Positives on Lindsey Prather

• Lindsey Prather is a product of NC public education: She was raised in Wake County and has lived in Buncombe County for over 16 years, starting with her attendance at the University of North Carolina Asheville as a recipient of the NC Teaching Fellows scholarship. After earning her bachelor’s degree in Sociology and her Social Studies and Special Education teaching licenses, she taught for 6 years in Buncombe County Schools, including Erwin High School and Middle College.
• Strong history of civic engagement: Prather was a high school teacher for six years, including civics. She served in various roles in the local Democratic Party, including as precinct chair, cluster leader, and on boards for the Democratic Women, Young Democrats and Teen Democrats.
• Political Experience: Prather is serving her first term as House Representative for HD-115. She also works part time as Assistant Director of Admissions at UNC-Asheville.
• Educational Background and Career: Prather graduated from University of North Carolina at Asheville and earned a Masters Degree in Public Affairs from Western Carolina University.
• Pro-Choice Champion: Prather has led the fight for reproductive freedom as a representative. Prather was the primary sponsor of HB 1001, Right to Use Contraception Act. Prather was the primary sponsor of HB 670, Preserve Access to Contraceptives requiring University of North Carolina campuses to make emergency contraceptives available by vending machine on campus and appropriating funds to provide grants to health centers for the purchase and distribution of long-acting reversible contraceptives.
• Prather was the primary sponsor of HB 1000, to Protect Access to In Vitro Fertilization. Prather co-sponsored HB 19, Codify Roe and Casey Protections to Codify The Essential Holdings Of Roe V. Wade.She is endorsed by EMILYs List, Planned Parenthood, and Lillian’s List.
• Public Education Advocate: Prather supports fully funding our public schools and investing in our teacher education programs. She supports putting the state’s surplus towards funding our public schools, starting with universal Pre-K. Says Prather, “Research has shown that investing in school personnel and investing early on in a child’s life yields the best returns.”
• Smart on Gun Control: Prather believes in common-sense gun reform with a strong record of voting for these common sense reforms. Prather voted against H49, which would allow concealed-carry weapon holders to carry guns into churches that use private school property to hold services.
• Fighting for Working Families: Prather was the primary sponsor of HB 1055, Working Families and Small Businesses Act raising salaries for teachers and state employees.
• Working for a Clean Environment: Prather has fought for a clean North Carolina as Primary Sponsor of the 2023 Safe Drinking Water Act, The Pollinator Protection Act, and HB 89 for Clean Energy Grants.
• Endorsements and Support: She has received endorsements from Planned Parenthood and Lillian’s List, Sierra Club, EMILYs List, League of Conservation Voters, Climate Cabinet, Carolina Forward, Pro Choice North Carolina, NC Conservation Network, Work for Democracy.

Our Opponent: Ruth Smith

• Smith is a personal injury attorney who profits off of the pain and suffering of others.
• Smith is a right-wing, reverse-racism activist, representing white plaintiffs who sue the government.
• Smith has worked with alt-right Judicial Watch on multiple cases, including recently representing a former FBI agent in his suit against the FBI. The man had been terminated after spreading January 6 conspiracy theories. The case was recently dismissed with prejudice, meaning it cannot be brought back to the court.
• Smith defended a Trump supporter who punched a counter-protester.
• Smith supports the racist anti-immigrant stances of Marc Robinson and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott that illegal immigrants are to blame for the rise of Fentanyl in North Carolina.