Goldsboro, NC - Majority Leader John Bell released the following statement after filing for re-election on Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2018:

"In 2012, the voters gave me their trust to represent them in Raleigh.  You sent me to Raleigh to clean up our state government and to put North Carolina back on a path to prosperity. We were facing a $3 billion dollar budget deficit, the third highest unemployment rate in the country and job creation was stagnant because of onerous government regulation and over taxation.

As your Representative, my colleagues and I have worked tirelessly to change course and put North Carolina on the right track. Today, North Carolina has one of the fastest growing economies in the country, our unemployment rate is at an all-time low, businesses are finding a friendlier regulatory environment, and people now have more money in their pocket because of our tax reforms.

We are also focused on building a robust North Carolina for future generations. Our state is building roads again; teachers are getting regular pay raises for their dedication to educating our children, state employees see more money in their paychecks, and most important we have gotten our budgets under control and put money aside in a rainy day fund in case of economic downturns or natural disasters.

I have stood firm in support of our men and women in uniform and sponsored legislation that protects Seymour Johnson Air Force Base. I fought to make sure the doors to the new Cherry Hospital were open to serve our most at-risk citizens. After Hurricane Matthew destroyed Eastern North Carolina, I worked with our local officials to make sure we had the funding necessary to recover – an effort I am still fighting for today!

While I am proud of these accomplishments, there’s still more work to do. After much prayer, and with my family by my side, we have decided to file for re-election to the North Carolina House of Representatives. I am truly blessed by all the support, and I look forward to continuing serving as your Representative. God Bless!"