Candidates in Lake Norman area’s NC House District 95 talk schools, taxes, growth
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Voter Guide: 2026 Primary Election
In the March 3, 2026 election, there are competitive primaries for local, state and federal seats are on ballots. Early voting is from Feb. 12-28. Use the voter guide from The Charlotte Observer before hitting the polls.
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To help inform voters in the March 3, 2026, 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.
This story focuses on the election for the North Carolina House District 95 Republican primary, which features incumbent state Rep. Todd Carver and Mike Kubiniec. The district covers the southern tip of Iredell County, including Mooresville and Lake Norman neighborhoods.
The Charlotte Observer asked all candidates in this race to complete a questionnaire to inform voters about their opinions on big issues facing voters.
Todd Carver
Political party: Republican District number: 95
Age as of March 3, 2026: 54
Current occupation: Retired Law Enforcement
Professional experience: 30 years in law enforcement at Iredell Co Sheriff’s Office and Mooresville PD
Education: BS Human Services Gardner-Webb, MS Criminal Justice UNCC Please list any notable government or civic involvement. Prior exp serving on Iredell-Statesville School Board of Education with my last year serving as Chairman
What is the most important issue in your district and what do you want to do about it? Transportation is very important to my district. There are currently $500 million of NCDOT projects underway in Mooresville. We need to keep those tax dollars flowing back to our district. We need to work with local governments to find way of controlling growth without driving up the cost of housing.
The legislature sets teacher base pay. What do you think the salary range should be for teachers, from starting to 30+ experience? If we could get the House version of the budget passed we would have the highest starting pay for teachers in the southeast. Next we need to work on compression within the pay range. The House version of the budget brings back Masters pay which would help those with more tenure. I would love to see the teacher pay scale go from $50-80 depending on advanced skills and years of experience.
As of January, North Carolina was the last state not to have passed a new, comprehensive budget. What would you do to help make sure a budget passes? The House and the Senate have two different directions for leading the states budget. I don’t believe it is a lack of will on anyone’s part to get this done. The problem is the primary election makes it difficult for people to say the tax triggers need to be adjusted. Those triggers will have to be adjusted within two years or we will be in deficit territory which NC cannot do. The budget will pass after the primaries are over.
North Carolina’s income tax rate for individual taxpayers is 3.99%. Should that be reduced further? The tax rate should be as low as we can afford to have it while maintaining the standards that make North Carolina a desirable place to live. We cannot cut our taxes to the point we cannot fund the services citizens demand.
Do you think the state is using taxpayer money efficiently? Why or why not? I believe North Carolina tax dollars are being spent wisely for the most part. We have mechanisms in place to search out fraud waste and abuse on a continuous basis. The Office of State Auditor is being very proactive in his search for wasted tax dollars. We should always be willing to look for inefficient methods and practices to make sure we get the most of every tax dollar.
Do you support legalizing medical marijuana use? Why or why not? If a cancer patient is suffering and their doctor believes it could bring them relief why wouldn’t we be willing to use every tool in our belt. This is a slippery slope as we have seen with the proliferation of CBD stores. I will be eager to see how the federal legislation recently passed regulating those hemp products unfolds. We need to see what those impacts would be before we can make an informed decision on medical marijuana in NC.
What do you see as the biggest barrier to health care access in your district, and what actions would you take to address it? The biggest barrier to health care access in my community is lack of affordable coverage. I don’t know that more government intervention will ever bring down those prices. We were all told how the Affordable Care Act would bring down rates but few if any have seen that come to bear. There may be room for work in the area of repealing legislation rather than enacting new laws to help increase the access to the health care system.
Mike Kubiniec
Political party: Republican
District number: 95
Age as of March 3, 2026: 64
Campaign website: https://www.facebook.com/CaptainKforNCHouse95/ Current occupation: Iredell-Statesville School Board of Education, District 5 (South Iredell)
Professional experience I am a retired Navy Captain and served in the Navy for 30+ years in our Submarine Force. In my civilian career, I worked in 2 high technology industries in senior global manufacturing operations and new product development roles. I have held senior level leadership roles in both the Navy and business. I am currently in my third year as a member Iredell-Statesville Schools Board of Education.
Education MS in Strategy and Policy - National Defense University; BS in Mechanical Engineering, U.S. Naval Academy; Masters Degree Coursework/Certification in Nuclear Engineering, U.S. Navy; Executive Certification in Financial Planning, Duke University,
Please list any notable government or civic involvement. U.S. Navy - Active and Reserve - 1983-2013; President and Founder of the Almaden Winery Neighborhood Association (San Jose, CA) - 1996-2012; Iredell County (NC) Recreation Advisory Board - 2015-2019; Iredell Statesville Schools Board of Education, District 5 - 2022 to Present
What is the most important issue in your district and what do you want to do about it? Changing the funding model for public education. I have seen first-hand how the state’s funding of public education punishes school districts like Iredell County. Currently, funding is based mostly on student enrollment. Districts with high areas of poverty and significant numbers of special needs students are not adequately funded. Many other states are exploring other funding models and I believe North Carolina should consider these as well.
The legislature sets teacher base pay. What do you think the salary range should be for teachers, from starting to 30+ experience? $55,000 to $80,000
As of January, North Carolina was the last state not to have passed a new, comprehensive budget. What would you do to help make sure a budget passes? A question I will ask of all my colleagues: “Will you work passively approving decisions, or will you actively shape outcomes that transform North Carolinians’ lives? We were elected to govern, not spectate. Be the legislator who sets direction, demands results, and makes things happen.” The budget must be our #1 priority (just after public safety). The legislature should not be paid unless the budget is passed and the members should stay in session until it is passed.
North Carolina’s income tax rate for individual taxpayers is 3.99%. Should that be reduced further? The income tax rate can be lowered by continuing to grow our state and local economies by attracting new business with high-paying jobs by supporting fiscally conservative policies and keeping state income taxes low. Having worked for two high-technology companies, I know what it takes to attract and retain these companies which will provide great jobs for our growing population and state and local economies. With growing economies, we keep our taxes low.
Do you think the state is using taxpayer money efficiently? Why or why not? It is the State Auditor’s job to determine if the state is spending money wisely. He appears to be most knowledgeable and his aggressive auditing program has identified examples of well-run organizations and programs and those which are not. It is then the governor’s job to reform these organizations and programs. If they are not effectively reformed or if found to not be incompliance with state law, then the legislature must take action to correct, reform or terminate.
Do you support legalizing medical marijuana use? Why or why not? I do not. We already have too many readily available “poisons” that create destructive problems and unintended consequences for society and families across the state. Other legal remedies should be supported and new ones developed to address these medical concerns.
What do you see as the biggest barrier to health care access in your district, and what actions would you take to address it? Limited access to mental health services. Key contributors include lack of availability, transportation to these services, workforce availability and insurance coverage gaps. Actions to improve include: encourage health provider business growth with targeted incentives; develop partnerships with transit and ride-share agencies; increase and develop vocational and community college programs to educate and grow the workforce; and develop solutions to expand insurance coverage or to close the gaps.
