Raleigh (4 September 2026)—Two candidates in Northern Wake and Granville counties for the  North Carolina State Senate today jointly proposed the creation of a bicameral “Problem Solvers Caucus” for the North Carolina General Assembly.

“We want our state’s government to serve the interest of all North Carolinians as effectively as possible,” stated Chris Stock, a Wake Forest Republican. “And we believe a Problem Solvers Caucus has the potential to make our state legislature more effective.”

Raleigh-based challenger Brad Hessel, a Forward-Libertarian, stated, “Whoever wins an election has an obligation to follow through on implementing the policies he or she ran on, of course. But we also have an obligation to ensure that those policies balance the interests of all North Carolinians…and so far as we succeed in meeting that obligation, those policies are more likely to endure, regardless of which party is in control. Otherwise we risk disruptive policy whipsaws which could negatively impact both individual citizens and businesses, and even sap confidence in the ability of the NCGA to govern effectively. A Problem Solvers Caucus would serve as a focal point for efforts to promote such balanced policies.”

The proposal is modeled after the United States Congress Problem Solvers Caucus, which since 2017 has worked to promote policies that are both likely to be effective at addressing particular issues and politically feasible. The Congressional Caucus, which currently has about 40 members, has also championed process reforms in the House which are credited with affording members more say in the drafting of legislation and more opportunity to offer important input.

“I’ve worked with many elected officials throughout my career,” stated Stock. “And I do see room for improvement in the way the NCGA operates. I particularly like the idea of making a Problem Solvers Caucus which promotes collaboration at every level of state lawmaking and hopefully improve coordination between the Senate and House and members of both parties.

“A bicameral Problem Solvers Caucus would give North Carolina something it currently lacks: a durable, organized coalition of legislators who are more committed to governing than to winning,” added Hessel. “It would create the conditions for practical progress on the issues where broad agreement already exists among the public, even when partisan-focused party leadership have little incentive to act. And it would signal to voters—especially the growing number of independent voters who now make up the largest registration bloc in the state—that their legislature is capable of working for everyone.”

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For more information:

Friends of Chris Stock
info@stockfornc.com
(919) 435-4274

Committee to Elect Brad Hessel
Madge Cohen, Press Secretary ‪
presssec@electbradhessel.org
(919) 307-9413

US House Problem Solvers Caucus