BY MIKE KUBINIEC
In the last election cycle, our district did not get the voice it deserved.
When the previous representative stepped aside late in the filing period, the race changed instantly. As a result, the 2024 Republican primary for House District 95 never occurred. Voters were denied the opportunity to compare candidates, ask hard questions, and choose the direction of our community.
That may not have been anyone’s design. But it was undeniably a missed opportunity — and we cannot afford to repeat it.
This year, I am running because representation should be earned in open debate, not inherited by circumstance. Elections should be decided by the people. You deserve candidates who show up, clearly state their priorities, answer questions directly, and earn support through ideas and accountability.
Wherever I go, I make my goals clear. As your representative, my priorities are to:
♦ Keep North Carolina and Iredell County safe;
♦ Grow our economy while keeping taxes low;
♦ Reform public education funding and increase local control;
♦ Strengthen election integrity laws; and
♦ Faithfully serve the residents and veterans of District 95
Voters deserve clarity. They deserve to know not only who a candidate is, but what that candidate intends to do.
That is why I believe it is fair to ask: What is the record? What are the priorities? What direction will be pursued?
Todd Carver has served our community in law enforcement, and that service is honorable. However, public service in the legislature requires more than a résumé — it requires a clear governing vision and a record that reflects it.
Let ‘s explore his past record to gain some insight into Rep. Carver’s public record and world view, and is he carrying out the will of the people in Iredell County.
As a member and former chairman of the Iredell-Statesville Schools Board of Education, Rep. Carver voted in July 2020 to approve the superintendent’s recommendation to bring in outside Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) training and professional development services — an initiative that has cost taxpayers more than $400,000 since 2020.
In October 2022, while serving as chairman of the school board, he publicly criticized two Republican school board candidates and endorsed their opponents, raising concerns among many voters about party unity and leadership judgment.
During the pandemic, he consistently supported extended masking and contact-tracing policies that kept students out of classrooms for prolonged periods — decisions many families in our district questioned as data evolved.
Most recently, as our representative in the N.C. House, Rep. Carver was the only Republican to vote against House Bill 636, legislation requiring school districts to adopt policies ensuring that library materials meet standards for age appropriateness and academic suitability. For this, Carver was scolded by NC House Republican Leadership and he had to apologize to Rep. Neal Jackson, who sponsored the bill.
These are not personal attacks. They are matters of public record. And they deserve discussion.
My philosophy of leadership is different.
I am not a rubber stamp. I actively shape outcomes. I am not here to nod and vote — I am here to govern. I am not running to preserve the status quo. I will use my voice strategically to advance the interests of District 95.
Every decision, every vote, and every relationship I build will connect back to measurable results for our district.
I will ask hard questions. I will study the full picture before casting a vote. I am independent-minded and willing to challenge assumptions when the facts require it. I will work collaboratively whenever possible — and stand firmly when necessary — always focused on delivering real results for Iredell County and North Carolina.
District 95 deserves a representative who sets direction, demands accountability, and earns the trust of the people through clarity and action.
Let this be the election where voters finally get the full voice they were denied last time. Your vote should shape this seat — not the calendar, not the timing, and not circumstance.
Thank you for being engaged, informed, and committed to real choice. Our district is strongest when every voter has a voice. I humbly ask for your vote.
Mike Kubiniec is the District 5 representative on the Iredell-Statesville Schools Board of Education. He is a candidate in the March 3 Republican primary for the 95th District seat in the N.C. House.
You are a disgrace and embarrassment to Iredell County based on your unprofessional, self-serving behavior on the ISS board. There are surely better candidates!
I think you should look at your own accountability. A “bring it on b!%&#” attitude won’t get you anywhere but in jail in Raleigh. If you can’t handle yourself and your own selfish agenda in our Board of Education, what are you going to do in Raleigh? I personally wouldn’t want you making ANY decisions for the people of Iredell County or North Carolina. Your track record doesn’t show me you could handle it or be able to look beyond your party if their position was simply wrong. We’re sick of that BS.
Blind allegiance to “party unity” is the biggest problem currently facing our democracy. It now seems to require nothing less than uncommon courage to speak outside of national messaging and advocate on behalf of a different position. Can the best interests of Iredell County be governed by policies dictated by Raleigh and Washington 100% of the time? Certainly not. Best for our community should always be paramount to popular within the party. The courage to openly support much more qualified candidates (my opinion) at the risk of being alienated by the local political party: there is your leadership, courage and commitment to community on display for all voters to see. Informed voters should be suspicious when candidates wave the flag of blind allegiance to either party to the detriment of what may be best for our community.
To paraphrase Maya Angelou, when someone is telling you who they are you should listen to them. This gentlemen is seeking this position to “govern.” Semantics aside, I consider that vastly different than being a representative of the people. He states he will “work collaboratively whenever possible.” Why does working collaboratively need to be qualified? In a State that has failed to pass a budget in over six months, collaboration and working well with other lawmakers should be seen as a fundamental job requirement. This qualified statement rings even more true in the wake of his demonstrated behavior on the school board. If it’s not possible to work collaboratively, maybe they can all just fist fight.
Every election brings out strong opinions, and there will always be people who disagree — that’s part of democracy. What matters to me is that we finally have a real choice in this race. In the last election cycle, the outcome was largely shaped by the timing of the filing period rather than a competitive primary, so it’s good for voters to have the opportunity to weigh the candidates this time.
I’m not interested in trading insults or engaging in personal attacks. People can say what they want, but I’m choosing to focus on the positive: engagement, ideas, and the chance for our community to decide its own direction.
I appreciate a candidate who’s willing to show up, answer questions, and earn support directly from voters.
Your tenure on the ISS Board of Education has only brought devisiveness, disruptions, and embarrassment to the district you are supposed to be serving. You have ignored the basic tenets of boardsmanship, leading your board to censure you. Recently, other members of your board called for your resignation following your ridiculous display of middle school playground aggression with a fellow board member.
Iredell County needs someone who will represent us with integrity and selflessness. Todd Carver is an Iredell County native son who has served our community and state with integrity.
Mr. Kubiniec, I have a few simple questions. I’d genuinely like answers.
What part of diversity do you disagree with? That Iredell-Statesville classrooms include children of different backgrounds, different home situations, different life experiences?
What part of equity do you disagree with? That a child in a lower-income household deserves the same shot at a quality education as one in a wealthier neighborhood?
What part of inclusion do you disagree with? That every kid who walks into an Iredell County school, regardless of where they come from, deserves to be there?
If you don’t disagree with any of that, then what exactly is your objection?
You served this nation and that service is honorable. But the men and women buried at Arlington National Cemetery didn’t serve a homogenous America. They came from every background, every ZIP code, every ethnicity this country has. Diversity, equity, and inclusion weren’t political concepts to them. They were the reality of the unit. You know that. You lived it.
Before you reach for the talking points coming out of Washington, consider who is sending them. Two of the President’s three wives immigrated from Eastern Europe. The Vice President’s wife is Indian American and is a Hindu. These families are the living definition of the diversity this country was built on. If it was good enough for them, it is good enough for the kids in Iredell County’s classrooms.
As a kid who grew up in a trailer park in this state, I can tell you exactly what DEI looks like in practice. It looks like a school system that didn’t give up on me because my family didn’t have money. It looks like being included when it would have been easy to overlook me. It looks like programs that made a kid growing up in poverty feel like he had a future worth investing in. That’s it. That’s all it is.
I just hope we’re not about to stop doing that for the next generation of kids who need it most.
Are you going to be just like you were on School Board?? What a disgrace. Horrible behavior.
I wanted to personally respond to your article.
First, I applied for the House District 95 on the very first day of filing. The period was open an ample amount of time for anyone — yourself included — to have applied. I ran against a Democrat challenger; and therefore refute that I inherited any position.
Second, your insinuation that I was reprimanded in some manner for voting against Rep. Jackson’s bill demonstrates at best a lack of understanding on your part and at worst is an outright lie. I voted against the bill because I believed it needed some work and modifications which it received in the Senate. When it returned to the House, I voted in support of it and the bill passed.
Third, you imply I’m a rubber stamp and only vote the party line, but then you accuse me of going against the grain. I have gone against the grain when it came to recommending YOU for your position on the school board — a position you have repeatedly demonstrated I was correct not to recommend you for.
I look forward to the voters’ verdict on March 3rd.
Todd, you are doing a good job and our community supports you. No need to defend yourself to someone who is not looking to debate, but just looking to start trouble. Don’t worry, we already know who he is and what he is about. My family and neighbors support you Todd, and Thank you for your continued service to our wonderful area!
Todd Carver will always have our votes! When it comes to representing us for our district in Raleigh, this young man will be the intregrity, honesty and just the best, smartest, most common sense person you can ask for. Having known him for years and what he stand for, the VERY BEST FOR ANYTHING WE VOTE HIM FOR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mr. Carver –
No, you did not file for NC House District 95 on the very first day of filing. The record from the NC State Board of Elections shows you filed on December 11, a full week into the filing period and 4 days prior to the end date; not on the first day, December 4, as you stated.
Just to clarify the timeline of the last election cycle based on the record from the NC State Board of Elections: the filing period for state offices was December 4–15, 2023. On December 5, U.S. Rep. Patrick McHenry announced he would not seek re-election. Grey Mills, who represented House District 95, then filed on December 11 to run for McHenry’s seat. You filed on December 11 to run for Mills’ seat.
While it was technically possible for others to have filed earlier, most potential candidates would reasonably wait to see whether the incumbent planned to run again. Once it became clear that the seat was open, there were only a few days left in the filing period, which made a competitive primary unlikely.
I’m not criticizing anyone — I’m just describing what happened. The filing timeline meant there wasn’t a Republican primary for District 95, and this year voters have a chance to compare candidates directly. In the prior election, could anyone have filed earlier? That’s true in theory, but in practice most candidates wait to see if the incumbent is running. By the time the seat was clearly open, there were only a few days left to file.
Since our district is not competitive for a Democratic candidate, your victory in the general election was never in doubt – any Republican would have won. Sadly, Republican voters never had a choice in whom to represent them in the 2024 race.
I also want to clarify another point that appears to have been misunderstood. You suggested that I called you a “rubber stamp,” but that is not what I said. My statement — “I am not a rubber stamp. I actively shape outcomes. I am not here to nod and vote — I am here to govern.” — clearly described my own approach to leadership. It was not a reference to you.
It’s important in any campaign that we respond to what was actually said, not what we assume was meant.
Let’s Review the Stated Priorities — and the Record
“Keep North Carolina and Iredell County safe”
Iredell County’s crime rate has declined significantly even as the population has grown:
• From 2014 to 2024, crime dropped roughly 55–57% while population increased.
• Both violent and property crime rates have fallen over the past decade.
• Standardized crime profiles show Iredell’s overall crime rate around 27 per 1,000 residents — comparable to or slightly below state averages.
Sources:
WSOC-TV; Iredell Free News
Crime still exists. But the long-term trend does not support a crisis narrative.
“Grow our economy while keeping taxes low.”
North Carolina’s economy is already expanding:
• Real GDP grew 5.6% annualized in Q3 2025 — above the national rate.
• The state’s economy is nearly 75% larger than a decade ago.
• The individual income tax rate is scheduled to fall from 4.25% in 2024 to 3.49% by 2027.
At the same time, budget forecasts warn that continued tax reductions may lead to flat or declining revenues even as costs rise for education, infrastructure, and disaster recovery.
The key question is trade-offs:
If taxes are reduced further, what is cut, deferred, or shifted to local governments to sustain those reductions?
Sources:
Carolina Journal; NC Budget & Tax Center
“Reform Public Education Funding and Increase Local Control”
Before advancing statewide education reform, it is reasonable to examine your record on the Iredell-Statesville Schools Board:
• Removed as vice chair by board vote.
• Formally censured under the board’s Code of Ethics.
• Local reporting raised concerns regarding board communications and compliance with open meetings requirements.
Education reform requires stable governance, transparency, and public trust.
What measurable improvements in student outcomes or board governance occurred during your tenure that demonstrate readiness for broader reform?
Sources:
Iredell Free News reporting (2023–2024)
“Strengthen Election Integrity Laws”
North Carolina’s own data show voter fraud is rare.
In the 2016 general election:
• Nearly 4.8 million ballots were cast.
• Approximately 508 ineligible ballots were identified — about 0.01% of total votes.
• Only a small fraction involved intentional fraud.
Meanwhile, strict documentation requirements have been shown in peer-reviewed research to reduce turnout among eligible voters lacking required documentation. In 2016, the Fourth Circuit struck down North Carolina’s prior voter ID law, finding it disproportionately burdened African American voters (NC NAACP v. McCrory).
Election security matters. But when documented fraud is measured in hundredths of a percent, policymakers must weigh whether additional restrictions risk affecting far more lawful voters than confirmed fraud cases.
“Faithfully serve the residents and veterans of District 95.”
Supporting veterans and residents is fundamental to public service. At the state level, that means measurable legislative action — funding veteran services, supporting workforce transition programs, strengthening education and healthcare access, and ensuring county resources are adequately supported.
What specific legislative actions or funding priorities are you proposing that demonstrate measurable benefits to veterans and residents in District 95?
Mr. Kubiniec showed his true character and lack of leadership skills for all to see on the ISS Board. I’m glad the voters do have a choice and that it won’t be him.
You and Kurn need to resign from ISS Board of Education now. That’s the only political move you need to make.
The candidate in question presents a troubling study in leadership by intimidation, consistently prioritizing personal grievance over the public good. His tendency to resort to bullying tactics and vitriolic outbursts whenever he encounters resistance reveals a temperament more suited to a playground than a position of power. This combative nature is further compounded by a habitual distortion of facts, as he frequently reshapes reality to cast himself in a more favorable light and mask his shortcomings. Rather than championing the shared values and aspirations of the electorate, his platform appears to be a vehicle for self-interest, fueled by a “my way or the highway” philosophy that alienates allies and ignores the needs of the common citizen. Ultimately, a leader who views every compromise as a personal defeat lacks the fundamental empathy and collaborative spirit required to represent a diverse and democratic society.
I am assuming this means you won’t accept the nomination from the Iredell GOP to replace Mr. Angell since you believe in voter rights to choose and no appointments???
Elections aren’t won by the number of signs you have. This county will proudly support TODD CARVER!