Ballotpedia, Steve Luking

Steve holds a bachelor's degree from Wright State University and a medical degree from the University of Cincinnati. He also attended the University of South Carolina. Steve is married to his wife, Sara, with whom he has 2 children. He is a member of United Methodist Church in Reidsville. 

Steve previously worked as a family physician for his own private practice, Reidsville Family Medicine. He also worked as chief of staff and chief of medicine at Annie Penn Hospital. 

Steve Luking's campaign for state senator in District 26 is his first run for public office. 

Candidate website

Supports exempting a portion of small business income from state corporate taxes, believing small businesses face more challenges with regulations and less favorable legislation compared to large corporations.

Supports policies that aid small businesses. 

Believes North Carolina's tax system is regressive and plans to "restore a more progressive tax system" to provide relief for young and lower-income families.

Wants to install a more progressive tax system aimed to support middle and working-class families. 

- Supports policies that aid small businesses. 
- Wants to install a more progressive tax system aimed to support middle and working-class families. 

Economy

Believes the state government must actively protect the environment and opposes those prioritizing profit over environmental health. Plans to ensure North Carolina maintains a healthy environment for current and future generations.

Believes the state government needs to be heavily involved in environmental conservation efforts. 

- Believes the state government needs to be heavily involved in environmental conservation efforts. 

Energy & the Environment

Believes the General Assembly needs more physicians with community care experience and advocates for patient rights. Criticizes Phil Berger's stance on Medicaid expansion as "pathetic" and "unforgivable."

Believes the right to an abortion is a fundamental healthcare right for women. Plans to resist any attempts to erode women’s reproductive rights.

Supports abortion access, calling it "a fundamental healthcare right for women."

Believes in advancing the fight against the fentanyl crisis, endorsing science-based healthcare policies, limiting insurance company influence, deterring aggressive medical debt tactics, improving minority and rural healthcare access, and reducing drug costs.

Supports advocating against fentanyl use. 

Believes in expanding women's healthcare rights, access to affordable healthcare, reducing drug prices, and lowering the influence of insurance companies.

Wants to lower drug costs and insurance company's influence. 

Supports access to affordable healthcare and wants to especially improve minority and rural healthcare access.

- Supports Medicaid expansion. 
- Supports abortion access, calling it "a fundamental healthcare right for women."
- Supports advocating against fentanyl use. 
- Wants to lower drug costs and insurance company's influence. 
- Supports access to affordable healthcare and wants to especially improve minority and rural healthcare access.

Healthcare

Believes in endorsing reforms to limit gerrymandering by both parties. Supports giving voters a true say in community issues.

Wants to install measures to reduce gerrymandering by both parties. 

- Wants to install measures to reduce gerrymandering by both parties. 
- Wants to preserve legislative integrity.

Voting & Elections

Supports common-sense gun laws to reduce the risk of violent death to families, children, and law enforcement. Said, "The NRA and others have hijacked the legislative process with false claims of danger to Second Amendment rights."

Supports gun ownership with restrictive measures. 

Supports LGBTQ+ rights and promises to "point out the prejudice and cynical politics that fuels such false culture battles."

- Supports gun ownership with restrictive measures. 
- Supports LGBTQ+ rights and promises to "point out the prejudice and cynical politics that fuels such false culture battles."

Public Safety

Believes "rotten funding" is intentionally diminishing public school quality. Opposes new vouchers that give wealthy citizens taxpayer funds for private schools while failing to provide teacher raises to keep up with inflation.

Believes public school funding is insufficient. 

Believes in restoring public school funding and improving teacher pay. Plans to support public school systems to help students succeed, citing his own experience and family background in education.

Promises to restore public school funding and increase teacher salaries. 

- Believes public school funding is insufficient. 
- Promises to restore public school funding and increase teacher salaries. 
- Opposes school vouchers.

Education

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

Foreign Policy and Immigration

Facebook

Twitter

Instagram

Steve Luking

Steve Lurking's campaign for state senator in District 26 is his first run for public office. 

Opposes "slashing corporate taxes" and "pushing private school vouchers for the wealthy," and believes these actions harm communities and provide "dumb economic growth with substandard wages."

Believes small businesses face significant regulation and challenges, but credits teachers for creating job skills. Said, "I never, ever, considered myself a 'job creator.'"

Believes that some individuals with working-class roots never forget them, while others "pull the ladder up behind themselves" as they climb higher.

Supports small businesses, environmental protection, LGBTQ+ rights, gun safety, and fair tax policy.

Believes that prioritizing community benefits in evaluating proposed industries will lead to quality economic growth.

The candidate's website says, "You see what hurts: The thin ice of near poverty. The lack of medical insurance coverage. Not receiving a solid education. The shattering burden of addiction. Community shortages in primary care and mental health care. You see what helps: Good paying jobs. A safe and cohesive community. Committed educators. Volunteers donating their time and energy. All the givers: nurses, caretakers, police, firefighters, emergency personnel. Supportive churches helping families through joys and sorrows. Leaders who tell the truth and truly lead."

Believes support for a quality public education system has "deteriorated considerably." Said some legislators, including Phil Berger, have treated people with "clear disrespect."

Believes children feel neglected, families are worried, and teachers feel disrespected and underpaid. Said, "It seems like we are being set up to fail."

Believes a state budget should reflect moral values and opposes cutting public education funding to lower corporate taxes. Plans to fight against policies that sacrifice the future of school children.

Believes in the importance of education and opposes legislative decisions that undermine teaching programs and additional pay for advanced degrees. Supports educators working in high-risk schools to maximize their impact.

Believes cutting corporate taxes will harm public education, leading to "substandard" schooling for children. Said, "Even corporations are starting to question NC’s commitment to public education."

Believes North Carolina's decline in per student public school funding harms education quality and competitiveness. Said, "North Carolina was the only state in the nation to actually cut the amount of funding per public school student, when adjusted for inflation."

Supports reversing cuts to public school funding by raising corporate taxes to 2016 levels and directing the increased revenue to schools and teacher pay, aiming to improve the state's national ranking in education funding.

Believes "a quality public education for all" is essential for the success of children and the state. Said, "We are jeopardizing our kid’s futures, all to save a buck!"

Steve Luking is a retired family doctor who lives in Reidsville, North Carolina, with his wife Sara, a former public school teacher, and they have two children, Melinda and Forrest. He attended undergraduate school in Ohio and is a member of Main Street United Methodist Church in Reidsville. His hobbies include fishing, boating, gardening, exploring nature, reading, camping, writing, playing banjo and guitar.

Steve Luking is a retired family doctor who, along with his brother Scott, established Reidsville Family Medicine in North Carolina, where he cared for over five thousand patients. He has served in various capacities including Chief of Staff, Chief of Medicine, Chair of the Medical Ethics Committee, and Hospital Board Chairperson at Annie Penn Hospital. His previous jobs include working for the United Methodists Volunteers in Mission overseas, loading trucks at UPS, and volunteering in a pediatric emergency room. He is board certified in Family Medicine since 1987 and was a Teamsters Union member from 1976 to 1980.

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

Believes the lack of Medicaid expansion led to higher bankruptcy rates for rural hospitals and premature deaths among uninsured, working poor patients. Said, "Thousands of lives were lost prematurely; billions of our tax dollars were sent elsewhere."

Believes the "lost decade" of uninsured status will have lasting negative health impacts. Said, "Lack of insurance sent some folks on a downward spiral towards financial insolvency," and rural communities face increased mortality due to hospital closures.

Believes denying Medicaid access to over half a million working poor residents, mostly women, was an "unforgivable stance." Plans to address this "devastating lost opportunity" in healthcare policy.

Believes legislators often ignore citizens' needs due to prioritizing campaign donations and are not held accountable because of gerrymandering. Criticizes reliance on wealthy donors and super-PACs that bypass standard campaign finance laws.

Believes his opponent "mistreated the folks of Summerfield" by threatening to deannex land and gerrymandering the district. Said his opponent may use "legislative bullying" to deannex land.

- Your State Senator participates in the legislative process at the state level. They are one of 50 members of the North Carolina Senate. The North Carolina Senate is the upper house of the North Carolina General Assembly (the state's lawmaking body).
- Your State Senator 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 Senator can serve on committees. This is important because many bills can be stalled in committee, preventing them making it to a vote.
- Your State Senator 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.
- The State Senator is elected to a 2-year term. There is no term limit.