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Vann Tate<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
The four candidates in the N.C. State Senate District 36 Republican Primary spoke briefly last week during a candidate forum held in Yadkinville. Vying for the seat are Shirley Randleman, Eddie Settle, Vann Tate and Lee Zachary. The 36th district is a newly drawn district and includes Wilkes, Surry, Yadkin and Alexander counties.<\/p>\n
Zachary currently serves as the N.C. House Representative for District 73 which includes Yadkin and Forsyth counties.<\/p>\n
Randleman previously served in the N.C. State Senate for District 30 as well as in the N.C. House from 2009 to 2013.<\/p>\n
Settle is a Wilkes County Commissioner.<\/p>\n
Tate previously ran for Surry County Sheriff in the Republican Primary in 2018.<\/p>\n
Each of the four were given a three minute time limit to share a little about themselves and why they are running to serve the 36th N.C. Senate District.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am a Christian conservative. I am pro life and I am pro gun,\u201d said Randleman. She noted her 34 years of experience working in the court system in Wilkes County where she served as Clerk of Court as well as her previous experience as a legislator in both the N.C. House and Senate.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have taken a strong stand for the unborn. I have worked to enact pro-life legislation like the women\u2019s right to know, like banning of sex-selection abortion in 2015,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI whole heartedly support the second amendment. I\u2019m a concealed carry card holder. I\u2019m a member of the NRA,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n
\u201cAlso we must continue to support our public safety officers, emergency management and our medical personnel,\u201d she also added, as well as mentioning support of senior citizens.<\/p>\n
Zachary noted his former time as Mayor of Yadkinville and time as a legislator for the last eight years.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have voted for conservative bills the whole time I\u2019ve been down there,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019m pro-second amendment.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI try to vote not what I think is best, but what I think my constituents would think is best and vote for what the people of this district I feel like what they want. It\u2019s not my seat, it\u2019s the people\u2019s seat,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy concerns are education\u2026 something is wrong with the way the system is set up and I think it\u2019s going to take a constitutional amendment to rectify that,\u201d Zachary said. \u201cYou elect a superintendent of public instruction but they are controlled by the board that\u2019s appointed by the governor, so I think in order to really rectify this problem it\u2019s going to take a constitutional amendment to basically do away with the state board of education. You\u2019ve got too many chiefs and not enough Indians.\u201d<\/p>\n
In his comments, Settle noted his business experience in cattle farming as well as with Nu-Line printing. Settle made a point to share about his chance to meet former President Donald Trump in 2019.<\/p>\n
\u201cI believe, in my heart, Donald Trump got more done as a business man than any politician,\u201d Settle said, to applause from those in attendance at the forum.<\/p>\n
Settle said one of his goals as a Wilkes Commissioners was to get the former North Wilkesboro Speedway re-opened and said that a race is now planned for this August.<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause somebody went to Raleigh and fought and got us money, 18 million dollars to redo the track\u2026you need to send somebody to Raleigh that will fight for Yadkin County, what Yadkin County needs\u2026 I will do that,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Tate began his comments by asking all veterans to stand and be recognized.<\/p>\n
He noted he was a retired sergeant with N.C. Highway Patrol as well as an Eagle Scout with continued affiliations on various committees of the Boy Scouts of America.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy issues to go and fight for you is pro-second amendment. If I have a question about the constitution, I keep it in my pocket,\u201d Tate said, showing off the copy in his jacket pocket.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019re not going to take our guns away, not here in North Carolina, because the North Carolina constitution says what it says,\u201d he said. \u201cWe don\u2019t need the federal government tapping in on us. This is our state and we need to keep it that way and I will fight for you.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI will fight for pro-law enforcement and public safety. They need to be given the tools in their chest to use them and fight the crime we have in our state,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n