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To the editor:

It’s time for positive change in the North Carolina General Assembly for our District 77. The current representative has been in office for more than 30 years and under her lack of leadership, our hard-working citizens suffer from lack of affordable healthcare, childcare, and employment. Not having the ability to pay bills or contribute to growing the economy definitely affects all of us.

Our current representative has not voted for the betterment of her constituents in Davie County. Her votes to deny the expansion of Medicaid directly hurt our healthcare and economic well-being. The lack of action by our General Assembly to expand Medicaid working citizens in NC has resulted in diabetics going without medication, women lacking mammogram screenings for breast cancer, and a loss of jobs that could have been created in our state to provide health care services.

Many employers have avoided paying for health insurance by restricting hours worked by their employees, making it necessary to work more than one job just to pay bills.  Quality family time is often not possible with two or more jobs, which affects the development of our children and our future wellbeing.

Hard-working families deserve access to affordable healthcare. The ffederal government made it easy to pay for Medicaid Expansion for people in all 50 states, but our NC General Assembly refused to allow tax-paying North Carolinians to benefit from this healthcare expansion. Vice President Pence expanded Medicaid for the residents of Indiana while he was governor in 2014, and I think our working North Carolinians are also worthy of a benefit that allows us to afford healthcare.

After researching our incumbent’s overall voting record and looking at the actual needs of Davie County, I’m voting for Keith Townsend. Mr. Townsend is a retired teacher from western Rowan County. He is knowledgeable, puts people before politics, and will work to represent us in Raleigh. Keith Townsend helps hard working families in NC. It is time for a positive change in the NC House of Representatives.  It’s time to give Keith Townsend a chance to work to make life better for us in NC. Keith Townsend is the 2020 candidate wanting to actually work for and represent us in the NC House, District 77.

Carole Demmy, Mocksville