Ashley Bell

Ashley Bell was born in Tyler, Texas. She graduated from Henderson High School. She earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Houston in 2003, a graduate degree from the Wake Forest University School of Medicine in 2011., and a graduate degree from the University of Lynchburg in 2019. Her career experience includes working as a physician assistant and educator.[1]

Bell has been affiliated with the following organizations:[1]

American Academy of Physician Associates

Physician Assistant Education Association

American Association of University Professors

Democratic Women of North Carolina

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I am a straight shooter. I am authentic. I am principled. I am not afraid to say what needs to be said. I am brutally honest (just ask my students). I love being told "No" - it motivates me to prove naysayers wrong.

I was raised in ruby red rural East Texas by small business owners. My grandfather started an HVAC business in 1957 that still operates today. I was the first in my family to attend college, graduating from the University of Houston - thanks to the Pell grant, academic and music scholarships, and multiple part time jobs to pay my way.

I'm not a career politician — I'm a physician associate and teacher who has spent my life in public service. I am the ONLY candidate in this race who has direct, first hand experience with healthcare, education, and national leadership.

I understand what it's like to lose a job due to illness, to be denied reasonable accommodations so one can do their job, and to experience financial crisis because of that. It's all happened to me personally, and I know the consequences of poor policies and how they harm working families.

Many years ago, I chose North Carolina as my permanent home. I love the people, the places, and the opportunities here. I'm committed to making sure others in NC-10 have access to the opportunities they want to pursue.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

The United States has the resources to ensure that our citizens are taken care of and given the opportunity they need to succeed. However, current conditions are presenting barriers to that.

Everything is too expensive. The "waste, fraud and abuse" people are creating more waste, fraud, and abuse. Millions are losing their healthcare. People can't afford rent, or to buy homes. Children are going hungry. Some veterans - people who have served our country - are homeless and without access to healthcare. And who's really thriving? Billionaires.

It is embarrassing that in the greatest country in the world, people can't afford to pay for basic needs. This has to change.Our healthcare system is a mess from top to bottom, and has been for as long as most of us can remember. As a PA, I understand the crisis from the inside. I've treated patients who can’t afford meds, can’t access mental health care, and can’t get appointments. Don't even get me started on arguments with insurance companies. Prior authorization MUST be outlawed.

I believe healthcare providers should be calling the shots on healthcare in this country, rather than sleazy, profit driven politicians with no experience in medicine. I believe that healthcare providers have endured enough abuse in the last several years. Frontline healthcare workers (not overpaid CEOs) have to be treated better so that our patients can be treated better.I am an action taker. While those currently in office and other candidates just talk about doing things, I actually do them. If we want change, we have to #DoSomething.

As a leader in my profession for the last 15 years, I've served on multiple boards of directors and visited Congress often to advocate for my patients, healthcare providers and students.

I LOVE fighting corruption, which is good, since there's plenty of it in Congress. When a billion dollar ed-tech company tried to exploit my students for money in exchange for poor quality education, I teamed up with the Wall Street Journal and the US Department of Education to expose their lack of ethics and poor business practices. Not long after, that company filed bankruptcy.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Saving Democracy, Affordability, Medicare for All, Public Education funding and access, Affordable Higher Education, Disability Rights, Women's Rights, Human Rights

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Elected officials must remember that they are elected to serve the people. Too many elected officials go into politics to get rich, and our current laws aren't doing much to prevent that. Elected officials should be honest, have integrity, and be willing to put country above party. They should not sell out to donors or special interests, and put the needs of their constituents above their own. They must be able to understand and educate on complex issues, be accessible, and be open to learning.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

The core responsibility of a Member of Congress is to serve the people of this district — not a party, not special interests, not national political celebrities. That means listening to the community, understanding our needs, and making decisions that put North Carolina families first.

Second, it’s the job of Congress to write and pass laws that actually improve people’s lives. That includes lowering healthcare costs, investing in education and workforce training, supporting small businesses, protecting our freedoms, and strengthening rural communities.

Third, a representative must provide real oversight — making sure taxpayer dollars are used wisely, holding government agencies accountable, and keeping our democracy strong and stable.

Finally, we have a responsibility to deliver for the district: bringing home resources, helping constituents navigate federal agencies, supporting veterans, and being present and accessible in the community.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

I remember the election between George HW Bush and Michael Dukakis. I was 6 years old. I remember it because I liked the name Michael more than I liked the name George so I made a sign saying "Michael Dukakis for President" and taped it on my bedroom door. My Republican parents were mortified. In hindsight, maybe this was foreshadowing for my later switch to the Democrat party.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

I worked for my family's HVAC company doing administrative work one summer, and then I became an administrative assistant for our high school band (while I was still in high school). That encompassed my senior year in high school.

What qualities does the U.S. House of Representatives possess that makes it unique as an institution?

The House is closest to the people. Every member represents a relatively small district, and they stand for election every two years. That structure forces the House to stay responsive, accessible, and accountable. It’s designed to reflect the current needs, struggles, and priorities of everyday Americans.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for representatives to have previous experience in government or politics?

I believe it's vital for representatives to have previous experience in leadership of some sort. While previous experience in government or politics might be helpful procedurally, that must be balanced with ensuring that we don't have representatives that build too much power or stay in office too long.

What do you perceive to be the United States' greatest challenges as a nation over the next decade?

First, we must confront the crisis of affordability.

Families are being squeezed by the rising cost of healthcare, housing, childcare, medications, and education. If people can’t afford to live, work, and raise a family in their own communities, then the American Dream slips further away. Fixing this means lowering healthcare and prescription costs, expanding the workforce, rebuilding the middle class, and investing in small businesses and local economies.

Second, we face deep threats to our democratic stability.

Our country is more polarized than at any point in modern history. Trust in institutions is falling. Political violence, disinformation, and attacks on election integrity are real dangers. Protecting democracy means defending the rule of law, ensuring safe and fair elections, and electing leaders who will lower the temperature instead of inflaming division.

Third, we must prepare for global competition and technological change.

From cybersecurity and AI to supply chain security, climate challenges, global health threats, and our role on the world stage, the next decade will move fast. We need to strengthen our workforce, upgrade infrastructure, and protect national security without losing sight of our values or our alliances.

Do you believe that two years is the right term length for representatives?

I believe the two-year term has an important purpose: it keeps the House closely tied to the people.

The founders designed it so representatives would stay accessible, responsive, and accountable. If your community’s needs change, you shouldn’t have to wait six years to get new leadership.

However, I also recognize the downside: it forces members of Congress into a nonstop campaign cycle.

Too many representatives spend more time fundraising and playing political games than governing.

So while I respect the two-year term as part of our constitutional design, I believe the real solution is not lengthening terms; it’s fixing the political incentives.

That means reducing the influence of big money, pushing for stronger ethics laws, ending partisan gerrymandering, and building a system where representatives can focus more on serving their district and less on campaigning.

What are your thoughts on term limits?

I believe term limits can help restore accountability and trust in our government. No one should make a lifetime career out of a job that’s supposed to be about public service. When people stay in Congress for decades, it disconnects them from the everyday lives of the people they represent.

However, term limits alone aren’t enough. We also need to fix the money system that keeps the same politicians in office year after year. That means reducing the influence of big donors, ending gerrymandering, and strengthening ethics rules. Otherwise, term limits just shuffle the same power from one insider to another.

So yes, I support term limits, but as part of a bigger plan to make Congress more responsive, less corrupt, and more focused on results instead of re-election. Keeping fresh voices in Washington is essential to a healthy democracy.

Is there a particular representative, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?

This might sound odd for a Democrat, but I really respect and admire Liz Cheney. I don't agree with a lot of her policies, but she always put country over party, never compromised her values, and did the right thing even when she knew it would destroy her political career.

Both sitting representatives and candidates for office hear many personal stories from the residents of their district. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful?

The stories that are the most memorable to me are the ones from residents who have or are struggling with healthcare access and/or insurance. They are also the most frustrating, because we should not be in a position in America where anyone has difficulty accessing or paying for healthcare.

Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking?

The United States has never been a country where one side gets everything it wants. Our system was built to force debate, negotiation, and consensus. When leaders refuse to compromise, nothing gets done, crises get worse, and families pay the price.

To me, compromise doesn’t mean abandoning your values.

It means being mature enough to sit down with people you disagree with, find common ground, and move our communities forward. We can hold firm on our principles while still looking for practical solutions.

The Constitution says that all bills for raising revenue must originate in the House. What role would this power play in your priorities if elected?

With the House controlling where revenue bills begin, representatives have a responsibility to ensure taxpayer dollars are used wisely. That means bipartisan oversight, smart budgeting, and resisting wasteful spending driven by political favors instead of real community needs.

How should the U.S. House use its investigative powers?

Any investigations should be aimed at getting the truth for the American people. They should not be influenced by partisan politics or aimed at getting revenge on political enemies. They should also be conducted in the shortest time frame possible that can responsibly, thoroughly, and ethically lead to a conclusion.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

Michael Fanone

What role should the United States government have in the development or use of artificial intelligence?

With issues as complex as this, I think it's important to start with the ultimate goal in mind. For AI, there should be guardrails that protect privacy, prevent discrimination, keep Americans’ personal data safe, prevent deepfakes and election manipulation, and ensure AI is safe in healthcare, transportation, and national security applications.

What legislation would you enact related to election administration in the United States?

One party is currently actively attempting to suppress the rights and abilities of certain American citizens to vote. To that end, we should expand early voting, increase number of polling sites and expand open times, increase trained poll observers, and ensure each polling place has clear procedures to follow should there be an equipment failure, a question about the integrity of the process or a problem with a ballot. We should also make voter registration more straightforward and accessible, and ensure same day voter registration for those eligible. Finally (and this is a huge issue in NC right now), each board of elections and their officials should be nonpartisan. It is the most obvious conflict of interest to have one political party be in complete control of administration of elections.

Campaign websiteBell's campaign website stated the following:LEARN MORE ABOUTOur Campaign’s Top IssuesWhat does Ashley stand for?Save AmericaTop priority: to end the hostile takeover of our country by fascists. Then, clean up the mess that's been made since January 2025.Ashley Bell is running for office with an urgent mission: to save American democracy. At a time when fundamental freedoms, fair elections, and the rule of law are under attack, Ashley is stepping up with the courage to defend our institutions and restore faith in government.Ashley understands that preserving democracy means standing up to extremism, protecting the voices of everyday people, and fighting for accountability at every level.Our country's executive branch is employing tactics used in 1930s Germany, Russia and other authoritarian regimes. The judicial branch has been weaponized. Judges are being arrested, and local leaders are being threatened with the same. United States citizens and legal residents are being deported without due process. Congress is controlled by a political party that has been brainwashed and threatened into compliance.As a Courage Candidate with Citizens' Impeachment, Ashley has committed to filing articles of impeachment against Donald J. Trump on day 1 of her Congressional term....but she's not stopping there. She will file against additional members of the cabinet as needed to get our country back on track.Ashley will also demand that those committing crimes against Americans - whether they're DHS agents, insurrectionists, cabinet members, or the President - be held accountable. Our country can't move forward until we do so.AffordabilityEverything is too expensive. We have to institute a national minimum wage, expand aid for costs that people can't avoid, and make costs for others more manageable. And...stop the TACO rollercoaster with the tariffs.Increase aid for necessary costs.Cap prescription drug prices and outlaw PBM middleman gamesProtect and expand ACA subsidiesUniversal out-of-pocket caps for healthcareInsulin, inhalers, and EpiPens capped monthlyEnd surprise billing and junk fees in healthcareMake housing affordable.Incentivize construction of starter homes and duplexesFund first-time homebuyer assistanceExpand low-interest construction loans for rural communitiesStop Wall Street from hoarding single-family homesTie federal infrastructure dollars to local housing productionDecrease everyday prices.Enforce antitrust laws against grocery, meat, and energy monopoliesBan hidden fees in banking, travel, telecom, and utilitiesExpand community solar and energy efficiency rebatesIncrease take home pay.$17/hour National Minimum Wage with cost of living scale adjustmentsExpand the Child Tax Credit and Earned Income Tax CreditSupport paid family leave so a baby doesn’t mean bankruptcyStudent loan relief for public service and healthcare workersWorkforce training tied to real local jobsCut other costs.Automatic student loan repayment capsUniversal free school mealsChildcare tax credits and direct subsidiesSimplify tax filing and reinstate IRS Free FileMake Insurance PayInsurance companies can no longer be allowed to dictate diagnosis and treatment. Prior authorization must end, and patients should get the service they're paying for without a fight.Insurance costs are astronomical, and not affordable for most Americans. Despite this, patients and providers often have to fight to get insurance companies to do what they agreed to do when the policy was issued - pay for medical care.Prior authorization must be abolished. Healthcare providers are well qualified to recommend the best treatment for their patients. This should be all that is required for an insurance company to pay for said treatment. Insurance companies have been allowed to practice medicine without a license for far too long. Prior authorization wastes time for providers and staff, and delays needed treatment for patients. The only ones who benefit are the insurance companies who make billions in the business of keeping Americans sick.Formularies must go. A formulary is a list of drugs an insurance company will pay for based on a particular medical condition. Often these formularies list drugs or doses that are no longer considered effective, or not the best treatment for that condition. Formularies are entirely focused on saving the insurance company money. Healthcare providers should be able to recommend the best treatment for their patients, regardless of the insurance company's financial concerns.Pharmacy benefit managers should be outlawed. These organizations (like CVS Caremark, ExpressScripts, OptumRx) are destructive, unnecessary middlemen that increase insurance company profits, impede healthy competition between pharmacies, put independently owned pharmacies out of business, increase the cost of medications, and cause headaches for patients and providers. They also own pharmacies, creating a huge conflict of interest, and United Healthcare owns a bank (Optum Bank)! - this is utterly ridiculous.Cap prescription drug prices. If a drug is necessary, it should be affordable to obtain, and insurance should cover it without a fight. In Medicare for All, prescriptions will be covered. Until then, a cap on drug prices must be instituted.Insurance companies must make all contracts and publications clear and easy to understand. If a healthcare provider who's been practicing for 14 years (like Ashley) sometimes has trouble figuring out what the insurance company will cover, how do they expect someone with no medical training to understand?Insurance companies must reimburse providers at a fair rate for the services they are providing. Reimbursements have dropped to the point that providers are often unable to financially sustain their private practices. This leads to loss of jobs for staff, the inability for providers to offer certain services, greedy corporate takeover of privately owned practices, and ultimately lack of access for patients.Protect laws that prevent insurance companies from denying coverage for pre-existing conditions.Medicare for All...and moreMedicare for All is attainable and necessary. Corporate interests have ruined our current healthcare system. Untether healthcare benefits from employment. Support healthcare providers.Medicare For All. This is the goal. Our country is the only "superpower" that does not pay for healthcare for its citizens. Preventative, basic, emergency, dental, vision, and mental healthcare should be paid for 100%. (If we tax billionaires appropriately and stop spending billions on a paramilitary domestic terrorism force called ICE, we can afford it easily.)Provide support and funding for private practices. Corporate interests and private insurance industry corruption have robbed our healthcare providers of the ability to start and maintain a private practice. Mergers and acquisitions of these money hungry companies disguised as nonprofits lead to disruptions in care and many times, decreases in quality. Healthcare should be provider led, not profit driven.Support healthcare providers. Our country is losing healthcare providers and other healthcare staff in droves. Why? Corporate medicine, short staffing, physical assaults, prior authorization tactics from greedy insurance companies....the list goes on and on. We have to end these unjust practices and start supporting healthcare workers like the heroes they are.Increase funding for healthcare provider training. Our failing healthcare system doesn't stop in our hospitals and clinics. Healthcare provider training programs suffer from lack of funding and resources.Clinical training sites are scarce, and corporate interests have driven an expectation for educational institutions to pay ever-increasing fees to place students in these sites, driving up the cost of education.Educational programs have difficulty recruiting faculty because they are unable to pay wages that are comparable to those of clinical practice.These programs then must decrease enrollment, because they are unable to afford the costs of larger class sizes. This vicious cycle means that less healthcare providers are entering the market, which leads to decreased healthcare access for the public.Protect the National Health Service Corps and Public Service Loan Forgiveness. These programs are instrumental in recruiting and retaining healthcare providers to work in medically underserved and rural areas.Permanently expand telemedicine legal flexibilities. During the COVID19 pandemic, telemedicine was vital to managing the healthcare needs of Americans. Restrictions on telemedicine have been proven unnecessary, and telemedicine increases access to those who might otherwise have difficulty reaching in-person care.Support compact and multi-state licensure. Currently, most healthcare providers must have licenses in each state they want to practice in. License application processes are lengthy, requiring from 3 to 6 months or more to approve. This creates unnecessary delays, expenses, and ultimately barriers to care for patients.Reinstate funding for research. The Trump administration has ended funding for vital research programs, which causes progress on cures for diseases to come to a halt. More Americans will suffer and die because of this lack of funding.Ban surprise medical billing. It's not acceptable for people to get bills after the fact. Patients need to be informed about costs and risks BEFORE they agree to a procedure, and costs should be transparent.Untether healthcare coverage from employment. Being healthy shouldn't be tied to a job, and people shouldn't be forced to stay in a job solely for healthcare coverage. This also helps employers who offer healthcare benefits by shifting the financial responsibility to the government. (Again, if we tax billionaires appropriately and stop spending billions on a paramilitary domestic terrorism force called ICE, we can afford it easily.)Money Out of PoliticsRunning for office should be accessible to every American. Right now, it's not - only the rich can afford to run a competitive campaign. And that impacts everyone, not just candidates.Ashley has signed the Money out of Politics pledge (moneyoutofpolitics.org) and will refuse AIPAC, SuperPAC, corporate PAC and for profit corporation funding.Why we must get money out of politicsBig donors drown out everyday voters—policy starts serving wealth, not peopleIt fuels corruption and the appearance of corruption, eroding trust in democracyLawmakers spend more time fundraising than governingIndustries buy influence to block reforms (healthcare, housing, climate, wages)It locks in inequality: those with money get access; everyone else gets ignoredIt radicalizes politics—outrage raises cash faster than problem-solvingHow we do itOverturn Citizens United with a constitutional amendmentCap individual and corporate political donationsBan corporate PACs and dark-money groupsRequire real-time, full transparency of all political spendingCreate public financing of elections (small-donor matching)Give every voter “democracy dollars” to support candidatesProhibit members of Congress from trading stocks or lobbying after officeEnforce strict penalties for violationsBottom lineDemocracy should be powered by people, not purchased by corporationsYour voice should matter more than a billionaire’s checkGovernment should answer to voters—not donorsEducationEducation and training open doors regardless of the field or level. They should be accessible to every American.Education is under attack in America. From early childhood programs to universities, education is being underfunded, privatized, and influenced by political extremists. Trump is currently trying to dismantle the Department of Education. Why? Because education is how we develop critical thinking skills that enable us to think for ourselves, rather than blindly follow whatever he says.Increase support for public schools. Public schools are the backbone of our educational system. They should be appropriately funded and supported in order to provide high quality education to every student, regardless of the situation. (NC state legislature, we're looking at you. Fund public schools as the Leandro decision required you to do.)Want your kid to go to a charter or private school? Great. Don't make taxpayers fund the bill. These schools often have little to no standards they have to meet and there is often no oversight on what is being taught. Taxpayers shouldn't have to pay for that. And public schools shouldn't have their funding depleted in order to pay for charter schools.Treat teachers with the respect they deserve and PAY THEM. Teachers shouldn't have to work multiple jobs to make ends meet. Teachers should be paid much more than their current wage. They shouldn't be forced to teach propaganda and treat it as fact. They should not fear for their lives due to gun violence, nor feel that they have to arm themselves at their workplaces.Protect programs that help with the cost of higher education. Student loans, Pell grants, and Public Service Loan Forgiveness made it possible for Ashley to get an education and become a PA. Without these programs, less students will become professionals in fields that our country needs to survive.Make the cost of higher education feasible for everyone regardless of socioeconomic status. The cost of higher education has become exorbitant, which limits access and drives increased student loan debt. Community college, skills training and vocational school should be free for students.Fund Universal pre-K and provide subsidized childcare.Feed kids. Make school meals free.Abolish ICEICE has terrorized immigrants and US Citizens alike. They cannot be trusted and will never be trusted in the future. We need humane and legal immigration reform.ICE as an institution has terrorized immigrants and US Citizens alike. They cannot be trusted and will never be trusted in the future. They have done irreparable damage to local law enforcement agencies, who have had their attempts to regain and maintain trust undermined by a violent paramilitary force.Not only should we abolish ICE, but we should hold those who beat, murdered and enabled these crimes accountable. This includes agents AND leadership in DHS/ICE/CBP.Reform or additional training will not fix this issue. This administration has already demonstrated that they do not follow rules, training or laws.This doesn't mean that we don't need immigration enforcement or immigration reform. We DO. But to quote Andrea Pitzker, American journalist: "The correct response to Dachau was not better training for the guards.” Saying we need to reform ICE is like saying Germany should have reformed the Gestapo. We need an entirely new system, process and method of enforcement.Taking a clear stand on this particular issue, in Ashley's opinion, is a preview of the type a representative will be. If a candidate can't clearly stand on the side of human rights and call out criminal actions, they're showing they'll play both sides in Congress on other issues.And