AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
The Nov. 3, 2026, election for the U.S. House of Representatives District 3 features candidates Raymond Smith and Greg Murphy, MD, the incumbent. The News & Observer asked all candidates in this race to complete a questionnaire to inform voters about their opinions on big issues facing voters.
Read more Rocky Mount councilman faces gun charges after arrest by NCCU campus police
Political party: Democrat
Age as of Nov. 3, 2026: 65
Campaign website: www.raymondsmithfornc.com
Current occupation: Consultant/Non-Profit Manager
Professional experience: I bring more than 30 years of professional experience in the areas of education, public administration, transportation, law enforcement and community leadership. My career has taken me from the middle school classroom, higher education instructor, vice chairman of the school board, to the North Carolina General Assembly.
Education: Goldsboro High School, Bachelor of Science Supply Chain Management from North Carolina A&T State University, Masters of Public Administration from North Carolina Central University, Doctorate of Education Leadership from Fayetteville State University
Please list any notable government or civic involvement: My civic involvement in the community includes managing a non-profit that focuses upon the elimination of youth and gang violence, working through my various high school and collegiate alumni affiliations to provide college and career technical scholarships for youth in my local community and abroad. The work that I am involved with through my church, fraternity, and masonic lodge is charitable and based deeply upon my faith.
What do you see as the most important issue that you would have control over if you win, and what is your position on it? Drawing from my experience as the vice chairman of the school board, and leader in the N.C. General Assembly, I clearly understand what is within my authority and what is not. I will not promise something that I cannot deliver. My top priority will be the cost of living! I will work through the legislative process to end harmful tariffs, reverse the cuts to Medicaid and SNAP, protect Social Security, and address the current tax structure that currently favors wealthy people over working people.
One of the roles of Congress is oversight. What do you believe needs to be investigated? Anyone and everything that is under the authority of Congress should be prepared to face the scrutiny of an investigation if it is warranted. I believe that Congress should be investigating the deaths of citizens caused by federal agents, the possible misuse of presidential power for private financial gain, the full unredacted disclosure of the Epstein files, and subpoena cabinet secretaries and others to testify under oath.
Do you agree with the tactics currently being used by immigration officials, and if not, what would you want to require them to do differently? I served this country in the United States Army as a Military Policeman. I have worked in corrections and probation/parole. In all of my years of law enforcement service, even with enemy prisoners during Desert Storm, I have never witnessed tactics that were as inept, untrained, inappropriate and dangerous as what I have witnessed by ICE. I would require ICE agents to all be properly trained and certified by the appropriate agency and adhere to one universal use-of-force continuum.
Do you think the economy is getting better or worse in your district, and how? The 3rd Congressional District is comprised of nine counties. The Department of Commerce has identified seven of those nine counties as Tier I, and the other two are Tier II. Tier I counties are the most economically distressed counties in the State of North Carolina. In the more rural areas of this district, we are facing major food insecurity (due to SNAP cuts), major healthcare disparities (due to Medicaid and Medicare cuts), and major anxiety over the proposed cuts to Social Security.
What, if anything, would you change about how elections are run? The first thing that needs to be done is to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act! It addresses the role of the federal government, voting procedures and access, public notification and transparency. It would also bring back the pre-clearance provision.
Read more Duke and UNC are the top two. But which NC school came 3rd in this ranking?
Did you use AI to answer any of these questions?: No, I have exponentially more life experience than does AI.
Political party: Republican
Age as of Nov. 3, 2026: 63
Campaign website: https://murphy4congress.com/
Current occupation: U.S. Representative; Physician
Professional experience: Physician & Surgeon
Education: Davidson College; UNC School of Medicine
Please list any notable government or civic involvement: Current member of Congress; Former Representative, North Carolina House of Representatives
What do you see as the most important issue that you would have control over if you win, and what is your position on it? As a physician who has taken care of patients in eastern North Carolina for 35 years, I have seen the cost of healthcare skyrocket since the inception of Obamacare. Its polices have led to unparalleled consolidation in Insurance companies and hospitals which destroyed competition and drove up prices. As a leading voice in Congress for patients and those who care for patients, I am in a unique position to fight back against these conglomerates who put profits above patients.
One of the roles of Congress is oversight. What do you believe needs to be investigated? Greedy health insurance companies, such as UnitedHealthCare, are bilking the federal taxpayer of billions of dollars each year by taking advantage and manipulating a broken system that allows them to put profits above patients. We must have a massive overhaul of this nation’s health insurance industry as well as rein in the hundreds of billions of dollars in fraud in Medicare and Medicaid programs that has been discovered over the last two years.
Do you agree with the tactics currently being used by immigration officials, and if not, what would you want to require them to do differently? During the last administration, 15-20 million people were allowed to come into this country illegally, some of whom were criminals released from foreign jails. Obama deported 3 million individuals and there were no protests. (Editor’s note: In 2014, a few hundred people were arrested for protesting Obama’s deportation initiatives. Several advocacy organizations at the time called Obama the “Deporter-in-Chief.”) I support deporting violent criminals who make our communities less safe. Likewise, we need an immigration system that incentivizes folks to come here legally and contribute in areas of need.
Do you think the economy is getting better or worse in your district, and how? America since the 1990s has lost millions of manufacturing jobs overseas. As a senior member of the House Ways and Means Committee, I helped write and pass the Working Families Tax Cut. In this legislation, we delivered generational tax cuts to working folks and middle class families as well as small businesses. This effort is putting more money in the pockets of working and middle-class folks and sets the foundation for greater economic opportunity.
What, if anything, would you change about how elections are run? Elections are administered by the state, but I support requiring identification to vote. Virtually all of Europe and almost all developed countries require in person voters to use a photo ID to vote. Free and fair elections are fundamental to American democracy.
Read more A kitten darted across I-540. A Wake deputy swerved — then ran back
Did you use AI to answer any of these questions?: No.