Robert Cordle Refuses To Sit Idly By...That's Why He's Running For NC House

Robert Cordle, a candidate for NC House District 85

Greetings everyone, my name is Robert Cordle, and I am running to be your next State House Representative for District 85.

Following my announcement to run I had one question, in particular, asked of me over and over again from family and friends alike,

“Why would you even bother trying to run in such a red district?”

• First and foremost, you are the reason I am running. You deserve to have a voice that is heard in Raleigh, and I feel honored and humbled to be the one to offer such a voice.

• Secondly, I don’t believe in no-win scenarios. There’s just too much at stake. I don’t want to be an alarmist, but one only has to look at legislation that is being passed in Texas, Florida, and elsewhere to know what would happen here if the Republicans gain enough seats in the General Assembly to override the Governor’s veto power.

• I will not sit idly by while Women’s reproductive rights are stripped away. I will not sit idly by while LGQBT kids are targeted and discriminated against. I will not sit idly by while the air we breathe and the water we drink are threatened. I will not sit idly by while North Carolinians are dying solely due to a lack of insurance, and I will not sit idly by while some of our teachers are forced to work two to three jobs to support their families.

• NC is one of 17 states that has refused to pass Medicaid expansion. Medicaid expansion would provide coverage for over ½ a million North Carolinians that currently cannot afford insurance. This would not only provide them with the healthcare they need but also help save our rural hospitals that are overburdened and closing due to unpaid medical bills.
  As a former first responder in our district, I have witnessed firsthand what happens when people fall through the cracks and aren’t able to get the medical care they need, and it ain’t pretty.

• NC is ranked 33rdin the nation in education, and our teacher’s starting salary is ranked even worse at 43rd. This is unacceptable. We have to do better by our educators, and better for our children.
  You might ask yourself how are we going to afford to pay teachers more? The answer is easier than one might think…which brings me to my next topic…the legalization of cannabis.

• According to a report by the ACLU, North Carolina spent over 55 million dollars in a single year [2010] enforcing Marijuana possession laws. 55 million dollars over someone possessing a plant.
  And that number doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface of the amount of tax revenue our state would generate with legal cannabis sales. In fiscal year 2020:

  • California: raised over $474 million in cannabis tax revenue

  • Colorado: Over $307 million

  • Washington state: $469 million

And if NC were to legalize cannabis we are looking at a forecast of over 182 million dollars annually. Let me say that again, 182 million dollars… And that is just the economic reasons for legalizing cannabis; I don’t have the time to touch on the disproportionate arrests of people of color; nor the medical benefits that could help tens of thousands of North Carolinians, to include a group very dear to me, and one that I belong to, our disabled veterans.

Ultimately, I believe in working towards building a more just and equitable society; one in which all people regardless of their race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, or economic status, have a seat at the table, and a voice that is heard.

Democrats in our district have long been underestimated, and I honestly believe that our chance to win back the General Assembly is now.

I want to thank all of y’all for taking the time on your busy weekend to come to take a part in our convention. With your continued support and help; I truly believe that we have a chance to win this race. I want you to remember, every wave starts with a ripple, and for us, that ripple begins today.

And I will leave you with one question…I will not sit idly by…will you?