Deborah Ross

Deborah Ross is a Democratic politician serving as the U.S. Representative for North Carolina's 2nd congressional district, having been first elected in 2020. Born in Philadelphia and raised in Connecticut, she earned a Bachelor of Arts from Brown University in 1985 and a Juris Doctor from the University of North Carolina School of Law in 1990. Before entering elected office, Ross had a career as a civil rights attorney and served as the Executive Director of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of North Carolina from 1994 to 2002. Ross served in the North Carolina House of Representatives from 2003 to 2013, representing parts of Wake County. During her tenure in the state legislature, she held several leadership positions, including Majority and Minority Whip, and chaired committees on the judiciary, ethics, and election laws. Following her time in the state assembly, she worked as legal counsel for the regional transit authority GoTriangle and was the Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate in 2016. In the U.S. House of Representatives, Ross serves on the House Judiciary Committee and the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. She has sponsored legislation focused on enhancing judicial ethics, increasing funding for sexual assault nurse examiners, and expanding offshore wind energy development. Her legislative work frequently emphasizes civil liberties, infrastructure improvements, and environmental sustainability.

Deborah Ross supports the expansion of the Affordable Care Act and has consistently advocated for federal protections for reproductive rights, including co-sponsoring the Women's Health Protection Act. She emphasizes the transition to a clean energy economy, specifically through investments in offshore wind and renewable technology. Her economic platform includes raising the federal minimum wage, expanding access to affordable housing, and increasing federal funding for transit and public infrastructure. Additionally, Ross is a proponent of immigration reform, having introduced legislation to protect "Documented Dreamers," and supports the strengthening of federal voting rights laws through the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act.