Robert Reives

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Reives earned his B.S. in business administration/Finance from UNC Chapel Hill and his J.D. from the UNC School of Law. His professional experience includes working as an attorney at Wilson & Reives Attorney's at Law.[2]

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What would be your top three priorities, if elected?

The number one priority for any public servant should be to improve the lives of the people they represent. I hope to do this by ensuring robust investment in our education system, fighting for the expansion of Medicaid so that hundreds of thousands of disadvantaged North Carolinians could gain access to potentially life-saving healthcare, and protecting our green spaces and natural resources like Jordan Lake from pollution and other threats.[15][16]

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about? Why?

Healthcare, public education, protecting the environment, and ensuring the legislation we take up respects the rights and dignity of every person. These are the primary ways government intersects with the everyday lives of our citizens, and I always strive to make my decisions on these matters with the best outcomes for every citizen in mind.Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; invalid names, e.g. too many[16]

[the profile publisher] also asked the candidate a series of optional questions. Robert Reives answered the following:

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow and why?

My father, Robert Reives Sr., is my political hero. He was the first African American county commissioner in my home community, a role in which he still serves. His reputation is one of fairness, decency, respect for all, and working to ensure that the people in his community have every opportunity to succeed.[16]

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

Again, the most important characteristic for an elected official is to put the needs of his or her constituents first and to always remember that the number one goal is to help improve the lives of the people he or she represents.[16]

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful office holder?

My pedigree prepares me for public service, but doesn't separate me from the voters: I lived and grew up in some of our more economically disadvantaged areas in our county and have served with and befriended some of the most economically advantaged people in this state. I can be a voice for all.[16]

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

To stay abreast of the issues affecting people at home, to build the relationships necessary to address them, and to remember that public service is about serving people by doing whatever is possible to make their lives better in areas like education, healthcare, and the environment.[16]

What do you consider to be the most important differences between the legislative chambers in your state?

A House is always going to be more populist and less deliberative than a Senate. I find the same to be true in North Carolina. In partisan terms, however, both chambers are led by a supermajority of Republicans, rendering them essentially indistinguishable in terms of goals and outcomes. More partisan balance would bring a world of positive change to the General Assembly of North Carolina.[16]

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

Of course. My experience in politics prior to election was as a local party vice chair and my experience in government was as a prosecutor. But state government also benefits from the experiences of people in the private and nonprofit sectors, so prior experience in politics and government is by no means a requirement.[16]

What do you perceive to be your state's greatest challenges over the next decade?

Restoring our status as a leader in public education. Quality public education was once a bragging point for North Carolina, but in recent years we have become a state which lags in teacher pay and per pupil funding, and which has attempted to privatize education through vouchers and unnecessary and often unaccountable charter schools. It is imperative that we reverse this trend so that we can ensure the type of student outcomes and attract the type of investments we have historically enjoyed.[16]

What do you believe is the idea relationship between the governor and state legislature?

Regardless of partisan differences, governors and legislatures should be able to work together for the benefit of everyone in their state. In North Carolina, the Republican-led General Assembly has moved to strip our Democratic governor of power after power, making this goal that much more difficult to achieve. Instead of focusing on what powers another branch of government has or doesn't have, legislators should be making the lives of their constituents better by ensuring the functions of government serve them the best they can.[16]

Do you believe it's beneficial to build relationships with other legislators? Please explain your answer.

Of course, and on both sides of the aisle. Despite political polarization, senators and representatives often break with their parties on a number of issues, and working with others on areas of agreement is one way to ensure a legislator is doing his or her best to represent the community he or she serves. Additionally, legislators may need to find others who serve different parts of the state but face similarly unique issues in order to find consensus. Finally, legislators representing overlapping constituencies should always be ready to work together, particularly on local issues.[16]

What process do you favor for redistricting?

I support a non-partisan commission to handle redistricting for legislative and congressional districts. Voters should choose their politicians, not the other way around.[16]

If you are a current legislator, what appealed to you about your current committees?

I currently serve as vice chairman of the Education & Community Colleges committee and the Judiciary III committee. These committees appealed to me because they reflect some of the areas of public policy about which I am most passionate and in which I have the relevant experience necessary to offer perspective.[16]

If you are not currently a member of your party's leadership in the legislature, would you be interested in joining? If so, why?

I have been involved in House Democratic leadership since my election to my first full term in 2014, when I was named co-chairman of the House Freshman Caucus and treasurer of the Legislative Black Caucus. Two years later, I was elected Deputy Democratic Leader by my colleagues. These positions aren't just titles to me – they're opportunities to shape policy in a meaningful way, to build relationships with Democrats and Republicans alike, and to advocate for the communities I represent.[16]

Are you interested in running for a different political office in the future?

There may come a time when the issues or my position in life lead me to seek another office, but for now I am focused on serving the people of District 54 in the North Carolina State House.[16]

Reives' campaign website highlighted the following issues:[17]

Education

Excerpt: "Our public schools, community colleges and university system have been under attack. We need to fight back by raising teacher salaries to the national average, reduce class size, restore job protections and put resources into our classrooms."

Jobs and the Economy

Excerpt: "We need to ensure that we are prepared for the future and not just rely on the past. We need schools, community colleges and universities that prepare our students for the technological age and we need to work to attract high tech manufacturing jobs that pay good wages to well trained employees."

Environment

Excerpt: "Our natural resources are key to our economic development. Clean water and air is essential to attracting industry and protecting our tourist industry. Wise stewardship of our renewable resources and minerals is essential to provide long-term benefits instead of short-term gain."

Women’s Health

Excerpt: "The legislature has been trying to turn back the clock on women’s health and choice issues. We need to fight back hard for the sake our daughters and granddaughters to protect their heath and their future."

Voting Rights

Excerpt: "Democracy is the foundation of our political system and we need to make voting more accessible, not less. I’ll fight to reverse the policies passed by the General Assembly that try to disenfranchise certain segments of our population."