Eric Burns
Republican | North Carolina
Candidate Profile
Leans Conservative
BIOGRAPHY
Name
Eric Burns
Party
Republican
Election Year
2020
Election
General
Race
State Rep., Dist. 116
Incumbent
No
Links
EDUCATION
(Candidate did not provide)
WORK & MILITARY
NovaCor Group, Partner, Chief Sales Officer
AFFILIATIONS
Maple Ridge Baptist Church, Volunteer, Asheville Civic Center
Vice Chairman, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Advisory Cou, Board Member
"In His Name" Ministries, Volunteer, Asheville Buncombe Community Christian Ministry
Volunteer
POLITICAL OFFICES HELD
(Candidate did not provide)
POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT
(Candidate did not provide)
Race
ENDORSEMENTS
REPORTED BY CANDIDATE (6)
Joe Belcher, Buncombe County Commissioner
Rep.Tim Moore, Speaker of the North Carolina House
Rep. Kevin Corbin, NC House Dist. 120
Sen. Chuck Edwards, NC Senate Dist. 48
Sen Jim Davis, NC Senate Dist. 50
SELECTED CONTRIBUTIONS
CONSERVATIVE
GIVEN BY CANDIDATE (0)
RECEIVED BY CANDIDATE (1)
Jason Saine (2020)
OTHER INFORMATION
QUESTIONNAIRE
RIGHT TO LIFE
Human life begins at conception and deserves legal protection at every stage until natural death.
Strongly Agree
Abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood, should not receive taxpayer funds or grants from federal, state, or local governments.
Strongly Agree
I support the Born Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, which requires health care providers to provide life-saving treatment for infants who survive an attempted abortion.
Strongly Agree
If the U.S. Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade, North Carolina should repeal its law allowing abortion up to 20 weeks of pregnancy.
Strongly Agree
Under what circumstances should abortion be allowed?
I believe that life begins at conception, and that all life is precious and a gift from God. Exceptions for incest and rape should be considered, but only after all other options have been exhausted.
ECONOMY
It is the government’s responsibility to ensure everyone has a livable income.
Disagree
Free enterprise and the right to private property are essential elements of a productive economic system.
Strongly Agree
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
Governments should not discriminate against individuals, organizations or small businesses because of their belief that marriage is only a union of one man and one woman.
Strongly Agree
Governments should define marriage as between one man and one woman; no other definition of marriage should be legalized or supported with taxpayer or public funds.
No Answer
Religious liberty is at risk in the United States and deserves the highest level of protection in the law.
Strongly Agree
I promise to protect the freedom of Christians to share the Gospel and to practice Biblical principles.
Yes
What does "separation of church and state" mean to you?
Separation of church and state was originally meant that we would not have a government-enforced religion. I support our freedom of religion, and agree that government should not have a role in dictating an individual's religion. With that said, my faith guides my life and I will make decisions on votes based on where the proposed legislation lines up with my faith.
HEALTHCARE
It is the government’s responsibility to ensure everyone has health insurance.
Disagree
How would you promote healthcare coverage that is adequate, affordable and accessible for all?
I believe that as a state, we must open up the free market on healthcare insurance. As it stands, one insurance company owns a virtual monopoly on healthcare insurance in our state. If we can open up the market to new competition, it will drive down costs and offer new choices to our state's residents.
NATIONAL SECURITY
The best way to maintain peace is through a strong military.
Strongly Agree
IMMIGRATION
I am in favor of construction of a wall and other necessary infrastructure on our border that gives complete control over entering and exiting the United States.
Strongly Agree
State, sheriff and local law enforcement agencies should be required to participate in the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) 287(g) Program to enhance the safety and security of their communities to identify and detain aliens.
Strongly Agree
Who should be allowed to immigrate to the U.S. and under what circumstances?
I fully support legal immigration to our country, once the person/people have shown that they are coming to our country with good intentions and will contribute to the overall well-being of our country.
EDUCATION
Taxpayer-funded public education should be guaranteed through college.
Disagree
VALUES
Judeo-Christian values established a framework of morality which is necessary for our system of limited government.
Strongly Agree
I support adding sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression as protected classes in non-discrimination laws.
No Answer
I support allowing public high school students to participate in athletic competition based on the gender with which they identify instead of biological sex.
Strongly Disagree
Parents should have the right to know what schools are teaching their children about sex and LGBT issues and should have the right to opt their children out of any instruction to which they object.
Strongly Agree
Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.
I am a born-again Christian. My conservative values are guided by my faith and relationship with Jesus Christ.
ABOUT YOU
When you consider your views on a wide range of issues from economic and social matters to foreign policy and immigration, which of the following best describes you overall?
Conservative
Please provide publicly available information validating your answer to the previous question.
I firmly believe that conservative leadership has worked to make this country the most prosperous nation in the world. And on smaller scales, conservative principles show why we must continue to elect conservative leaders - in 2010, Republicans took over the NC Legislature for the first time in over 100 years; once conservative leadership was elected, our state went from over $2 billion in debt to now having a $900 million annual budget surplus and no debt. We must continue this track record in our state and work to make the 116th District prosperous as well.
What education or experience qualifies you to hold the office for which you seek election?
Throughout my professional career, I have worked my way up from scrubbing toilets to now co-owning my own human resources/IT consulting business. I know what it means to work your way up from nothing. The people of NC-116 know that same struggle and I understand that we must have someone who has worked for what they have. When your representative is making decisions on votes to represent you, know that I have been in the shoes of everyday workers who are doing everything they can to survive in a struggling economy, or the small business owner who has had their lives shut down by a government without any plans to help them make it. I have lived that struggle, and as your representative, I will fight for you - the everyday man and woman of Buncombe County.
Have you ever been convicted of a felony or been penalized for sexual misconduct? If so, please explain.
No.
Is there anything else you would like voters to know about you?
I am honored to be considered for this position. I am ready to get to work, fighting for the people of Buncombe County, and I would greatly appreciate your vote!
JUDICIAL PHILOSOPHY
I support the use of Sharia law as a basis for legislation and judicial decisions in the United States.
Strongly Disagree
2ND AMENDMENT
Should teachers be allowed to carry guns at school?
No Answer
What restrictions on gun ownership are needed to protect public safety?
I believe that the right of our people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.
OTHER IMPORTANT ISSUES
People should be able to vote without photo identification.
Strongly Disagree
I support the legalization of recreational marijuana.
Strongly Disagree
The Electoral College should be abolished.
Strongly Disagree
In priority order, what three areas of legislation do you propose to author or sponsor if elected?
We must first help our teachers in the state, more so than we have already been doing. Especially in a society where our educators are now moving education online and adapting to a new system, we must find a way to adequately provide the resources that our teachers need, while also making sure that they are being compensated fairly. Second, I believe that we should streamline our local infrastructure, and work to fix the mess that the Department of Transportation has put our state in. By overspending their budget drastically, thee DOT has hurt our state financially and I would work with other legislators to provide oversight to ensure this does not happen again. Local infrastructure is incredibly important to tourism development and bringing in new jobs to the area. And third, I believe that opioid abuse has hurt our community more than we realize. I am committed to helping work on legislation that combats the drug and opioid crisis in our community.
