CPAC Releases NC’s Legislative Rankings

    by CLC Staff

    Alexandria, Virginia: The Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) Foundation’s Center for Legislative Accountability released its 2023 Ratings of the States this week. Their annual report, the only one of its kind in the nation, ranks how elected officials view the role of government in an individual’s life. The process includes all 8,000 lawmakers in every state legislature and across every policy area.

    Matt Schlapp, Chairman of both CPAC and the American Conservative Union, explains: “We begin with our philosophy — conservatism is the political philosophy that sovereignty resides in the person — and then apply the proper role of government: its essential role is to defend life, liberty, and property. The left has stormed our nation’s corridors of power to take control over the lives of every American. Now, they have set their sights on the states, freedom’s last line of defense.”

    To determine legislative rankings in North Carolina, CLA evaluated the votes of each member of the state House and Senate on 14 bills which ultimately became law: House Bill 40 (Prevent Rioting and Civil Disorder), HB76 (Access to Healthcare Options), HB130 (Energy Choice/Solar Decommissioning Requirements), HB259 (Address ESG Factors), HB574 (Fairness in Women’s Sports Act), HB618 (Charter School Review Board), HB750 (Address ESG Factors), HB808 (Gender Transition/Minors), Senate Bill 20 (Care for Women, Children, and Families Act), SB41 (Guarantee 2nd Amend Freedom and Protections), SB49 (Parents’ Bill of Rights), SB154 (Omnibus Occupancy Tax Changes), SB364 (Nondiscrimination & Dignity in State Work), and SB747 (Elections Law Changes).

    39 members of the North Carolina House scored 90% or above on their conservative voting records: Representatives Jay AdamsJennifer BalkcomJohn BellBrian BiggsHugh BlackwellJohn BradfordMark BrodyCeleste CairnsGeorge ClevelandTricia Ann CothamJimmy DixonJeffrey ElmoreKen FontenotDestin HallKyle HallChris HumphreyKelly HastingsJulia HowardNeal JacksonJake JohnsonBrenden JonesKeith KidwellDonnie LoftisJarrod LoweryJeffrey McNeelyGrey MillsBen MossDennis RiddellJason SaineMitchell SetzerCarson SmithFrank SossamonSarah StevensJohn TorbettHarry WarrenSam WatfordDavid WillisMatthew Winslow, and Jeff Zenger. Representatives Bell, Cleveland, Hastings, Kidwell, Setzer, Smith, and Sossamon each achieved perfect 100% scores.

    What follows below is a chart containing the names of the members of the North Carolina House of Representatives, their legislative district, the county or counties they represent, what year they were first elected, their 2023, 2022 and lifetime CLA scores. To the right of this (you’ll have to scroll horizontally) are their votes on each of the 14 pieces of legislation used in the report’s methodology. A check mark indicates a vote for the conservative position, the minus sign indicates a vote for the liberal position, the letter “A” means the member was absent for the vote in question, and a “n/a” means that the member did not vote on at least 2/3 of the scored votes and therefore did not receive a score for the group’s 2023 ratings.

    Representative District Counties Represented First elected 2023 2022 Lifetime H40 H76 H98 H130 H259 H574 H607 H618 H750 H808 S20 S41 S49 S154 S364 S747
    Adams, Jay 96 Catawba (part) 2014 94% 88% 80%
    Ager, Eric 114 Buncombe (part) 2022 0% n/a 0%
    Alexander, Kelly 107 Mecklenburg (part) 2008 n/a n/a 26% A A A A A A A A A A A A
    Alston, Vernetta 29 Durham (part) 2020 0% 0% 15%
    Arp, Dean 69 Union (part) 2012 88% 88% 86%
    Autry, John 100 Mecklenburg (part) 2016 0% 0% 15%
    Baker, Amber 72 Forsyth (part) 2020 7% 0% 14% A A
    Baker, Kristin 82 Cabarrus (part) 2020 88% 88% 86%
    Balkcom, Jennifer 117 Henderson (part) 2022 94% n/a 94%
    Ball, Cynthia 49 Wake (part) 2016 0% 0% 21% A
    Belk, Mary 88 Mecklenburg (part) 2016 0% 0% 18%
    Bell, John 10 Wayne (part) 2012 100% 100% 88% A A
    Biggs, Brian 70 Randolph (part) 2022 94% n/a 94%
    Blackwell, Hugh 86 Burke 2008 93% 100% 88%
    Bradford, John 98 Mecklenburg (part) 2020 (2014-2018) 94% 83% 85% A
    Brisson, William 22 Bladen, Sampson 2006 88% 88% 72% A
    Brockman, Cecil 60 Guilford (part) 2014 36% 0% 31% A A A
    Brody, Mark 55 Anson, Union (part) 2012 94% 88% 88%
    Brown, Gloristine 8 Pitt (part) 2022 0% n/a 0%
    Brown, Kanika 71 Forsyth (part) 2022 0% n/a 0%
    Brown, Terry 92 Mecklenburg (part) 2020 0% 0% 10% A
    Buansi, Allen 56 Orange (part) 2022 0% 0% 0%
    Budd, Laura 103 Mecklenburg (part) 2022 6% n/a 6%
    Butler, Deb 18 New Hanover (part) 2017 0% 0% 18%
    Cairns, Celeste 13 Carteret, Craven (part) 2022 94% n/a 94%
    Carney, Becky 102 Mecklenburg (part) 2002 6% 0% 22%
    Cervania, Maria 41 Wake (part) 2022 0% n/a 0%
    Chesser, Allen 25 Nash (part) 2022 88% n/a 88%
    Clampitt, Mike 119 Transylvania, Jackson, Swain 2020 (2016-2018) 88% 88% 90%
    Clemmons, Ashton 57 Guilford (part) 2018 0% 0% 20%
    Cleveland, George 14 Onslow (part) 2004 100% 100% 92% A
    Cotham, Tricia 112 Mecklenburg (part) 2022 (2007-2017) 93% n/a 93% A A A
    Crawford, Sarah 66 Wake (part) 2022 0% n/a 0%
    Crutchfield, Kevin 83 Cabarrus (part), Rowan (part) 2022 88% n/a 88%
    Cunningham, Carla 106 Mecklenburg (part) 2012 19% 29% 23% A
    Dahle, Allison 11 Wake (part) 2018 6% 25% 22%
    Davis, Ted 20 New Hanover (part) 2012 88% 83% 82%
    Dixon, Jimmy 4 Duplin, Wayne (part) 2010 94% 88% 86% A
    Elmore, Jeffrey 94 Alexander, Wilkes (part) 2012 94% 88% 86%
    Everitt, Terence 35 Wake (part) 2018 0% 13% 22% A
    Faircloth, John 62 Guilford (part) 2010 88% 88% 84%
    Fontenot, Ken 24 Wilson, Nash (part) 2022 94% n/a 94% A
    Forde-Hawkins, Zack 31 Durham (part) 2018 0% n/a 22% A
    Gill, Rosa 33 Wake (part) 2009 7% 0% 13% A A
    Gillespie, Karl 120 Macon, Graham, Cherokee, Clay 2020 88% 88% 89%
    Goodwin, Ed 1 Currituck, Dare (part), Tyrrell, Washington, Chowan, Perquimans 2018 88% 88% 83%
    Greene, Dudley 85 Avery, Mitchell, Yancey, McDowell (part) 2020 88% 88% 87% A
    Hall, Destin 87 Caldwell, Watauga (part) 2016 94% 88% 89% A
    Hall, Kyle 91 Stokes, Forsyth (part) 2016 94% 88% 84%
    Hardister, Jon 59 Guilford (part) 2012 88% 88% 84%
    Harris, Wesley 105 Mecklenburg (part) 2018 0% 0% 21%
    Harrison, Pricey 61 Guilford (part) 2004 6% 13% 17%
    Hastings, Kelly 110 Gaston (part), Cleveland (part) 2010 100% 88% 93% A
    Howard, Julia Craven 77 Yadkin, Davie, Rowan (part) 1988 93% 100% 86% A A
    Humphrey, Chris 12 Greene, Lenoir, Jones 2018 94% 88% 87% A
    Iler, Frank 17 Brunswick (part) 2009 88% 88% 84%
    Jackson, Frances 45 Cumberland (part) 2022 0% n/a 0%
    Jackson, Neal 78 Moore (part), Randolph (part) 2022 94% n/a 94%
    Jeffers, Ray 2 Person, Durham (part) 2022 13% n/a 13% A A
    John, Joe 40 Wake (part) 2016 6% 25% 30%
    Johnson, Jake 113 Henderson (part), Polk, Rutherford (part), McDowell (part) 2019 94% 88% 89%
    Jones, Abe 38 Wake (part) 2020 6% 38% 27%
    Jones, Brenden 46 Columbus, Robeson (part) 2016 94% 88% 87% A
    Kidwell, Keith 79 Dare (part), Hyde, Beaufort, Pamlico 2018 100% 88% 90% A
    Lambeth, Donny 75 Forsyth (part) 2012 88% 88% 82%
    Liu, Ya 21 Wake (part) 2022 0% n/a 0%
    Loftis, Donnie 109 Gaston (part) 2021 94% 88% 91%
    Lofton, Brandon 104 Mecklenburg (part) 2018 0% 0% 20%
    Logan, Carolyn 101 Mecklenburg (part) 2018 0% 0% 19% A
    Longest, Tim 34 Wake (part) 2022 0% n/a 0%
    Lowery, Jarrod 47 Robeson (part) 2022 93% n/a 93% A A
    Lucas, Marvin 42 Cumberland (part) 2000 7% 33% 22% A A A
    Majeed, Nasif 99 Mecklenburg (part) 2018 6% 38% 28%
    McNeely, Jeffrey 84 Iredell (part) 2019 94% 88% 89%
    Miller, Charlie 19 Brunswick (part), New Hanover (part) 2020 88% 88% 87%
    Mills, Grey 95 Iredell (part) 2020 (2008-2012) 94% 88% 92% A
    Moore, Tim 111 Cleveland (part), Rutherford (part) 2002 88% 88% 90%
    Morey, Marcia 30 Durham (part) 2017 0% 13% 19%
    Moss, Ben 52 Richmond, Moore (part) 2020 94% 100% 93% A
    Paré, Erin 37 Wake (part) 2020 88% 88% 87%
    Penny, Howard 53 Harnett (part), Johnston (part) 2020 88% 88% 87%
    Pickett, Ray 93 Alleghany, Ashe, Watauga (part) 2020 88% 88% 89%
    Pierce, Garland 48 Hoke, Scotland 2004 41% 57% 26%
    Pike, Joe 6 Harnett (part) 2022 88% n/a 88%
    Pless, Mark 118 Madison, Haywood 2020 88% 88% 88%
    Potts, Larry 81 Davidson (part) 2016 88% 88% 85%
    Prather, Lindsey 115 Buncombe (part) 2022 0% n/a 0%
    Price, Renee 50 Caswell, Orange (part) 2022 0% n/a 0%
    Pyrtle, Reece 65 Rockingham 2021 88% n/a 88%
    Quick, Amos 58 Guilford (part) 2016 0% 33% 22% A
    Reeder, Tim 9 Pitt (part) 2022 88% n/a 88% A
    Reives, Robert 54 Chatham, Randolph (part) 2014 0% 0% 18%
    Riddell, Dennis 64 Alamance (part) 2012 94% 88% 89%
    Roberson, James 39 Wake (part) 2021 0% 0% 11% A
    Ross, Stephen 63 Alamance (part) 2022 (2012–2020) 88% n/a 88% A
    Rudow, Caleb 116 Buncombe (part) 2022 0% 0% 0% A
    Saine, Jason 97 Lincoln 2011 94% 88% 85%
    Sasser, Wayne 67 Stanly, Montgomery 2018 88% 88% 85%
    Sauls, John 51 Lee, Moore (part) 2016 88% 83% 82%
    Setzer, Mitchell 89 Catawba (part), Iredell (part) 1998 100% 86% 79% A
    Shepard, Phil 15 Onslow (part) 2010 88% 88% 86%
    Smith, Carson 16 Pender, Onslow (part) 2018 100% 88% 87% A
    Smith, Charles 44 Cumberland (part) 2022 0% n/a 0%
    Sossamon, Frank 32 Vance, Granville (part) 2022 100% n/a 100% A A A
    Staton-Williams, Diamond 73 Cabarrus (part) 2022 0% n/a 0% A A
    Stevens, Sarah 90 Surry, Wilkes (part) 2008 93% n/a 88% A A
    Strickland, Larry 28 Johnston (part) 2016 88% 88% 85% A
    Torbett, John 108 Gaston (part) 2010 94% 83% 87%
    Tyson, Steve 3 Craven (part) 2020 88% 88% 89% A
    von Haefen, Julie 36 Wake (part) 2018 0% n/a 17%
    Ward, Bill 5 Hertford, Gates, Pasquotank, Camden 2022 88% n/a 88%
    Warren, Harry 76 Rowan (part) 2010 94% 88% 86%
    Watford, Sam 80 Davidson (part) 2020 (2014-2018) 93% 88% 81% A A
    Wheatley, Diane 43 Cumberland (part) 2020 88% 88% 88%
    White, Donna McDowell 26 Johnston (part) 2016 88% 88% 84%
    Willingham, Shelly 23 Edgecombe, Martin, Bertie 2014 31% 50% 31% A
    Willis, David 68 Union (part) 2020 93% 88% 89% A
    Winslow, Matthew 7 Franklin, Granville (part) 2020 93% n/a 89% A A
    Wray, Michael 27 Warren, Halifax, Northampton 2004 50% 63% 41% A
    Zenger, Jeff 74 Forsyth (part) 2020 94% 88% 89%
    Source: CPAC's Center for Legislative Accountability 2023 Ratings of North Carolina
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