Jay Chaudhuri, candidate for NC Senate District 15

Name: Jay Chaudhuri

Political party: Democrat

Age as of Nov. 8, 2022: 53

Campaign website: www.jayfornc.com

Occupation: Attorney

Education: Davidson College (B.A.); Columbia University (M.I.A); North Carolina Central University School of Law (J.D.)

Have you run for elected office before? Yes. I ran for election for state Senate in 2016, 2018, and 2020.

Please list highlights of your civic involvement: Board, Dix Park Conservancy

What are the three issues that you see as most important to your district and what will you do to address them?

First, I would invest more in public education. This budget fell almost a half billion dollars short for our children to receive the resources for a sound, basic education. Second, I would expand health care coverage to more than a half million North Carolinians. That’s why I co-sponsored the Close the Medicaid Gap Coverage bill. Finally, I would protect a woman’s reproductive freedom. That’s why I sponsored Codify Roe, a bill that ensures the legal precedent set in Roe will be in place.

At a time when costs are rising, state government has a surplus. How should it be used?

Given the rising cost of inflation, we should have devoted part of our surplus towards investing in our people. Today, our state government has a 20% vacancy rate and teachers have almost a 10% attrition rate. With inflation shrinking our state employees’ and teachers’ salaries, we could have given meaningful pay raises.

Will you vote for Medicaid expansion in North Carolina?

Yes.

What has the legislature gotten right, and what has it gotten wrong, about public education in North Carolina?

Right: The General Assembly reopened schools during the pandemic. I also urged, along with other Senate Democrats, the NC School Board of Education to do the same.

Wrong: The General Assembly fails to confront the crisis in our public schools. As a father of two children in Wake County public schools, we continue to underpay teachers and underfund students. Education is economic development. Studies show that investing in education results in the long-term success of students and the economy.

Should North Carolina change its abortion laws? How?

There should be no restrictions on abortion.

Please add anything else voters should know about your position on the legality or availability of abortion in North Carolina.

I serve as the primary sponsor of Codify Roe and Casey Protections (SB 888), a bill that ensures the nearly 50-year legal precedent set in Roe will be in place. It would prohibit the state from creating arbitrary restrictions or the outright banning of abortion. The bill has been co-sponsored by all 22 Senate Democrats signaling that Senate Democrats will uphold Governor Cooper’s veto and protect a woman’s reproductive freedom.

Should medical marijuana be legalized in North Carolina?

Yes.

What, if anything, should the legislature do to shape curriculum dealing with topics of race, sexuality and gender?

As a general rule, I do not support the General Assembly censoring what teachers can and cannot teach. American history is complicated and often uncomfortable, but a quality education means teaching our children about that complicated history at an age-appropriate level.

Do you accept the results of the 2020 presidential election?

Yes.