Senate District 42 covers southern Mecklenburg County, including parts of Mint Hill, Matthews, SouthPark and Ballantyne.
Democratic incumbent Woodson Bradley will face Republican Stacie McGinn in the race.
McGinn has not responded to our candidate guide questionnaire.
If we receive a response, we will post it here.
Woodson Bradley (D)
Why are you running?
I am running for re-election because we did good work in my first term, but there is still work to be done. I am excited to continue my work on the divorce reform act and the domestic violence registry, both passion projects that will protect women and children across our states. I am also proud to be endorsed by all first responders and continue my work to advocate for them, as well as advocating for veteran teachers and public education.
Are you in favor of the three constitutional amendments on North Carolina’s ballot? Why or why not?
I am not in favor of any of the three amendments, but people need to make the right decision for them and their finances. They are state government overreach of the highest proportion. The funding cuts that will come with public safety concern me greatly as a result of these measures.
What should the state do about data centers?
There should be a law around data centers. The law should require data centers to upgrade the infrastructure they need for the general community and utility rate increases should be solely focused on data centers.
CMS has faced numerous controversies over the past month, what, if anything, should state lawmakers do?
As a state lawmaker, I don’t think that we can make a decision until the SBI and the FBI have concluded their investigation. We have no idea if this a failure of the system or rather the failure of those we trusted to run our schools properly. Until we know the full extent of the damage, it would be foolish to pass legislation that does not actually fix the problem. As soon as we know the extent, I will happily vote for any legislation that fixes the problem.
What legislation will you pursue to bring down costs?
This past week, my colleagues and I gladly suspended the state gas tax in order to help working families. While this step is one in the right direction, we need to do more. This past cycle, I introduced S.B. 839, the Grocery Price Transparency Act. This legislation would prevent grocers from using algorithmic pricing in their stores, ensuring they are not able to charge more based on the needs of consumers. I also believe that we need to rein in Duke Energy, ensuring they are not able to arbitrarily raise their rates.
What sets you apart from your opponent?
Everyday, I work in my district and across Charlotte with community members, not as a Senator, but as a community member. Even before I thought of running for office, I have always been an active member of the community, volunteering with the Domestic Violence Speakers Bureau, being a member of the Survivor Input Task Force for the Umbrella Center, being an active Rotarian, and being a part of the leadership team for the NC Special Olympics State Games. I have seen first-hand the issues our communities need addressed, and I will always focus on those issues. Our campaign is completely focused on what matters to North Carolinians, while my opponent is completely focused on grievances and mudslinging.