working families through reinstatement of the Earned Income Tax Credit.

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?

For the past decade, the legislature has been on the wrong track on public education. It has chronically underfunded our schools, failed to pay our teachers what they need and deserve, and played politics with classrooms. We should better fund our schools and pay enough to ensure a great teacher in every classroom and that all school staffing needs are met.

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.

I am proudly pro-choice. After the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, Republicans have shown they want to further restrict or ban abortion. I know a woman’s ability to choose to have an abortion is a fundamental right — a matter of freedom over her own body. I will fiercely fight against any new restrictions on abortion. I support the codification of Roe into state law to guarantee abortion rights and the repeal of unnecessary waiting periods.

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?

The legislature should broadly encourage civic education in a diverse world. In general, decisions about the content of the curriculum should be left to the professionals best equipped to make those decisions: teachers, education professionals and our local school boards.

Do you accept the results of the 2020 presidential election?

Yes.