Elaine’s a proven leader, with a track record of fighting for North Carolina families.

The daughter of a farmer and a church organist, Elaine was the first person in her family to go to college. She’s been a small business owner, teacher, and a successful attorney.

Throughout her career, Elaine has stood up for people who didn’t have a voice. As a State Senator, she led the floor fight for the Marital Rape Bill and she stood up to insurance companies, helping to expand coverage in rural areas.

As Secretary of State, Elaine has fought for North Carolina consumers and families, and she’s worked to improve North Carolina’s business climate, creating jobs. She led the way on enacting tough lobbying laws, making government work for the people. And she’s taken on Wall Street, recovering over $500 million for North Carolina foundations, small businesses and investors.

Elaine was an active young Democrat herself. She received her B.S. from the University of Maryland and her J.D. from Campbell University.

Elaine is a member of the Divine Street United Methodist Church in Dunn. She has five step-children and seven grandchildren. In her free time, she enjoys ACC football and basketball, cooking, and gardening.

Why are you running?

Times are tough. North Carolina’s families are hurting. And Senator Burr’s not listening. After sixteen years in Washington, he’s just part of the problem.

We need jobs. We need to get our economy back on track. And we need to keep our country moving forward. All Senator Burr offers is a return to the same failed policies of the past.

I’m running because it’s time we put Washington back to work for the people of North Carolina. It’s time we had a Senator that stood up to special interests, and fought for North Carolina families. That’s what I’ve done throughout my career, and that’s what I’ll do in the U.S. Senate.

How will you beat Richard Burr?

There’s not much of a secret to it: hard work, grit, determination. I’m going to beat Senator Burr by doing just what I’ve done my whole life: standing up for what I believe in, working hard, and taking on the tough fights.

We’ve got the right message, and we’ve got the right policies. We’re running a statewide, grassroots campaign that people all over this state can believe in. He’s got the special interests and the corporate lobbyists, but I’ve got something more powerful–all of you.

What issues will you specifically address that will help Young Democrats (18-35 years old)?

Jobs and the economy is the number one issue facing our country, and it is the number one issue facing young people. Unemployment has hit people 18-35 particularly hard, and too many young people are unable to find work.

Unfortunately, in Washington, Senator Burr has stood in lockstep with his Republican colleagues, voting for the same failed policies and reckless practices that got us into this mess.

I’ll work to implement smart policies that stop the job losses and get our economy growing again: that means cutting taxes, investing in green jobs, making credit available to small businesses, and making the necessary investments in education and infrastructure that will produce jobs in the short-term and make America more competitive in the long run.

I’m committed to making sure every student has access to a quality affordable education, and that when they graduate, they can find a job and aren’t overburdened by debt.

I’ll work to make North Carolina a leader in developing green jobs that will decrease our dependence on foreign oil and help protect our environment.

And I’ll work to increase equity and finally turn the page on all forms of discrimination.

On these issues and many others, Senator Burr and I couldn’t be further apart. To learn more, you can visit my website: http://www.elainemarshall.com/section/issues

How can YD’s find out more information about you and your campaign?

For more information about my campaign visit: www.elainemarshall.com

How can YD’s get involved in your campaign?

There are a number of ways to get involved in the campaign:

Sign-up to volunteer through our website www.elainemarshall.com

If you’d like to speak with someone about internships or volunteer opportunities call 888-674-2010 or send as in email info@elainemarshall.com.

You can also come by our headquarters: 311 S. Harrington Street in Raleigh.

Organizing for America and the North Carolina Democratic Party are helping to run our statewide coordinated campaign, and there are great opportunities to help out the campaign by working with both of these organizations.

For campaign updates, follow me on Twitter (@Elaine4NC), and be sure to ‘Like’ my page on Facebook.

The American Recovery Act is working. Just as Celgard was recently able to hire 60 people, companies across the country have been adding job. The newest report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics showed that the US gained more than 162,000 jobs in March! This is amazing news when you consider that just a year ago, we were losing 753,000 jobs per a month.

Last week’s news is further proof that President Obama’s plan for improving the economy is working. We cannot let Republicans try to suggest otherwise.