See where candidates for North Carolina's 13th US House District disagree with their own party

To help voters learn which candidates are on their ballot and where they stand on important policy issues, The News & Observer is publishing candidate questionnaires in all state and federal races in North Carolina on the March 3, 2026, ballot.

Four people are challenging Rep. Brad Knott, a Republican from Raleigh in Congress. Three are Democrats — Paul Barringer, Frank Pierce and Alexander Nicholi — and one is a Republican, Sid Sharma.

These men are looking to represent North Carolina’s 13th Congressional District in and near the Triangle. The district includes parts of Wake and Granville counties as well as Lee, Harnett, Johnston, Franklin, Person and Caswell counties.

We polled each of them on where they stand on key issues, from immigration to funding the government and public education. We also asked if there’s any topic on which they disagree with their own party.

Below are the candidates running for U.S. House District 13 who responded to our questionnaire in order by the date their responses were received. Some candidates did not provide a photo.

Paul Barringer

Age as of March 3, 2026: 58

Political party: Democrat

Campaign website: paulbarringer.com

Current occupation: Attorney, tree farmer and health care consultant.

Professional experience: I have worked as a health lawyer and operations leader for many years. For most of the last decade, I’ve worked with state agencies to improve their Medicaid and other health and human service programs. I manage my family’s timberland and provide pro bono legal services for disabled individuals seeking Social Security benefits. In my spare time, I started a clothing brand making apparel in the United States using organic and recycled materials.

Education: Bachelor of Arts from Davidson College, Master in Public Affairs from Princeton University, Master of Arts from Victoria University (New Zealand, Rotary Scholarship) and a juris doctor from UNC-Chapel Hill.

Please list any notable government or civic involvement: Board service includes the Triangle Land Conservancy, Volunteer Families for Children and the Railroad House Historical Association. I have worked on Lee County trails and park access and am the trails ambassador for the Sanford Area Growth Alliance. I was a Boy Scout leader for 10 years and taught Sunday school for 20 years. I’m proud of the work I did after the launch of the Affordable Care Act to help state governments improve their health insurance marketplaces and get individuals covered.

What would be your top priority if elected? Working to reaffirm Congress’ role as an independent and co-equal third branch of government that can appropriately oversee the other two branches of government and in turn drive policies that lower costs for ordinary Americans.

Republican and Democratic candidates often explain the state of the economy differently. How do you see it and what, if anything, would you do that you believe would improve it? The economy may be growing, but people feel squeezed by high prices, housing costs and health care expenses. If elected, I would focus on policies that lower costs and support small businesses and workers. I’d seek to bring more fiscal discipline to Washington — starting with passing a budget, maximizing impact from spending and making sure growth benefits working families and local communities, not just Wall Street. We also need to begin to address deficit spending and the federal debt.

In 2025, Congress caused the longest government shutdown in U.S. history. What should members of Congress do to prevent this in the future and how important is it for Congress to pass a budget? Government shutdowns are a failure of leadership. They hurt working families, federal employees, veterans and small businesses, while solving none of the problems. Congress has a responsibility to pass a budget, and members should not be paid if they fail to do so. We need regular open debate, honest negotiation and timely budgets so the government can function while we work through real disagreements. Fiscal discipline starts with doing the basic job officials have been elected to do.

Lawmakers have been at odds on Capitol Hill over health care coverage for Americans. Where do you stand on Medicaid coverage and Affordable Care Act subsidies? Medicaid is a critical source of coverage for seniors, people with disabilities, children and working families, and I support maintaining it. ACA subsidies have helped millions afford health insurance, and those who rely on them deserve stability. We also owe taxpayers responsible management, focusing on better health outcomes and long-term sustainability. We should strengthen what works, fix what doesn’t and make sure coverage remains affordable without unnecessary complexity or waste.

Should the president go before Congress before taking military action in foreign countries? Yes. The Constitution is clear: Congress has the power to declare war, and the president serves as commander in chief. James Madison warned that the accumulation of power in any one branch threatens liberty, and in Federalist No. 51 he emphasized the importance of checks to prevent concentrations of power. Military action should not be routine or open-ended without congressional authorization. If we are going to send Americans into harm’s way, Congress must debate, vote and take responsibility.

Do you support the tactics that the Trump administration has used in immigration enforcement? Do you believe the immigration crackdown has had collateral effects for residents with legal status? What we’re seeing in Minneapolis is inhumane at best and authoritarian at worst. Renee Good and Alex Pretti’s deaths were unnecessary. We’ve all seen multiple videos and heard eyewitness statements. Neither of these individuals posed a threat that called for them to lose their lives. The crackdown has absolutely had collateral effects for residents with legal status. The incidents where residents with legal status have been impacted are numerous and impossible to ignore.

Do you believe oversight of public education should be left up to individual states? I believe that states should have a large say and oversight when it comes to education, but I also believe that the Department of Education provides essential services (especially for special education) and helps to ensure that students everywhere have access to equitable education. As such, I believe that the federal government has a role in education

Is there an issue on which you disagree with your party? What is your position on that issue? Congressional stock trading. While a few Democrats have spoken out against it, many have not. I support a ban on members of Congress trading individual stocks. Allowing it to continue creates conflicts of interest and fuels public distrust. When you’re elected to Congress, your job is to serve and strengthen your constituents rather than to enrich yourself.

Sid Sharma

Age as of March 3, 2026: 29

Political party: Republican

Campaign website: Sharmaforcongress.com

Current occupation: Accountant

Professional experience: Accounting

Education: College - bachelors degree.

Please list any notable government or civic involvement. None.

What would be your top priority if elected? Less taxes — anybody making $50k or less will pay no taxes. A comprehensive crackdown on illegal immigration ranging from jailing politicians that control sanctuary cities, jailing/penalizing businesses that hire illegal aliens, allowing financial recompensation, paid by the federal government, by those who have crimes committed upon them by illegal aliens.

Republican and Democratic candidates often explain the state of the economy differently. How do you see it and what, if anything, would you do that you believe would improve it? Cut taxes. The smaller you make Washington: the better.

In 2025, Congress caused the longest government shutdown in U.S. history. What should members of Congress do to prevent this in the future and how important is it for Congress to pass a budget? Democrats caused the shutdown because there wouldn’t be an extension of the Affordable Care Act for illegals, and they failed. They knew they were wrong and decided to reopen the government.

Editor’s note: Democrats have not sought free health care for immigrants in the country without legal permission. They have sought to restore access to federal health care programs for 1.4 million known immigrants with permission to be in the United States, according to an estimate by KFF and reporting by NBC News. Many of them are refugees or asylum seekers waiting on legal status, hold green cards or are recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. Republicans stripped these groups from access to federal health care programs in July.

Lawmakers have been at odds on Capitol Hill over health care coverage for Americans. Where do you stand on Medicaid coverage and Affordable Care Act subsidies? Instead of subsidies, it’d be better to give insurance companies tax breaks by those very companies that want to participate. That saves taxpayers from footing the bill.

Should the president go before Congress before taking military action in foreign countries? No. There is clear precedent under Article II to conduct military operations. For example, if America were under attack, it would be ludicrous for a president to wait for Congress to act — by that time we’d all be nuked. I will add that this approach should only be done sparingly.

Do you support the tactics that the Trump administration has used in immigration enforcement? Do you believe the immigration crackdown has had collateral effects for residents with legal status? I do support the policy. Tactics, however, are a matter of discretion and in the case of wrongdoing, Americans have a recourse through the courts via the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA).

Do you believe oversight of public education should be left up to individual states? Yes.

Is there an issue on which you disagree with your party? What is your position on that issue? I wholeheartedly disagree that Republicans keep sending foreign aid while my district gets nothing and foots the bill. I’m upset that Republicans have not cut taxes as rigorously as voters expected.

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