Candidate Biography (submitted by candidate):

I grew up in Wake County, attended the Wake County Public Schools, then graduated from N.C. State University in 1992. I put myself through school, working for companies like Hewlett-Packard, before accepting a job with the N.C. Association of Electric Cooperatives, where I worked to promote economic development and infrastructure in rural parts of our state, and took on companies such as Enron, that were trying to change our state's utility laws.

I became fed up with government and politics and decided to change careers when former U.S. Senator and N.C. Attorney General Robert Morgan approached me about forming the N.C. Center for Voter Education, challenging me to help develop real bi-partisan solutions to reform government and elections. I directed the Center from 2000 - 2007, fighting against government corruption and successfully lobbying for important campaign reforms, stronger ethics laws, and nonpartisan voter guides, like the one you are reading right now.

Frustrated with recent court decisions and what I considered to be judicial activism, I returned to school to get my own law degree and graduated from N.C. Central University's School of Law earlier this year.

I was appointed to the NC House in November of 2009, between sessions of the legislature. I was selected to fill a vacancy created by the resignation of the previous Representative based on a law that the Center had helped to develop restricting the personal use of campaign funds.

I worked hard this past session to be an independent voice for jobs and for campaign reform. I am married and the father of two young children. I am running because I want my kids to grow up with the good jobs, strong public education system, top-ranked universities, and the high quality of life that I enjoyed, growing up in Wake County.

I have worked hard to be an independent voice for jobs and reform and I ask for your support and your vote.

Creating jobs is my top priority. I fought for tax relief to help high-tech companies grow their businesses and create jobs here in the Triangle, rather than losing them to other states. I believe these good-paying sustainable jobs are worth the state's investment, especially in this economy. I also fought to reduce taxes government red tape for small businesses.

To avoid tax increases, I fought to cut state spending and balance the budget. We approved the smallest state budget in 14 years, cutting waste and administration. I also introduced bills to update the tax deduction for child care expenses and to allow deductions for children with special needs.

I worked hard to save classroom teaching jobs and keep class sizes manageable. Despite steep budget reductions and cuts to administration, I voted to preserve over 1,600 teaching jobs in our state budget. I also defeated attempts to cut out financial aid for community college students.

I am working to protect our kids from online predators with new educational programs and laws to increase penalties and improve enforcement against cybercrime. I was also the principal sponsor of the new law protecting the privacy of e-mail addresses in Wake County.

I respect property rights, and have voted for a state constitutional amendment to protect citizens from government abuse of eminent domain, where citizens are stripped of their private property by the government.

Finally, I am not afraid to take on corruption, even against leaders of my own party. I have spoken out against corruption and helped champion the campaign reform law that ultimately forced the previous Representative from this district to resign for ethics violations.

Thank you for your consideration.