Candidate Info Viewer (v6) - Wake County Democratic Party

Jay J. Chaudhuri

NC Senate District 15

Candidate Statement:

The son of Indian immigrants who settled in Fayetteville, Jay has spent three decades working at the highest levels of all three branches of state government fighting for North Carolina children and families. Political analyst Tim Boyum calls him "one of the leading voices for Democrats on Jones Street."

Jay's father cared for veterans at the VA hospital and never turned away a patient in private practice - even without insurance. His parents instilled in him a lifelong devotion to service and country.

Before representing Raleigh in the Senate, Jay served as General Counsel & Senior Policy Advisor to State Treasurer Janet Cowell, where he recovered nearly $100 million for North Carolina's pension fund and launched a $230 million Innovation Fund to invest in start-up North Carolina businesses. Before that, Jay served as Special Counsel to Attorney General Roy Cooper, where he helped lead a landmark 50-state investigation that forced Facebook and MySpace to better protect children from online predators.

His Senate Democratic colleagues have elected him Minority Whip, the second-highest position in the Senate Democratic caucus, for the last three terms.

Jay lives in the Village District with his wife, two kids, Leeya and Neel, and their golden retriever Lincoln. He's a product of Cumberland County public schools, and his children are products of Wake County public schools.

Direct Quote:

Fighting for Your American Dream. Immigrant Roots. Fighting for You. Delivering Results.

Issues:

Fighting for Your Children's Education

Jay led the fight to fund smaller class sizes from kindergarten through third grade, ensuring every child in Wake County gets the attention they deserve in their most critical years of learning.

Fighting for Your Children's EducationJay led the fight to fund smaller class sizes from kindergarten through third grade, ensuring every child in Wake County gets the attention they deserve in their most critical years of learning.

Fighting for Women's Reproductive Rights

When Republicans rushed a bill in less than 48 hours to effectively ban abortions, Jay helped lead the fight in committee and on the Senate floor, where Senate Democrats held the floor for more than six hours - the longest in modern Senate history.

Fighting for Women's Reproductive RightsWhen Republicans rushed a bill in less than 48 hours to effectively ban abortions, Jay helped lead the fight in committee and on the Senate floor, where Senate Democrats held the floor for more than six hours - the longest in modern Senate history.

Fighting for Safer Schools

In the wake of the Parkland school shooting, Jay didn't just offer thoughts and prayers - he took action. He led a package of legislative proposals to make North Carolina schools safer, including raising the age for assault weapon purchases, expanding background checks, banning bump stocks, and funding more school counselors and psychologists. As a parent of two children in Wake County public schools, this fight is personal.

Fighting for Safer SchoolsIn the wake of the Parkland school shooting, Jay didn't just offer thoughts and prayers - he took action. He led a package of legislative proposals to make North Carolina schools safer, including raising the age for assault weapon purchases, expanding background checks, banning bump stocks, and funding more school counselors and psychologists. As a parent of two children in Wake County public schools, this fight is personal.