Source: Editorial Board
Located just North of Charlotte, North Carolina’s State House District 98 includes parts of Davidson and Cornelius. The district is currently represented by Republican John Bradford, who opted to run for a congressional seat this year instead of seeking reelection to the State House.
Running to replace Bradford is Democrat Beth Helfrich, a former teacher and longtime resident of Davidson, and Republican Melinda Bales, a former town commissioner and mayor of Huntersville.
Bales was originally elected to the Huntersville Board of Commissioners in 2011 and in 2021 was elected mayor of Huntersville. Upon Bradford’s announcement that he would not be seeking reelection, Bales announced that she would be running for the open seat.
Bales lists four priorities on her website: economic development, workforce development, education and infrastructure. One important topic that Bales seems to avoid, however, is reproductive rights. Her website makes no mention of where Bales stands on the issue, and she has yet to divulge her stance publicly, either on her social media pages or in candidate surveys and interviews.
North Carolina was recently ranked 33rd in women’s health and reproductive care outcomes, and the state’s rates for maternal deaths while pregnant and infant mortality were both above the national average. The ranking is sadly not surprising, especially considering that more than a third (35%) of rural North Carolina hospitals don’t even offer maternity care. Additionally, following the passage of the abortion ban last year, North Carolina became one of many states that saw a decrease in medical students considering programs.
Every single House Republican that was present voted in favor of the 12-week abortion ban passed by the General Assembly last year, and every single one voted to override Gov. Roy Cooper’s veto of the ban. Would Bales, if elected, be the lone dissenter from her party if the legislature followed through on their promise for further restrictions?
Legislative leaders in both chambers, both Republicans, said they wanted further restrictions last year when the current ban was passed. House Speaker Tim Moore said the earliest they would be able to pursue more restrictions would be 2025, which if Bales is elected would be her first year in the House. While elected Republicans may feel assured that their members will fall in line, how could the voters of House District 98 know if Bales refuses to acknowledge the issue?
Legislators aside, the highest-ranking Republican in the state, and current gubernatorial candidate, Lt. Governor Mark Robinson is in favor of severe abortion restrictions. Robinson has made clear that if he were governor and had a “willing” legislature, he would pass a ban on abortion with no exceptions.
Notably, Bales’ largest donor, Ericka Cain, who gave her the maximum contribution allowed, also gave a maximum contribution to Robinson’s campaign for governor.
With so much at stake, Melinda Bales owes it to the voters of her district to make her stance on such an important issue known.
