Robert Reives II, the North Carolina House Representative for House District 54, which encompasses all of Chatham County, and parts of Orange County, has been chosen to become the head of the State House Democrats. As minority leader, he will guide the house Democrats on voting and legislative matters. He will coordinate campaigns and other events for the Democratic Party.
The Democrats suffered a legislative loss during this election cycle. They needed to win six seats in order to regain control of the House but lost four seats instead. The Republicans currently control both the State Senate and House, meaning they have control over the legislative branch. However, Reives is confident that he will be able to reach across party lines to pass bills.
Reives has several goals that he wants to reach during his tenure as a Democratic leader. He wants to promote the growth and accessibility of broadband, especially in communities that currently lack easy access to it. Only 82% of Chatham residents have access to broadband coverage, compared to neighboring counties, which average around 90% broadband coverage. This means that parts of the county have no or outdated and slow internet connections. In an increasingly online age, this is an important distinction. Reives has also stated that he is working to reduce the gap in education between high and low-income areas and between white and minority students. In Chatham County, a white student is 2.6 times more likely to be enrolled in an AP class than a Hispanic student, and 2.1 times more likely to be in an AP class compared to an African-American student.
Reives went to the University of North Carolina- Chapel Hill as a Pogue Scholar. He graduated with a degree in business administration and finance. He then continued his studies as a law student at Chapel Hill and graduated in 1995. Reives worked for the Lee County District Attorney’s office as a prosecutor before joining Wilson and Reives law firm, where he worked for twenty years. In 2014 he ran and won the position of representative and has kept it since. What Reives will be able to accomplish in his term as minority leader will be seen on Jan. 13, 2021, when the general assembly will first meet.
Photo courtesy of North Carolina General Assembly Website.
