State Sen. Woodson Bradley says she would have voted for Iryna's Law if she had the chance. Her Republican challenger says the missed vote speaks for itself.

Bradley and Stacie McGinn are running again for North Carolina Senate District 42, which covers southeast Mecklenburg County including Ballantyne. Bradley won the 2024 race 50.08% to 49.92% after a recount.

Both candidates addressed crime and pretrial release in Charlotte Observer candidate questionnaires published Thursday, Oct. 8. The central policy dispute centered on Iryna's Law, the criminal justice bill named for Iryna Zarutska, a 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee fatally stabbed on Charlotte's light rail on Aug. 22, 2025.

The suspect, Decarlos Brown Jr., had 14 prior criminal cases. He was later found incapable to proceed on the state murder charge, WRAL reported, and also faces a federal murder charge.

The North Carolina Senate passed the bill 28-8 on Sept. 22, 2025. No Senate Democrats voted yes. Gov. Josh Stein signed it Oct. 3, 2025, though he called its death penalty provisions "barbaric," according to NC Newsline.

Bradley: ready to vote, called away

Bradley wrote in her questionnaire that she refused to sign a Senate Democratic Caucus letter asking Stein to veto the bill. She said she was present when the bill came to the Senate floor at 10 a.m. but had an excused absence to leave at 4 p.m. to attend a vigil for Zarutska.

"If I had had the opportunity to vote for Iryna's Law, I would have done so," Bradley wrote. "I was elected to make judgments, not blindly follow party positions."

Bradley's claim of an excused absence is self-reported.

The official bill history confirms the Senate passed HB 307 on Sept. 22, 2025, but individual member vote records do not appear on the public bill history page.

Bradley also said the General Assembly needs to consult law enforcement and first responders in affected cities before passing public safety legislation.

McGinn: a first step, not enough

McGinn noted Bradley's absence from the final vote in her own questionnaire. She called the law "a first step towards closing the revolving door within our municipal court system."

McGinn said she co-authored a 2024 op-ed in the Carolina Journal with Dan Bishop calling for stricter pretrial release rules. She wants the General Assembly to consider a "three strikes and you're out" rule for repeat violent offenders and defendants who fail to appear in court.

What Iryna's Law does

The law, which took effect Dec. 1, 2025, tightens pretrial release across North Carolina. It requires secured bond or GPS-monitored house arrest for defendants accused of violent offenses, according to North Carolina Health News. It eliminates the option for release on a written promise to appear and requires mental health evaluations for more defendants. The law also includes provisions aimed at resuming executions in North Carolina, which have been under a moratorium since 2006.

The race and what's next

The Civitas Partisan Index rates District 42 as "lean Democrat" by D+2 in 2026. Bradley raised $233,177 in the most recent fundraising period and has $240,069 on hand. McGinn raised $62,056 and has $275,868 available, which includes a $300,000 loan from herself, the Observer reported.

Early in-person voting begins Thursday, Oct. 15, and runs through 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3.