NC House of Representatives

Robin Wintringham

This is Robin Wintringham’s first time running for office. She has a long history of involvement within many different non-profits in Alamance County and hopes to bring this experience to Raleigh if elected.

Wintringham four areas of focus are affordable housing, improving the local school system, women’s reproductive rights and raising the minimum wage.

Wintringham has an extensive history working with Habitat for Humanity in Alamance County, working to provide affordable housing. She would like to see additional affordable housing developments start in Alamance County. 

“So that they can become homeowners and feel secure in their home and not have to worry every week about where the money is going to come from,” Wintringham said. 

Wintringham doesn't have a clear stance on gun control in North Carolina, but she said she thinks better mental health counseling in high schools could help reduce school shootings. 

Wintringham believes women should have complete bodily autonomy and said she would work to protect access to safe and legal abortions in North Carolina.

On her website, Wintringham considers reproductive rights a part of comprehensive healthcare service, and vows to protect access to contraception and support maternal health programs. 

Wintringham said she would like to help improve the schools in the Alamance area, to encourage more families to stay enrolled in local public schools rather than private or out of state options.

Wintringham said she is running to give the people of Alamance County a representative who can speak for them and solve issues that matter to them. She also considers her work in non-profits to be a big influence on why she’s running. 

If elected, within her first year in office Wintringham would like to focus on affordable housing.

“This is a crucial election in our history,” Wintringham said. “I don't know that I've ever seen one that has been so publicized and charged as this one as far as what we need to achieve, so regardless of your status, vote, vote, vote, it's going to take all of us showing up at the polls.”

Stephen Ross

Steve Ross did not respond to any interview requests from Elon News Network. 

Stephen Ross served as the state house representative for District 63 from 2013 to 2021 then lost the 2020 election and won the 2022 election. 

Although Ross’ website does not detail the platforms he is running on, it does say, “Steve Ross has always been committed to conservative common sense policy-making which benefits all North Carolinians.”

Ross served as chairman for three different committees in the 2023-24 session: commerce, finance and house select committee on substance abuse.

In a 2022 article Elon News Network pulled the following from Ross’ website: “The greatest danger to our freedom, including our Second Amendment right to bear arms, is a government that disregards the Constitution,” Ross wrote. “I will vigorously defend the Second Amendment, the right to life — including the life of the unborn — liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”

However, it’s not clear whether or not he still has these stances, as they are not detailed on his website this year. 

LeVon Barnes

Democrat LeVon Barnes is running for the District 64 North Carolina House of Representatives seat. This is Barnes first time running for a government position. Barnes has worked for 20 years in public education in the North Carolina school system. 

Barnes said he is running for his seat because of community members and caucasus leadership within the Democratic Party. 

“When people ask you and because they see something in you, you either run to the fight or you run away from it, and I've never been afraid to run into a fight when I know it's for the right reasons,” Barnes said. 

The three biggest areas Barnes campaign is focusing on are fully funding North Carolina public schools, reproductive freedom and raising the minimum wage and government transparency, Barnes said. 

Barnes said a progressive system is needed for the economy in North Carolina, this includes making sure people pay their fair share in taxes. Barnes supports tax increases for wealthier citizens and large companies.

Barnes also supports raising the minimum wage in North Carolina from $7.25 to $17 an hour. 

If elected Barnes would like within the first year to see the current super majority be broken, and he would like to focus on repealing the Parents Bill of Rights — a bill that was passed in 2023 that has been heavily compared to Florida’s “Don't Say Gay” law. The bill details that any pronoun or name changes a student conveys to their teacher must be shared with the student's parent. It also prohibits any instruction from teachers or third party organizations on the topics of gender identity, sexual activity or sexuality for kindergarten through fourth graders.

“These bills are aggressive and hurtful,” Barnes said. “They're not inclusive, they're exclusive.”

Barnes also said he will focus on fully funding public schools and protecting abortion access within his first year if elected.

Barnes supports common sense gun laws and red flag laws and does not believe assault rifles should be easily accessible.  

In North Carolina there is a 12 week abortion ban with exceptions. Barnes believes women should have the right to make decisions about their bodies, and that the government should not play a role in that decision.

Barnes has been endorsed by Sierra Club -- a national environmental organization -- multiple times. Barnes wants to make sure citizens have access to clean water and clean air, and would like to see more laws put into place to hold companies accountable for environmental damage. 

“This election is going to come down to young people. It's going to come down to folks who have felt disenfranchised,” Barnes said 

Dennis Riddell

Dennis Riddell is running for reelection for the district 64 North Carolina House of Representatives seat. If elected this will be Riddell’s seventh term in office. 

Riddell said he is running for reelection because he still has unfinished issues from his time in office. Something he’s been focused on for several years is working on organizing a convention of states.

A convention of states focuses on Article V of the Constitution. Article V details the two ways that amendments to the Constitution can be proposed, through congress or if two-thirds of state legislatures call for what's called a convention of states. The convention allows for states to propose amendments that can then be added to the constitution if ratified by 38 of the 50 states.

Riddell thinks a convention of states is necessary to approve a balanced budget plan for the federal government. The balanced budget would reduce the size and cost of the federal government, by cutting the budgets of federally funded things. 

“That's one thing that I consider to be unfinished business, that I think would revolutionize the relationship of the states to the federal government,” Riddell said.

Riddell supports lowering income tax rates. He said the best way to help ease the burden of inflation and the high cost of living is to allow people to keep as much of their income as possible.

Riddell said the Second Amendment should be protected and that lawmakers should be focusing on controlling the people committing crimes with guns rather than controlling the guns. He supports tighter laws on the misuse of guns but doesn't see the need for punishing law abiding gun owners. Riddell also mentioned that most guns come from across the border and he supports tighter border control laws in order to stop the flow of weapons. 

On the issue of abortion access Riddell said he is comfortable with the current 12 week ban, and supports the exceptions up to 20 weeks for rape and incest.  

Riddell said he is skeptical of claims of rising sea levels and global warming. However, Riddell said he still cares about the environment, and thinks it's important to maintain a healthy environment with clean water. 

“I think climate change is something that is used to scare people, to frighten them, to worry them.” Riddell said.

If elected Riddell wants to focus on maintaining a strong economy, which Riddell attributes to the republican majority that took over after 2010 and solved a $2 billion dollar deficit in the budget left by a democratic majority, Riddell said.

“We have done far more good for North Carolina over the last 12 years than I even imagined possible,” Riddell said.