priorities
Common Sense for North Carolina
EDUCATION
North Carolina ranks near the bottom nationally in education funding, 43rd in overall teacher pay and 39th in starting salary, leading to high turnover and ongoing staffing shortages. Lynne will fight to fully fund public schools and push back on the continued diversion of $1.3 billion in taxpayer dollars to private school vouchers. She’ll also work to rebuild and modernize schools damaged by Hurricane Helene, ensuring students and teachers have safe, functional classrooms equipped for the future.
AFFORDABLE HEALTHCARE
Every North Carolinian deserves access to care without the fear of financial ruin. As Medicaid expansion is threatened and healthcare costs are set to rise dramatically in January, too many families will be forced to choose between paying their bills and seeing a doctor. I will fight for policies that protect working families, lower prescription drug prices, and ensure that rising costs don’t put healthcare out of reach. Access to quality care should never be a luxury—it is a basic right, and I will make it my mission to defend it.
AFFORDABLE HOUSING
Many hard-working families are struggling to find a place they can truly call home. I believe in common sense housing policies for NC, which means supporting projects that help people afford housing while also protecting the natural beauty, history, and character of our communities. We need responsible development that is sustainable, not sprawling construction that ignores long-term impact. I will work to ensure that when we build, we build smart, so families can thrive without sacrificing the forests, charm, and integrity that make our towns special.
SMALL BUSINESS RECOVERY
Small businesses make up 96% of all businesses in Western North Carolina, yet many were left without meaningful state or federal support after Hurricane Helene. While some received help through SBA loans or nonprofit grants, too many are still struggling to reopen, rehire, or rebuild. Lynne will fight to expand access to state-led recovery programs and push for targeted grants that support storefront repairs, equipment replacement, and revitalization of local business districts.
She also knows that recovery isn’t just about the last storm—it’s about the headwinds small businesses are facing right now. With tariffs driving up costs, Lynne will push Raleigh to step up: strengthening export vouchers, expanding access to low-interest working capital, supporting supply chain shifts to U.S. suppliers, and making sure existing state tax exemptions and relief programs work for small shops, farms, and manufacturers. That means less time battling red tape and more time serving customers, hiring workers, and keeping Main Street strong. Because when small businesses thrive, our entire community thrives.
FARMERS & AGRICULTURE
When Hurricane Helene hit, WNC farmers lost critical fencing, equipment, and infrastructure. Lynne will push for targeted disaster recovery grants to help them rebuild barns, greenhouses, irrigation systems, and more. She’ll also fight for policies that protect family farms, strengthen local markets, and preserve our agricultural way of life because rural resilience starts with supporting the people who grow our food.
VETERANS
Western North Carolina is home to one of the highest concentrations of veterans in the state, yet many still struggle to access the care and support they deserve. Lynne will expand rural healthcare options through mobile units and telehealth partnerships, so no veteran has to drive hours or wait months for basic care. She’ll also support expanded transportation assistance, ride-share programs, and improved access to VA travel grants. And for caregivers, Lynne will fight to strengthen respite programs, peer support networks, and rural mental health services because these aren’t luxuries, they’re lifelines. We owe our veterans more than words. We owe them action.
Why Hurricane Helene Relief Matters
North Carolina has allocated nearly $2 billion in state funding to support recovery from Hurricane Helene—focused mostly on rebuilding and stabilizing communities. But urgent needs remain unmet, especially when it comes to grants for small businesses in Western North Carolina.
The truth is, without the federal aid we were promised—but still haven’t received—our region’s recovery simply hasn’t kept pace with the scale of the devastation. It’s time for focused, fast-moving leadership to deliver the support our people and local businesses need to fully rebuild and thrive.