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Charles attended Emory & Henry College and later the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for law school. He is married to Mary Kelley.

Charles is an associate with Anderson, Johnson, Lawrence & Butler, LLP, where he practices in areas including administrative law, corporate law, and general civil litigation. Previously, he served as an assistant district attorney in Cumberland County, focusing on domestic violence and child abuse cases. He has experience in both criminal and civil law.

Charles Smith is currently a state representative in District 44. He was elected in 2022 and is serving his first term.

As of June 14, 2024, Charles Smith’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Economy

Energy & the Environment

Candidate website

Believes every North Carolinian deserves access to affordable and quality health care. Said, "North Carolina hospitals and emergency rooms are overcrowded" due to the "coverage gap" where many cannot afford private insurance or qualify for Medicaid.

Said, "North Carolina hospitals and emergency rooms are overcrowded" due to the "coverage gap" where many cannot afford private insurance or qualify for Medicaid.

Believes that insurance coverage would allow patients to seek primary and preventative care, reducing the burden on hospitals and emergency rooms.

Believes North Carolina is missing out on federal funds by rejecting Medicaid expansion.

Believes expanding insurance coverage will reduce uncompensated care in North Carolina hospitals.

- Said, "North Carolina hospitals and emergency rooms are overcrowded" due to the "coverage gap" where many cannot afford private insurance or qualify for Medicaid.
- Believes that insurance coverage would allow patients to seek primary and preventative care, reducing the burden on hospitals and emergency rooms.
- Believes North Carolina is missing out on federal funds by rejecting Medicaid expansion.
- Believes expanding insurance coverage will reduce uncompensated care in North Carolina hospitals.

Healthcare

Voting & Elections

Believes court costs in the criminal justice system create a "perpetual debt-loop" for poor defendants, exacerbating their financial hardship and legal entanglement.

Supports alternatives to fees and fines for defendants with limited resources, such as community service, substance abuse treatment, and life-skill training.

Supports Red Flag laws, allowing courts to temporarily remove firearms from individuals posing an imminent risk to themselves or others.

Believes the criminal justice system is costly and eliminating fines and fees is impractical but supports ensuring defendants, especially those unable to pay, are not burdened with funding it.

Opposes restrictions on firearm ownership for non-violent felons with convictions over 20 years old.

Believes individuals with undiagnosed mental illnesses can still purchase firearms due to the lack of a court ruling deeming them mentally unfit.

Believes fines and fees in North Carolina's criminal justice system are punitive and revenue-generating measures. Said, "fees attach to essentially every step of the criminal justice process."

Believes fines and fees in North Carolina's criminal justice system are punitive and revenue-generating measures. 

Believes listening to survivors of domestic violence can build trust and empower them, even if their history of abuse is not admissible in court.

- Believes court costs in the criminal justice system create a "perpetual debt-loop" for poor defendants, exacerbating their financial hardship and legal entanglement.
- Supports alternatives to fees and fines for defendants with limited resources, such as community service, substance abuse treatment, and life-skill training.
- Supports Red Flag laws, allowing courts to temporarily remove firearms from individuals posing an imminent risk to themselves or others.
- Believes the criminal justice system is costly and eliminating fines and fees is impractical but supports ensuring defendants, especially those unable to pay, are not burdened with funding it.
- Opposes restrictions on firearm ownership for non-violent felons with convictions over 20 years old.
- Believes individuals with undiagnosed mental illnesses can still purchase firearms due to the lack of a court ruling deeming them mentally unfit.
- Believes fines and fees in North Carolina's criminal justice system are punitive and revenue-generating measures. 
- Believes listening to survivors of domestic violence can build trust and empower them, even if their history of abuse is not admissible in court.

Public Safety

Believes in adequately funding public schools and recruiting quality educators. Said, "North Carolina ranks in the bottom half of the country in average teacher pay."

Believes in adequately funding public schools and recruiting quality educators with competitive pay. 

Believes in providing necessary resources to ensure all children, especially those from marginalized and impoverished areas, have access to free and equitable education.

Believes investing in early childhood care and education strengthens the economy and improves long-term educational and workforce outcomes.

Believes investments in early care and education yield high returns but are underfunded in North Carolina. Supports expanding child care subsidy, Smart Start, and NC Pre-K to meet the needs of children and families.

Believes investments in early care and education yield high returns but are underfunded in North Carolina. 

Believes in the importance of public school systems and their employees in shaping children.

Believes North Carolina should reclaim its leadership in early care and education policies. Plans to take the next step forward in education.

Believes North Carolina should reclaim its leadership in early care and education policies.

Supports expanding child care subsidies, Smart Start, and NC Pre-K to meet the needs of children and families.

- Believes in adequately funding public schools and recruiting quality educators with competitive pay. 
- Believes in providing necessary resources to ensure all children, especially those from marginalized and impoverished areas, have access to free and equitable education.
- Believes investing in early childhood care and education strengthens the economy and improves long-term educational and workforce outcomes.
- Believes investments in early care and education yield high returns but are underfunded in North Carolina. 
- Believes in the importance of public school systems and their employees in shaping children.
- Believes North Carolina should reclaim its leadership in early care and education policies.
- Supports expanding child care subsidies, Smart Start, and NC Pre-K to meet the needs of children and families.

Education

Foreign Policy and Immigration

Twitter

Facebook

Charles Smith

Charles is an associate with Anderson, Johnson, Lawrence & Butler, LLP, where he practices in areas including administrative law, corporate law, and general civil litigation. Previously, he served as an Assistant District Attorney in Cumberland County, focusing on domestic violence and child abuse cases. He has experience in both criminal and civil law.

Charles Smith was elected to represent District 44 in the North Carolina House of Representatives in 2022.

Charles Smith was born and raised in Cumberland County, where he continues to live with his wife, Mary Kelly, and their family. He attended Emory & Henry College and later the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for law school. Information about the church he attends is not provided.

Charles Smith is an associate with Anderson, Johnson, Lawrence & Butler, LLP, where he practices in areas including administrative law, corporate law, and general civil litigation. Previously, he served as an Assistant District Attorney in Cumberland County, focusing on domestic violence and child abuse cases. He has experience in both criminal and civil law.

As of July 8, 2024, Charles Smith’s website did not contain information on this issue.

The candidate's website says, "If Medicaid eligibility were expanded, two things would happen:"

The candidate's website says, "One of the most common fees in North Carolina is the General Court of Justice fee, which is levied against all criminal defendants that plead guilty or are convicted of any given offense, including traffic infractions. As of December 1, 2021, the General Court of Justice fee is $147.50 for cases in district court and $154.50 for cases in superior court. Depending on the circumstances surrounding a criminal defendant’s case, additional fees may be applicable. For each lab test or expert witness used in their prosecution, criminal defendants are charged $600.00. There are: fees for missing court dates; fees to participate in court-sponsored community service; monthly fees for supervised probation; and daily fees for electronic monitoring systems. Counterintuitively, even if a criminal defendant is represented by a public defender after being declared indigent, they are required to pay an appointment fee and hourly attorney fee for their public defender. Payment of these fees is not optional and is enforced through penalties, including: driver’s license revocation; additional monetary sanctions; and incarceration."

The candidate's website says, "Often, by the time a domestic violence survivor was meeting with me, I found that he or she had experienced years of abuse. Whether because of financial dependence, children in common, or promises of change, most victims made the decision to remain with their abusers despite the abuse. While I may have been tasked with prosecuting a specific event that occurred on a specific date, there was often a history of abuse buried in the memories of the individual."

LinkedIn

As of September 5, 2024, Christina Aragues did not have a website or any information online.

Cares about "community...success...[not] corporate and party affiliation interests."

Supports "freedom for individuals and small businesses", and wants to abolish "policies and regulations that hinder people’s ability to provide for their families and exist without government intervention."

As of June 14, 2024, Christina Aragues did not have a website or any information online.

Said the "government is taking more rights away from parents and criminalizing people for existing."

Believes safety, education, and inflation are the most important issues facing the district.

Christina Aragues

Christina has children. She holds a bachelor's degree in sociology, law, and society from the University of California at Riverside, and a master's degree in geological and geophysical engineering from Missouri University of Science and Technology. 

Christina works as a project manager, and co-owns Inkblot Strategic Consulting. She previously worked as a project manager for Citibank, and served as a Major in the U.S. Army. 

Christina Aragues ran for the Cumberland County Board of Education and Cumberland Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor in 2022, but did not win either race. 

- Cares about "community...success...[not] corporate and party affiliation interests."
- Supports "freedom for individuals and small businesses", and wants to abolish "policies and regulations that hinder people’s ability to provide for their families and exist without government intervention."

- Supports less government involvement.
- Said the "government is taking more rights away from parents and criminalizing people for existing."

- Believes safety, education, and inflation are the most important issues facing the district.

Christina works as a Project Manager, and co-owns Inkblot Strategic Consulting. She previously worked as a Project Manager for Citibank. She served as a Major for the U.S. Army. 

Christina Aragues ran for Cumberland County Board of Education Member and Cumberland Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor in 2022, but did not win either race. 

- Said she cares about "community...success...[not] corporate and party affiliation interests."
- Supports "freedom for individuals and small businesses", and wants to abolish "policies and regulations that hinder people’s ability to provide for their families and exist without government intervention."

As of June 14, 2024, Christina Aragues did not have a website and did not complete our questionnaire.

Freddie de la Cruz

Freddie has called Fayetteville home since 1975. He has a bachelor's degree in business administration from Campbell University. He is married to his wife, Venus, and together they have 6 children and 12 grandchildren. 

Freddie is currently the owner of the E &V investments, LLC and owner of Venus Vogue Weddings, Proms & Formals. He served in the U.S. Army, retiring with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel after 32 years of service. During that time, he held many executive leadership and administrative positions. Including 5 years in a combat zone and some of the most dangerous areas around the world.

Freddie de la Cruz’s previously ran in the mayoral race in Fayetteville, North Carolina in 2022, but did not win. 

Supports economic development and reducing property taxes.

- Supports economic development and reducing property taxes.

As of June 14, 2024, Freddie de la Cruz’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Believes public safety is paramount and supports replacing the City Council and Chief of Police to improve law enforcement.

Freddie has called Fayetteville, North Carolina home sense 1975. He has a bachelors degree in business administration from Campbell University. He is married to his wife of 39 years, Venus Recod de la Cruz,, and together they have six children and 12 grandchildren. 

Freddie is currently the owner of the E &V investments, LLC and owner of Venus Vogue Weddings, Proms & Formals. He served in the United States Army, retiring with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel after 32 years of service. During that time, he held many executive leadership and administrative positions. Including five years in a combat zone and some of the most dangerous areas around the world.

Freddie de la Cruz’s campaign for State Representative in North Carolina's State House District 44 will be his second run for public office. He previously ran in and lost the mayoral race in Fayetteville, North Carolina in 2022. 

- The candidate's website says, "I served as a Diplomat in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as the Senior Security Advisor for the Office of the Program Manager - Saudi Arabian National Guard, and for the Saudi Arabian Royal Guard Presidency’s Secret Service for over three years. I was consistently sought out by senior Military Police leaders to provide input to the mission, planning, and execution."

Freddie de la Cruz was born in Nanakuli, Hawaii in 1962 and settled in the Fayetteville area in 1975. He attended Spring Lake Jr. High, Pine Forest Senior High, and is an alumnus of Fayetteville Technical Institute. He is married to Venus Recod de la Cruz since 1983, and together they have six children and 12 grandchildren. The specific church he attends is not mentioned.

Freddie de la Cruz is a retired Army Lieutenant Colonel who served 32+ years in the United States Army, with over 28 years as a Military Police Officer. His military career included roles such as Military Police Battalion Commander in Iraq, Brigade Deputy Commanding Officer, Deputy Provost Marshal for United States Army Pacific Command, and Deputy Director of Training and Exercises for Eighth Army in South Korea. He retired on 31 December 2018 from the United States Army Pacific Command at Fort Shafter, Hawaii, with a Top Secret / SCI clearance. Additionally, he is a local business owner.

As of July 8, 2024, Freddie de la Cruz’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Believes Fayetteville's rising crime rates can be curtailed by empowering police officers to enforce the law. Said, "Fayetteville does not need to be the murder capital of North Carolina."

The candidate's website says, "I served as a Diplomat in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as the Senior Security Advisor for the Office of the Program Manager - Saudi Arabian National Guard, and for the Saudi Arabian Royal Guard Presidency’s Secret Service for over three years. I was consistently sought out by senior Military Police leaders to provide input to the mission, planning, and execution."

- Your State Representative participates in the legislative process at the state level. They are one of 129 members of the North Carolina House of Representatives. The North Carolina House of Representatives is the lower house of the North Carolina General Assembly (the state's lawmaking body).
- Your State Representative drafts laws, approves budgets, has oversight of the state executive branch, and debates and votes on proposed laws.
- In addition to drafting and voting on bills, your State Representative can serve on committees. This is important because many bills can be stalled in committee, preventing them making it to a vote.
- Your State Representative is responsible for representing your interests. They also are responsible for helping you navigate the state's services and bringing back resources to your district.
- State Representatives are elected to a 2-year term. There is no term limit.

Your representative and state lawmaker in North Carolina House of Representatives.

North Carolina State Representative, District 44

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