Rocky Mount Mayor Sandy Roberson Announces Congressional Campaign
First major Republican challenger in North Carolina’s only truly competitive swing seat
Rocky Mount Mayor Sandy Roberson announced his campaign for North Carolina’s First Congressional District, widely considered the most competitive Congressional seat in North Carolina.
In his announcement, Roberson positioned himself as the best Republican candidate to take on Democrat incumbent Representative Don Davis.
Biography
Roberson is a lifelong resident of Rocky Mount and over the last four decades he has built one of the largest providers of healthcare and hospice services in the Carolinas. He graduated from Hampden-Sydney College and currently attends First Baptist Church.
In 2019, Roberson was elected mayor of Rocky Mount, the first Republican in the city’s history. Since being elected mayor, Roberson has focused on improving public safety, revitalizing the local economy, increasing government transparency, and protecting working families.
Here are some of the key highlights from his announcement that emphasize his strength as a candidate:
Roberson committed to investing at least $2 million of his own funds to kickstart the campaign.
He is the only Republican mayor of Rocky Mount in history. Rocky Mount is one of the largest cities in the district and has traditionally voted Democratic in decades past.
Roberson secured the endorsement of Laurie Buckhout, the previous Republican nominee who nearly beat Davis.
“I am thrilled to endorse Mayor Sandy Roberson for Congress in North Carolina’s First Congressional District,” Buckhout said. “Sandy has been a friend and fellow conservative for years. I’ve seen firsthand what a warrior he is for our district, and I know he’s the best and only candidate to stop the far-left in Washington. I encourage every Republican to rally behind Mayor Roberson so we can take this seat back from a Democrat party that has forgotten the citizens of Eastern North Carolina.”
What issues he is running on:
Roberson is running on a classic Republican platform of growing the economy, securing the border, and increasing public safety.
On jobs and the economy, he said, “As a business leader, he knows what it takes to create good, family-sustaining jobs. In Congress, I will vote for commonsense policies that unleash the American economy and get North Carolinians back to work.”
On border security, Roberson said, “We must keep our borders secure. I stand with President Trump in his efforts to reverse four years of disastrous Biden/Harris immigration policies that let 9.5 million illegal immigrants into our country and allowed deadly fentanyl to flood our communities.”
On public safety, he said, “I will always stand with our men and women in law enforcement and ensure they have the resources to combat the fentanyl crisis and keep our communities safe. As mayor, I have supported our local police as they work every day to reduce crime and keep our families safe.”
What to watch out for: Carpetbaggers
Republican Laurie Buckhout lost to Democrat Don Davis by a margin of 6,307 votes. The Libertarian candidate Tom Bailey secured 9,949 votes. The problem is that Tom Bailey lived in Greensboro, over 150 miles away from North Carolina’s First Congressional District, where he was on the ballot.
Behind the scenes, across the country, Democrats are suspected of helping Libertarian candidates gain ballot access to split the liberty-leaning vote, allowing Democrats an easier path to victory.
Unlike the last election cycle, where the local media did not report about these types of shenanigans, the Blue Ridge Times will provide timely reporting about these types of political issues, so voters are informed well before they cast their vote.
