Darren is from Wilkes County. He holds a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from St. Johns University and a master's degree in legal studies from Washington University in St. Louis School of Law. 

Darren works as director of operations and a director of quality assurance at Life Alliance, LLC. He previously worked at Golden Needles, a local textile factory.

Darren Staley’s campaign for state senator in District 36 is his first run for public office.

Candidate website

Believes taxes are the simplest method of allocating resources for the public good, funding essential services like schools, roads, and first responders.

Believes taxes represent the "simplest method of allocating resources for the public good...", not a "necessary evil."

Believes in supporting small businesses and ensuring workers receive "a good wage." Plans to incentivize businesses to pay more than just a living wage.

Wants to incentivize businesses to provide "good" wages. 

- Believes taxes represent the "simplest method of allocating resources for the public good...", not a "necessary evil."
- Wants to incentivize businesses to provide "good" wages. 

Economy

Believes in investing in clean energy solutions and future jobs. Said, "I will fight for you," and will not leave current workers behind.

Wants to invest in clean energy solutions and future jobs. 

- Wants to invest in clean energy solutions and future jobs. 

Energy & the Environment

Believes in ensuring access to affordable health care based on personal experience with disability and work in behavioral health.

Supports affordable and accessible health care statewide.

Supports increasing awareness and funding for behavioral health, including Intellectual and Developmental Disability Services, Mental Health Services, and Substance Use Disorder Services.

Promises to advocate to raise awareness and funding for behavioral health services, including for disability, mental health, and substance abuse disorders. 

- Supports affordable and accessible health care statewide.
- Promises to advocate to raise awareness and funding for behavioral health services, including for disability, mental health, and substance abuse disorders. 

Healthcare

Believes the Republican Party is "destroying the guardrails of democracy" by gerrymandering and restricting voting rights. Supports protecting voting rights and maintaining checks and balances.

Believes "voter fraud" is rare and often used to suppress voting. Supports making voting easier for everyone, regardless of party.

Encourages voting and supports voting accessibility. 

- Supports protecting voting rights.
- Encourages voting and supports voting accessibility. 

Voting & Elections

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

Public Safety

Believes in exciting kids about learning and making college appealing beyond job prospects or parental approval. Opposes "banning books and removing uncomfortable topics from the curriculum."

Opposes "banning books and removing uncomfortable topics from the curriculum.”

Believes teachers should be paid what they deserve and treated with the same respect as pediatricians. Opposes teachers having to pay out of pocket or fundraise for classroom materials.

Opposes teachers needing to use their own money or fundraising to pay for classroom materials.

Believes in advocating for teachers and public education. Supports making college affordable for all.

Believes both sciences and arts are essential for a well-rounded education. Supports education for all children and adults who missed opportunities.

Supports prioritizing all academic subjects. 

Supports empowering teachers and providing adequate salaries.

- Opposes "banning books and removing uncomfortable topics from the curriculum.”
- Opposes teachers needing to use their own money or fundraising to pay for classroom materials.
- Supports affordable college.  
- Supports prioritizing all academic subjects. 
- Supports empowering teachers and providing adequate salaries.

Education

Foreign Policy and Immigration

Twitter

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Youtube

LinkedIn

Darren Staley

Darren was born and raised in Wilkes County, where he has lived for the majority of his life. He dropped out of high school but later pursued higher education, obtaining a master's degree in legal studies from Washington University School of Law. He has also been involved in various committees that advocate for people across the behavioral health spectrum.

Darren is the director of operations for a small business that provides services to people with disabilities. Previously, he worked at Golden Needles, a local textile factory.

Darren Staley’s campaign for senator is his first run for a public office.

Believes in evaluating taxes and spending on a case-by-case basis, supporting progressive taxation where the wealthy pay more and the poor and working class pay less.

Wants to ensure that taxes are allocated to resources for the public, such as funding essential services like schools, roads, and first responders.

Plans to incentivize businesses to pay more than just a living wage.

Believes workers are essential to businesses not only for their services but also as customers. Supports policies that recognize the dual role of workers in the economy.

Supports policies that recognize the dual role of workers in the economy as both providers of services and consumers.

Believes that without SSDI, health insurance, SNAP, and education grants, many would face severe hardships like overdose, suicide, and homelessness.

Wants to uplift programs like social security, health insurance, SNAP, and education grants.

- Wants to ensure that taxes are allocated to resources for the public, such as funding essential services like schools, roads, and first responders.
- Plans to incentivize businesses to pay more than just a living wage.
- Supports policies that recognize the dual role of workers in the economy as both providers of services and consumers.
- Wants to uplift programs like social security, health insurance, SNAP, and education grants.

Believes "ensuring ongoing access to quality health care" is essential for saving lives and money. Supports the idea that healthy people lead happier and more productive lives.

Supports ensuring North Carolina citizens with access to affordable health care.

- Supports ensuring North Carolina citizens with access to affordable health care.
- Supports increasing awareness and funding for behavioral health, including Intellectual and Developmental Disability Services, Mental Health Services, and Substance Use Disorder Services.

Believes "everybody deserves a choice" and a legislature that considers "every voice, every group, every citizen." Supports maintaining a balance between individual rights and the common good.

Believes authoritarian leaders aim to undermine democracy by removing the ability to vote them out. Said, "They don't come to take away your guns. They come to take away your ability to vote them out."

Opposes gerrymandering and believes that districts drawn to ensure a "safe seat" for a single party or candidate are "unacceptable."

Believes the legitimacy of democracy relies on the legitimacy of its elections. Warns that refusing to accept legitimate election results and interrupting the peaceful transfer of office is dangerous.

Believes republics often fail due to "a thousand tiny cuts" like restricting voting access, partisan gerrymandering, and state legislatures stripping power from governors and courts.

Supports protecting voting rights and maintaining checks and balances.

Supports making voting easier for everyone, regardless of party.

- Supports protecting voting rights and maintaining checks and balances.
- Supports making voting easier for everyone, regardless of party.

From the candidate’s website, “We need to make going to college something kids are looking forward to…And we don’t do that by banning books and removing uncomfortable topics from the curriculum.”

Opposes teachers having to pay out of pocket or fundraise for classroom materials.

Supports making college affordable for all.

Supports education for all children and adults who missed opportunities.

Believes investing in teachers is crucial for the future of children and the country.

Wants to invest in teachers for the future of children.

- From the candidate’s website, “We need to make going to college something kids are looking forward to…And we don’t do that by banning books and removing uncomfortable topics from the curriculum.”
- Opposes teachers having to pay out of pocket or fundraise for classroom materials.
- Supports making college affordable for all.
- Supports education for all children and adults who missed opportunities.
- Wants to invest in teachers for the future of children.

.Plans to incentivize businesses to pay more than just a living wage.

- Wants to ensure that taxes are allocated to resources for the public, such as funding essential services like schools, roads, and first responders.
- .Plans to incentivize businesses to pay more than just a living wage.
- Supports policies that recognize the dual role of workers in the economy as both providers of services and consumers.
- Wants to uplift programs like social security, health insurance, SNAP, and education grants.

- Wants to ensure that taxes are allocated to resources for the public, such as funding essential services like schools, roads, and first responders.
- .Plans to incentivize businesses to pay more than just a living wage.
- Wants to uplift programs like social security, health insurance, SNAP, and education grants.

Darren Staley was born and raised in Wilkes County, North Carolina, where he has lived for the majority of his life. He dropped out of high school at the age of 17 but later pursued higher education, obtaining a Master's Degree in Legal Studies from Washington University School of Law in St. Louis. Details about his family, the church he attends, and other aspects of his personal life are not provided in the information given.

Darren Staley is the Director of Operations for a small business that provides services to people with disabilities. Previously, he worked at Golden Needles, a local textile factory, until it closed. He has also been involved in various committees that advocate for people across the behavioral health spectrum.

Darren Staley has never run for political office before. He currently serves on several committees that advocate for people across the behavioral health spectrum.

Believes education can be transformative, describing it as "an oasis in the desert" during challenging times.

- 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.