Tuesday, October 13, 2026
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Cherryville, NC (WNN) - Rod Powell, a candidate for North Carolina Senate District 44, recently joined Wise News Network in Cherryville to discuss his background in education, his reasons for running for office, and the issues he hopes to address if elected.
Powell is a retired public school teacher who spent 30 years working in North Carolina classrooms. He began his teaching career at West Lincoln High School in 1988, where he taught for 10 years before continuing at Mooresville High School. Powell later settled in the Casar area of Cleveland County, where he said he has grown to appreciate the region's rural communities and slower pace of life.
Powell said his experience working with students, families, and school administrators influenced his decision to run for the state Senate. He and his wife have also volunteered with Washington Outreach Ministry and the Totally Free Clothes Store in Shelby, where he said he has seen firsthand the challenges facing local families.
Powell is running against incumbent Ted Alexander for the District 44 seat, which includes Cleveland and Lincoln counties, as well as part of Gaston County.
Education was one of the primary topics discussed during the interview. Drawing on his teaching experience, Powell expressed concern about the state's school voucher program, questioning its effectiveness and fairness. He expressed concern that funding directed toward vouchers could otherwise support public schools, which he believes may provide a greater return on education spending.
"What really concerns me is that we're taking money away from those people giving it to a voucher fund. So that will be my priority when I get to the Senate, start asking questions about the voucher fund. Is it really paying off? Is it fair? I think we could get more bang for our buck funding public schools."
- Rod Powell
He also discussed the role of standardized testing in education. Powell said testing requirements can limit the time teachers have for classroom discussions, projects, and other learning activities. He expressed interest in exploring additional ways to measure student learning, including written and verbal assessments.
Powell also addressed teacher compensation and the importance of supporting school employees beyond the classroom, including counselors, bus drivers and custodians. He said local school districts should retain flexibility to determine their staffing needs while working to attract and retain qualified employees.
Regarding charter schools, Powell said he wants to examine how funding follows students and what happens when students return to traditional public schools after leaving charter schools. He said he would like to research the issue by speaking with school administrators and local school boards to better understand its financial impact.
Powell identified affordable and dependable childcare as another concern he has heard from families through his volunteer work. He said childcare can affect a person's ability to maintain employment when arrangements are unavailable or unreliable.
Powell also expressed support for raising North Carolina's minimum wage, which he noted has remained at $7.25 per hour since 2009. However, he said increases should happen gradually to give small businesses time to prepare for higher labor costs. Powell said the step-by-step approach considers the effects on both workers and employers.
Government transparency was also brought up in the interview. Powell said he supports greater public access to government proceedings and records, including making more information available online.
He expressed support for broadcasting North Carolina Senate proceedings and said public meetings involving taxpayer money should be recorded when possible. Powell argued that greater access to government activity could help residents understand how decisions are made and how public funds are spent.
On government spending and fraud, Powell said he supports investigating the misuse of public funds but cautioned against imposing unnecessary administrative barriers on people who rely on assistance programs. He said investigations should focus on identifying those responsible for fraud without making it more difficult for eligible individuals to receive help.
Powell said he believes local governments should retain authority over decisions affecting their communities because local officials are familiar with the needs of their residents. This discussion included road construction and infrastructure projects, including ongoing work on the Shelby bypass. Powell said he would like to examine why some transportation projects take so long to complete.
Powell also discussed proposed constitutional amendments involving property taxes, income taxes and voter identification. He expressed concern that the tax-related amendments could limit local governments' ability to raise revenue for schools, emergencies, and other public needs.
Regarding voter identification, Powell said he was concerned about whether existing exceptions for people who have difficulty obtaining identification would remain protected if the requirements were placed in the state constitution.
Powell acknowledged that entering the Senate as a first-time candidate would involve learning legislative procedures and developing working relationships with other lawmakers.
Rod Powell, Candidate for North Carolina Senate District 44 | In-Studio Interview
He said his experience working with people who hold different perspectives throughout his teaching career would help him navigate those relationships. Powell also said he does not want to make promises about specific legislative outcomes before understanding how the system works. Instead, he said he would focus on asking questions, building relationships and maintaining communication with the people he represents.
Powell also emphasized the importance of reviewing proposed legislation and encouraged voters to research candidates and ballot measures before making informed decisions. He discussed three proposed amendments to the North Carolina Constitution that voters will consider in the November 3 general election, addressing property taxes, state income taxes and voter identification. The following amendments are:
Property Tax Limits: This amendment would require the state legislature to establish limits on how much local governments can increase property tax revenue. Powell expressed concern that restrictions could make it harder for counties and municipalities to fund schools, emergencies and other local services.
State Income Tax Cap: This amendment would limit North Carolina’s state income tax rate to a maximum of 3.5%, down from the current constitutional limit of 7%. Powell raised concerns about how changes to tax revenue could affect state and local funding.
Photo ID Requirement for Voting: This amendment would change the state constitution to require voters to present photo identification before voting, including those voting by mail. Powell questioned whether protections for people who have difficulty obtaining or providing identification would remain in place.
Residents can find Powell on Facebook through his personal and campaign pages to learn more about his campaign. If you or someone you know is running, they can book an interview in the WNN Studio here. Find more of our Free Platform interviews here. Head to the playlist here for all our candidate interviews.
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