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Ballotpedia, Buck Newton

Candidate website

Believes the solution to excessive spending and debt is not higher taxes but increased efficiency to allow North Carolinians to retain more income. Supports a tax system that does not burden the middle class, fostering economic growth for businesses.

Supports tax policies that do not hurt the middle class and fosters business and economic growth. 

Believes in cutting taxes for "hard-working families and small businesses."

Wants to reduce taxes for "hard-working families and small businesses."

Believes agriculture is crucial to North Carolina's economy and supports policies that promote local agriculture production.

Promises to advocate for state farmers and policies aimed to promote local agriculture production. 

Supports improving infrastructure to increase safety and create jobs, believing responsible spending on transportation projects enhances the state's potential.

Wants to enhance infrastructure statewide for those that depend on highways and roads, saying road improvements "not only increase safety, but provide jobs..."

- Supports tax policies that do not hurt the middle class and fosters business and economic growth. 
- Wants to reduce taxes for "hard-working families and small businesses."
- Promises to advocate for state farmers and policies aimed to promote local agriculture production. 
- Wants to enhance infrastructure statewide for those that depend on highways and roads, saying road improvements "not only increase safety, but provide jobs..."

Economy

Believes high-energy prices burden families and supports a holistic energy policy combining traditional and renewable methods for a sustainable future.

Wants to use traditional sources of energy in the short term, and prioritize renewable energy as a long-term solution to foster a "clean, sustainable, and cost-effective future"

- Wants to reduce energy prices. 
- Wants to use traditional sources of energy in the short term, and prioritize renewable energy as a long-term solution to foster a "clean, sustainable, and cost-effective future"

Energy & the Environment

Opposes abortion and plans to "end the barbaric practice of abortion in North Carolina." As a State Senator, helped pass legislation promoting Life and discouraging abortions.

Opposes abortion access and plans to "end the barbaric practice of abortion in North Carolina."

Believes accessible, affordable healthcare is crucial, especially in rural areas, and supports policies to preserve doctor-patient relationships, expand access, and improve quality and cost for patients. Plans to ensure people can get necessary medications.

Supports affordable and accessible healthcare statewide, but especially in rural areas.

Supports policies that protect doctor-patient relationships.

Supports policies ensuring needed medication is provided.

- Opposes abortion access and plans to "end the barbaric practice of abortion in North Carolina."
- Supports affordable and accessible healthcare statewide, but especially in rural areas.
- Supports policies that protect doctor-patient relationships.
- Supports policies ensuring needed medication is provided.

Healthcare

As of May 23, 2025, Buck Newton’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Voting & Elections

Supports standing with law enforcement against "radical attempts to defund the police."

Supports law enforcement and opposes "radical attempts to defund the police."

Believes that "liberal activist judges" threaten fundamental freedoms and plans to "vigorously defend the 2nd Amendment."

Opposes gun control and promises to "vigorously defend the 2nd Amendment..."

- Supports law enforcement and opposes "radical attempts to defund the police."
- Opposes gun control and promises to "vigorously defend the 2nd Amendment..."

Public Safety

Supports prioritizing students' education, empowering parents, and increasing classroom funding. As a State Senator, backed reforms to reduce class sizes, expand school choice, modernize schools, and raise teacher salaries.

Holds "students and their education..." as his top priority. 

Supports increasing school funding and small class sizes.

Supports streamlining local schools and prioritizing early education.

- Holds "students and their education..." as his top priority. 
- Supports increasing school funding and small class sizes.
- Supports expanding school choice
- Supports streamlining local schools and prioritizing early education.

Education

Promises to support veterans and their families.

- Promises to support veterans and their families.

Foreign Policy and Immigration

Facebook

Twitter

Buck Newton

Ballotpedia, Raymond Smith Jr. 

Supports creating incentives for small businesses and start-ups, including tax breaks, grants, and low-interest loans.

Supports investments in infrastructure, such as transportation, broadband internet, and utilities, to attract business investments.

Supports developing legislation that provides financial incentives, regulatory relief, and support for targeted industries.

Supports policies that provide tax breaks or incentives to companies offering high-paying, stable jobs.

Supports prioritizing the upgrade of transportation infrastructure, including roads, bridges, and public transit, to improve connectivity and spur economic growth.

Supports making workforce development programs inclusive and accessible to all community members, including underrepresented groups.

Supports developing targeted initiatives to increase employment for veterans, disabled individuals, and minority groups.

- Supports creating incentives for small businesses and start-ups, including tax breaks, grants, and low-interest loans.
- Supports investments in infrastructure, such as transportation, broadband internet, and utilities, to attract business investments.
- Supports developing legislation that provides financial incentives, regulatory relief, and support for targeted industries.
- Supports policies that provide tax breaks or incentives to companies offering high-paying, stable jobs.
- Supports prioritizing the upgrade of transportation infrastructure, including roads, bridges, and public transit, to improve connectivity and spur economic growth.
- Supports making workforce development programs inclusive and accessible to all community members, including underrepresented groups.
- Supports developing targeted initiatives to increase employment for veterans, disabled individuals, and minority groups.

Believes economic development plans should include sustainability and environmental conservation measures.

Supports renewable energy projects and green initiatives to create new job opportunities.

Supports promoting land and water conservation initiatives to protect natural resources.

Supports sustainable practices by encouraging recycling, reducing fossil fuel reliance, and promoting green building practices.

Supports developing efficient and eco-friendly public transportation systems.

Supports encouraging the consumption of locally produced food to reduce the carbon footprint.

Supports encouraging the consumption of locally produced food to reduce carbon footprint.

Supports promoting energy-efficient and sustainable housing to reduce long-term costs.

- Believes economic development plans should include sustainability and environmental conservation measures.
- Supports renewable energy projects and green initiatives to create new job opportunities.
- Supports promoting land and water conservation initiatives to protect natural resources.
- Supports sustainable practices by encouraging recycling, reducing fossil fuel reliance, and promoting green building practices.
- Supports developing efficient and eco-friendly public transportation systems.
- Supports encouraging the consumption of locally produced food to reduce carbon footprint.
- Supports promoting energy-efficient and sustainable housing to reduce long-term costs.

Believes in advocating for increased funding and resources for local healthcare facilities, especially in rural areas.

Supports initiatives to attract healthcare professionals to underserved areas and improve access to quality care.

The candidate's website says, "Community Wellness Programs: Develop programs that promote healthy living and wellness."

Supports developing programs that promote healthy living and wellness.

- Believes in advocating for increased funding and resources for local healthcare facilities, especially in rural areas.
- Supports initiatives to attract healthcare professionals to underserved areas and improve access to quality care.
- Supports developing programs that promote healthy living and wellness.

As of May 23, 2025, Raymond Smith, Jr.’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Believes in collecting and analyzing crime data for each county to identify patterns and hotspots.

Supports collecting and analyzing crime data for each county to identify patterns and hotspots.

Supports community policing initiatives to build trust between law enforcement and communities.

Supports programs addressing social issues like poverty, education, and drug addiction to reduce crime.

Supports programs addressing social issues like poverty, education, and drug addiction.

Supports rehabilitation and reentry programs for offenders to reduce recidivism.

Supports promoting the use of modern technology in crime fighting, such as improved surveillance and data analysis tools.

- Supports collecting and analyzing crime data for each county to identify patterns and hotspots.
- Supports community policing initiatives to build trust between law enforcement and communities.
- Supports programs addressing social issues like poverty, education, and drug addiction.
- Supports rehabilitation and reentry programs for offenders to reduce recidivism.
- Supports promoting the use of modern technology in crime fighting, such as improved surveillance and data analysis tools.

Supports setting clear, measurable goals to improve literacy rates, high school graduation rates, STEM education, and access to early childhood education.

Supports aligning high school, community college, and trade school curricula with local job market needs.

Supports drafting policies and legislative proposals to enhance education, including increased school funding, teacher retention incentives, and programs to reduce educational disparities.

Supports increased school funding, teacher retention incentives, and programs to reduce educational disparities.

Supports ongoing professional development for educators and investing in continuous improvements in teaching methods and resources.

Supports vocational training programs and apprenticeships in high-demand sectors.

- Supports setting clear, measurable goals to improve literacy rates, high school graduation rates, STEM education, and access to early childhood education.
- Supports aligning high school, community college, and trade school curricula with local job market needs.
- Supports increased school funding, teacher retention incentives, and programs to reduce educational disparities.
- Supports ongoing professional development for educators and investing in continuous improvements in teaching methods and resources.
- Supports vocational training programs and apprenticeships in high-demand sectors.

Supports state legislation that benefits the military, including tax benefits, funding for local military infrastructure, and educational opportunities for military children.

- Supports state legislation that benefits the military, including tax benefits, funding for local military infrastructure, and educational opportunities for military children.

Raymond Smith, Jr.

- Your State Senator participates in the legislative process at the state level. They are one of 50 members of the North Carolina Senate. The North Carolina Senate is the upper house of the North Carolina General Assembly (the state's lawmaking body).
- Your State Senator drafts laws, approves budgets, has oversight of the state executive branch, and debates and votes on proposed laws.
- In addition to drafting and voting on bills, your State Senator can serve on committees. This is important because many bills can be stalled in committee, preventing them making it to a vote.
- Your State Senator is responsible for representing your interests. They also are responsible for helping you navigate the state's services and bringing back resources to your district.
- The State Senator is elected to a 2-year term. There is no term limit.