Archive for the 'Elections' Category

Gov. Bev Perdue says she was sarcastic; GOP questions congressional elections comment

September 28th, 2011, 4:02 pm by Barry Smith

Gov. Bev Perdue

Reaction continues to come in a day after Gov. Bev Perdue suggested to the Cary Rotary Club that congressional elections should be suspended for two years so that members of Congress could focus on solving the nation’s problems without suffering immediate political consequences.

You can listen to audio of Perdue’s statement here.

During her talk on Tuesday, she urged Washington officials to get over their partisan bickering.

According to an audio recording on the Raleigh News & Observer’s web site, Perdue said: “I think we ought to suspend, perhaps, elections for Congress for two years. Just tell them we won’t hold it against them, whatever decisions they make. Just let them help this country recover. I really hope someone can agree with me on that.”

She went on to say that politicians in Raleigh do a better job at working together across party lines, even though she admitted politics were a bit more contentious now.

For two days, reports of Perdue’s comments were listed along the top of the Drudge Report. It didn’t escape comment from conservative talk shows.

Perdue herself commented on her own comment to reporters covering her at a conference in Thomasville on Wednesday. “My point was one of sarcasm,” Perdue told the Greensboro News & Record. “We really just need to encourage our leaders who are elected to work together and solve America’s problems.” She went on to suggest that her comment was taken out of context and wondered why anyone would take her comment seriously.

Tuesday afternoon, Perdue’s press office said the governor was using hyperbole.

“Come on,” said Chris Mackey, Perdue’s press secretary. “Gov. Perdue was obviously using hyperbole to highlight what we can all agree is a serious problem: Washington politicians who focus on their own election instead of what’s best for the people they serve.”

Republicans reacted quickly to Perdue’s suggestion.

“It’s one thing for Gov. Perdue to suggest that we should suspend congressional elections as a very odd approach to getting the economy moving,” said former Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory on Wednesday McCrory was Perdue’s GOP opponent in 2008 and is expected to challenge her again in 2012. “It’s an entirely different thing for the governor to get her staff to cover up her blatant mistake by saying she was just joking.”

McCrory said that it’s obvious that Perdue wasn’t joking and that she needs to admit she made a mistake and apologize for it.

On Tuesday, McCrory called into question Perdue’s “inability to work with the Legislature, regardless if controlled by Democrats or Republicans.”

Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger, R-Rockingham, added some levity to his response. “In light of Gov. Perdue’s support for suspending congressional elections, I want to state clearly, on the record, that I do NOT support suspending our next gubernatorial election,” Berger said.

The N.C. Republican Party questioned Perdue’s assertion that she wasn’t serious.

“Listen to the governor’s words, she wasn’t joking at all,” said Rob Lockwood, a spokesman for the state GOP. “The congressional Democrats are wildly unpopular in North Carolina, so she may have been trying to invent a solution to save their jobs and from public accountability.”

Posted in: 2012 Election • Bev Perdue • Economy • Elections • Federal government • General Assembly • Pat McCrory • Politics • State government | 2 Comments »

Update: Governor’s office says Perdue was just using hyperbole

September 27th, 2011, 4:37 pm by Barry Smith

Gov. Bev Perdue

Gov. Bev Perdue’s press office has responded to a report that she had suggested suspending congressional elections for two years so that Congress could focus on fixing the nation’s woes without facing immediate political consequences.

Chris Mackey, Perdue’s press secretary, said in a statement:

“Come on…Gov. Perdue was obviously using hyperbole to highlight what we can all agree is a serious problem: Washington politicians who focus on their own election instead of what’s best for the people they serve.”

Posted in: 2012 Election • Bev Perdue • Economy • Elections • Federal government • Politics • State government | Post a Comment »

A rematch in House District 63?

September 23rd, 2011, 2:51 pm by Barry Smith

Roger Parker will again try to unseat Rep. Alice Bordsen, D-Alamance, in House District 63.

Parker, a Republican, lost to Bordsen in 2010 by 54 percent to 46 percent.

When lawmakers redrew the legislative maps this summer, they turned the previously Democratic district into a more competitive district.

Bordsen has been in the House for five terms. Parker previously served on the Mebane Planning Board.

Posted in: 2012 Election • Elections • General Assembly • Politics | Post a Comment »

GOP candidates lining up to run for House District 109 seat

September 23rd, 2011, 2:12 pm by Barry Smith

There is no shortage of candidates ready to toss their hat in the ring for the House District 109 seat if four-term state Rep. Bill Current, R-Gaston, chooses not to seek re-election next year.

Current, 78, has indicated that he might not run for re-election in 2012, although he has not ruled out seeking another term.

Former state Rep. Wil Neumann, R-Gaston, says he’s considering a run should Current not run.

“There are a lot of people wanting me to run again, so I’m just trying to take my time and make a decision,” Neumann said.

Two Gaston County commissioners, both Republicans, are also considering running for the seat.

Commissioner Tom Keigher asked for support on his Facebook page.

“As you may have heard, I have decided to seek the N.C. House District 109 seat currently held by Bill Current, as long as he doesn’t run again,” Keigher writes on the Facebook page. He says he wants to eliminate many “useless regs” and laws.

Commissioner Donnie Loftis says has also announced that he’s seeking the post amidst rumors that Current might not run again.

Posted in: 2012 Election • Elections • General Assembly • Politics • State government | Post a Comment »

NC PACs give more than $11 million during ’10 election cycle

September 22nd, 2011, 5:24 pm by Barry Smith

Which political action committee gave the most money to state political parties and legislative candidates during the 2010 election cycle?

If you guessed the one representing trial lawyers, you’d be correct.

According to a report just put out by the N.C. Free Enterprise Foundation, the N.C. Advocates for Justice PAC gave $530,400 to state candidates and parties during the 2010 election cycle. Coming in second was the N.C. Medical Society – State and Federal PACs with $355,000.

Not surprisingly, one of the top issues addressed by the 2011 was medical malpractice reform. Those two groups took opposing sides on that issue.

Rounding out the top five PAC contributors are the Progress Energy Employees’ Carolinas PAC, the Bank of America PAC and the Nationwide Carolina Political Participation Fund.

PACs gave more than $11 million during the election cycle, the NCFEF reports.

You can click here to see the top 100 PAC contributors.

Posted in: Campaign Finance • Elections • General Assembly • Politics • State government | Post a Comment »

Jerry Dockham decides against congressional bid

August 29th, 2011, 4:26 pm by Barry Smith

The Capitol Hill newspaper Roll Call reports that state Rep. Jerry Dockham, R-Davidson, has decided not to challenge U.S. Rep. Larry Kissell, D-N.C., for the 8^th Congressional District seat next year.

Dockham told Roll Call that he felt like he could better serve constituents in Raleigh.

Roll Call mentions a number of other Republicans that could challenge Kissell next year. During this summer’s redistricting session, the GOP majority in the General Assembly made the district more favorable for Republicans.

Posted in: Elections • Federal government • General Assembly • Redistricting • State government | Post a Comment »

Donnie Loftis to seek House 109 seat currently held by Bill Current

August 29th, 2011, 2:25 pm by Barry Smith

Donnie Loftis, chairman of the Gaston County Commissioners, plans to seek the District 109 House seat currently held by Rep. Bill Current, R-Gaston.

In an email sent out by Loftis Sunday night, Loftis said that he had expressed interest in running for the seat back in June admist rumors that Current might not seek another term.

“Now that the redistricting lines have been redrawn and I remained in the House District 109, I want to formally announce my candidacy for the N.C. House of Representatives,” Loftis said in the email.

Current, who is in his fourth term in the House, said he has indicated that he might not run again next year “considering my age and so forth.” Current is 78.

“Eight years might be long enough for anybody down there,” Current said. He said he will probably announce his decision in February.

“I might have a burning bush experience between now and then,” Current said.

“I plan to aggressively campaign over the next few months and meet as many of the voters in the district as possible,” Loftis said in his email. “I believe my pro-business, conservative principles reflect those of House district 109 and therefore will be able to win the trust of the voters.”

Loftis recently received the Outstanding Commissioner of the Year Award from the N.C. Association of County Commissioners for chairing the Veterans Outreach and Services Task Force. That task force looks for ways that counties can serve veterans and make them aware of county services.

Posted in: Elections • General Assembly • Politics • State government | Post a Comment »

Two NC Dems among top five most vulnerable congressmen

August 23rd, 2011, 5:49 pm by Barry Smith

Two North Carolina congressmen are among The Hill’s five most vulnerable redistricted Democrats.

The two are U.S. Rep. Heath Shuler of the state’s 11^th Congressional District, who comes in fourth, and U.S. Rep. Larry Kissell, who represents the state’s 8^th Congressional District, comes in first.

Both Shuler and Kissell survived close races last year. But this year, the GOP-controlled General Assembly redrew congressional maps placing them in less favorable districts.

The other top five vulnerable Democrats nationwide are Rep. Gary Peters, D-Mich., second; Rep. Mark Critz, D-Pa., third; and Rep. Russ Carnahan, D-Mo., third.

Two other North Carolina Democrats made The Hill’s honorable mention list. They are Rep. Mike McIntyre, who represents the 7^th Congressional District, and Rep. Brad Miller, who represents the 13^th Congressional but was drawn into the same 4^th Congressional District with Democratic Rep. David Price.

Posted in: Elections • Federal government • General Assembly • Politics • Redistricting | Post a Comment »

Jason Saine picked to replace Rhyne in House

August 17th, 2011, 3:03 pm by Barry Smith

Jason Saine

The Lincoln County Republican Party Executive Committee has selected Jason Saine to fill the remainder of Rep. Johnathan Rhyne’s term in the 97^th District of the state House.

Saine, 37, had been active in Republican politics and conservative activists groups since the 1990s.

“My mother is a former county commissioner in Lincoln County; it’s in my blood,” Saine said of politics.

Saine, who is the current chairman of the Lincoln County Republican Party, received nine votes from the GOP executive committee. Sam Houser, a past county party chairman, received four, Saine said. David Curtis, vice chairman of the county party, dropped out over the weekend, Saine said.

Saine said he does not plan on being a caretaker representative. “I intend to file in February for election,” Saine said. He said he is passionate about voter ID, technology, budgetary items and tax issues.