Brendan K. Maginnis
Brendan K. Maginnis (Democratic Party) (also known as B. K.) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent North Carolina's 14th Congressional District. He lost in the Democratic primary on March 5, 2024.
Maginnis completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Brendan K. Maginnis grew up in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1993 to 1997. Maginnis earned an associate degree from Cape Fear Community College in 2001 and a bachelor's degree in political science from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in 2003. His professional experience includes owning a small business, being a homemaker, founding a financial planning firm, and working for political campaigns, including the John Edwards' 2004 presidential campaign.[1][2]
Elections
2024
See also: North Carolina's 14th Congressional District election, 2024
North Carolina's 14th Congressional District election, 2024 (March 5 Republican primary)
North Carolina's 14th Congressional District election, 2024 (March 5 Democratic primary)
General election
General election for U.S. House North Carolina District 14
Pamela Genant and Timothy K. Moore are running in the general election for U.S. House North Carolina District 14 on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | ||
 | Pamela Genant (D) | |
 | Timothy K. Moore (R) | |
| ||||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for U.S. House North Carolina District 14
Pamela Genant defeated Brendan K. Maginnis in the Democratic primary for U.S. House North Carolina District 14 on March 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Pamela Genant | 60.8 | 20,389 |
 | Brendan K. Maginnis | 39.2 | 13,121 | |
| Total votes: 33,510 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Jeff Jackson (D)
Republican primary election
Republican primary for U.S. House North Carolina District 14
Timothy K. Moore defeated Jeff Gregory and Lillian Joseph in the Republican primary for U.S. House North Carolina District 14 on March 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Timothy K. Moore | 75.0 | 55,644 |
 | Jeff Gregory | 12.9 | 9,562 | |
 | Lillian Joseph | 12.1 | 8,996 | |
| Total votes: 74,202 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Pat Harrigan (R)
Endorsements
Maginnis received the following endorsements. To send us additional endorsements, click here.
2022
See also: United States Senate election in North Carolina, 2022
General election
General election for U.S. Senate North Carolina
Ted Budd defeated Cheri Beasley, Shannon Bray, Matthew Hoh, and Michelle Lewis in the general election for U.S. Senate North Carolina on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Ted Budd (R) | 50.5 | 1,905,786 |
 | Cheri Beasley (D) | 47.3 | 1,784,049 | |
 | Shannon Bray (L) | 1.4 | 51,640 | |
 | Matthew Hoh (G) | 0.8 | 29,934 | |
 | Michelle Lewis (Independent) (Write-in) | 0.0 | 137 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.1 | 2,378 | ||
| Total votes: 3,773,924 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Michele Parks (Independent)
- Marc White (Independent)
- Charles Roberson (Independent)
- Susan Gaddy (Independent)
- Brenda Rodriguez (Independent)
- Hayden Boyette (Independent)
- Barry Caulder (Independent)
- Kimrey Rhinehardt (Independent)
- Adrien Meadows (Independent)
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for U.S. Senate North Carolina
The following candidates ran in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate North Carolina on May 17, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Cheri Beasley | 81.1 | 501,766 |
 | James Carr Jr. | 3.5 | 21,903 | |
 | Alyssia Hammond | 3.4 | 21,005 | |
 | Marcus Williams | 2.8 | 17,446 | |
 | Constance Johnson | 2.0 | 12,500 | |
 | Everette Newton | 1.6 | 10,043 | |
 | Chrelle Booker | 1.6 | 9,937 | |
| Brendan K. Maginnis | 1.1 | 7,044 | |
 | Robert Colon | 1.1 | 6,904 | |
 | Greg Antoine | 0.8 | 5,179 | |
 | Tobias LaGrone | 0.8 | 5,048 | |
| Total votes: 618,775 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Jenna Hamrick (D)
- Richard Watkins (D)
- Keith Davenport (D)
- Erica Smith (D)
- Jeff Jackson (D)
- Ava Edwards (D)
Republican primary election
Republican primary for U.S. Senate North Carolina
The following candidates ran in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate North Carolina on May 17, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Ted Budd | 58.6 | 448,128 |
 | Pat McCrory | 24.6 | 188,135 | |
 | Mark Walker | 9.2 | 70,486 | |
 | Marjorie K. Eastman | 2.9 | 22,535 | |
 | David Flaherty | 1.0 | 7,265 | |
 | Kenneth Harper Jr. | 0.9 | 7,129 | |
 | Jennifer Banwart | 0.4 | 3,088 | |
| Charles Moss | 0.4 | 2,920 | |
 | Leonard L. Bryant | 0.4 | 2,906 | |
 | Benjamin Griffiths | 0.4 | 2,870 | |
 | Debora Tshiovo | 0.4 | 2,741 | |
 | Lee Brian | 0.3 | 2,232 | |
 | Lichia Sibhatu | 0.3 | 2,191 | |
| Drew Bulecza | 0.3 | 2,022 | |
| Total votes: 764,648 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Rene Borghese (R)
- James Gaghan (R)
- Carlton Ellerby (R)
- Marty Cooke (R)
- Jon Warren (R)
- Len McBride (R)
Libertarian primary election
The Libertarian primary election was canceled. Shannon Bray advanced from the Libertarian primary for U.S. Senate North Carolina.
Campaign themes
2024
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Brendan K. Maginnis completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Maginnis' responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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I am currently a stay-at-home father of 3, supporting my wife in her career. Previously, after graduating high school, I enlisted in the Marine Corps, then paid my way through college working in the service industry, getting an associates degree from Cape Fear Community College and then my BA in Political Science from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. After working on some federal and state level campaigns, I began a financial planning practice to help families reach their financial goals, which I then passed on to my business partner after 12 years and multiple local awards. I enjoy cooking, spending time with my kids, and doing outdoor activities with the whole family.
- I think the character of the candidate should matter just as much as the issues themselves, so I believe that in order to truly Represent the good folks of North Carolina's 14th Congressional District a candidate should have honesty, integrity, and believe in family values.
- North Carolina's 14 Congressional District is the perfect example of political elites creating maps to retain power in order to enrich themselves and their mega donors, leaving voters with no real choice in who their Representative is. Not only does it go against the belief of a truly representative democracy, it actually violates the North Carolina Constitution, which guarantees "fair" elections. In addition, the fact that the North Carolina Supreme Court has ruled they have no say in the map drawing process, shows that political corruption has spilled over to the judicial branch as well, that they are no longer a true arbiter of justice, especially for the common man.
- It's been said for awhile but Congress is broken. The partisan divide is wide, while people struggle to put food on the table, gas in the tank, and presents under the tree. We have an opioid and fentanyl crisis at home, and multiple conflicts overseas that risk our national security. We have an immigration issue that needs long term solutions and corporate structures that don't benefit the middle class worker. These are all issues in which both parties should be able to find common ground, so my goal once in Congress is to continually push Representatives from both sides to meet in the middle and find innovative solutions to these problems, that will help all Americans, those who voted for them and those that didn't.
My top 3 policies are enacting Voting Rights Legislation to move the US back to a truly representative government, Social and Economic equality, especially in regards to women, and helping Small Business Owners prosper in an economic system that has been geared towards benefiting large corporations.
I grew up reading comic books and learned many valuable lessons about morals that became central to my belief system. However, you didn't have to read comics to know Spider-man, due to multiple movies over the last 20-plus years, and his well-known motto "With great power comes great responsibility". For such a short phrase, it's open to a wide interpretation, specifically around the key words "power" and "responsibility". "Power" can take many forms, whether physical, mental, social, or money. And "responsibility" can be interpreted as care, concern, or protection to name just a few. In short, I try to view what responsibilities people or things with power should have for the world around them, and what can be done to convince them of such.
There is a reason that elected officials are called "public servants". Anyone elected or running for office should understand that there should be sacrifice on their part while in office, that elected office should not be a career. You get elected, serve the public for a time, then leave. Public office is not meant for personal enrichment.
I have a strong sense of empathy, whether it's someone I agree with or even someone I don't. I think this is beneficial because that means I will always listen to someone I disagree with in order to better understand their views, which means giving them respect and most likely receiving respect in return. While people may not like the decisions you make, they will at least find some content that they were at least listened to.
When you are a Representative, you are beholden to 3 different influences on your decisions- your constituents, your party, and yourself. At times, you will need to vote based on what's best for your constituents, or what you feel they may want. Other times, you may vote based on your party, knowing that what is best for the country may not align with what your constituents think is best. And sometimes the decision falls on your own judgement, to what you think is best based on your ethics and morals, despite what your party or constituents may feel. Most times these align, sometimes they don't, but it requires a person with both empathy and a strong will to constantly weigh the influence of each in their decisions.
I grew up with the belief that anything was possible in the US, but that hasn't always been true for some people. I hope my legacy is getting our country at least closer to that being a truth, so we can all say it to our children without knowing it's a lie.
Beneficial, yes, a requirement, no. People have different learning curves so no prior experience may matter little to some. And it could be said that coming to office with no experience could bring a fresh perspective on issues, without baggage from past experiences.
There should be term limits. Elected office shouldn't be for life. Most systems benefit from an injection of new ideas. The government is no different. Specifically, I think there should be a congressional term limit of 21 years combined (with some conditions ex. appointments)
2 elephants were taking a bath. One says to the other one, "Can you pass me the soap?", and the other one replies "No soap, radio."
Very seldom is there complete mutual agreement in life. Compromise is almost always needed, as no side should ever get exactly what they want.
Only when necessary and only with substantial evidence prior to opening formal investigations. There have been too many instances recently, in which investigations where solely used as a political cudgel by one party, to influence elections merely by investigating the perceived offense ad nauseum.
The government, specifically federal, is huge and complex, so complete transparency or accountability is elusive. However, there are certain issues that are of great concern to Americans and those should be addressed. Americans should know how their elected officials are investing or receiving money, including SCOTUS members. They should know any business dealings the President has and when lapses in security happen, whether inside the White House or beyond. Ultimately, Americans need to have faith in their institutions in order to have a lawful society, so anything that erodes that trust needs to have transparency and accountability.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
Campaign website
Maginnis’s campaign website stated the following:
| “ |
Defending and Expanding Democracy
Resolving and Strengthening Equality
Revitalizing and Building our Economy
Protecting and Sustaining Our Lifestyles
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” |
| —B.K. Maginnis’s campaign website (2024)[4] | ||
2022
Campaign website
Maginnis’s campaign website stated the following:
| “ |
Defending and Expanding Democracy
Enacting Voting Rights Legislation is the number one issue of this election to maintain our 223-year democracy and should be the sole focus of all Democrats. Our democracy is built on One person, one vote. Yet Republican-dominated state legislatures have continued their 50-plus year assault on Americans’ voting rights through unjustifiable voter suppression laws, egregious gerrymandering, and attempts to override election results in their ultimate quest to create their Illiberal democracy vision. Voting Rights legislation would include repealing voter suppression laws, universal and auto-enrollment, a free and universal ID card that can be matched with any proof of address, non-partisan map-making committees, restoring voting rights for those who have served their time, and campaign finance reform that would limit “dark” money that has corrupted our elections. Putting the Country’s direction back in the hands of the people is the only way we can maintain and indeed be a democracy.
The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) should be the embodiment of those most American values- democracy and equality – yet increasingly partisan Republican nominees, confirmed through illicit means, have skewed the Court to the extent that it no longer represents the intent of the Constitution or the will of the people. One hundred twenty-seven (127) nominees have been confirmed in the history of the Court, but only 5 Justices have failed to garner the 60% historical threshold of Senate votes. All 5 of those Justices currently sit on the 9-member Court and represent 5 of the past 6 Republican nominees. Taking steps to revise the Court will bring it back to center from its current right-wing radicalism and represent contemporary Americans again.
Criminal justice reform is a crucial component in achieving our goal of equality for all as a nation. We need to look for ways to reduce sentences for non-violent offenders to lower crowding. Reform the indentured servitude for-profit prisons use to make massive profits. At the same time, they pay cents on the dollar for labor, both undercutting outside small businesses and creating an incentive for them and others to continue increased incarceration rates. We need to reform policing and redirect funds to social services and other supportive services that can take the burden off Police for situations in which they are not adequately trained. In addition, studies show that the higher education an officer has achieved, the lower their incidence of misconduct. We need to Re-fund the Police. Reduce or eliminate dollars spent towards police force militarization and redirect those same dollars towards rewarding officers with higher pay who have achieved 2- and 4-year degrees, attracting and retaining officers who are less likely to endanger lives and make costly errors. Finally, increasing the number of judges and support staff in our courts to drastically reduce timelines to prevent the accused, especially those without the means for bail or representation, languishing in our jail system, serving long sentences before they’ve even been convicted.
There is a reason why elected officials are called public servants; they are meant to serve the public, not themselves. It is a privilege to hold office but should not be a career. Too many public officials have stayed in office for too long, leading to ineffectiveness and abuse. The abuse of office and the need for term limits was understood historically for the Presidency and codified in the 22nd Amendment, limiting the President to 2 terms. Thus, term limits should be implemented for Congress as well. A limit of 20 years cumulative between both houses would reduce abuse and bring fresh voices into the lead of national debates. In addition, while every citizen has the right to their income and assets, Congressional members should not make money off the knowledge they attain through their duties. Congressional abuse can be limited by requiring all their investments before assuming office shifted into a Special Congressional account that tracks a market index.
We have not had a reckoning in our Country regarding the repercussions of our history of slavery. Much of today’s division is directly caused by the lasting effects of slavery. Many of our most urgent issues- policing and criminal justice reform, voting rights suppression, and the Income inequality gap (to name but a few)- can all be directly correlated with inadequately resolving the effects of slavery, impacting all Americans and Black Americans inordinately. By implementing solutions to elevate the overall low-income population and directly addressing racial injustice outside the economic sphere, we as Americans can finally bury the ghosts of our past, creating a more united People, finally fulfilling the promise laid out in our Declaration of Independence.
Despite all the contributions to America by women, they still face equality challenges in their personal and business lives. The Equal Rights Amendment, first passed by Congress in 1972, still has not been enacted almost 50 years later. Women make less money than men due to unfair wage differences in their paychecks and missed time due to their roles as mothers and caregivers. We need legislation to bridge the pay gap and provide mandatory Paid Family Leave (either required for large corporations or government supplemented for small businesses) that won’t penalize women and their families for missing time to fulfill that vital role of nurturer for their children in those crucial first months, or as caretaker for sick family members when needed. In addition, we need to enforce and implement laws to make women more secure in their workplace and personal lives. In addition, no discussion about Women’s rights can exclude the need for protecting a women’s right to control their own body. By promoting and codifying the idea of Body Liberty, control over one’s body that does not infringe on another’s rights and freedoms, we can pushback on those who would seek to control what women do with their bodies. This concept is already in place against those who would claim that their argument is Pro-life . There are no laws in place requiring citizens to give blood, nor laws that require organ donation (alive or dead), which in both cases would save tens of thousands of lives annually.
In a Capitalist society, there will always be differences in wealth as a byproduct, even when accounting for measures of fairness and equality. However, since the 1980s, our Country and the Republican party specifically have grossly bent the rules of Capitalism towards the wealthy. There is no better illustration of this than in the massive ballooning of the Income equality gap, the difference between our most wealthy and most poor. This has been done by drastically reducing taxes on the wealthy, both income and estate, which has created massive deficits that will pass to our children and by lowering taxes on investments through Long-Term Capital Gains (LTCG) tax that rewards those who watch their money rather than those who earn it. In addition, the 401(k)-tax code greatly benefits high-earners and drastically hurts those who aren’t. Finally, by favoring large corporations over the small business owner through lowering Corporate taxes and regulation, the government created huge disadvantages for small businesses to compete with corporations. We can begin to decrease this gap by implementing some innovative and common-sense solutions like eliminating income taxes for those Americans struggling below the poverty line, phasing out the 401(k) provision while still allowing IRA contributions, and implementing a voluntary national pension (SS+) to run parallel to Social Security. In addition, by establishing the American Profit Sharing Plan (APSP) that will pay a monthly amount to all Americans over 18 and rolling back marginal tax brackets to pre-1980 levels, we can reverse the adverse effects of 40 years of trickle-down economics. By implementing these measures, we can begin closing this irreversible gap and put dollars into the hands of ordinary Americans, which has proven to be the best catalyst for a consumer-based economy.
While progress towards equal rights for the LGBTQ+ community has significantly progressed over the past few decades, members of that community still face several dangers and roadblocks specific to them. By implementing legislation that will increase protections from employment discrimination, housing discrimination, parenting rights, and hate crimes, we can continue the strides for equality made since the Stonewall Uprising years ago.
Small businesses are the backbone of the American economy. However, they have had to endure obstacles to their success, not created by them but by the government. They can’t compete with the large corporations because of healthcare, benefits, and lower prices. Providing health insurance and 401(k) benefits can be too costly to deliver to their employees, and higher tax rates than their corporate competition mean they can’t provide competitive pay and still turn a profit. This hardship means difficulty trying to attract employees during challenging economic times and losing valuable employees during others. Phasing out the 401(k) tax provision and implementing a voluntary National Pension running parallel to Social Security (SS+) will put them on equal footing with corporations regarding retirement benefits. By strengthening the Affordable Care Act, healthcare for those working in small businesses will be more affordable and sever the current workplace health insurance requirement. By holding Corporations more accountable for paying their share of taxes, we’ll lessen the margin difference between the big and the small. And finally, by implementing the American Profit Sharing Plan (APSP), increases in workers’ income will not be shifted onto the Small Business Owner, allowing greater flexibility to those small businesses that may not need full-time workers wholly.
Healthcare expenses in the US are too high, with Americans spending too much of their hard-earned dollars on care or not making enough income to get the proper care they need. Putting affordable, accessible healthcare in reach for all Americans can be easily achieved without a drastic overhaul. This can be done by strengthening the Affordable Care Act, putting premiums within range for most Americans. In addition, Passing legislation to reduce drug costs will reduce overall spending, and revising our food chain and welfare system will put healthier, more nutritious food on our tables, which will improve overall health and drastically reduce the occurrence and length of diseases that require expensive care.
Our Country has a moral obligation to our children and their families to set them up for success going into adulthood. This obligation starts at birth with better, more affordable healthcare for women and paid family leave, for men and women, to nurture children in their crucial first months. A healthier food chain, increased childcare support, and funded pre-K will provide a solid bedrock in their life’s journey. Substantially increasing teacher pay and reducing class sizes will compensate those teachers who have continued to fight on and convince more college graduates that this is an economically and emotionally feasible profession. Revising the curriculum from 1st through 12th, including trade school options in the high school years, will mean providing an education at graduation that is worthwhile to employers without needing a college degree. In addition, for those who decide to push on with their academic journey after high school, free two years of community college will lighten the economic burden and lower 4-year costs due to decreased demand. Finally, a mandatory 2-year military obligation (with non-combat options) will create a buffer between the end of school and post-graduation employment. This will provide several benefits; additional skills or job training opportunities, income and health care, and contact and cohesion with individuals outside their demographic, leading to a better understanding of how our multiculturalism strengthens, not weakens, America. A healthier, better educated, more stable, and more prepared person entering adulthood will drastically increase their value and drastically reduce their burden on society, leading to an overall improvement of the general welfare of our Country.
We’ve all witnessed the damage and burden, sometimes first hand, on our Country created by Large Corporations shipping our manufacturing overseas to countries like China. Sending our manufacturing overseas has caused the loss of entire industries and their subsequent jobs, increased prices, and shortages due to supply chain issues. Additionally, it has increased military spending and national security threats because of the increased need to protect economic assets. We can reverse this damage by incentivizing Large Corporations to bring their manufacturing and production back to America and its North, Central, and South American neighbors, which will increase quality, high-end manufacturing jobs here in the US, decrease costs and supply chain issues due to proximity, and reduce immigration to the US from our southern neighbors by stabilizing and strengthening their economies.
Climate change is real, but the voices of those who profit most from its denial have become too loud over the past decades, undercutting the urgency to address it. We must work towards policies that curb carbon emissions, including moving away from fossil fuel use by linking increased investment in Alternative energy sources with new drilling. In addition, we must pursue innovations in recycling to decrease overall waste, leaving a cleaner environment for the next generations.
While Covid-19 has given us somewhat of a pause from what seemed to be an almost daily news cycle of school and mass shootings, overall gun violence has increased over the past few years. We must make our streets, schools, and public spaces safer for our children and us. By implementing common-sense legislation that will close loopholes and create universal background checks, we can minimize guns getting into the hands of violent offenders and those with mental health issues. In addition, limiting high-capacity magazines and banning assault weapons should reduce the impact when these events due to their overwhelming use in these mass shootings. The right to bear arms is enshrined in our Constitution. Every American should be able to exercise that right in a way that allows individual protection without sacrificing the safety of all.
Since the first settlers from Europe, we have been a nation of immigrants, and each successive wave of immigration has only made our Country stronger. We must find the best way to balance the needs of those who are coming with the needs of those already here. Callous intervention by America’s 1980s administrations in the politics of our Central American neighbors and other countries overseas destabilized those countries. Those effects are still felt today. By helping to strengthen and stabilize those economies, we can create a safer and more stable environment, so they never have to make the tough decision to leave their homeland. However, if they make that tough decision, we should do our best to make that transition into our Country less injurious. We need to improve processing times, both for those at the border and those overseas who seek family reunification. In addition, we need to provide a clear path to citizenship for those who come into the Country and their children. Each generation of immigrants brings new effort and new inspiration to power our economy for everyone.
Lost in the weightier issues we face as a country are the obstacles or annoyances that keep us from our pursuit of happiness. These annoyances, while minor, can have an aggregate negative effect on our health and well-being. No better example of this is Social media. Social Media innovation has brought us closer to friends from our past and introduced us to new friends. Still, it’s also created and exacerbated divisions in our Country that have had a caustic effect on our democracy and it’s institutions we’ve all witnessed. Regulation may not be the most effective answer due to the ever-changing nature of the industry, but by enacting a law to make them publishers, not platforms, we can utilize the check and balances of our current laws. We must also implement Data Protection Regulation. Robocalls. Spam emails. Endless car warranty calls. Those are all effects of us not securing our personal data rights, adding frustration to our daily pursuits of happiness.[3] |
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| —B.K. Maginnis’s campaign website (2022)[5] | ||
Brendan K. Maginnis completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Maginnis' responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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Raised in a working-class family from Winston- Salem, North Carolina, I graduated from UNC-Greensboro with a BA in Political Science. I've also worked in High Point and Raleigh, lived in Wilmington, spent time in Camp Lejeune as a former Marine, and now resided for the past 18 years in Charlotte. I'm as North Carolina as they come. After working my way through college and graduating, I helped coordinate several political campaigns on the National, State, and local level. Once my campaign life was over, I started a successful financial planning firm from scratch, helping individuals and families with their concerns and goals for 13 years until passing the business off to my partner several years ago. I've spent the last few years as a homemaker supporting my wife's thriving career and as the primary caregiver for our two-year-old daughter, all while pursuing franchise opportunities. The issues I'm campaigning on are important to me because I've either experienced these hardships in my life or heard them daily from my clients as a small business owner, so I will fight for them.
- This US Senate Race is the most critical in our 233-year old democracy. As Republican state legislatures erode our right to self-govern through gerrymandering, voter suppression laws, and partisan election committees, passing Voting Rights legislation should be the number one priority for all Democrats this election cycle. I am the candidate with the right mix of experience, determination, and demeanor to win this race and get Voting Rights legislation passed to ensure our continued democracy.
- North Carolina is an actual battleground state. Though we won the governor’s seat in 2020, we lost statewide races for Lt. Governor, Senate, and even NC Supreme Court Chief justice. It will take determination to win this seat, and I have it.
- Democrats are sick of Republican lies and cheating. We’re also tired of other democratic candidates’ not directly challenging them and fighting for Democracy. We need bold leaders like myself who will give vocal support to our Democratic values and put needed pressure on Congressional Democrats who don’t understand the importance of the Democratic agenda for the American people.
The three priorities I'm passionate about are passing Voting Rights legislation, enacting legislation to resolve Racial inequality, and helping strengthen Small businesses.
Getting Voting Rights legislation passed is essential not only for Democrats but also for unaffiliated voters who may not vote consistently with one party. It even affects some Republicans, who may disagree with the more radical elements of their party. Not getting Voting Rights legislation passed means a government dominated by the most extreme elements of the Republican party, with other voices locked out of the decision-making process.
Resolving Racial Inequality should matter to all Americans because many of the most critical issues facing our country today, affecting Americans of every color, stem from not adequately resolving our history of systemic racism.
Finally, Small Business is the lifeblood of the American economy. However, for more than 40 years government has created competitive disadvantages for small business owners against Large Corporations, whether intentionally or not. By repealing these obstacles for small businesses and creating new legislation that will level the playing field, we can make a more dynamic economy for America and begin to minimize the growing wealth gap.
I think I would be a successful officeholder due to my determination and integrity. My life has not been a straight path, with many obstacles in the way, but my determination has always been the key to my success. Many things can build discouragement but having a goal, and faith in your purpose, allows me to persist even when the outcome I desire is most bleak. I also know that if I do fail, I gave it my best, which doesn't prevent me from pursuing goals when facing similar future outcomes. This determination also ties into my integrity. Integrity isn't just about doing what is "right" in the face of temptation. Integrity also means staying true to yourself, your goals, your morals, and your ethics. Making the right choice when the wrong one is more accessible. Not giving in when faced with obstacles because you understand what failure means. Speaking truths even when there may be backlash. Integrity is the key characteristic needed when one begins to assume power and when it starts to wane.
While not unique to the Senate, I think Senators hold a responsibility to 3 separate entities- their constituents, their party, and their country. The hope is that all three align. However, sometimes they do not, and the decisions need to be made on which holds higher priority. Senators are responsible for hearing the concerns of their constituents and seeking to understand how they came to that viewpoint. They also have a responsibility to incorporate those concerns into their decision-making. However, a Senator is also responsible for telling their Constituents when they disagree and why, including telling them when unpopular solutions are actually beneficial to them despite being counter to their desires. A Senators obligation to their party is letting the party know where they stand on legislation and informing them precisely why, especially if they do not support it. In addition, they are responsible to their party to suggest changes or alterations to their platform if the Senator feels it would not be beneficial for the party or its base of support. Finally, a Senator has a responsibility to this country. While this seems like it should be objectively true, what is suitable for the country can be subjective based on who is in charge. An unethical President committing illegal acts should be vocally opposed, even if they are supported by many Americans who feel the President is doing what is best for the country. What's best for the country will always follow a moral and ethical path based upon our guiding principles of government, even if it runs contrary to the current political environment.
Since a young age, I've struggled with the inequality I see in America; gender, financial, and racial. I genuinely believe we are all created equal and thus should have equal treatment, but I struggle knowing that isn't the case. The current huge wealth gap in America wasn't created due to a massive difference in people's value; it's been created by laws, or a lack of laws, that have advantaged some or disadvantaged others, disproportionately. This is especially evident in the treatment of racial minorities. Our history books hide all the circumstances and details of those injustices, leading many to believe that the wealth or opportunity of everyone is based on circumstances within their control. This awareness of inequality and lack of ability to change it up to this point in my life weighs heavy on my shoulders and is a critical reason I'm seeking this office. It's a burden I don't want my children to feel. The legacy I'd like to leave is knowing that I tried my best to minimize that gap and strip away those advantages so people in the future that face those obstacles, who may not have the same resolve as me, don't give up or feel helpless. In addition, to inspire and help others who can carry on this same goal once I can no longer.
While not the first, the most significant historical event growing up was the Iran-Contra scandal when I was 11. Because of my age, I'd never known another US president other than Reagan. Being a child during the early parts of his administration, I'd fallen for the veneer of an honest, warm grandfather and that government was doing what they felt was best for the entire nation. So when Iran-Contra broke out, I watched Reagan on TV and wanted to believe he was sincere in his justifications and denials. However, as I watched parts of the trial that followed, it became my first lesson that sometimes the people who are supposed to be the most ethical aren't and that "the ends justify the means" shouldn't be an American principle. From that one event, I became more questioning of government, and its role can be both positive and negative in our lives. It also led me later in life to analyze the efforts of his administration( and the Republican party) and understand how responsible he was in creating most of the major issues our country currently faces and how he planted the seeds for the ultra-national, radical right-wing party that is the modern-day Republican party.
One of the biggest struggles I have in life is letting others fail. As someone who strives for achievement and wants to help others, I struggle with understanding my limits in helping others. There is learning in failure. In addition, what I may consider failure may not be the same for others, so it can be hard to understand someone's perspective of success if it doesn't match your own. Ultimately, it's understanding that failure for me isn't necessarily failure for others, and people only want the help that they ask for.
The most significant quality that makes the US Senate unique is that it is intentionally structured to be undemocratic at the voter level. Every state gets 2 Senators, regardless of size. It was a compromise given to smaller states at the founding of our democracy, but the relative unbalance of the structure has been exacerbated immensely in modern times. In 1787, Virginia had roughly ten times the population of Rhode Island. Today, California has a population approximately 70 times the population of Wyoming. This means, in effect, that citizens in Wyoming have 70 votes for every one voter in California, which directly contradicts Americans' belief in "One person, One vote." This undemocratic imbalance is further amplified by using the current filibuster rules, allowing current Republican Senators, who represent only 44% of the country, to block all legislation by Democratic Senators representing 56% of the country. Smaller states have always been weighted heavier in the US Senate structure. Still, with the growing urban/rural divide in population coupled with the current filibuster rules, we have the inverse of what the Founding Fathers intended- minority rule over the majority versus the intention of protecting the minority from majority rule.
The original concept and implementation of the filibuster made sense, but changes since its inception have made it counterproductive and unconstitutional. Regardless of the original intent, the filibuster prevented slim majorities in the Senate from passing radical legislation that could impact the country with lasting effects. However, it took immense effort by those in the minority to stop legislation, so it was used sparingly. Today's filibuster resembles nothing like that, with a dashed-off email based on a whim from a Senator grinding legislation to a halt. The current filibuster needs to be changed. Many Democrats today have called for the elimination of the filibuster as a quick fix to get legislation (though in some cases critical) passed. However, these people either don't know or have short memories of the last time Democrats tinkered with the filibuster. In 2012, Senate Democrats eliminated the filibuster for federal judicial appointments due to unprecedented blockage by the scoundrel McConnell. While it allowed that Democratic Senate to fill the backlog of appointments, it also gave McConnell the excuse, once in power a few years later, to eliminate the filibuster for Supreme Court Justice nominations, creating the first 3 Justices in US history to be appointed by Senators representing a minority of the population. Since the US Senate is currently advantaged to Republicans due to the urban-rural divide, eliminating the filibuster would only hurt Democrats in the long run by allowing Republicans to implement their radical agenda in the future. There have been several recommendations for changing the filibuster, including the return of a talking filibuster or eliminating it for only the most critical legislation, but my goal would be to implement a population-based filibuster that applies the 60% threshold to the population, not Senators, meaning the current 56% population represented by Democrats would only need 1-2 Republicans for bipartisan passage.
For several reasons, the Senator I would like to model myself most after was also a President, Lyndon Baines Johnson. When Johnson first came to power, he was the Minority Leader in the Senate, and his time in that role was very effective. He was able to work with the Republican Majority leader, getting key legislation he wanted to be passed and influencing much of the agenda of the Senate during that period. Once Democrats came into power two years later, he displayed his understanding of the importance of information gathering about the members in his caucus. Hence, he knew exactly where they stood regarding crucial legislation, which helped him get the votes necessary for his preferred legislation to pass. He also showed a willingness to change, as much of the bills he championed and signed during his Presidency, including critical civil rights legislation, he had previously opposed during his time in the Senate. Finally, his personal style of getting people to come around to his viewpoint, called "the Johnson Treatment," showed extensive knowledge of how people can be convinced through verbal persuasion and physical presence. All these factors are why many historians consider him the greatest majority leader and why I hope to model myself after him.
Two elephants are sitting in a bathtub. One elephant turns to the other and says, "Can you please pass the soap?" and the other elephant replies, "No soap, radio."
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See also
2024 Elections
External links
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Candidate U.S. House North Carolina District 14 |
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Footnotes
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on April 18, 2022
- ↑ Ballotpedia staff, "Email communication with B.K. Maginnis," April 20, 2022
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Maginnis for Congress, “Home,” accessed January 22, 2024
- ↑ B.K. Maginnis’s campaign website, Home, accessed April 10, 2022
