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Roy Cooper (D-incumbent) is NCAEs choice for Governor of North Carolina. With an impressive record of achievement, he has proven himself a friend of public schools and students over and over again. Roy will bring a fresh perspective to the many education challenges facing our state, and he will do so with the full understanding that a well-educated populace is both the driver of North Carolina's economic engine and the source of its cultural strength. (Source: Direct quote from NCAE) Josh Stein (D-incumbent) is NCAEs choice for Attorney General. Josh has been a strong fighter for public schools as a state senator and he will continue to advocate for public education as Attorney General. He has been outspoken about the tax giveaways to corporate shareholders that shortchange our public schools students and undervalues educators and he has been a champion of making certain our schools are safe for students and staff. (Source: Direct quote from NCAE) State Treasurer: Ronnie Chatterji (D) has worked as an economic advisor to President Obama and, more recently, Governor Cooper. One of his main goals is to improve the state employees health care plan and retirement system. (Sources: Ballotpedia and the News and Observer) Superintendent of Public Instruction: Jen Mangrum (D) is a career educator who started the Elementary Education program at NC State and is currently training future teachers at UNC-Greensboro. She made news during the midterm elections for challenging Phil Berger for NC Senate District 30. Mangrum wants to improve teaching conditions, education funding, and equity across all school districts. (Sources: Ballotpedia and the News and Observer) Commissioner of Labor: Jessica Holmes (D) is a former staff attorney for NCAE and the current Chairwoman of the Wake County Board of Commissioners. Before her time at NCAE, she was a community organizer with the Southern Coalition for Social Justice. She has fought for more affordable housing, a living wage, and early childhood education. She is endorsed by the AFL-CIO. (Sources: IndyWeek and NC AFL-CIO) State Auditor: Beth Wood (D-incumbent) has worked for many years in the State Auditor's office and is seeking her 4th term as State Auditor. She has also worked for the Treasurers' Office and trained CPAs on government audits. (Source: Ballotpedia) This is a list of current Congress members from NC who are listed on the NEA election website as being "supporters of public education." Under this screenshot, there is the list of official endorsements from NCAE.
US Senate: CAL CUNNINGHAM (D) has served in the Army and the NC General Assembly as a state senator. He is endorsed by the national Democratic party, with a focus on expanding Medicaid and rooting out corruption in government. (Sources: Ballotpedia and the News & Observer)
US House District 2: Dual Endorsement MONIKA JOHNSON-HOSTLER (D) has shown leadership on the WCPSS Board of Education. She brings very specific ideas about where funding and support gaps exist and how improving them could have an immediate impact on the learning and working conditions for students and educators. She supports Universal PreK for seamless transitions into elementary school, an investment in Special Education, expanding services to assist homeless students, and early investments in the teacher pipeline. DEBORAH ROSS (D) brings experience from time in the NC House and her early work on the Leandro case to bring specific ideas for tax reforms that would allow for us to consistently and reliably address retirement security, affordable housing, Title I funding for services that directly impact our students, and access to healthcare for everyone in our community. (Source: Direct quote from Wake NCAE) US House District 4: DAVID PRICE (D-incumbent) Representative Price has served the 4th District in the U.S. House of Representatives since 1986, losing only once in 1994. He is the Chair of the Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies. His seniority has given him leadership positions in the House and Democratic party. He comes from a family of educators and has been a strong supporter of public education while in office. (Sources: Vote Smart and IndyWeek) US House District 12: ALMA ADAMS (D-incumbent) Representative Adams has served in Congress since 1994. She is a member of the Education and Labor committee and the Higher Education and Workforce Investment subcommittee. Adams is a retired art professor who also served for a while on the Greensboro Board of Education. (Sources: Ballotpedia and Vote Smart) Our 2019 State Legislative Report Card may also give you additional insight on any candidates who are currently serving in the N.C. General Assembly. LISTED ALPHABETICALLY
Please note that anything in this section will be a direct quote from the Local Affiliate.
Durham DAE Primary EndorsementsDurham County Commissioners:
Full comments and questionnaires here Nida Allam (D): We are inspired by the promise of a candidate who shares the experiences of, and centers the voices of some of our city’s most marginalized communities. She is committed to building a Durham that supports and values all residents. Ms. Allam’s candidate questionnaire showed deep understanding of how systems work, and a nuanced analysis of the practical ramifications of progressive policies in practice. She embraces her role as Commissioner as a position from which she can assist us in pushing back against powerful pro-privatization and charter school forces, while strengthening the civil rights, and bettering the lives of working-class people. Nimasheena Burns: We endorse Ms. Burns because of her team-building approach, her creative and reason-based orientation to problem-solving, as well as the tenacity and professional experience she will bring to the budgeting and oversight process. She has an impressive track-record of community engagement, and understands the need to reduce high-stakes testing and prevent the expansion of charter schools. Ms. Burns expressed strong support for public school educators and students. Ms. Burns is indisputably a people person who brought to our interview a refreshing energy and intelligent sense of humor which -- combined with her commitment to deep policy analysis, and clear desire to work collaboratively -- will make her a strong and valued County Commissioner. Heidi Carter (D-incumbent): We endorse Commissioner Carter for her advanced and longstanding progressive voting record, and for her continued willingness to invest in and commit to working in deep partnership with DAE. Ms. Carter is closely aligned with DAE’s values, and is a proven pro-public school policy maker with a long record of broad community involvement and experience as a past School Board member. Commissioner Carter consistently demonstrates a deep knowledge of public education issues both local and statewide, and is willing to take bold action to support students and educators in this important political moment. Brenda Howerton (D-incumbent): Commissioner Howerton is our choice because of her consistent support for Community Schools and pro-public education budgets. We value Commissioner Howerton’s strong relationships at the statewide level, and her deep base of support here in Durham where she has served as a beloved and well-regarded political figure and community representative for many years. Ms. Howerton understands the threats our schools face from charter expansion, privatization, and de-funding, and has marched with us for increased funding and pro-public education policy at the state level. Wendy Jacobs (D-incumbent): Commissioner Jacobs has a strong track-record and an ongoing commitment to do everything in her power to fully fund Durham Public Schools and sustain the crucial and hopeful future of our Community Schools work program. Commissioner Jacobs works hard, pays attention to details, and holds herself accountable to the people of Durham. Ms. Jacobs’ stands out for her thoughtful, wise, and compassionate presence among and consideration of our city’s most vulnerable communities. Durham School Board: Full comments and questionnaires here Consolidated District B: Xavier Cason is a lifelong educator and public servant, whose work continues to be aligned with our mission to defend and transform public schools. Mr. Cason stands out for his collaborative approach to problem-solving and team-building; he is a process-driven consensus builder, and dedicates himself to the thorough preparation necessary to be an effective and engaged board member. Consolidated District A: Jovonia Lewis is an effective parent organizer who shares our vision of defending and transforming public schools into the thriving, safe spaces all our students deserve. We are confident that Ms. Lewis will approach her work as a Board member in a spirit of collaboration, that she will be thorough and discerning in her preparation, and that she will consistently demand and build toward racial equity as a central criterion for any decision the Board makes. At-Large Board Member: Steve Unruhe is an esteemed lifelong educator who has been a member and supporter of DAE for 37 years. As a former President of the Durham Association of Educators, Steve has been a rock-solid ally on the School Board in our work to establish and implement the Community Schools initiative, to ensure that custodial staff have healthcare and retirement benefits as state employees, and in working to improve transparency and accountability within DPS. Steve pays close attention to policy and prioritizes work that centers equity and immigrant justice. He approaches public service with grace, humility, and accountability, and has been an effective consensus builder between the School Board and the County Commission. Wake NCAE Primary EndorsementsFull comments for all endorsements here Wake County Commissioners District 1: Jeremiah Pierce (D) believes that a Commissioner can (and should) take responsibility for building relationships with members of the General Assembly, particularly in conversations about the funding responsibility of county needs. As someone regularly having conversations with a variety of educators, Jeremiah has made way for regular 2-way communication with educators, specifically Wake NCAE members. His intention to be open and approachable to constituents is evident with plans to hold open conversations, meet regularly with groups in our communities, and a willingness to visit work sites. He recognizes the need for our Education Support Professionals to make beyond a $15/hour wage in order to experience a true living wage and understands that this will help us retain educators in all schools across a variety of roles. His vision for fully funded public schools closely aligns with the needs public school educators frequently express and the vision that Wake NCAE members have been building. After having the Commissioner in District 1 as the sole “nay” vote on the County budget for the past two years, and knowing that budgets are a reflection of values, we are confident that we will see Jeremiah’s values in the choices he makes, his interactions with citizens, and in the votes he casts. District 3: Audra Killingsworth (D) understands the funding needs educators experience around training, housing, employment rights, and salaries that recognize both the amount of time and value in the work that educators are dedicated to providing each day. We were excited to hear an alignment in the belief that public tax dollars should remain in public schools as well as an emphasis on the recruitment, retention, and ongoing support for a diverse field of educators, including the attention needed for encouraging a robust teacher pipeline. We appreciated specificity in Audra’s agreement that all of our Education Support Professionals deserve at least $15/hour as she extended this to express a more appropriate living wage would be over $20/hour, especially in a place with a higher cost-of-living like Wake County. We feel it is important that the next District 3 Commissioner is able to clearly connect how better working and living conditions for educators of all roles affects student learning, and we were impressed with the precise examples Audra provided when talking about teacher preparation, opportunities for quality professional learning, including educators in decision-making, and the role of County Commissioners in lifting up all of the incredible opportunities our public schools offer children in Wake County. Wake County Districts for the N.C. General Assembly House District 33: Representative Rosa Gill (D-incumbent) has continued to serve Wake County’s public school students, educators, and community supporters well. As a leader on the Education sub-committee, she continues to be a voice in the House who moves and creates policies, practices, and budgetary choices that would support the strengthening of our public school system. House District 38: Abe Jones (D) offers a unique perspective to the Wake delegation as a retired judge. We were particularly impressed with his insistence that funding in the General Assembly match the priorities spoken aloud by legislators, especially in connection to the proclamations of support for public schools. We are pleased that Abe is a candidate who plans to be in continuous conversation with constituents in his district and understands that he has to make legislative policy and ideas accessible to all. Senate District 18: Sarah Crawford (D) acknowledges the necessity to address and fund the whole child when attempting to impact student achievement. She left our committee excited for the potential of Senate District 18 to be flipped in favor of a strong public education supporter. In addition to understanding the impact that healthcare, living wages, and equitable access to instruction has on economic mobility, Sarah also expresses an investment in helping our community appreciate the great learning already happening in our public schools. As of this time, the National Education Association (NEA) has not endorsed a presidential candidate for the Democratic primary elections and they may decide against an endorsement this time. However, they have created a very in-depth website for the "Fire Betsy DeVos" campaign, including specific questions about education asked of every candidate. It also gives you ways to volunteer or donate.
NEA Education Votes Presidential Candidate Comparisons 
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