Marijuana legalization nonprofit gives A ratings to 23 office-seekers

RALEIGH (October 29) -- The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) has given A ratings to 23 Libertarian Party of North Carolina (LPNC) candidates in the upcoming general election. The nonprofit group does not make formal endorsements, but most races in the state feature only one A-rated candidate.

The NORML ratings in North Carolina, which were based on candidates’ expressed positions on marijuana laws, went to:

Jeff Matemu, candidate for U.S. Congress in North Carolina’s 2nd District

Barbara Howe, candidate for U.S. Congress in North Carolina’s 4th District

Jeff Scott, candidate for U.S. Congress in North Carolina’s 9th District

Clifton  Ingram, Jr., candidate for U.S. Congress in North Carolina’s 11th District

Tom Bailey, candidate for U.S. Congress in North Carolina’s 13th District

Tim Harris, candidate for the North Carolina Senate in District 2

Anthony Mascolo, candidate for North Carolina Senate in District 8

Brian Irving, candidate for the North Carolina Senate in District 16

Jared Erickson, candidate for the North Carolina Senate in District 20

John Motsinger, candidate for the North Carolina Senate in District 31

David Perry, candidate for the North Carolina General Assembly in District 19

Nick Taylor, candidate for the North Carolina General Assembly in District 25

Walter Rabon, candidate for the North Carolina General Assembly in District 28

Erik Raudsep, candidate for the North Carolina General Assembly in District 31

Cap Hayes, candidate for the North Carolina General Assembly in District 34

Michael Nelson, candidate for the North Carolina Assembly in District 35

Robyn Pegram, candidate for the North Carolina General Assembly in District 36

David Ulmer, candidate for the North Carolina General Assembly in District 40

Jonathan Horst, candidate for the North Carolina General Assembly in District 49

Matthew Clements, candidate for the North Carolina General Assembly in District 56

Houston Barrow (A+), candidate for the North Carolina General Assembly in District 65

Michael Finn (A-), candidate for the North Carolina General Assembly in District 67

In addition, state Senate candidate Ethan A. Bickley in District 9, state Senate candidate Brad Hessel in District 18, state Senate candidate R. Michael Jordan in District 30, and State Assembly candidate T. Lee Horne in District 3 each earned a B rating from NORML. State Senate candidate Bruce R. Basson in District 17 earned a B+ rating. State Assembly candidate Travis Groo was rated B- in District 11. Each of those ratings made the Libertarian the highest-rated candidate in that respective race.

“The prohibition of a plant is one of our country’s longest-standing and irrational examples of a victimless crime,” said LPNC Chair Susan Hogarth. “It’s good to see our nation moving in the right direction on this, and the Libertarian Party of North Carolina is taking a leading role in bringing that change to our state. I’m grateful for NORML for its recognition of our candidates and their views.”

For more information on NORML, visit www.norml.org. A complete list of the group’s candidate ratings for North Carolina is at https://vote.norml.org/states/NC.

The LPNC is giving 2018 North Carolina voters a choice in federal, state, and local election campaigns across the state. To learn more, visit www.lpnc.org. For more information on this announcement, to contact the LPNC for comment, or for help in contacting a specific candidate, please email [email protected].