Business candidate to challenge Pittman in 82nd District primary

FISCHER – Photo by Marty Price

By Marty Price. Pledging to run an aggressive campaign, Concord native Michael Fischer, 32, announced his candidacy for the NC House of Representatives on Oct. 12. A conservative attorney, former teacher and family man, Fischer said “making sure Cabarrus County gets the most effective representation that it can have” is what drives him.

“My entire life Cabarrus county has been a high-growth community,” said Fischer. “I think that the most important issue is economic development. With growth you need to continue to fuel that growth, but you have to do it in a smart way. You have to make sure that you have an environment that will attract more, good businesses to the community so that we can attract more jobs.”

Pittman has had his share of critics on both sides of the aisle. He famously called for public hangings in North Carolina as a deterrent to crime, and said doctors who perform abortions should be in the line to the gallows.

Business and political leaders are coming forward to show support for the new candidate.  Realtor Diane Honeycutt said, “Michael Fischer is a very bright young man with a strong interest in seeing Cabarrus County as a strong, vibrant community through a economically sound business climate and a great educational system for our children giving them every opportunity for success.”

“As a former educator, attorney and new father of a two-month-old, his commitment to these goals is one that I believe he will excel in helping our community achieve,” she said. Honeycutt, a former chairwoman of the Cabarrus Chamber of Commerce, is a member of the Cabarrus County Board of Commissioners.

“We need to have top-notch representation in Raleigh because it’s important, not only to us, our neighbors and friends but it’s important to our son, who is going to be attending public schools here in Cabarrus County.”

— Michael Fischer

Steve Morris, chairman of the Cabarrus County Commission, said, “Michael understands the importance of job creation and growth of our industrial and commercial tax base. He realizes the importance of creating a competitive environment for successful economic development on both a statewide and local level. With his background in education he knows the importance of recruiting and properly compensating the best and brightest teachers to strengthen our schools to provide an educated work force. I think Michael will stand strong in support of preserving and restoring our historic resources to further strengthen our tax base and protect the lifestyle we enjoy in Cabarrus County.”

Fischer and his wife. Photo by Marty Price

Fischer, whose wife is Ashley, said education would be high on his agenda if elected. “We need to have top-notch representation in Raleigh because it’s important, not only to us, our neighbors and friends but it’s important to our son, who is going to be attending public schools here in Cabarrus County,” he said.

Fischer graduated from Concord High School before going to college, earning a master’s degree in education before attending law school at UNC.  He was the first in his family to attend college and said, “A lot of my success is attributed to the public schools I attended in Cabarrus County.”

Fischer said the primary reason he decided to run for office was “to make sure we are continuing to be a competitive environment for businesses to come, for businesses to stay, so that we have shared prosperity here in Cabarrus County.  If the economy continues to improve in Cabarrus County, everything else should improve with it.”