The Political Beat Candidate Guide: Congress District 5

CHARLOTTE — General elections in North Carolina are set for Nov. 5, and many statewide offices have candidates in the running from the Democratic and Republican parties.

District 5 includes Ashe, Alexander, Caldwell and Watauga Counties. Incumbent Republican Virginia Foxx is facing Democrat Chuck Hubbard.

The Political Beat asked questions of each candidate in the races. Below are their unedited responses.

Virginia Foxx

What is your occupation? Educator, Small businesswoman.

Why are you running? I’m running to serve the hard-working North Carolinians of the 5th Congressional District. Every day I hear from people who are fed up with Joe Biden’s high inflation, big government policies and national security failures at our borders. I have a track-record of successfully fighting for my constituents, for standing up to the Biden administration, and enacting conservative solutions that actually work. My constituents know that I work tirelessly to represent them in Congress, to solve problems and to fight for North Carolina values. I have a record that proves I take conservative principles seriously and that I will not be outworked by anyone.

What is the most important issue in your district and how do you plan to address it? I talk to North Carolina voters all the time and the recurring theme is the illegal immigration crisis at our southern border. Thanks to Joe Biden’s utter incompetence and negligence, millions of illegal immigrants have crossed our border just last year, choking off the rule of law in border areas, overwhelming towns and cities across the nation and posing a direct threat to our national security. We can’t allow this crisis to continue any longer. That’s why I voted to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas for his refusal to enforce our immigration laws in the face of a historic immigration crisis on our southern borders. He has failed to uphold his oath of office and I cosponsored the articles to impeach him for his failed leadership, dereliction of duty and reckless endangerment of our nation’s security. Secretary Mayorkas has helped to foment this illegal immigration crisis and we can’t fully address it without removing him from office.

What role, if any, should the United States have in the Ukraine-Russia and Israel-Hamas conflicts? It’s important to remember that Ukraine is not a member of NATO. This means the U.S. does not have treaty obligations to come to Ukraine’s defense. While the Russian invasion was at first an existential threat, the current conflict has turned to one over borders and territory, and we need to rule out sending U.S. troops, unwind our involvement and have the Europeans do more to protect their continent. Israel is our closest ally in the Middle East. It is an outpost of democracy and human rights in a region awash with autocrats, antisemitism, and Islamic radicalism. We must support Israel as it responds to Hamas’s barbaric October 7 attacks. This Hamas attack was the worst massacre of Jews since the Nazi holocaust in the 1940′s. Not only does Israel have the right to defend itself against a genocidal group like Hamas, it must do so. Terrorist groups like Hamas, funded and equipped by our enemies in Iran, pose a very clear threat to America and our allies. They must be completely defeated. That’s why I am proud to stand with Israel and I am committed to supporting Israel in any way as it fights for its very survival.

How should Congress address the issue of immigration at the U.S. border? Our first priority must be to crack down on illegal immigration and secure our borders. We should absolutely return to the policies put forward by President Trump, and I voted to codify his policies into law in H.R. 2. We are a nation of immigrants, but we are first of all a nation built on law. If we want immigrants who will respect our laws and embrace our way of life, we need to send a different message that we respect our laws and we will enforce them. Thanks to the Biden administration’s policies, dangerous criminals, drugs, and weapons are pouring over our border and putting our families at risk. No amount of tinkering on visa rules, “paths to citizenship” or slaps on the wrist will fix this problem if we don’t first dedicate ourselves to a process that secures the border as step number one. I’ve introduced my own bill, the Justice for Victims of Open Borders Act, to address the heinous crimes being committed by illegal immigrants due to the Biden Administration’s failed policies. We must make it clear that our culture will not tolerate lawlessness. Our borders must be secure, and our immigration laws must be enforced.

What sets you apart from your opponent? It’s simple. I have a strong, conservative voting record and a reputation of providing top-notch constituent services to all the people of the Fifth Congressional District. I don’t just try to legislate – I deliver. This includes having more bills signed into law under President Trump than anyone in North Carolina. I’m sure that’s why President Trump endorsed me in this race and I’m proud to have his endorsement. I’ve had ten bills signed into law that reflect my dedication to conservative values with commonsense solutions that work. Observing my record, my colleagues elected me to an unprecedented fourth term as leading the Education and Workforce Committee, where we’ve passed legislation like the Parents Bill of Rights and held the liberal establishment accountable – even leading to the dismissal of two Ivey League university presidents. Whether it’s my very first bill signed into law, the HERO Act, which is now helping our military men and women by increasing their access to retirement savings accounts, or my latest bill to pass that would instill merit and competency back into the federal hiring process, I’m committed to fighting for commonsense solutions to deliver for my constituents and hold the federal bureaucracy accountable.

Chuck Hubbard

What is your occupation? Retired / Former Newspaper Journalist and Publisher.

Why are you running? I spent 40 years at the Wilkes Journal Patriot as either a reporter or a publisher. For the last 20 years, I have watched Virginia Foxx harm my community by tearing down public education and workplace protections as Chair of the Committee on Education and the Workforce. Foxx’s voting record speaks for itself: she continues to vote against the interests of the district she is supposed to represent. I can’t sit back and watch this happen any longer. My intimate knowledge of this district and its unique challenges positions me to represent my community in a completely different way.

What is the most important issue in your district and how do you plan to address it? My most important issue is the overall lack of representation for working class people. Costs are rising, wages aren’t keeping up with inflation, and small businesses can’t compete with corporations. Meanwhile, Congress just continues the bidding of mega corporations and the richest among us. I’m running to tell Congress it’s not about them, it’s about you.

What role, if any, should the United States have in the Ukraine-Russia and Israel-Hamas conflicts? The federal government needs to protect women’s rights in reproductive health. I’d like to see Roe v. Wade codified into federal law. Abortion is a medical procedure that should be discussed in a doctor’s office between a patient and their doctor. There’s no room for the government in that conversation.

How should Congress address the issue of immigration at the U.S. border? To summarize my views on foreign policy — I am anti-Putin, anti-Hamas, and anti-Netanyahu. We must support our ally, Ukraine, against a clear provocator in Russia. Putin is a bad faith actor, essentially a dictator who will stop at nothing to grow his power. We cannot allow this to happen. We must promote peace in both Israel and Palestine against Hamas’ attacks. We must provide aid to the Palestinian people and do everything we can to stop the civilian casualties in both countries. Israelis should not live in fear and Palestinians should not face oppression.

What sets you apart from your opponent? Aside from having opposing views on just about every issue, I will continue to show up in my community and make myself available to my constituents. I will be a legislator for the people. I will reject political theater, which has been central to my opponent’s tenure.

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