The Political Beat Candidate Guide: House of Representatives District 6

Keith Davenport (D)

What is your occupation? U.S. Air Force veteran, former mayor, public servant, and congressional candidate

Over the last year, we have heard terms like “affordability crisis” and concerns from the state about health care affordability. Do you think there is an “affordability crisis,” and if so, what should be done to solve it? Yes. Housing, health care, food, and energy costs are rising faster than wages, and Congress has allowed a growing gap between the cost of survival in America and what people earn. It is past time to confront the reality that a $7.50 federal minimum wage is disconnected from modern life — no one can live on that in today’s economy. Congress has a responsibility to bring wages back in line with real living costs, just as many states and local governments have already been forced to do. At the same time, we must lower household costs by expanding affordable housing, fixing health care pricing, enforcing competition laws, and cutting out corporate middlemen who inflate prices without adding value.

What should the role of the United States be in Venezuela, the Ukraine-Russia war and the Israel-Palestine conflict? The United States should lead with diplomacy, protect civilians, defend international law, and avoid endless wars. That means supporting democratic outcomes in Venezuela, backing Ukraine’s sovereignty while pushing for a negotiated end to the war, and working urgently toward a durable two-state solution that ensures security and dignity for both Israelis and Palestinians. The United States must also stand firmly with our NATO allies — strengthening our mutual defense commitments and ensuring collective security with Europe and other partners. We must uphold our constitutional system: only Congress has the power to declare war, and the President should not commit U.S. forces to major military action abroad without congressional authorization except in narrowly defined emergencies.

Are you in favor of President Donald Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration? What immigration reform measures do you support? I support strong borders and the rule of law, but not policies that abandon due process or humanity. We need comprehensive reform that includes secure borders, faster and humane asylum processing, accountability for traffickers, modern technology at ports of entry, and a legal pathway for long-term, law-abiding immigrants who contribute to our communities. I do not support policies that separate families, and I believe our immigration system should reflect both our laws and the values expressed on the plaque at the base of the Statue of Liberty — welcoming those seeking freedom and opportunity with dignity and fairness under the law.

What sets you apart from your opponents? I’m not running for attention, photo ops, or political theater — I’m already doing the work. Before holding office, my team and I have drafted more than 50 substantive policy proposals, including the American Health Security Act of 2027 to guarantee affordable health coverage, the Fair and Simple Taxation Act of 2027 to simplify the tax code and lower the tax burden on working families, and the People’s Redistricting Act to end gerrymandering so the people choose their representatives, not the other way around. Voters can review my full policy proposals and legislative drafts at DavenportForCongress.com.

Beau Blair (D)

What is your occupation? I’ve spent my career working in and around small businesses by bartending, serving, and now working directly with local restaurants and bars in sales and brand development, helping owners manage inventory, control costs, and keep their doors open in a tough economy.

Over the last year, we have heard terms like “affordability crisis” and concerns from the state about health care affordability. Do you think there is an “affordability crisis,” and if so, what should be done to solve it? Yes, there absolutely is an affordability crisis in this country, and working families are feeling it every day. They feel it at the grocery store, they feel it at the doctor’s office, and they feel it in paychecks that simply haven’t kept up with the cost of living. Healthcare premiums are rising and Congress has failed to make ACA tax credits permanent, putting millions at risk of higher costs or losing coverage. Tariffs have quietly raised the price of everyday goods and wages haven’t kept pace with inflation. So families are being squeezed from every direction.

If we’re serious about fixing this, we have to tackle it head-on.

• Anyone working full time in America should be able to afford rent, food, and healthcare. That means fighting for a true living wage so no one has to choose between groceries and the electric bill.
• We should permanently extend the ACA tax credits and make sure that most of the savings go directly to families. We should also expand Medicare as a public option on the ACA marketplace so Americans under 65 have a lower-cost choice. Competition will force private insurers to lower prices, and it gives us stronger leverage to negotiate prescription drug costs.
• Wall Street and private equity firms are buying up homes in working-class neighborhoods and pricing families out of their own communities. We should discourage that speculation by taxing corporations that hoard properties or leave homes vacant just to drive up prices. That frees up inventory and allows us to invest in down-payment assistance and low-interest loans so working people can actually buy, repair, and stay in the neighborhoods they call home.
• Tariffs are a hidden tax on working people. Studies show American consumers pay over 85% of those costs. If we want lower prices, we should stop taxing our own families at the checkout line.

At the end of the day, affordability isn’t complicated. If you work hard in America, you should be able to pay your bills, take care of your family, and not feel like you’re falling behind.

What should the role of the United States be in Venezuela, the Ukraine-Russia war and the Israel-Palestine conflict? For a long time, the United States used to be a global force for good in the world. We didn’t conquer, we helped to ensure that there was peace as best as we could. Times have changed and we have instead stood with the wrong side of the conflicts. We should be helping to put an end to these conflicts, not just sitting by. In Venezuela, we should have no role. We have learned now that the United States military was used to invade Venezuela for their oil, so the oil companies can profit, leaving little to no benefit to the American people. Maduro was a dictator that used his people to get what he wanted, but if we are going to start kidnapping dictators in this country, we have a few other people on that list we should be focused on that don’t have oil. In the Ukraine-Russia war, Russia’s invasion is a clear violation of international law. If we allow countries to redraw borders by force, it threatens global stability and our own security. The U.S. should continue helping Ukraine defend itself alongside our allies, but with strong oversight and accountability so taxpayer dollars are used effectively and we avoid another forever war. The Israel–Palestine conflict, Israel does have the right to security and protection from terrorism, but innocent Palestinian civilians should not be used as pawns or sacrificed so that Israel can invade and conquer land that doesn’t belong to them. Israel has used American aid to help terrorize an innocent population of Palestinian women, children, and families and that absolutely needs to stop. The United States’ role is to protect innocent people from being harmed or killed and that is what we need to be doing. At the end of the day, America needs to be a leader using the same values we expect her at home: safety, human rights, and common sense. We should always use diplomacy first and stand with democracy. We need to make sure every dollar we spend abroad actually makes Americans and the world a safer place for everyone.

Are you in favor of President Donald Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration? What immigration reform measures do you support? No, I am not in favor of how this administration is handling immigration. There’s a difference between enforcing the law and terrorizing families. Going after violent criminals and traffickers? Absolutely! That is common sense and keeps communities safe, but sending armed agents to detain parents at school drop-off and raiding workplaces sweeping up people who are working, and those waiting for their asylum hearings isn’t public safety and it doesn’t fix the problem. Both parties have used immigration as a campaign talking point for years while refusing to actually solve it.Now they are setting arrest quotas that are impossible to hit and staging raids that might look tough on TV, but it doesn’t repair our broken system. If we’re serious about reform, we need real solutions:

First, we have to fix the court system. Asylum cases shouldn’t take 5–7 years. We need more immigration judges and faster processing so cases are decided quickly and fairly.

Second, actually secure the border smartly. Target smugglers, traffickers, and violent offenders, not families and workers trying to follow the rules.

Third, create a clear, earned path to citizenship. People who have lived here for years, worked, paid taxes, and contributed to our communities shouldn’t be forced to live in fear forever. We’re a nation built by immigrants, we should have a system that reflects that reality.

This is personal for me. My wife is a naturalized citizen. I’ve seen firsthand what the American dream means to families who come here the right way. We should be helping people become Americans, not treating them like criminals for trying. At the end of the day, we can be both a nation of laws and a nation of compassion.We can secure our border without losing our humanity.

What sets you apart from your opponents? What separates me from my opponents is simple: I am not a career politician. I’m one of the people they’re supposed to represent. I’ve never held public office. I don’t come from party politics or corporate boardrooms. I come from working twelve-to-fourteen hour shifts. I’ve spent more than 25 years working in hospitality and the service industry as a bartender, a server, and behind the scenes in hotels. I have lived paycheck to paycheck, worked late nights and weekends, and still show up every day for my family and the people I serve. I know what it’s like to worry about rent, healthcare bills, and whether your paycheck will stretch far enough. These are not talking points for me, it’s our real everyday life.

My wife is a naturalized citizen. During the election, we watched the rise of division and anti-immigrant rhetoric and had to ask ourselves a hard question: do we leave to protect our family, or stay and fight for the country we believe in? We chose to stay and fight.That decision is why I’m running. Families like ours and like so many across this district feel like Washington stopped listening a long time ago. Politicians protect party insiders and special interests while working people get left behind. They have forgotten what its like to be a Public Servant. I don’t owe corporate PACs or party bosses anything. I don’t take their money. This campaign is powered by bartenders, teachers, truck drivers, nurses, and parents. What separates me is that I don’t want to go to Washington to become a party politician, climb ladders, or get my revenge, I want to go to Washington to be a servant leader who listens, helps solve problems, and actually fights for families like mine so our kids have more opportunity than we did, not less.

Alysa Kassay (D)

What is your occupation? Retired Federal Supervisor

Over the last year, we have heard terms like “affordability crisis” and concerns from the state about health care affordability. Do you think there is an “affordability crisis,” and if so, what should be done to solve it? Yes—there is an affordability crisis, and it’s real. Families feel it every month as rent, groceries, health care, child care, and insurance costs rise faster than their paychecks. This is a policy failure, and one Congress has the power to fix.

To solve it, we need to focus on costs, not just incomes:

• Lower health care costs by restoring and locking in ACA subsidies, reducing prescription drug prices, expanding Medicaid, and strengthening community health centers so care is affordable and accessible.
• Tackle housing costs by increasing supply, supporting first-time homebuyers and renters with federal credits, and investing in our workforce by increasing the minimum wage and provide safe and affordable housing.
• Protect workers and families by defending earned benefits for seniors and veterans and making sure people aren’t priced out of retirement, caregiving, or basic necessities.
• Hold corporations and insurers accountable when consolidation and price-gouging drive up costs without improving services.
• Invest in what households really need like child care subsidies and the expansion of the free broadband program so families can work, learn, and access care without added financial strain.

What should the role of the United States be in Venezuela, the Ukraine-Russia war and the Israel-Palestine conflict? The United States should work with other countries to solve problems through diplomacy, protect human rights, and follow international law instead of getting stuck in endless wars.

In Venezuela, The United States should not interfere in Venezuela’s internal politics. Venezuela’s future should be decided by its own people. The U.S. role should be limited to diplomacy, humanitarian assistance, and working with allies rather than unilateral actions or efforts to impose political outcomes.

In the Ukraine-Russia war, the U.S. should work with allies to help Ukraine defend itself, carefully track how aid is used, and push for a lasting peace that Ukraine agrees to and that does not reward aggression.

In Israel-Palestine, the U.S. should support Israel’s security while also protecting civilians, expanding humanitarian aid, and working toward a ceasefire and a two-state solution.

America’s role should be to reduce suffering, prevent future wars, and help build peace, not to control conflicts or create them.

Are you in favor of President Donald Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration? What immigration reform measures do you support? I support immigration reform that is firm, fair, and humane and that actually works.

First, the U.S. needs a legal immigration system that functions. That means fixing visa programs, reducing long wait times, and making it easier for families and employers to follow the law.

Second, we must secure the border while respecting human rights. Border security and compassion can go together. Enforcement should focus on drugs, trafficking, and serious crime and not on punishing families.

Third, I support a path to legal status for long-term undocumented immigrants who work, pay taxes, and contribute to their communities, especially Dreamers and essential workers. Mass deportation is unrealistic and harmful.

Fourth, asylum cases should be handled fairly and quickly. People fleeing danger deserve due process. This means more judges, faster decisions, and clear rules.

Finally, reform must include accountability. This means employers who exploit workers and for agencies that fail to follow the law.

Immigration reform should strengthen the economy, respect human dignity, and bring order to a broken system.

What sets you apart from your opponents? I am the only candidate with hands-on federal experience managing people, solving problems, and implementing federal policy. My long tenure in federal service has given me deep knowledge of how laws are applied and how Washington’s decisions affect families. As someone who previously registered unaffiliated, I bring an independent smart mindset grounded in Democratic values which is focused on practical, fact-based solutions. As the only woman in this race, I offer a perspective shaped by leadership, oversight, and a strong commitment to accountability and effective service.

Cyril Jefferson (D)

What is your occupation? Current Mayor of High Point, NC and Industry Practice Director for Higher Education, Stratagon.

Over the last year, we have heard terms like “affordability crisis” and concerns from the state about health care affordability. Do you think there is an “affordability crisis,” and if so, what should be done to solve it? Yes—there is a real affordability crisis, and it’s being felt most acutely in housing, healthcare, and the cost of living. Addressing this crisis requires practical solutions that lower costs without wasting taxpayer dollars. That starts with expanding housing supply by cutting red tape, modernizing zoning, converting vacant buildings into homes, and helping first-time buyers. It also means protecting healthcare programs like Medicaid and Medicare, lowering prescription drug costs, treating mental health like physical health, and addressing hunger as a health issue. Affordability isn’t one problem—it’s a system of pressures—and it takes coordinated, results-driven leadership to ease those pressures for families.

What should the role of the United States be in Venezuela, the Ukraine-Russia war and the Israel-Palestine conflict? While Venezuela’s crisis, the Ukraine-Russia war, and the Israel-Palestine conflict are very different in their immediate causes and dynamics, they share several broader structural, geopolitical, and humanitarian commonalities.

In Venezuela, going forward, U.S. policy must prioritize respect for international law and national sovereignty. Military intervention should only be considered as a genuine last resort, undertaken with clear international authorization and robust multilateral support to avoid undermining global norms. The U.S. should support Venezuela’s democratic, civilian-led transition by empowering Venezuelans to build transparent institutions, rule of law, and free elections, rather than imposing external governance.

On the humanitarian front, food, medicine, and infrastructure must be addressed independently of political objectives, in coordination with NGOs and regional partners. Finally, the U.S. should engage closely with Latin American governments to foster cooperative solutions that respect regional autonomy and mitigate anti-U.S. sentiment, ensuring stability and credibility in the Western Hemisphere.

The United States remains a principal supporter of Ukraine as it defends its sovereignty against Russia’s ongoing invasion, providing substantial military, economic, and humanitarian assistance. This support reflects a broader commitment to upholding international law, territorial integrity, and the principle that borders cannot be changed by force. At the same time, recent diplomatic efforts, including prisoner exchanges and renewed U.S.–Russia military communications, underscore the importance of reducing escalation risks in a conflict with global consequences. Russia’s characterization of foreign forces as legitimate targets highlights the danger of direct military confrontation between nuclear-armed powers.

U.S. policy should therefore pursue a balanced strategy of deterrence and diplomacy. The United States should sustain defensive aid that enables Ukraine to protect its population and territory while avoiding actions that could draw NATO directly into the war. Washington should also lead diplomatic efforts toward a negotiated settlement, using its influence to press for a ceasefire and durable political agreement that promotes long-term stability. Close coordination with NATO and EU allies is essential to maintaining a unified,

multilateral approach. Finally, the U.S. must preserve de-escalation mechanisms, including military-to-military communication, to prevent miscalculation and unintended escalation.

The United States remains a central military and diplomatic supporter of Israel, including through security assistance and diplomatic engagement at the United Nations. While this partnership reflects longstanding commitments to Israel’s security, it has also generated significant domestic and international concern, particularly regarding civilian casualties in Gaza and the broader humanitarian crisis affecting Palestinians.

U.S. policy should focus on advancing a just and durable peace that ensures Israel’s security while upholding Palestinian rights and dignity. The United States should actively support negotiated political solutions, including progress toward a viable two-state framework with firm guarantees for civilian protection. Security assistance should be conditioned on adherence to humanitarian standards, ensuring U.S. support does not contribute to disproportionate harm and that humanitarian access remains non-negotiable. Washington should also deepen diplomatic engagement with regional partners, including Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Gulf states, to reduce tensions, support reconstruction, and prevent regional escalation. Finally, U.S. credibility as a peace broker depends on supporting international law and accountability mechanisms that protect civilians and address violations by all parties.

A balanced strategy integrating security, diplomacy, and humanitarian principles is essential to achieving lasting stability.

Despite very different historical and regional contexts, these three complex crises each involve conflicting visions of sovereignty and governance, significant humanitarian fallout, major roles for external powers, and debates over international norms and justice.

Are you in favor of President Donald Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration? What immigration reform measures do you support? I do not support approaches to immigration that rely on fear, chaos, or the dehumanization of people. I believe the United States needs a practical, balanced immigration system—one that keeps communities safe, strengthens the economy, and upholds our values.

That means securing the border with smart, accountable investments, like adding agents, judges, and modern tools to speed up cases and stop drug trafficking at legal ports of entry, rather than political stunts. It also means fixing our broken legal immigration system so North Carolina’s farms, factories, and hospitals can find the workers they need, while ensuring accountability through measures like E-Verify. Immigration policy should be firm, fair, and humane—and focused on real solutions, not rhetoric

What sets you apart from your opponents? What separates me is that I bring a builder’s mindset and a record of delivering results. As Mayor of High Point and as a former teacher and business owner, I’ve brought unlikely partners together to solve real problems—cutting permitting times, launching a $40 million housing impact fund without raising taxes, mobilizing $10 million for workforce development, and reducing crime through proven, collaborative strategies.

I believe the government should work—and be accountable to the people it serves, not powerful interests. That’s why I have joined Take BAC Congress, a bipartisan initiative focused on restoring balance, accountability, and public trust through common-sense reforms. I will fight to reduce conflicts of interest by banning stock trading by members of Congress, overturning Citizens United, enforcing strong ethics rules, establishing real accountability, and restoring regular order.

When voters see transparency, fairness, and competence, polarization drops—and democracy works better. I believe government functions best when leaders prioritize stewardship over self-interest and put people ahead of power. That service-first, solutions-driven approach is what I’ll bring to Congress to strengthen our democracy and help families breathe easier.