Tim Moore
Party:
Republican
Incumbent:
Yes
Age:
55
Previous experience in elected office:
U.S. House of Representatives (2025-present); N.C.. House of Representatives (2002-25); N.C.House Speaker (2015-25)
Occupation:
U.S. Congressman
Description:
On his website and social media, Moore says that while in the N.C. legislature, he fought for laws outlawing sanctuary cities, fought for voter ID laws and worked to keep "men from playing female sports." He says he also cut income taxes. In Congress, his official webpage says that he "continues to champion policies that foster economic growth, strengthen financial accountability, and support hardworking families in Western North Carolina." He is a member of the House Committees on Financial Services and the Budget. As House speaker, Republicans saw him as effective in advancing Republican priorities, including redrawing districts to favor the party, while Democrats criticized him as the leader of polarizing issues such as the state’s “bathroom bill,” HB2, as well as a leading proponent of restricting abortion rights after Roe v. Wade was overturned in 2022.
Other personal:
Moore is from Kings Mountain (near Crowders Mountain State Park). He closed his private practice law firm after he was elected to Congress. He is divorced and the father of two sons. He was sued in 2023 for "alienation of affection" following a relationship with a married woman. He has a bachelor's degree from UNC Chapel Hill and a JD from Oklahoma City University.
Questionnaire from The Gaston Business Association
With the increasing budget deficit on track to top $2 trillion this year, what specific spending and/or revenue changes would you support to shift the current trajectory and begin reducing the national debt?
The national debt is one of the greatest crises facing America. It took nearly 200 years to hit a trillion and here we are at $40 trillion. This is a problem that has been in the making for decades and particularly in the years from 2021 to 2024 with record out-of-control spending. If we get rid of waste, fraud, and abuse, we can get rid of about 25% of the current federal spending. This means that as much as $10 trillion is waste, fraud, and abuse.
We passed the Working Families Tax Cuts Act, a number of reconciliation bills, and CRAs that are designed at getting rid of that waste, fraud, and abuse to cut down on federal spending. We need to make sure to also protect critical programs like Medicare and Social Security.
The interest that we’re paying on the national debt right now is a little over $1 trillion. That’s more than we spend to fund the entire military. That’s shameful. Past presidents and congresses have failed to deal with this - both parties - and we’ve got plans right now that are working to reduce that curve as we keep moving forward to actually start paying down the national debt.
Data centers are expanding fast in this region, and states are now writing laws to limit the exposure of residents to related power and water rate increases. What is your perspective on Congress’s role in setting national policy for data center construction and operations?
With the growth of AI, data centers are a necessary part, but they have to be in the right areas, they have to be good neighbors, and they cannot interfere with the use of other property owners. Data centers can’t go everywhere. They need to be net power producers and good stewards of other resources, such as water.
We passed the bipartisan Ratepayer Protection Act in the House, and I’m advocating for it to get signed into law. The bill ensures American families aren’t paying for the grid upgrades and new energy generation required to operate large data centers. Without this bill, families and small businesses in communities where data center development occurs could see higher electricity bills every month. While AI continues to advance rapidly, it’s critical that we establish federal guardrails to protect the American people.
As the U.S. competes to win the global AI race, we must ensure that growth does not come at the expense of hardworking families.
Social Security and Medicare trust funds are projected to face shortfalls in a few years. How do you propose to address this risk of reduced benefits?
Social Security and Medicare are critical programs for seniors and families. We need to protect retirees and those who have paid into the system all their lives to make sure they get what they are entitled to. We are looking at reforms that protect these programs, reduce waste and inefficiency, grow the economy, and address the broader spending and debt problem. For example, with Medicare, there’s a lot of overbilling that happens and challenges that need to be addressed. That is absolutely critical in making sure that program takes care of those who need it. Another example is Medicaid. The Obama administration expanded this, and tried to promote “Medicare for All”. That simply doesn’t work and would result in income taxes doubling for folks. We need to have a market based approach to help save money to protect those benefits.
Regarding AI, what do you see as Congress’s most important area of focus for our country?
Artificial intelligence has enormous potential to strengthen our economy and improve the
way Americans live and work, but innovation must be accompanied by accountability. Congress should establish clear rules that protect Americans' privacy and personal data,
guard against fraud and other malicious uses of AI, and ensure that the United States remains the global leader in this technology.
At the same time, we should be careful not to impose regulations that stifle American
innovation or put us at a disadvantage to countries like China. Government should use AI responsibly where it can improve efficiency and services, but important decisions affecting
Americans should remain accountable to people, not simply be handed over to an algorithm.