House District 95 includes part of Iredell County in the North Carolina House of Representatives. It runs from the Mecklenburg County line to Mooresville.
Incumbent Rep. Todd Carver will be defending the house seat against Mike Kubiniec in the Republican primary.
The winner of this primary will face Democrat Michael Robinson in November.
Todd Carver (R)
What is your occupation?
Retired Law Enforcement
Why are you running?
I am up for re-election and still believe I have a skill set which can benefit my community. I believe in serving my community and doing the best job possible at constituent service. I answer my phone and my email on a daily basis to serve my community.
What is the top priority for your district and how do you plan to address it?
The primary issue I hear from constituents is about traffic and transportation. The Mooresville area currently has around $500 million worth of traffic projects underway. I will work with our partners to ensure those transportation dollars continue to flow into the Mooresville area.
Following recent events, including the murder of Iryna Zarutska on Charlotte’s light rail, how do you plan to address concerns surrounding violent crime and mental health in the state?
The first thing we have already done is to pass Iryna’s Law. This is a step toward ensuring those with a prior history of violent crimes and mental health issues get evaluated before a release into the community. This is an important step in making all North Carolinians safer.
The mental health crisis is one I watched unfold as a law enforcement officer. This situation was created by a long-term plan to dismantle the inpatient treatment of the mentally ill. To correct this situation will take a long-term investment in our mental health system. There has to be an alternative to allowing the mentally ill to self-medicate if they have proven they are incapable of managing their care.
The light rail needs the intervention of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department. You simply cannot contract out the protection of such a major transportation component. It would be akin to contracting with a private security firm to take on the task of patrolling our highways. CMPD is the police agency for the Charlotte community. It will take investment in the police department, but it is the only way the light rail will ever be safe for the public.
In light of rising costs and federal changes, should the legislature fully fund Medicaid to ensure coverage remains in the state?
The Medicaid situation is going to require us to make some tough choices. We cannot continue to throw good money after bad expecting a different outcome. No one knows the answer to this question, because we do not know what the outcome of the federal decision regarding Medicaid. Until we know what the federal government is going to do, we can only plan for contingencies.
What is your position on abortion? Should North Carolina pursue additional abortion restrictions?
I do not personally believe in abortion. The current law on abortion in North Carolina is 12 weeks. Any changes to tighten the existing law would need to contain a protection for rape victims and protection of the mother’s life.
What sets you apart from your opponents?
The differences between my opponent and I are vast. I am a ship builder rather than a ship sinker. I am a person who believes in working within the political system to make improvements. I want to work with people to find common ground where we can and to try persuasion where common ground doesn’t exist. Solving the problems faced by North Carolina will take people who can work together.
My opponent has proven he cannot work with those he doesn’t agree with. Channel 9 has written several stories about the problems created by my opponent and his service on the Iredell Statesville Board of Education. I have proven I can work with a wide range of people. The NC General Assembly is not a place where one serves to impose your will on the other 119 members. It is also not the place for someone who has demonstrated an inability to follow laws set by the General Assembly.
My career has been one of service to my community. I have grown up in the Town of Mooresville and worked to protect the Town and its people my entire adult life. I believe in service to my constituents and have delivered during my first term in the Assembly. I will always put the service to my community before myself. It’s not just something I say it’s something I have lived.
Mike Kubiniec (R)
What is your occupation?
Retired, but I am current member of the Iredell-Statesville Schools Board of Education, District 5 (South Iredell), 2022 to Present.
Why are you running?
Here is why I am running – My Top 5 Priorities – it’s all about making Iredell County’s citizens lives better:
1) Make North Carolina and Iredell County safe;
2) Continue to grow our state and local economies by attracting new business with high-paying jobs, supporting fiscally conservative policies and keeping our income taxes low;
3) Change the funding model for public education and return more local control to the school districts;
4) Improve efforts to strengthen election integrity throughout the state; and
5) Serve as a conduit for my constituents of Iredell County and our state’s military veterans by addressing their needs, solving their problems and keeping them informed.
What is the top priority for your district and how do you plan to address it?
Although safety is always our #1 priority, since the question dealt specifically to my district, I believe public education funding is Iredell County’s top priority.
Changing the funding model for public education and returning more local control to the school districts.
Having served on the Iredell-Statesville Schools Board of Education these past 3 years, I have seen first-hand how the state’s funding of public education punishes school districts like Iredell County. Currently, state funding is based mostly on student enrollment. What is not adequately accounted for are districts that have high areas of poverty and significant numbers of special needs students. Iredell County is a Tier III County and is considered “wealthy,” therefore, we receive insufficient funding to meet all these educational costs. Many other states are exploring other funding models and I believe North Carolina should consider these as well. I will ask and encourage fellow legislators to look these other states’ efforts and explore ideas for changes to North Carolina that make sense for us.
Following recent events, including the murder of Iryna Zarutska on Charlotte’s light rail, how do you plan to address concerns surrounding violent crime and mental health in the state?
Making North Carolina and Iredell County safe is my #1 priority.
Iryna Zarutska’s terrible and senseless murder this past summer in Charlotte exposed the need to strengthen repeat offender and pretrial release laws. Thankfully, the Governor signed ‘Iryna’s Law’ which helps address some of these, but I will support even stronger laws which eliminate cashless bail, keep repeat offenders off the street and to eliminate sanctuary cities.
Student mental health is a very serious and real issue that I have seen first-hand as a school board member. Significant contributing factors, in my opinion, include Screen Addition to electronic devices and addiction to social media. I would like for the NC Legislature to designate Screen Australia as a health epidemic. Schools should limit the use of electronic devices in grades K-6, use more direct teacher led instruction, return to more pencil and paper work and move standardized testing from computer back to paper test booklets and answer sheets. Australia just implemented a law that bans social media access to children less than 16 years old; I would support that.
From an adult mental health perspective, the state’s role is to ensure access to timely, effective mental health services—especially for veterans, first responders, children, and those facing addiction—while empowering families, churches, nonprofits, and community providers who know their neighbors best. We must reduce barriers to care, expand proven crisis and outpatient services, and improve coordination so people receive help before problems become tragedies. I oppose one-size-fits-all mandates. Instead, we should demand accountability, focus resources on results, and protect constitutional rights while treating every person with dignity. A healthy North Carolina starts with strong families, strong communities, and responsible government that serves—rather than replaces—them.
In light of rising costs and federal changes, should the legislature fully fund Medicaid to ensure coverage remains in the state?
As your District 95 representative, I believe in responsible government that protects the most vulnerable while safeguarding our values and our economic future. Rising healthcare costs and shifting federal rules create real challenges for North Carolina families and taxpayers alike. The question is not simply whether we fund Medicaid, but how we ensure access to care without compromising our principles.
I support fully meeting the state’s obligations to Medicaid, but only as part of a comprehensive strategy that:
Prioritizes efficient, outcomes-focused care over wasteful spending;
Expands access through community, faith-based, and local provider partnerships rather than relying solely on big government solutions;
Respects personal responsibility and avoids expanding entitlement programs without clear reforms that protect taxpayers; and
Ensures transparency and accountability so every dollar goes toward improving lives — not administrative overhead.
We must protect those who truly need help — children with disabilities, seniors, and low-income families — while demanding stewardship of public funds and respect for constitutional limits on government. That means funding what we’ve committed to, reforming what isn’t working, and keeping control in the hands of North Carolinians, not Washington bureaucrats.
What is your position on abortion? Should North Carolina pursue additional abortion restrictions?
As a Christian, I believe every human life is sacred and created with purpose. As a Conservative and Constitutional Republican, I believe government has a legitimate role in protecting innocent life while respecting the rule of law and the limits of state authority.
North Carolina should continue to pursue reasonable, life-affirming policies that protect unborn children while providing compassion and support for mothers. This includes ensuring existing abortion laws are enforced, strengthening safeguards for women’s health and safety, and advancing policies that reflect both our moral values and the will of North Carolinians.
At the same time, we must recognize that abortion is not just a legal issue—it is a human one. Reducing abortion means supporting women, expanding access to prenatal care, adoption services, and community- and faith-based resources that help mothers choose life without fear or coercion.
I oppose using abortion as a form of birth control and reject efforts to normalize late-term procedures. Any future changes to the law should be carefully considered, constitutionally sound, and focused on protecting life while showing mercy and compassion to women facing difficult circumstances.
A culture that values life must also value responsibility, family, and genuine support—before, during, and after birth.
What sets you apart from your opponents?
In my service on the school board, I proudly stand behind my Christian Conservative beliefs and values. I have voted for prayer before school board meetings, displaying the 10 Commandments along with the Declaration of Independence and Constitution in all schools. I fervently support parental rights, and no DEI indoctrination in our schools. I have been a staunch fiscal conservative and have demanded full transparency on our budget and all school-board decisions. Do I carry out the will of my constituents while striving for a school system to deliver academic excellence across the entire district? An absolute yes!
My opponent is a fellow Republican. A review of his performance and record, both while serving on the Board of Education before me and in the NC House these past 2 years, has not consistently demonstrated Christian Conservative beliefs and values in votes he made, comments he has made and issues he has supported. I will not go into specific details in this candidate guide for the purpose of name bashing, but many constituents do not believe he is adequately representing their interests. I have the pulse of what Iredell County residents beliefs, values and want. I will deliver on representing them to the best of my ability.
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