people. And that’s what this is for me. It’s just purely from a heart of service. And I’ve always said, as soon as there’s somebody better to represent Cabarrus County than me, then I will step away and I will support that person in running for my seat. I don’t have political aspirations. I just want to serve to the best of my ability and make the state better, make my county better, and the local government units there more successful. It seems like there’s something to that style, and that this is a place that welcomes all sorts of different styles of leadership. PN: It absolutely does. I think anybody can be successful. I think those that are really successful are putting constituents first. It feels like at the federal level, the government has forgotten who serves whom. We don’t serve the federal government. It wasn’t intended to be that way. The constitution reverses that. We are the people, the government is supposed to serve. And if you’re here as an elected official, remember that it’s not about you and it’s about the people you represent, I think that’s a theme that’ll take you to success. continued from page 15 Legislator Q&A: Senator Paul Newton To wrap up, what do you hope for Eden, for Cabarrus County, and for North Carolina? What are your goals for it moving forward? PN: I think government does have certain priorities. One is to create the kind of state that allows its citizens to prosper. That means doing the things that attract job creators and creating the infrastructure necessary for those job creators to come here. It’s important to keep people safe. When you talk to a mom on the street with two young children and they look around the country at some of the crazy things that are happening, those local government units have forgotten the paramount issue, which is safety of the citizens. I think education is right up there as well. We have an obligation to meet kids where they are. And for my party, it’s been affording the opportunity for parents to choose the schooling that’s best for their children. That makes traditional public school proponents nervous. But I’ll never forget going to Union County, talking with a superintendent down there early on in my political career. He I love presenting and debating issues and whatnot—that doesn’t bother me at all—but I’m not a public person. I like to live quietly and out of the public eye. But sometimes life calls you into stepping out of your comfort zone to do things for other people. And that’s what this is for me. It’s just purely from a heart of service. ... I don’t have political aspirations. I just want to serve to the best of my ability and make the state better, make my county better, and the local government units there more successful. SOUTHERN CITY Quarter 3 2023 16
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