Rep. Addison McDowell told ABC News viewers to "trust the president" on tariffs — but those tariffs cost the average American household $1,300 in 2026, contributed to 7,200 manufacturing jobs lost statewide, and directly led to the closure of a 250-worker textile plant in his own district. McDowell then voted for the One Big Beautiful Bill, which Governor Josh Stein warned would "cost 45,000 jobs by stymying the state's burgeoning clean tech manufacturing sector" — putting $24 billion in clean energy investments and 44 manufacturing facilities at risk — while delivering its largest tax breaks to millionaires and cutting $187 billion from SNAP in one of the most food-insecure metro areas in the country. Before Congress, McDowell's only professional experience was lobbying for Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina, and he has never held a single in-person town hall to face constituents dealing with rising costs, stagnant wages, and disappearing jobs.
McDowell Told ABC News Viewers To "Trust The President" When Asked About Tariff Impacts. According to ABC News, McDowell appeared on ABC News Live in May 2025 to discuss "President Donald Trump's first 100 days in office and tariff policy," defending the administration's trade agenda under the headline "Trust the president." [ABC News, 5/5/25]
Unifi Closed Its Rockingham County Plant And Eliminated 250 Manufacturing Jobs In McDowell's District, Citing Tariff-Driven Customer Uncertainty. According to Business North Carolina, Greensboro-based Unifi announced it would close its 947,000-square-foot Madison plant after experiencing "delayed ordering patterns by major customers that wanted to wait and better assess how tariffs would impact global trading patterns." The company expected to save $20 million annually from the closure — savings built on the backs of 250 laid-off workers. [Business North Carolina, Viewed 2/16/26]
Trump's Tariffs Amounted To The Largest U.S. Tax Increase As A Percent Of GDP Since 1993, Costing The Average Household $1,300 In 2026. According to the Tax Foundation, Trump's tariffs represent "the largest US tax increase as a percent of GDP (0.54 percent for 2026) since 1993," costing the average American household $1,000 in 2025 and $1,300 in 2026. [Tax Foundation, Viewed 2/16/26]
North Carolina Lost 7,200 Manufacturing Jobs In 2025 — The Only Major Job Sector With Net Losses. According to Carolina Journal, North Carolina shed 7,200 manufacturing jobs in 2025, a 1.6% decline, while every other major sector — construction, health care, education, hospitality — posted gains. John Locke Foundation economist Brian Balfour said, "'As long as these tariffs are taking place, net impact will be negative in the manufacturing job sector.'" [Carolina Journal, Viewed 2/16/26]
McDowell Voted For The One Big Beautiful Bill, Which Could Cost North Carolina 45,000 Jobs By Eliminating Clean Energy Tax Credits. According to WUNC, Governor Josh Stein warned the bill would "cost 45,000 jobs by stymying the state's burgeoning clean tech manufacturing sector." According to NC Voices, the bill is projected to cut 41,000 jobs from North Carolina's workforce in 2030 and another 32,000 by 2035. [WUNC, 7/3/25; NC Voices, Viewed 2/16/26]
The Bill Puts $24 Billion In North Carolina Clean Energy Investments And 44 Manufacturing Facilities At Risk. According to NC Voices, North Carolina had attracted over $24 billion in clean energy technology investments through federal tax credit incentives, supporting manufacturing facilities and jobs across the state. The bill's elimination of clean energy credits threatens approximately 44 manufacturing facilities. [NC Voices, Viewed 2/16/26]
North Carolina Households Could See Energy Bills Rise By Nearly $500 A Year. According to NC Voices, the bill would increase average North Carolina household energy costs by $220 in 2030 and nearly $490 by 2035. [NC Voices, Viewed 2/16/26]
The One Big Beautiful Bill Gave The Richest 1% An Average Tax Cut Of More Than $50,000 While The Poorest 20% Got Just $110. According to the Center for American Progress, the average family earning less than $50,000 received about $250 in tax cuts — less than $1 a day — while filers earning $1 million or more received over $100,000 in tax breaks. Households in the lowest income bracket lost about $1,200 annually after accounting for cuts to Medicaid and food assistance. [Center for American Progress, Viewed 2/16/26]
McDowell Voted For The Largest SNAP Cut In History While Representing One Of The Most Food-Insecure Metro Areas In The Country. According to the NC Institute of Medicine, the One Big Beautiful Bill cut $187 billion from SNAP over the next decade, threatening food assistance for 1.4 million North Carolinians, including 600,000 children and 46,000 veterans. According to the Food Research and Action Center, the Greensboro-High Point metropolitan area — which overlaps heavily with NC-06 — ranked as the worst metro area in the nation for food hardship among the top 100 MSAs. [NCIOM, Viewed 2/16/26; Greensboro News and Record, 4/16/15]
McDowell Said He Had DOGE's "Back" As The Initiative Targeted Federal Spending That Serves His District. According to FOX8, McDowell defended DOGE spending cuts, saying, "'Right now, it's a jolt to the system because we've had a runaway spending for too long. President Trump is doing exactly what he said he was going to do. He said Elon Musk is going to create the Department of Government Efficiency. They're going to find ways to save the taxpayers money. That's what they're doing, and I've got their back.'" [Yahoo News/FOX8, Viewed 2/16/26]
McDowell Had Never Held Elected Office Before Winning His Congressional Seat At Age 30. According to Spectrum News, McDowell's only professional experience before Congress was working as a constituent liaison for then-Rep. Ted Budd and lobbying for Blue Cross Blue Shield. He described his new role as similar to his previous work, "just a little more public-facing." [Spectrum News, 1/9/25]
McDowell Has Not Held A Single In-Person Town Hall Since Taking Office. According to NC Newsline, North Carolina Republicans have "almost entirely ceased holding in-person town halls" amid constituent backlash over federal funding cuts, changes to Medicaid and SNAP, and immigration crackdowns. McDowell held only telephone town halls in 2025 — never appearing in person before constituents to answer questions. [NC Newsline, 10/20/25]
Tariffs Drove Up Grocery Prices For North Carolina Families, With Beef Up 16% And Coffee Up Nearly 20%. According to Progress NC Action, North Carolina families saw frozen fish prices rise 8%, beef prices rise 16%, and coffee prices rise nearly 20% due to tariff-driven cost increases. [Progress NC Action, 2/26]
A Western North Carolina Farmer Said Tariffs Forced Her To Raise Prices Because "Every Increase Means Tough Choices." According to WUNC, Mary Carroll Dodd, owner of Red Scout Farm in Black Mountain, said, "'For a small, diversified farm like us, those costs add up quickly. Our profit margins are already very thin, so every increase means tough choices.'" [WUNC, 11/25/25]
A North Carolina Resident Said She Did Not "Know Anyone Right Now Who Is Not Stressed Out About Having Enough Money To Keep Their Home Or Feed Their Family." According to Progress NC Action, one North Carolinian wrote, "'I don't know anyone right now who is not stressed out about having enough money to keep their home or feed their family.'" [Progress NC Action, 2/26]
An 83-Year-Old North Carolinian Said She Could Barely Afford Food. According to Progress NC Action, one resident wrote, "'At 83 years old, I can barely buy food.'" Another said, "'I work too hard to be struggling this much financially.'" [Progress NC Action, 2/26]