North Carolina House District 76 covers Rowan County, in the Salisbury area.
Republican Rowan County Commissioner Greg Edds is facing cybersecurity professional Scott Huffman on the Democratic side.
Edds has not responded to our candidate guide questionnaire.
If we receive his response, we will post it here.
Scott Huffman (D)
Why are you running?
Because I got a disconnection notice from Duke Energy, and I’ve fought my insurance company through denial after denial during my own cancer treatment. I know what it’s like to do everything right and still get squeezed. For 16 years, the crowd in charge in Raleigh has handed out corporate tax breaks and voucher money while your power bill climbs and the minimum wage hasn’t moved an inch. Working folks have become a slush fund for the extreme rich. I’m a Navy veteran and I’ve spent 31 years in IT fixing things that are broke. Raleigh is broke. I’m running to stop Duke’s rate hikes, keep unregulated AI data centers out of Rowan County, fund our public schools, and raise the minimum wage. It’s time for leaders who put people over power.
Are you in favor of the three constitutional amendments?
No on all three. These are election-year gimmicks put on the ballot to get one party’s voters to the polls. The income tax cap locks in tax cuts that help the rich most and ties our hands when the next Helene hits and we need money fast. The property tax limit sounds nice, but it doesn’t even say what the limit is. Raleigh gets to fill that in later, and when your county can’t pay for schools, firefighters, and deputies, guess who gets blamed. And we already have voter ID in the constitution. This one goes after mail-in voters, including our troops and seniors. If Raleigh wants to lower your taxes, start by making Duke Energy and big corporations pay their fair share. Don’t hide it in the constitution where we can’t fix it later.
What should the state do about data centers?
Stop rolling out the red carpet for them. These AI data centers suck up huge amounts of power and water, and right now families are the ones footing the bill. Duke wants rate hikes to build power plants for Big Tech, and you get stuck paying. That has to end. If a data center wants to come to North Carolina, it should pay every dime of the power lines and plants it needs. No tax breaks. No hidden costs on your bill. They should have to tell the public how much water and power they’ll use, and local folks should get a real say before one gets built next door. I work in tech. I’m not against technology. I’m against Big Tech getting rich off your power bill. My opponent backs these data centers. I don’t.
CMS controversies: what should state lawmakers do?
Let the State Auditor and the SBI do their jobs and follow the facts. If anybody broke the law, hold them accountable. But I’ll be watching for Raleigh politicians who use this mess as an excuse to take over local schools or push more voucher money. That’s the real play. One bad board doesn’t mean you punish teachers and kids. What lawmakers should do is set clear, statewide rules on school contracts so every district, including Rowan-Salisbury, has to post its big contracts in public and follow the same bidding rules. Sunshine works. And while we’re at it, let’s apply the same rules to voucher money going to private schools, where there’s almost no oversight at all. If we’re going to follow the money, let’s follow all of it.
What legislation will you pursue to bring down costs?
First, your power bill. I’ll fight every Duke rate hike and push to repeal the parts of Senate Bill 266 that researchers say could cost ratepayers $23 billion. Make Big Tech pay for its own data center power, not you. Second, your paycheck. North Carolina’s minimum wage has been stuck at $7.25 for years. Nobody can live on that. Let’s raise it. Third, health care. I’ll push for real oversight of the State Health Plan so teachers and state workers stop getting denied the care they pay for. Fourth, end corporate tax breaks and put that money back into public schools, so counties like Rowan don’t have to keep raising your property taxes to cover what Raleigh won’t. Lower costs start with not letting the big guys pick your pocket.
What sets you apart from your opponent?
My opponent stood up at the Utilities Commission and backed Duke’s 18% rate hike. I stand with the families paying those bills. He supports unregulated AI data centers that will drive our costs up even more. I want them to pay their own way or stay out. He won’t debate me one on one. I’ll debate him anywhere, anytime, because voters deserve to hear both of us. I’m a Navy veteran who served at the Pentagon, and I’ve spent 31 years in technology, so I know what these data centers really cost. When I ran for Congress, my campaign gave out 225,000 meals to folks in need. I don’t just talk about helping people. I do it. He works for Duke Energy’s bottom line. I’ll work for you.