Paul_Newton_(politician)
Paul Newton (politician)
American politician from North Carolina
Paul Robert Newton (born June 2, 1960) is an American politician and Republican member of the North Carolina State Senate, formerly representing the 36th district.[1][2]
Paul Newton | |
---|---|
Majority Leader of the North Carolina Senate | |
Assumed office January 1, 2023 | |
Leader | Phil Berger |
Preceded by | Kathy Harrington |
Member of the North Carolina Senate | |
Assumed office January 1, 2017 | |
Preceded by | Fletcher L. Hartsell Jr. |
Constituency | 36th district (2017–2023) 34th district (2023–present) |
Personal details | |
Born | Paul Robert Newton (1960-06-02) June 2, 1960 (age 63) North Carolina, U.S. |
Political party | Republican |
Spouse | Melanie |
Children | 4 |
Education | University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill (BS, JD) |
Newton was an executive at the utility company Duke Energy before retiring.[3][4] As a member of the state Senate's energy committee, Newton opposed natural gas production limitations in North Carolina.[3]
In 2021, amid nationwide Republican efforts to Republican efforts to restrict voting following the 2020 presidential election, Newton proposed legislation that would prevent counties from counting valid mail-in absentee ballots postmarked before or on election day unless they were received by the polling places by 5 p.m. on election day. Newton argued that it was "suspicious" for valid absentee ballots to be counted after election day.[5] In the 2020 elections, 11,000 ballots arrived in the three-day grace period after election day and were counted; under Newton's proposal, they would have been thrown out.[5]
In 2021, as co-chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, Newton sponsored a proposal to reduce the state income tax rate from 5.25% to 4.99%.[6]
In April 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic in North Carolina, Newton was one of five Republican state senators asked Governor Roy Cooper to allow the Coca-Cola 600, a NASCAR race, to be run at Charlotte Motor Speedway, although without a crowd of fans.[7] The following year, Newton sponsored a "liability shield" bill to provide a limited form of immunity to businesses, government agency or nonprofit against lawsuits arising from COVID-19 transmission on their premises.[8]
In November 2022, Newton was elected by his colleagues to become Senate Majority Leader for the 2023–2024 session.[9]
2022
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Paul Newton (incumbent) | 40,991 | 56.90% | |
Democratic | Keshia Sandidge | 31,044 | 43.10% | |
Total votes | 72,035 | 100% | ||
Republican hold | ||||
2020
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Paul Newton (incumbent) | 69,932 | 57.71% | |
Democratic | Marcus J. Singleton | 51,249 | 42.29% | |
Total votes | 121,181 | 100% | ||
Republican hold | ||||
2018
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Paul Newton (incumbent) | 44,938 | 56.63% | |
Democratic | Mark E. Shelley | 34,416 | 43.37% | |
Total votes | 79,354 | 100% | ||
Republican hold | ||||
2016
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Paul Newton | 9,562 | 37.04% | |
Republican | Scott C. Aumuller | 7,749 | 30.02% | |
Republican | Amy Blake | 5,509 | 21.34% | |
Republican | Parish Moffitt | 2,994 | 11.60% | |
Total votes | 25,814 | 100% |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Paul Newton | 59,584 | 62.56% | |
Democratic | Robert Brown | 35,664 | 37.44% | |
Total votes | 95,248 | 100% | ||
Republican hold | ||||
- "The Voter's Self Defense System". Vote Smart.
- "Meet the candidates: NC Senate District 36 Paul Newton". The Independent Tribune.
- Gary D. Robertson, Experts: 1 pipeline each for NC natural gas, fuel a concern, Associated Press (May 18, 2021).
- Gary D. Robertson, NC Senate nixes environment chief, but Cooper rehires her, Associated Press (June 3, 2021).
- "'Obstacles in voters' way': Three state bills could drastically change North Carolina's election laws". The Chronicle. Retrieved July 13, 2021.
- Gary D. Robertson, NC Senate Republicans to pitch more state tax reductions, Associated Press (March 22, 2021).
- GOP senators ask NC governor to allow racing at Charlotte, Associated Press (April 19, 2020).
- Gary D. Robertson, N.C. lawmakers push reopen bills, virus liability protection, Associated Press (June 16, 2020).
- "Sen. Paul Newton elected N.C. Senate majority leader; Sen. Blue to serve as Democratic leader". Gray Television, Inc. November 29, 2022. Retrieved January 1, 2023.
North Carolina Senate | ||
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Preceded by | Member of the North Carolina Senate from the 36th district 2017–2023 |
Succeeded by |
Preceded by | Member of the North Carolina Senate from the 34th district 2023–present |
Incumbent |
Preceded by | Majority Leader of the North Carolina Senate 2023–present |