Campaigning for US Senate: Rett Newton hopes to strengthen democracy, and stop climate change, food insecurity

Before Jan. 6, 2021, Rett Newton was perfectly content as the mayor of Beaufort, North Carolina, and a Ph.D. student at Duke University, but after seeing the attack on the U.S. Capitol, Newton knew he had to become more involved in national politics. 

Newton served in the Air Force for 28 years. During his time serving, Newton responded to the 9/11 attacks and feels that his experience in that terrorist attack is the reason the Jan. 6 insurrection resonated so deeply with him.

“We were directed to launch with live weapons and rules of engagement that included the possibility of having to shoot down a civilian airliner. We just had that sinking feeling of, ‘How in the world can just happen in our country?” Newton said. “But then you spring forward 20 years and watching the insurrection, obviously in completely different circumstances, but just having a similar feeling of, ‘How in the world is this happening in our country?”

After Newton saw what he called “these attacks on democracy,” he made it a priority in his campaign to protect democracy, in America and abroad. 

While running for Senate, Newton is also working toward his Ph.D. in marine science and conservation at Duke, which aligns with one of Newton’s top priorities if elected to the Senate: addressing climate change.

“Climate change is one of my greatest challenges as a scientist,” Newton said. “None of the other candidates can speak to the human effects of climate change like I can, and as a mayor of a coastal community, I've had to prepare and respond to the increased frequency and ferocity of storms.” 

Newton attributes his climate change experience as to one of the reasons he differs from other candidates.

“If you believe in protecting our environment, none of the other candidates have really, really had my record of success and cleaning up the environment to include opposing offshore oil exploration and drilling,” Newton said.

In the Senate, Newton also wants to help North Carolinians struggling from food insecurity. 

“We're in the top 10 of the nation in food insecurity in North Carolina,” Newton said. “Certainly our churches, our schools, our nonprofits are doing gangbuster work, but the fact that here we are the wealthiest nation in the world, and we have people that lack food — it's just astounding to me.”