Find more of our 2026 election coverage here.
Earlier this month, WHQR joined Port City Daily, WECT, and UNCW’s The Seahawk to hold candidate forums for local, state, and congressional candidates representing the Cape Fear region.
On today’s show, our forum for candidates running for the General Assembly: Republican challenger Latisha Grady and Democratic incumbent Deb Butler in House District 18; Republican Dane Scalise and Democrat Dr. Tim Merrick running for the open seat in House District 20; and Democratic challenger Jessica Bichler and Republican incumbent Michael Lee in State Senate District 7.
Our emcee for the night was the venerable Jon Evans from WECT. Questions were asked, Brenna Flanagan from Port City Daily, Emily Reier from The Seahawk, and Ben Schachtman and Rachel Keith for WHQR.
This forum was recorded live at the UNCW Burney Center on Monday, October 12th. This online version has only been edited for audio levels.
This year’s forums featured a lighting round, where candidates responded to yes-or-no questions with a show of hands, which might be confusing, so we’ve included a tally of responses below, as well as video from the evening.
Do you support the constitutional amendment to lower the maximum income-tax rate from 7% to 3.5%?
Yes: Bichler, Grady, Lee, Scalise
No: Butler, Merrick
Do you support the constitutional amendment allowing the General Assembly to enact laws to limit increases on local property-tax rates?
Yes: Bichler, Grady, Lee, Scalise
No: Butler, Merrick
Do you support continuing to fund all income levels for the Opportunity Scholarship Program?
Yes: All Republicans
No: All Democrats
Do you oppose tolls as a way to fund the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge replacement?
Yes: Bichler, Grady Scalise, Butler, Merrick
No: Lee*
Do you support making public the documentation of how legislative lines are drawn?
Yes: All
Do you support legislation that would make your emails subject to public records law?
Yes: Bichler, Butler, Grady, Scalise, Merrick
No: Lee*
Do you agree the state corporate tax rate should be zero — which is slated in current legislation for the coming years?
Yes: Grady, Lee
No: Bichler, Butler, Merrick
Didn’t answer: Scalise*
Do you support lifting the $31million annual cap for the film grant incentive?
Yes: Bichler, Butler, Lee, Merrick, Scalise
Didn’t answer: Grady*
*Clarified in their closing remarks or said they were undecided.
