Cindy Edwards
Republican | North Carolina
Candidate Profile
Conservative (Conditional)
BIOGRAPHY
Name
Cindy Edwards
Party
Republican
Election Year
2020
Election
Primary
Race
State Rep., Dist. 14
Incumbent
No
Links
EDUCATION
Coastal Carolina Community College, Jacksonville, Continuing Ed Courses, 2014
Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Bachelor of Science Education, 1992
WORK & MILITARY
17blue LLC, President/CEO, 19
Onslow County Schools, Teacher, 10
AFFILIATIONS
Jacksonville-Onslow Chamber of Commerce, Past Board Chair, Current Board Member, Onslow Civic Affairs Committee
Current Member, Governmental Affairs Committee, Past Division Chair, Current Member
True Justice Human Trafficking Advisory Board, Helped Establish Group, Current Member, Onslow County Republican Party
Current Member, Jacksonville-Onslow Council for the Arts, Past Board Chair
POLITICAL OFFICES HELD
(Candidate did not provide)
POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT
(Candidate did not provide)
Race
SELECTED CONTRIBUTIONS
CONSERVATIVE
GIVEN BY CANDIDATE (1)
Republican Women's Organizations (2019)
RECEIVED BY CANDIDATE (0)
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?
With medical advances since Roe v. Wade, there are virtually no situations that would now require abortion to be an option. About 85% of women who have abortions report reasons that are essentially after-the-fact contraception. Preventative contraception is widely available. It's safer, cheaper and more responsible to prevent a pregnancy than kill a baby. Doctors no longer have to choose between saving a baby or saving a mother. "Exception" arguments have been exaggerated and leveraged to prevent states from protecting innocent life. In cases where a mother and/or father are unfit or unwilling to raise a child, safe surrender laws allow the child to be protected and the surrendering parent to remain anonymous. Shedding innocent blood is forbidden at any other age or stage of human development. It should be no different here. Life is a gift from God that begins at conception.
ECONOMY
It is the government’s responsibility to ensure everyone has a livable income.
Strongly 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.
Strongly Agree
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" is misunderstood and often misquoted. The phrase originated from a letter Thomas Jefferson wrote to the Danbury Baptist Association when they worried religions minorities may not be protected from government overreach. The First Amendment begins, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;". It clearly states the government may not establish a state-sponsored religion, or prohibit (limit) a citizen's free exercise of their own religion. It does not prohibit religion, it prevents government control or prohibition of worship for a nation of people with different beliefs. God is not banished from the public square. We are free to serve God publicly without retribution. This is our right.
HEALTHCARE
It is the government’s responsibility to ensure everyone has health insurance.
Strongly Disagree
How would you promote healthcare coverage that is adequate, affordable and accessible for all?
Healthcare is a complicated challenge for all states. Federal and state programs were originally designed to help low-income children/parents and the elderly and disabled. Healthcare is not a right for all citizens and it's not financially sustainable in current models. North Carolina has received recommendations from the John Locke Foundation to improve affordability and access that include measures such as: • Repeal or relax Certificate of Need laws that limit access and market competition without reducing costs. • Limit cost-additive health benefit mandates for policies • Review Nurse Practitioner(NP) contracts, allow NPs to treat patients up to their full level of training. I would like to see these recommendations explored and implemented as they provide benefit. Congress must also repeal federal mandates that have bloated costs for coverage and care.
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?
A person who qualifies for citizenship, is not a threat to this nation and completes the legal immigration process should be allowed to immigrate to the US. This process is important to preserving safety and establishing a sense of who we are collectively as a nation of immigrants. The length of the process and fees required are a challenge for many individuals. To apply for citizenship through naturalization, you must first have a green card for 5 years. Most individuals must pay about $1000 in fees to obtain a green card. The process should be streamlined to reduce the , but not circumvented or removed.
EDUCATION
Taxpayer-funded public education should be guaranteed through college.
Strongly 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.
Strongly Disagree
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 Christian. That means Jesus is my Lord and Savior. The Bible and prayer are part of my daily life. I grew up in a family that served in the military and in ministry. In my early years, I taught Sunday School. My husband, Greg, and I have been members of River of Life Church since 1994, shortly after we got married and he was stationed at Camp Lejeune. As a young married couple, Greg and I were youth pastors, as adults we led audio/visual ministry teams and life groups. We still tithe, give and serve there today. I believe in and will fight for our God-given and constitutional freedoms. The Judeo-Christian beliefs that our nation was founded on are critical to our future and to our leadership in the world. Our children deserve to inherit a free republic in which to build their God-given dreams. That can only happen when government is limited and power rests in the hands of the people. We are a free people and we shall stay a free Republic. We are not a socialist state.
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 do not have a public voting record yet, but as a local business owner and citizen I have worked with the Jacksonville-Onslow Chamber of Commerce, its Governmental Affairs Committee, local elected leaders and others to support and/or endorse initiatives that: • protect our state's military installations • support service members and veterans in our community • support small business growth and opportunities • increase awareness of and prevent human trafficking in our area • prevent unsustainable Medicaid expansion • promote greater cultural engagement and • increase racial diversity and representation in leadership
What education or experience qualifies you to hold the office for which you seek election?
My years of experience in business, education, committee leadership and volunteer service have prepared me for public service. I have been involved in servant leadership my whole life. It began at home and church then progressed to civic engagement and service in my community. Now I am willing to serve my community in the public square, defending our founding principles and values. It’s time to bring wisdom, common sense and meaningful collaboration to defunct systems and processes. I enjoy collaborating with others to develop solutions and overcome challenges. I prefer to roll up my sleeves and work without a dog and pony show, but I realize that following principles to do what is right will attract both positive support and negative press. This comes with public service. Leaders are elected to represent the people and do what is best for all citizens in their district. I pledge to do so with transparency, integrity and faithfulness.
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?
As a Christian, a business owner, a military spouse, a community leader and daughter of a Vietnam veteran, I am ready and willing to serve District 14 in Onslow County, North Carolina. This is my first political campaign, but it's not my first experience in leadership, standing up for what is right, or defending others. I've always been compelled to serve others and make the sacrifices necessary to do what's right. At a time where our freedom is under one of the greatest internally launched assaults we've seen, where liberalism and socialist rhetoric are deceptively amplified, and common-sense truth is unilaterally dismissed as 'irrelevant', we need God-fearing conservatives in office. We need leaders who understand the times and seasons. Leaders who serve for the long-term good, not short-term popularity. I am willing to roll up my sleeves and do the hard work of defending the God-breathed principles and truths that have made us strong and will keep us strong and free.
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?
The Second Amendment doesn't give us permission to own guns, it prohibits the government from infringing on our right to keep and bear arms for our own defense. Law abiding citizens should not have their rights infringed upon because criminals break the law. The best way to address violence is a multifaceted approach with mental health care reforms, citizen education and reporting, and well-supported law enforcement.
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?
Protect US Military presence and operation in our state and fulfill our promise to be the most military and veteran friendly state in the Union. Reduce testing conducted in K-8 education and increase parental choice. Continue to work toward reducing human trafficking and the threat it poses to our children through pornography, solicitation and coercion.
