Summary
Current Position: US Representative of NC 2nd District since 2021
Affiliation: Democrat
Former Position: Lawyer from 1990 – 2013
District: The district contains most of Wake County. Prior to court-mandated redistricting in 2019, it also included northern Johnston County, southern Nash County, far western Wilson County, and all of Franklin and Harnett counties.
Upcoming Election:
Ross was the Democratic nominee in the 2016 U.S. Senate election in North Carolina, unsuccessfully challenging Republican incumbent Richard Burr in the general election.
Ross worked for Raleigh-based Hunton & Williams as a tax litigator and municipal bond lawyer. She taught at Duke Law School as a senior lecturing fellow.
Featured Quote:
Republicans want to pick their voters rather than have voters pick their politicians. Honored to join @TheRevAl
to discuss how we can combat GOP-led voter suppression efforts in legislatures across America. We must use every tool at our disposal to protect the right to vote.
NC Congresswoman Deborah Ross supports COVID-19 relief
OnAir Post: Deborah Ross NC-02
News
About
Source: Government page
Congresswoman Deborah Ross is a civil rights advocate, a clean energy champion, a lawyer, and a proud citizen of Wake County. Sworn into the House of Representatives on January 3, 2021, she represents North Carolina’s 2nd Congressional District.
Deborah grew up in a small town, and her parents instilled in her the belief that with opportunity comes responsibility and that through public service she could help others and make a difference.
Deborah came to North Carolina for law school at UNC-Chapel Hill and became an active member of the local community. She entered public service in 2002, when she ran for and won a seat in the North Carolina House of Representatives, where she served for over ten years. As a Representative, Deborah worked to protect voting rights, fund transit and transportation projects, increase access to affordable housing and protect and expand healthcare. Deborah was named as one of Wake County’s most effective legislators for her ability to work across the aisle to deliver results for the people of North Carolina.
As a civil rights lawyer, Deborah fought for fairness and justice, working to pass the South’s first anti-racial profiling law and juvenile justice reform. In her law practice, she worked for a cleaner energy future, helping to create thousands of jobs in the renewable energy sector.
As Representative for North Carolina’s 2nd Congressional District, Deborah is fighting for equality, justice, and progress. She serves on the House Judiciary Committee, House Rules Committee, and the Space, Science, and Technology Committee
Deborah and her husband Steve live in Raleigh with their dog Wylie.
Personal
Full Name: Deborah K. Ross
Gender: Female
Family: Husband: Steve
Birth Date: 06/20/1963
Birth Place: Philadelphia, PA
Home City: Raleigh, NC
Religion: Unitarian Universalist
Source: JD, University of North Carolina Law School, 1990 BA, Brown University, 1985 Representative, United States House of Representatives, North Carolina, District 2, 2021-present Candidate, United States House of Representatives, North Carolina, District 2, 2022 Candidate, United States Senate, North Carolina, 2016 Co-Chair, Democrat Conference, North Carolina State House of Representatives, 2013 Representative, North Carolina State House of Representatives, District 34, 2003-2013 Minority Whip, North Carolina State House of Representatives, 2011-2012 Majority Whip, North Carolina House of Representatives, 2006-2010 Counsel, Fox Rothschild Limited Liability Partnership, 2018-present Former Adviser, Business Ethics, Duke Kenan Institute for Ethics Former Senior Lecturing Fellow, Duke Law School Counsel, Smith Moore Leatherwood Limited Liability Partnership, 2017-2018 General Counsel, GoTriangle, 2013-2015 WASHINGTON DC OFFICE Phone: (202) 225-3032 Phone: (919) 334-0840 Email: Government Source: none Source: Open Secrets House Judiciary Committee, Vice Ranking Member House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology Source: Government page Source: Government page Source: Wikipedia Established by the state legislature after the American Civil War, the district was known as “The Black Second;” counties included in the district were mostly majority-Black in population. All four of North Carolina’s Republican African-American congressmen elected in the post-Civil War era (ending with George Henry White) represented this district,[3][4] as did white yeoman farmer Curtis Hooks Brogden of Wayne County, a Republican ally of former Governor William Woods Holden. After North Carolina Democrats regained control of the state legislature in the 1870s (using intimidation by the Red Shirts and other paramilitary groups to reduce the number of African Americans voting), they passed voter registration and electoral laws that restricted voter rolls. Black Americans continued getting elected into local and state level offices. The state legislature passed a new constitutional amendment in 1900, which effectively disfranchised blacks altogether.[5] This ended the election of Black Americans to local, state or Congressional offices until after passage of federal civil rights legislation in the mid-1960s, which enforced constitutional voting rights. Thousands of Black Americans migrated north from the state in the Great Migration during the first half of the twentieth century, seeking job opportunities and education. By the later twentieth century, before the 1990s, the 2nd district was roughly 40% black. While it had the highest percentage of Black residents of any congressional district in North Carolina, African-American candidates were unable to get elected to Congress from the majority-white district. State redistricting following census changes led to the creation of the black-majority 1st and 12th districts and drew off some of the Black population from the 2nd. Today the proportion of African-American residents is about 20.11% in the 2nd district. In 2019, court-mandated redistricting shifted the district entirely into urban Wake County. Incumbent Republican representative George Holding declined to run for re-election in 2020, and Democratic Rep. Deborah Ross won election to the seat.[6] On February 23, 2022, the North Carolina Supreme Court approved a new map which changed the 2nd district boundaries to include northern Wake County while moving much of what had been the 2nd district to the 13th district.[7] Wake County is the sole county in the district. Deborah Ross (née Koff; born June 20, 1963) is an American lawyer and politician who has served as the U.S. representative for North Carolina’s 2nd congressional district since 2021. Her district is based in Raleigh. A member of the Democratic Party, Ross served as a member of the North Carolina House of Representatives from 2003 to 2013, representing the state’s 38th and then 34th House district, including much of northern Raleigh and surrounding suburbs in Wake County. Ross was the Democratic nominee in the 2016 U.S. Senate election in North Carolina, unsuccessfully challenging Republican incumbent Richard Burr in the general election. Ross was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on June 20, 1963, and grew up in Connecticut.[1] She is the daughter of Barbara (née Klein) and Marvin Koff.[2] Her father served as a physician in the Air Force during the Vietnam era and her mother taught preschool.[3] Ross earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Brown University in 1985 and her Juris Doctor from the University of North Carolina School of Law in 1990.[4] Ross and her husband, Steve Wrinn, live in a home that they restored in Boylan Heights, a historic neighborhood in Raleigh.[5] Ross is one of three Unitarian Universalists in Congress.[6][7] After graduating from law school, Ross worked for Raleigh-based Hunton & Williams as a tax litigator and municipal bond lawyer.[8] She taught at Duke Law School as a senior lecturing fellow.[9] Ross was hired as state director for the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of North Carolina in 1994. She worked on First Amendment and juvenile justice issues. Alongside Governor Jim Hunt and then State Senator Roy Cooper, she overhauled North Carolina’s system for dealing with youth offenders. In response to racial profiling reports, she also successfully encouraged state police agencies to collect race-based statistics for traffic stops. Ross stepped down from her position at the ACLU in 2002 when she launched her state House campaign.[1][8] On May 1, 2013, Ross announced she would resign from the legislature in June to serve as legal counsel for GoTriangle, the triangle area’s regional transit agency.[10] On June 1, 2013, Grier Martin was appointed to succeed her in the House.[11] In March 2017, Ross joined the regional law firm of Smith Moore Leatherwood LLP in Raleigh. Her practice focused on the economic development, energy, utilities, and infrastructure needs of businesses and government.[12] Smith Moore Leatherwood combined with national law firm Fox Rothschild, LLP, on November 1, 2018.[13] Ross was first elected to the North Carolina General Assembly in 2002 and defeated Wake County Commissioner Phil Jeffreys in 2004 to win a second term. She faced no opposition in the 2006 general election, and in 2007, Ross was first elected as one of the House Democratic Whips. Ross supported the Equal Pay Act, an unsuccessful bill that would have banned North Carolina employers from paying workers differently based on gender.[14] In 2012, Ross compared state coastal protection policies that ignore scientists’ sea level rise forecasts to burying one’s “head in the sand”. She said she was concerned that increased risk of flooding would lead insurance companies to charge higher premiums for coastal property owners.[15] In 2015, Ross resigned as legal counsel at GoTriangle to run for the U.S. Senate in 2016.[16] She won the March 2016 Democratic primary with 62.4% of the vote from a field of four candidates.[17] Ross was endorsed by EMILY’s List, Planned Parenthood, the North Carolina Association of Educators, the North Carolina AFL–CIO, American Association for Justice, End Citizens United, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, Democracy for America, and the League of Conservation Voters.[18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][excessive citations] In the general election, Ross ran against the incumbent, Republican Richard Burr. Ross raised more money than Burr for three consecutive quarters, but nevertheless had less cash on hand as Burr began the year with $5.3 million in campaign funds. As of October 21, Ross was down 2.8% in the Real Clear Politics average of polls. The race received national attention as The Cook Political Report rated the race a toss-up and Democrats viewed the seat as one they could win.[27] Burr won with 51% of the vote.[28] On December 2, 2019, Ross announced her candidacy for the U.S. House of Representatives in North Carolina’s newly redrawn 2nd congressional district in 2020.[29] She jumped into the race shortly after a court-ordered redistricting cut the 2nd back to southern Wake County, including almost all of Raleigh. The old 2nd covered roughly half of Wake County, along with several exurbs south and east of the capital.[30] Had the district existed in 2016, Hillary Clinton would have carried it with 60% of the vote[31] and defeated Donald Trump by over 24 points.[32] By comparison, Trump carried the old 2nd with 53% of the vote,[33] defeating Clinton by 12 points. On paper, the new map turned the 2nd from a Republican-leaning district into a safely Democratic district.[32] With pundits suggesting that the 2nd was a likely Democratic pickup, Republican incumbent George Holding, who had represented much of the area for two terms in the 13th district before it was essentially merged with the 2nd in 2016, opted to retire. Holding said that the significantly bluer hue of the new 2nd figured significantly in his decision.[32] Ross won the Democratic primary on March 3.[34] She won the general election on November 3, defeating Republican nominee Alan Swain and Libertarian Jeff Matemu.[35] As of December 2021, Ross had voted in line with Joe Biden‘s stated position 100% of the time.[36] On July 1, 2021, Ross and Mariannette Miller-Meeks introduced the America’s CHILDREN Act.[37] If enacted, the bill would grant a pathway to permanent residency for children who grew up in the United States legally but were blocked from obtaining permanent residency due to green card backlogs and other legal barriers. Ross voted with President Joe Biden‘s stated position 100% of the time in the 117th Congress, according to a FiveThirtyEight analysis.[38] Deborah Ross (née Koff; born June 20, 1963) is an American lawyer and politician who has served as the U.S. representative for North Carolina’s 2nd congressional district since 2021. Her district is based in Raleigh. A member of the Democratic Party, Ross served as a member of the North Carolina House of Representatives from 2003 to 2013, representing the state’s 38th and then 34th House district, including much of northern Raleigh and surrounding suburbs in Wake County. Ross was the Democratic nominee in the 2016 U.S. Senate election in North Carolina, unsuccessfully challenging Republican incumbent Richard Burr in the general election. Ross was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on June 20, 1963, and grew up in Connecticut.[1] She is the daughter of Barbara (née Klein) and Marvin Koff.[2] Her father served as a physician in the Air Force during the Vietnam era and her mother taught preschool.[3] Ross earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Brown University in 1985 and her Juris Doctor from the University of North Carolina School of Law in 1990.[4] Ross and her husband, Steve Wrinn, live in a home that they restored in Boylan Heights, a historic neighborhood in Raleigh.[5] Ross is one of three Unitarian Universalists in Congress.[6][7] After graduating from law school, Ross worked for Raleigh-based Hunton & Williams as a tax litigator and municipal bond lawyer.[8] She taught at Duke Law School as a senior lecturing fellow.[9] Ross was hired as state director for the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of North Carolina in 1994. She worked on First Amendment and juvenile justice issues. Alongside Governor Jim Hunt and then State Senator Roy Cooper, she overhauled North Carolina’s system for dealing with youth offenders. In response to racial profiling reports, she also successfully encouraged state police agencies to collect race-based statistics for traffic stops. Ross stepped down from her position at the ACLU in 2002 when she launched her state House campaign.[1][8] On May 1, 2013, Ross announced she would resign from the legislature in June to serve as legal counsel for GoTriangle, the triangle area’s regional transit agency.[10] On June 1, 2013, Grier Martin was appointed to succeed her in the House.[11] In March 2017, Ross joined the regional law firm of Smith Moore Leatherwood LLP in Raleigh. Her practice focused on the economic development, energy, utilities, and infrastructure needs of businesses and government.[12] Smith Moore Leatherwood combined with national law firm Fox Rothschild, LLP, on November 1, 2018.[13] Ross was first elected to the North Carolina General Assembly in 2002 and defeated Wake County Commissioner Phil Jeffreys in 2004 to win a second term. She faced no opposition in the 2006 general election, and in 2007, Ross was first elected as one of the House Democratic Whips. Ross supported the Equal Pay Act, an unsuccessful bill that would have banned North Carolina employers from paying workers differently based on gender.[14] In 2012, Ross compared state coastal protection policies that ignore scientists’ sea level rise forecasts to burying one’s “head in the sand”. She said she was concerned that increased risk of flooding would lead insurance companies to charge higher premiums for coastal property owners.[15] In 2015, Ross resigned as legal counsel at GoTriangle to run for the U.S. Senate in 2016.[16] She won the March 2016 Democratic primary with 62.4% of the vote from a field of four candidates.[17] Ross was endorsed by EMILY’s List, Planned Parenthood, the North Carolina Association of Educators, the North Carolina AFL–CIO, American Association for Justice, End Citizens United, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, Democracy for America, and the League of Conservation Voters.[18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][excessive citations] In the general election, Ross ran against the incumbent, Republican Richard Burr. Ross raised more money than Burr for three consecutive quarters, but nevertheless had less cash on hand as Burr began the year with $5.3 million in campaign funds. As of October 21, Ross was down 2.8% in the Real Clear Politics average of polls. The race received national attention as The Cook Political Report rated the race a toss-up and Democrats viewed the seat as one they could win.[27] Burr won with 51% of the vote.[28] On December 2, 2019, Ross announced her candidacy for the U.S. House of Representatives in North Carolina’s newly redrawn 2nd congressional district in 2020.[29] She jumped into the race shortly after a court-ordered redistricting cut the 2nd back to southern Wake County, including almost all of Raleigh. The old 2nd covered roughly half of Wake County, along with several exurbs south and east of the capital.[30] Had the district existed in 2016, Hillary Clinton would have carried it with 60% of the vote[31] and defeated Donald Trump by over 24 points.[32] By comparison, Trump carried the old 2nd with 53% of the vote,[33] defeating Clinton by 12 points. On paper, the new map turned the 2nd from a Republican-leaning district into a safely Democratic district.[32] With pundits suggesting that the 2nd was a likely Democratic pickup, Republican incumbent George Holding, who had represented much of the area for two terms in the 13th district before it was essentially merged with the 2nd in 2016, opted to retire. Holding said that the significantly bluer hue of the new 2nd figured significantly in his decision.[32] Ross won the Democratic primary on March 3.[34] She won the general election on November 3, defeating Republican nominee Alan Swain and Libertarian Jeff Matemu.[35] As of December 2021, Ross had voted in line with Joe Biden‘s stated position 100% of the time.[36] On July 1, 2021, Ross and Mariannette Miller-Meeks introduced the America’s CHILDREN Act.[37] If enacted, the bill would grant a pathway to permanent residency for children who grew up in the United States legally but were blocked from obtaining permanent residency due to green card backlogs and other legal barriers. Ross voted with President Joe Biden‘s stated position 100% of the time in the 117th Congress, according to a FiveThirtyEight analysis.[38] Education
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Fax: (202) 225-0181
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P.O. Box 1548
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District
North Carolina’s 2nd congressional district is located in the central part of the state. The district contains most of Wake County. Prior to court-mandated redistricting in 2019, it also included northern Johnston County, southern Nash County, far western Wilson County, and all of Franklin and Harnett counties. The 2nd district has been represented by Democratic Rep. Deborah Ross since 2021.Wikipedia
Early life and education
Personal life
Legal career
American Civil Liberties Union
GoTriangle
Smith Moore Leatherwood LLP
Early political career
North Carolina legislature
2016 U.S. Senate campaign
U.S. House of Representatives
Elections
2020
Tenure
Committee assignments
Caucus memberships
Electoral history
Party Candidate Votes % Democratic Deborah K. Ross (incumbent) 190,714 64.7 Republican Christine Villaverde 104,155 35.3 Total votes 294,869 100.0 Party Candidate Votes % Democratic Deborah K. Ross 311,887 63.0 Republican Alan Swain 172,544 34.8 Libertarian Jeff Matemu 10,914 2.2 Total votes 495,345 100.0 Party Candidate Votes % ±% Republican Richard Burr (incumbent) 2,395,376 51.06% {{{change}}} Democratic Deborah K. Ross 2,128,165 45.37% Libertarian Sean Haugh 167,592 3.57% Total votes 4,691,133 100.00% See also
References
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)External links
International National People Other Wikipedia
Early life and education
Personal life
Legal career
American Civil Liberties Union
GoTriangle
Smith Moore Leatherwood LLP
Early political career
North Carolina legislature
2016 U.S. Senate campaign
U.S. House of Representatives
Elections
2020
Tenure
Committee assignments
Caucus memberships
Electoral history
Party Candidate Votes % Democratic Deborah K. Ross (incumbent) 190,714 64.7 Republican Christine Villaverde 104,155 35.3 Total votes 294,869 100.0 Party Candidate Votes % Democratic Deborah K. Ross 311,887 63.0 Republican Alan Swain 172,544 34.8 Libertarian Jeff Matemu 10,914 2.2 Total votes 495,345 100.0 Party Candidate Votes % ±% Republican Richard Burr (incumbent) 2,395,376 51.06% {{{change}}} Democratic Deborah K. Ross 2,128,165 45.37% Libertarian Sean Haugh 167,592 3.57% Total votes 4,691,133 100.00% See also
References
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)External links
International National People Other
