Brandon Lofton, Democratic NC House District 104 candidate, answers our questions
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NC House District 104
Republican Krista Bokhari faces incumbent Democrat Brandon Lofton in NC House District 104, which covers parts of south Charlotte.
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To help inform voters in the Nov. 5, 2024, election, this candidate questionnaire is available to be republished by local publications in North Carolina without any cost. Please consider subscribing to The Charlotte Observer to help make this coverage possible.
Name: Brandon Lofton
Birth date (month, day and year): Nov. 5, 1978
Campaign website or social media page: loftonfornc.com
Occupation: Attorney
Education: UNC-Chapel Hill (B.A., with highest honors), NYU School of Law (J.D., Root-Tilden Kern Scholar and Dean’s Scholar)
Have you run for elected office before? (Please list previous offices sought or held)
I currently serve as the representative for North Carolina House District 104. I was first elected in 2018 and am serving in my third term.
Please list your highlights of civic involvement
I have served as the representative for North Carolina House District 104 since 2019. Prior to serving in office, I served on a number of boards and commissions in Charlotte. These include chairing the board of directors for the Council for Children’s Rights, serving on the Levine Museum of the New South board of directors and the Share Charlotte board of directors.
Charlotte, Mecklenburg County and most of the county’s towns are on board with draft legislation to get permission from the legislature for a sales tax referendum to pay for public transit and other transportation. If elected, would you support a bill that allows the sales tax increase to appear on the ballot? Why or why not?
I would support a bill that allows Mecklenburg County voters to decide whether to approve a sales tax increase to fund public transit and other transportation improvements. Increasing mobility in Mecklenburg County has to be a top priority. I support legislation that would empower our residents to move forward with addressing this priority.
In North Carolina, abortion is banned after 12 weeks. State politicians, including gubernatorial candidate Mark Robinson, have said they want to restrict abortion even further. Do you support the state’s current abortion restrictions, and what is your approach to legislating issues related to reproductive health?
I do not support the state’s current abortion restrictions, and I voted against them. I cosponsored legislation to codify Roe v. Wade protections and, if reelected, will oppose future efforts to further restrict reproductive rights.
What would you say is the biggest issue facing your constituents, and what would you do to address it if elected?
Our children are being harmed by the legislature’s under-investment in their education. Both of my children have been impacted by teachers leaving the profession. In 2023, 10,000 teachers left then classroom — the highest in two decades. Yet, if HB 10 goes into effect, our legislature will spend four times as much money on private school vouchers as it does on teacher raises this fiscal year. If reelected, I will push for greater investment in our public schools.
While violent crime rates are decreasing nationwide they are growing in large North Carolina cities like Charlotte and Raleigh. How would you tackle the issue of rising violent crime rates and what do you believe is the legislature’s role when it comes to public safety?
We need greater support for law enforcement and common sense gun legislation. I opposed efforts to repeal pistol permitting laws and cosponsored legislation to provide greater financial support for law enforcement.
While inflation has slowed, rising prices continue to concern North Carolina residents. How will you ensure your constituents are able to afford basic necessities like health care, food and housing?
I was a primary sponsor of a bipartisan bill to help make childcare more affordable. This pilot program made it into the budget and will help more families afford the care needed for their children. I also authored legislation to reinstate the child tax credit to help families struggling with costs. I also have cosponsored legislation to help with housing affordability and help more of our seniors age in place.
Is there any policy by your party that you disagree with?
I am always open to working with people from both parties to solve the problems of our state. One concern I have heard from my colleagues across the aisle is the unintended impact of certain regulations on costs and innovation. I worked with a bipartisan group of legislators to pass legislation to address this issue and increase flexibility for certain businesses, while protecting North Carolina consumers.
This story was originally published October 16, 2024 at 9:24 AM.
