What do you love about Hickory?

 Hickory is full of good people doing good work. It embraced my family when we moved here ten years ago. Then, during Hurricane Helene this past year, we saw firsthand how this city comes together—not just for its own, but for others in need. Sharing that sense of purpose with this community is why we’re proud to call Hickory home. 

I sometimes joke with other folks who’ve moved to Hickory that lifelong residents don’t always realize just how great this city is. That’s an exaggeration, of course (this is also a place with lots of pride!)—but it’s true that my family and I have found so much to appreciate in the decade since we moved here. Hickory offers many of the amenities of a world-class city in a community-sized package.

Rather than listing all that here, I’ll just share a link to a document I keep and periodically update to share with newcomers to Hickory. If you spot something missing that should be included, let me know—I’d love to add it! 

The City of Hickory has taken important steps to support housing affordability, but there’s more to do. Affordable housing is one of the most urgent and complex challenges we face. As middle- and lower-income families face increasing financial pressures in these uncertain times, we need to use every tool in the toolbox—including exploring new and creative solutions—to ensure that people who live and work here can afford to stay here.

In both 2022 and 2023, the Hickory area was rated 1st in affordability in the nation by the US News and World Report. However, Hickory dropped to 6th in 2024 before dropping from the top 25 list entirely in 2025. Rankings like this are not perfect and miss a lot of the nuance of the housing market, but it spotlights that the rising cost of housing is an important problem that we need to address to meet the needs of our residents.

Housing affects all of us. It shapes our neighborhoods, our schools, our economy, and our sense of community. If you’re fortunate to live in housing you can afford, it can be easy to think this issue doesn’t touch you—but it does. Teachers should be able to live near the schools where they teach. Police officers should be able to live in the communities they serve. Employers benefit when workers are stable and supported.

That’s why I care so much about building strong communities by working toward safe, affordable housing. When our communities thrive, our people thrive—and that’s how we create real, lasting opportunities for everyone in Hickory.

I’m politically independent and have never been a registered member of any party. You won’t find me parroting the talking points of either Republicans or Democrats.

Over the course of my 22 years as a voter, I’ve followed the issues. Especially at the local level, I believe that values, facts, and community priorities matter far more than party loyalty.

Hickory’s municipal elections are non-partisan. This means that we have the opportunity to focus on what we need as a city rather than getting sidetracked by the divide between left and right. We are neighbors, not opponents.

I regularly attend city council meetings and have deep respect for the experienced leadership already in place. Today, the average council member has served for more than 12 years, bringing a level of knowledge and continuity that’s a real asset to our city. I’m not running to oppose that leadership—I’m running to contribute to it. My goal is to build on past successes and help move Hickory forward. As our city enters a new phase of growth, adding a fresh perspective to this strong foundation is both timely and necessary.

A good example is the council’s recent decision to dissolve the Hickory Housing Authority and transfer its responsibilities to the more effective Western Piedmont Council of Governments. It was a bold, pragmatic move in the best interest of the city. I’m eager to build on that kind of momentum—working collaboratively to address urgent housing challenges and ensuring that safe, affordable housing remains a top priority.

I walked away from social media 5 or 6 years ago (except for a much neglected LinkedIn account) and am a happier human as a result. That doesn't mean I don't want to talk. Drop me a line. 

In addition, a generous member of my family will be running a “Newton for Hickory” Facebook page on my behalf, so you can also reach me there, coming soon.