Name: Jim Allen
Party: Republican
Occupation: Electrical Contractor
Years in District: Born in district
Endorsements: None
Amendment 1: Support
What do you think is the central issue for this election?
In my opinion the central issue for this election is the economy. If we have a strong economy we tackle so many problems. We are putting a huge dent in the housing problem, unemployment, poverty, uninsured people and just across the board. Right now, at this juncture it is the economy. It will improve education. Our whole quality of life will improve. In my opinion to fix it, we need to explore what are the causes of the downturn that we had. I believe that in all of the districts in North Carolina that have had a heavy manufacturing sector, I believe these have been decimated by free trade. I have been labeled a protectionist time and time again. The core problem with the economy in my opinion at this time is jobs and I believe free trade has not been fair trade.
What are the specific issues facing your district?
In our district, there was an example that was released just last week and I hope I get the name right because this is a good example. I believe the name of the company was Mastercraft furniture company. It was a furniture company in South Mebane, North Carolina. It had been in business 66 years and just shut its doors. Another specific example is in Burlington, North Carolina, in the Chapel Hill area and in Durham. All you have to do is walk around town and you see empty buildings, be them textile manufacturing, furniture manufacturing. All kinds of manufacturing dents in the district, per say.
Why do you think your constituents should elect you over your opponents?
For lack of a better term, I have a working man’s Ph. D. I don’t believe David Price or the Governor or even on our end as Republicans, Howard Coble, or pretty much anybody understands what is happening in this real world. When we have people that are either worth millions of dollars or insulated—I haven’t been insulated in no way shape or form in my life. I believe that I’m uniquely qualified in my own personal experience and trying to help others fight with various government agencies. I realize the red tape and the involvement and the audacity of these departments and placing politics and diplomacy over us all of the time.
What are the biggest accomplishments and the biggest failures of the US Congress during the past two years in your mind?
I think the biggest failure in the past two years goes back to—and I wish we could go back a couple more years than that—but it’s the continual placing of politics—and this is both parties, obviously—placing politics and diplomacy over “we the people.” It’s the most monumental failure in my opinion of today and yesterday. If we don’t start getting some normal people in office, it’s going to continue tomorrow.
The biggest accomplishment? Oh boy! I’m going to have to be careful with this, because I don’t think my side has too much to go on here. I would say the biggest accomplishment were those in Congress that tried—and I say tried, so this may not be the biggest accomplishment—but the biggest accomplishment were those who attempted to block the free trade agreement, what I think is the unfair trade agreement, with Columbia, Panama and South Korea.
What’s your guilty pleasure?
My guilty pleasure would probably be not being able to pull myself away from Sunday football games. I know that sounds silly, but that’s probably, for me in my life, that’s ended up being problems for me.
