Deborah Ross (politician) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Deborah Ross
Official portrait, 2020
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from North Carolina's 2nd district
Incumbent
Assumed office January 3, 2021
Preceded by	George Holding
Member of the North Carolina House of Representatives
In office January 29, 2003 – June 1, 2013
Preceded by	Bob Hensley (38th) Grier Martin (34th)
Succeeded by	Grier Martin
Constituency	38th district (2003–2013) 34th district (2013)
Personal details
Born	Deborah Koff (1963-06-20) June 20, 1963 (age 62) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Stephen Wrinn ​ (m. 1994)​
Education	Brown University (BA) University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (JD)

Deborah Ross, born Deborah Koff on June 20, 1963, is an American lawyer and politician. She currently serves as a U.S. Representative for North Carolina's 2nd district, a role she has held since 2021. Her district includes the city of Raleigh. Ross is a member of the Democratic Party. Before joining the U.S. House of Representatives, she was a member of the North Carolina House of Representatives from 2003 to 2013.

In 2016, Ross was the Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate in North Carolina. She ran against the Republican leader, Richard Burr, but was not successful in that election.

Early Life and Education

Deborah Ross was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on June 20, 1963. She grew up in Connecticut. Her father was a doctor who served in the Air Force. Her mother worked as a preschool teacher.

Ross attended Brown University, where she earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in 1985. She then went on to study law at the University of North Carolina School of Law, receiving her law degree in 1990.

Personal Life

Deborah Ross lives in Raleigh with her husband, Steve Wrinn. They live in a historic neighborhood called Boylan Heights.

Ross is one of a few members of Congress who follow the Unitarian Universalist faith.

Legal Career

After finishing law school, Ross worked as a lawyer in Raleigh. She focused on tax law and legal work related to city bonds. She also taught law classes at Duke Law School.

Working for Civil Liberties

In 1994, Ross became the state director for the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of North Carolina. The ACLU works to protect people's rights. She focused on issues like the First Amendment (which protects freedoms like speech) and how the justice system treats young people.

She worked with leaders like Governor Jim Hunt to improve North Carolina's system for young offenders. Ross also helped encourage police to collect data on traffic stops. This was done to address concerns about racial profiling. She left her job at the ACLU in 2002 to run for the state House.

GoTriangle and Other Law Firms

In 2013, Ross left the state legislature to become a legal advisor for GoTriangle. This agency manages public transportation in the triangle area of North Carolina.

Later, in 2017, Ross joined a law firm called Smith Moore Leatherwood LLP. Her work there involved helping businesses and governments with economic development and energy projects. This firm later joined with another national law firm, Fox Rothschild, LLP.

Early Political Career

Serving in the North Carolina Legislature

Deborah Ross was first elected to the North Carolina General Assembly in 2002. She was re-elected several times. In 2007, she became one of the House Democratic Whips, a leadership role.

While in the state House, Ross supported the Equal Pay Act. This bill aimed to stop employers from paying people differently based on their gender. However, the bill did not pass.

She also spoke out about sea level rise and its impact on coastal areas. In 2012, she warned that ignoring scientific predictions about rising sea levels could lead to higher insurance costs for people living near the coast.

Running for U.S. Senate in 2016

In 2015, Ross decided to run for the U.S. Senate. She resigned from her role at GoTriangle to focus on her campaign. In March 2016, she won the Democratic primary election with 62.4% of the votes.

In the main election, Ross ran against the Republican leader, Richard Burr. The election received national attention, with many experts calling it a close race. Despite raising a lot of money, Ross lost the election to Burr, who won with 51% of the vote.

U.S. House of Representatives

Elections

2020 Election

On December 2, 2019, Deborah Ross announced she would run for the U.S. House of Representatives. She decided to run for North Carolina's 2nd congressional district. This district had recently been redrawn by a court order. The new district included most of Raleigh.

The new district was considered a strong area for Democrats. The previous Republican representative, George Holding, decided not to run again because the district had become much more Democratic.

Ross won the Democratic primary election on March 3, 2020. She then won the general election on November 3, defeating her Republican and Libertarian opponents.

What She Does in Congress

As a U.S. Representative, Deborah Ross works on many important issues. She has often voted in line with President Joe Biden's policies.

In July 2021, Ross helped introduce a bill called the America's CHILDREN Act. This bill aims to help children who grew up legally in the United States but face problems getting permanent residency. These problems can happen because of long waiting lists for green cards or other legal issues.

Committee Work

Deborah Ross serves on several important committees in the U.S. House of Representatives:

• Committee on the Judiciary: This committee deals with laws, courts, and intellectual property.
• Committee on Rules: This committee sets the rules for how bills are debated and voted on in the House.
• Committee on Science, Space and Technology: This committee focuses on science, energy, and research.

Groups She Belongs To

Ross is also a member of several groups within Congress, called caucuses:

• New Democrat Coalition: A group of moderate Democrats.
• Democratic Women’s Caucus: A group for Democratic women in Congress.
• Rare Disease Caucus: A group that supports people with rare diseases.

Electoral History

See Also

• Women in the United States House of Representatives