To the Editor:

We moved to Burnsville just over two years ago about two months before the 2016 election. When I registered to vote, I chose the unaffiliated classification. I did so as I was unfamiliar with the politics of my new home and did not wish to commit myself to any one party when I did not know how individual candidates from the two major parties chose to serve their communities.

I have now gone through one election and have two years to observe how my community is represented.  I also receive communications from both parties due to my unaffiliated classification. This is what I have learned.

Rep. Michelle Presnell, R-Burnsville, does not shy away from language that divides us. She tries to draw clear lines of “Us versus Them.” She also embraces misleading language to promote positions she favors. This is evidenced in the attempt to mask the effort to suppress voter registration and the more recent support of ambiguous and misleading wording of the proposed amendments to the state’s Constitution.

On the other hand, I have found that Rhonda Cole Schandevel talks about serving the people. She talks about preserving health care and restoring North Carolina’s educational system to the prestige that once characterized it. While we are blessed with some very good teachers, they lack the system and support to ensure that all of our children have the education that they deserve. I believe Ms. Schandevel will work to reverse this condition. I am also convinced that she will fight for the health care needs of all North Carolinians and not simply for the privileged few. I will be voting for Rhonda Cole Schandevel.

U.S. Congressman Mark Meadows represents me in the U.S. Congress. Now that I live in North Carolina, I have had a chance to observe Rep. Meadows and here are my conclusions. Rep. Meadows really looks the part. He dresses, grooms, and speaks as if he belongs in Washington. The accolades stop there. 

He is the leader of the Freedom Caucasus and no legislation, resolution, or action of any kind is allowed to the House Floor without the blessings of the Freedom Caucus. This group of representatives, which is a minority of the House’s representatives, holds the House hostage due to the influence of the Tea Party voter. This means nothing gets done. We are paying him and providing him a staff to ensure that the House remains stagnant. He is purposefully cutting off the voices of others. Our founding fathers believed that voices needed to be heard regardless of position.

Here is what I have seen on Phillip Price’s website, “Phillip Price will strive for justice and peace among all people and respect the dignity of every human being.” Now that is a stance that I can get behind and it is a stance that comes closest to my own personal values. Mr. Price also speaks of the importance of reaching across the aisle and working with others regardless of party affiliation. I will be voting for Phillip Price.

Finally, as a new voter in North Carolina observing our elected officials, I wish to say a word regarding Sen. Richard Burr. I have watched Sen. Burr in his role as co-chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee. He appears to work well with his co-chair, Sen. Mark Warner, and seems to conduct himself with forthrightness and integrity. These are traits that I will support in any politician, even if there are policy differences between that person and myself.

Lee Sease

Burnsville