This mother could flip North Carolina’s US Senate seat

Cheri Beasley was the first black woman to serve as Chief Justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court.she won the Democratic primary If she wins the Congressional elections this fall, she will be one of the few black women to serve in the U.S. Senate.Beasley Tethered Teaming up with a Republican opponent ahead of the November election, she might be able to pull it off.

After nearly 30 years in public service, Beasley wanted to run for Senate. I’ve seen how Washington has let families down here in the state. ”

Beasley is a mother of twins and has a clear interest in healthcare. “I can tell you from my own family experience that my husband Kurt and I have twin sons. “We’ve spent an inordinate amount of time negotiating with insurance companies over the years,” she told ESSENCE. [our children] Get the kind of coverage they need. I know we are the lucky ones, but people don’t have to be lucky to be able to access affordable health care for themselves and their families. ”

ESSENCE spoke to Beasley about policies that support her being the only black mother in the U.S. Senate (unless Rep. Val Demings wins her campaign in Florida), making North Carolina blue. and how she connects with voters statewide.

The essence: Recent polls show you’re tied [Republican Senate candidate] Ted Budd. What do you think it says about your campaign’s viability?

I am really very excited about where we are in this race. We traveled through North Carolina. There are 100 counties, and we’ve been to all 100 of his counties and really listening to people and getting involved with what they’re most concerned about, like rising costs. People are feeling everything from sore pumps to weight loss on prescription drugs. My opponents, who have been in Washington and have been involved with corporations and special interests, have shown over the years in Congress that they will not stand up for North Carolina, and I am fully committed to doing so.

The bottom line: North Carolina hasn’t voted for a Democratic president since Obama in 2008. And then again, you are tied to Ted Budd. So what do you think has made the state more competitive, and what makes you so confident you can win as a Democrat?

I saw a lot of excitement and enthusiasm in my race. I am a statewide elected civil servant, public defender, and Chief Justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court. Connections are really important to people across the state, letting them know that not only do I care, but I have a proven record. Confirmed that we have implemented our first paid family leave policy so that we can balance work and work. I tackled human trafficking and created the first human trafficking court in the state to hold traffickers accountable while helping victims. I worked on the so-called prison pipeline, locking kids in classrooms and keeping them out of court. That’s why this kind of commitment, understanding and respecting the rule of law, and upholding the Constitution is important to people across the state.

Essence: Can you say anything about how North Carolina is changing more structurally, broadly, and more receptive to the Democratic Party?

I have been engaged statewide for over 10 years. And now we’re really building on a relationship that we’ve had for quite some time. And seeing the excitement and enthusiasm of people across the state is huge. . i am a wife And proven commitment really counts. In North Carolina, there are many people who haven’t voted in elections for a long time. And I am so grateful that we are reaching out to those people. We started knocking on doors, texting, calling and actually constructive outreach a long time ago. We are reaching out to people and letting them know they have real options in this election.

The essence: Unless Florida Rep. Val Demings also wins her race, you could be the only black mother in the Senate. advocate?

I think a lot of black women are so frustrated and disappointed that they aren’t coming out of Washington. I know that some politicians feel dependent on their votes and not all are responding.

There are real issues with maternal health. A wonderful woman I spoke with talked about her pregnancy. She really felt that something was wrong with her pregnancy. She spoke with several health care providers who downplayed her concerns. She ended up losing her child. It remains important to ensure that we have policies in place that respect and respond to black women. [to have] Policies that affect infant mortality because black child mortality is much higher than any other group. That has to change and it is very important that we have black mothers in the Senate who stand up and fight.

Helping women and families in the Senate and making the child tax credit permanent, a tax break for the middle class that helps many families, is critical. It will make all the difference for so many families.

Because childcare fees are expensive, I think many people are having a hard time raising children. Expanding access to affordable childcare is certainly a priority for me. These are just some of the many issues I look forward to addressing in the United States Senate.