Natalie Murdock hoping to build on historic tenure in N.C. Senate
In an interview with The Blueprint, Murdock talks about the state of the union in the wake of Roe v. Wade being overturned, ongoing gun violence, and voter suppression.
While North Carolina isn’t a battleground state for the U.S. Senate, there’s a lot on the line for Democrats in the state’s senate races.
And for Natalie Murdock, the first Black woman under the age of 40 in N.C. history to serve as a senator, the midterm elections this fall will represent a precursor of what’s to come in American politics.
Murdock’s historic tenure began back in April 2020, when she succeeded 89-year-old Mickey Michaux. An avid endorser of the provisions in the failed Build Back Better plan, Murdock’s priority in seeking a second term is addressing the state’s plans to come out of the pandemic and address the record-breaking inflation hitting vulnerable Americans hardest at the grocery store and the gas pumps.
Recently, Murdock filed and co-sponsored bills to help put money back in the pockets of low and middle-income Americans. Part of her proposed legislation would see a reduced tax on groceries, diapers, and other critical needs like menstrual products. Another bill would provide a $200 fuel rebate to drivers.
Another pillar of her campaign is reproductive justice. That’s why Murdock became one of the primary sponsors of a bill that would codify the provisions in the Supreme Court decisions Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey.
"One of the reasons I even ran for office was to fight for reproductive rights, health, and justice," Murdock said, noting her political goals have always centred around equity and economic opportunity.
" I believe in folks having the opportunity to live the American dream, but I know that we can only do that if we have a more equitable society," she said. "I don't have children, but I am of childbearing age. I hope to be a mother one day, but I want that to be my decision."
While North Carolina has a Democratic and pro-choice governor in Roy Cooper, the state legislature is majority-Republican, making it virtually impossible for the 20 senators who signed on to a bill to codify abortion rights to get the legislation to Cooper’s desk. There are currently 22 Democratic senators in the N.C. Senate. If the number falls below 21 in the fall elections, the Democrats lose their ability to uphold the veto power of their governor—the only thing that’s kept anti-abortion legislation pushed by Republican colleagues from forcing a bill into law.
“We have been able to block all recent attempts to roll back abortion rights, and we want to keep it that way,” she said, calling the elections both key and critical.
Since North Carolina is not a trigger state, the overturning of Roe v. Wade did not see the state automatically revert to previous anti-abortion legislation. Because abortion wasn’t immediately criminalized in N.C., Planned Parenthood and abortion providers are preparing for an influx of patients who won't have anywhere else to go out-of-state.
Murdock noted that for more than half of American women, access to abortion will be one of the primary reasons they’re voting in the upcoming midterms.
“How can we go home and do absolutely nothing…?”
She took part in a march and a forum aimed at ending gun violence in the United States, which has seen nearly 300 mass shootings this year. And while the footage on the evening news has been hard to watch, she’s forced herself to not look away.
"I remember how horrified I felt during Columbine. I was fearful of going to high school, all of my classmates were. And now, all these years later, we still don't have a handle on that," she said. "Why are we policymakers if we don't want to protect children?"
Murdock also hosted a press conference alongside her Democratic colleagues in the N.C. Senate to take action on gun control ahead of the midterms. While legislators are past the deadline to file brand new bills, Murdock noted that there is nothing stopping politicians from forwarding amendments to existing legislation.
"How can we go home and do absolutely nothing about gun violence and reform?" she asked, adding that these crimes will only continue if politicians don’t get serious about banning assault weapons. "There are a lot of solutions on the table and it's really up to Republicans to do something. I don't know how you continue to hear reports of mass shootings week after week after week and do absolutely nothing."
Black women forced to dig into retirement funds to run for office
When Murdock filed to run for office at 35-years-old, she knew it wouldn’t be easy to succeed in politics as a Black woman in the American South. People told Murdock she was too young, suggested she wait until she was more experienced, and some even took it upon themselves to encourage her to start a family instead.
Due to the lack of generational wealth for many Black Americans due to the ongoing legacy of white supremacy, many Black women are forced to dig into their retirement funds or 401k’s just to finance their campaign for public office.
Even in the media, Murdock claims that black women are frequently referred to as "stiff" and "unrelatable."But as she explains, that’s the plight of a Black woman.
"We don’t want to be pigeonholed into stereotypes, so we’re going to be more guarded about what we say and how we’re viewed in public because [being] criticized is part of our everyday [lives]," she said.
But Murdock knows the barriers Black women face go well beyond the polls, noting they earn significantly less compared to white men in North Carolina.
She said that for a lot of black women, including herself, "it’s a natural evolution for us to run for office because we're already fighting for issues in our community.” Murdock was passionate about the plights of Black farmers, agriculture, equity, and transportation long before she filled out her campaign paperwork. "We do it because we know things have to change. "We not only deserve a seat at the table, but to make our own table."
That table is growing in North Carolina as Black women are leading as mayor, police chief, county manager, city manager, and the county commission, and that’s not including Murdock’s run as a state senator.
“I'm proud that I was part of the first of a wave of young women making it to the General Assembly,” Murdock said. “It's important, because how do you really have a solid government if everyone doesn't have representation? That's why black women have to be there.”
“You have to vote”
Another issue that concerns Murdock about the midterms is the efforts by Republican lawmakers to make it harder to vote, something she considers a "multi-state coordinated attack" on those who oversee elections. With some election officials even being threatened at their homes, Murdock worries about how these nefarious tactics could drive down voter turnout—particularly among racialized communities.
“You have to really watch laws that want to make it easier to throw ballots out,” she warned. “That is what voter suppression will look like.”
Murdock worries that the country could face a constitutional crisis if the legitimacy of election officials comes into question. She says the only way to protect the democratic process is to restore the Voting Rights Act along with comprehensive federal protection for American elections.
“The best way to fight voter suppression—as unfortunate as it is—is to vote,” Murdock said. “People need to vote in such high numbers that [voter suppression is] off the table and isn’t even an option.”
On a national front, the open seat in N.C.’s 13th district is currently a toss-up, with Democrat Wiley Nickel vying against Republican Bo Hines. The Republican incumbent, Ted Budd, is leaving his post in hopes of succeeding Richard Burr in the U.S. Senate.