Source: News & Observer
Democrat Mary Wills Bode is running for North Carolina Senate District 18 in portions of Wake and Granville counties, an open seat.
Bode will face Republican candidate EC Sykes this fall. Bode is a Wake County native and currently lives in Granville County. Bode is an attorney and nonprofit executive director.
Despite being a first time-candidate, Bode has a history of working with both sides of the aisle to advocate for the best interests of North Carolinians. Bode is passionate about preserving our democracy and faith in the political process and is on the board of North Carolinians for Redistricting Reform (NCRR), a bi-partisan nonprofit organization.
Bode told The News & Observer that investing in education, cutting taxes for working families, and ensuring access to reproductive healthcare would be among her top priorities as a state senator.
Bode supports significant investments in Early Childhood Education. Bode told The News & Observer, “Our state has a legacy of implementing groundbreaking early childhood policies, like Smart Start, but we’ve failed to properly invest in these initiatives to keep that legacy alive. The evidence is clear on how critical early childhood education is for the future success of students and the General Assembly should prioritize funding it.”
An already competitive race, this senate seat has become even more important after the overturning of Roe v. Wade, eliminating federal protections for reproductive healthcare. Gov. Roy Cooper has vowed to protect abortion in North Carolina, but if the Republicans gain a supermajority in the Senate, Cooper’s vetos will be overturned. The fate of abortion access in North Carolina, and many surrounding states, is in the hands of the voters.
Bode has committed to protecting abortion access and said, “I will work tirelessly to ensure access to reproductive health care is not banned in our state.” Bode has also been endorsed by Planned Parenthood, one of the state’s largest women’s healthcare providers.
Bode’s opponent, EC Sykes previously said he believes abortion “should be outlawed in all situations” and that he believes that life “begins at conception”, a policy preference that could effectively ban several contraception methods.
Reproductive rights are on the ballot this fall and Mary Wills Bode is committed to defending them.
