Republican runoff sets up competitive council of state races

With large Democratic voting bases, Guilford and Forsyth county voters turned out in smaller numbers yesterday than across the state for a run-off election with a crowded Republican ballot. A Republican run-off for a county commission seat may have slightly boosted turnout in Guilford.

The final tally: 3.6 percent of registered voters across the state turned out, but only 2.4 percent of Guilford voters and 1.9 percent of Forsyth voters respectively did.

Forsyth Democrats broke ranks and voted for former Winston-Salem resident Marlowe Foster for state labor commissioner, while Guilford Democrats and the state as a whole favored John C. Brooks, a veteran who held the job from 1977 to 1993. Statewide, Brooks bested Foster by a convincing margin of 54.2 percent to 45.9 percent. Brooks argued that he has the best shot at defeating Republican incumbent Cherie Berry because he’s never lost an election to a Republican. He also hasn’t faced a Republican since 1988, having been defeated in Democratic primaries in 1992 and 2008. Berry has held the office since 2000 and enjoys widespread name recognition thanks, in no small part, to the fact that her name and photograph is posted inside every elevator across the state.

Otherwise, Forsyth and Guilford voters followed the statewide pattern, handing majorities to Dan Forest for lieutenant governor, Guilford resident Mike Causey for commissioner of labor, Ed Goodwin for secretary of state, and John Tedesco for superintendent of public instruction. 

Forest, the son of Congresswoman Sue Myrick, smashed opponent Tony Gurley, a Wake County commissioner, by a ratio of more than two to one. Forest’s resounding victory adds to Republican hopes for snatching the lieutenant governor’s office from the Democrats. Republicans are also confident that a win or at least a strong showing by their gubernatorial nominee, Pat McCrory, will have a coattail effect to help down-ballot candidates. 

Neither Forest nor his Democratic opponent, Linda Coleman, will have great name recognition with voters in the general election, considering that this is each candidate’s first run for statewide office, or – in Forest’s case – any office. Notwithstanding favorable conditions for Republicans considering the strong desire to defeat Barack Obama at the top of the ticket, Democrats hold an advantage in voter registration. And Coleman’s current job as director of state personnel gives her name recognition and likely support from state workers, a numerically large and politically engaged constituency. 

Causey vanquished former NC House co-speaker Richard Morgan by a 15-percent margin, even carrying Morgan’s native Moore County in the race for state commissioner of insurance. Causey ran an energetic campaign, and probably benefited from Morgan’s profound unpopularity with Republicans because of the power-sharing deal he cut with former Democratic House leader Jim Black. Causey will face first-term Democratic commissioner Wayne Goodwin in November. 

Republican voters solidly favored Ed Goodwin, an outspoken Chowan County culture warrior who has called the occupy movement an “enemy” of the United States, over Kenn Gardner, a low-key business advocate for Wake County, the state’s fastest growing county and the seat of state government. Goodwin faces a formidable Democratic incumbent in Elaine Marshall, who has held the seat since 1996 without scandal and enjoys strong name recognition among voters. 

June Atkinson, the current state superintendent of public instruction, might face more difficulty. Republicans gave John Tedesco an 8.8-percent margin of victory yesterday over Richard Alexander. Atkinson is not exactly a household name in North Carolina politics largely because voters don’t give a lot of thought to the position of superintendent of public instruction. 

Tedesco, in contrast, is a rising star in Republican politics as a first-term member of the Wake County School Board who was elected as part of the conservative anti-Obama backlash in 2009. National publicity for the school board’s efforts to dismantle a school assignment plan based on socio-economic balance and Tedesco’s enthusiasm for carrying the banner of conservative revolution will give him instant publicity. The wild card will likely be how Tedesco’s polarizing effect plays with voters. 

While Tedesco fared well as the tea party’s standard bearer across the state, the tea party was handed a defeat locally in the Guilford County Commission District 6 race. Jerry Williams, who has worked closely with the tea party-inspired Conservatives for Guilford County in critiquing the county commission budget, went from a first-place finish in the first primary to defeat by a 40-percent margin by Hank Henning in yesterday’s runoff. 

The conflict between Conservatives for Guilford County and more traditional Republican party activists has broken into open warfare in recent years. Conservatives for Guilford County has developed a political action committee to vet and endorse candidates, and then mobilize voters through e-mail messages, an online newspaper and door-to-door canvassing, but Henning landed endorsements from respected elected officials such as Congressman Howard Coble and county commissioner Billy Yow. Henning faces Democrat Linda Kellerman in November. 

Research candidates that will be on the November general election ballot with YES! Weekly's online voter guide (link).

Burr and Marshall in Greensboro

With Election Day a week and a half out, campaign stops by US Senate candidates Richard Burr and Elaine Marshall in Greensboro over the past couple days have presented a striking contrast.

Burr packed the house this afternoon at the Guilford County Republican Party headquarters in Greensboro for what was essentially a party rally for Republican candidates and conservative judicial candidates, and the Senate nominee's confidence was reflected in the fact that he urged those in the audience to pick a GOP candidate to campaign for rather than focusing on his own contest, and spoke ebulliently about the prospect of an upset by Republican Bill Randall in North Carolina's 13th Congressional District.

Speaking on behalf of himself and Rep. Howard Coble, Burr said, "Nothing will thrill us more than to see who makes the cavalry that's coming."

Burr's talk intermingled homages to small government, meditations on the prospects of Republican victories and reflections on the sacrifices of members of the nation's military.

In contrast, Marshall spoke to about 25 people in a small black church on Randleman Road at an event hosted by Democracy at Home. She highlighted her biography, including as a young woman being turned down for a business loan because of her gender. She talked about voters on the campaign trail sharing their anxieties about jobs, and about the widening gap between the rich and poor. She blamed Burr for voting for tax policies that reward companies that ship jobs abroad. She struck a populist chord by saying, "We can't solve this deficit on the backs of working Americans. Millionaires need to pay their fair share."

Marshall reiterated her support for repealing the Don't-Ask-Don't-Tell policy that allows gays to serve in the military as long as they keep their sexual orientation a secret.

"I have felt injustices because of being female," she said.

Wade among candidates receiving law enforcement endorsement

The NC Police Benevolent Association, representing law enforcement employees from across the state, has announced its election endorsements.

The endorsement likely to carry the most weight in the Piedmont Triad region of the state is the association’s nod to Republican Trudy Wade in the NC Senate District 28 race. The district leans Democratic, but the entry of Bruce Davis — a registered Democrat who serves on the Guilford County Commission and is running as an independent — potentially spoils the race for Democratic nominee Gladys Robinson.

“During the interview process Trudy Wade demonstrated why her experience makes her uniquely qualified to represent the voters of District 28,” the association said. “She also demonstrated to the NCPBA that she is committed to making strong, effective law enforcement a priority in her campaign.”

The association also endorsed Democratic incumbent Don Vaughan, whose Republican challenger is Jeff Hyde, for the NC Senate District 27 seat. Likewise, the association is supporting Democratic incumbent Pricey Harrison over Republican challenger Jon Hardister in the NC House District 57 matchup.

Curiously, the association made no endorsement in NC House District 59 races contested between Democratic incumbent Maggie Jeffus and Republican challenger Theresa Yon.

Other endorsements include Democrat Elaine Marshall for US Senate, Robert C. Hunter for NC Supreme Court, incumbent Martha Geer for NC Court of Appeals, challenger Jane Gray for the Court of Appeals seat currently held by Ann Marie Calabria and incumbent Rick Elmore for Court of Appeals.

YW! extras: Wade's successor; Cunningham even with Marshall; cycling in Greensboro

Greensboro councilwoman names possible successor

Trudy Wade, the Republican nominee in the race for the open District 28 seat in the NC Senate, indicated to several people attending a monthly Guilford County Republican Party Executive Committee meeting on May 10 that she considers Tony Wilkins a good candidate to replace her in the District 5 seat on Greensboro City Council should she be elected to the state Senate, according to two independent anonymous sources.

Asked to comment on Wade’s statement, Wilkins said, “Discussion on a replacement would be premature at this point. However, if Dr. Wade has that confidence in me, then I’m honored.

A fellow Republican, Wade appointed Wilkins to the city’s War Memorial Commission in 2008. Wilkins serves as executive director of the county Republican Party.

That Wade will be forced to vacate her city council seat is far from certain. District 28 is the most Democratic-leaning state senate district in Guilford County. Wade faces Democrat Gladys Robinson in the November general election. Two factors could give the Republican candidate a chance to flip the seat. One would be if Bruce Davis, a Democrat who currently serves on the Guilford County Commission, manages to collect 5,000 signatures to get on the ballot as an independent. Another is the expectation of high turnout among Republican voters this year.

The two sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that a District 5 vacancy on the city council would be heavily contested and it is unclear whether Wilkins could attract a sufficient number of votes to be confirmed. They added that the Greensboro Legal Department is currently researching whether Wade would be allowed to vote on confirmation. Wade did not return calls for this story. — Jordan Green

Poll: Marshall, Cunningham in dead heat for Democratic nomination

A May 12 Public Policy Polling survey reveals that NC Secretary of State Elaine Marshall and former NC Sen. Cal Cunningham are now dead even at 36-36 in the first poll conducted since the May 4 primary. Marshall defeated Cunningham by nearly 10 percentage points during the Democratic primary for the US Senate seat currently held by Republican Richard Burr, but failed to win 40 percent of the vote, thereby forcing a runoff election on June 22. The survey attributed Cunningham’s surge to the fact his supporters appeared more committed to him than did Marshall’s supporters to their candidate. If that trend holds, it would work to Cunningham’s advantage if voter turnout remains low for the runoff election, according the survey. Voter turnout in the May 4 primary stood at 14.5 percent statewide. The survey also noted clear demographic lines in the runoff election. Cunningham, an Iraq war veteran and a recipient of the Bronze Star, has a distinct advantage among white voters, with a 43-32 margin, while Marshall enjoys a 44-22 advantage among African-American voters. Cunningham polls well among male voters with a 47-37 advantage over Marshall. Marshall, who is the first woman ever elected to state office in North Carolina, enjoys a 35-29 advantage over Cunningham among women respondents. Marshall also holds a 40-35 advantage among liberal voters, while Cunningham has a 38-25 advantage among conservative voters. The candidates tied in support from moderate voters at 37-37. — Keith T. Barber


Greensboro government and businesses collaborate to encourage cycling

Mayor Bill Knight has declared Monday through Friday Bike-to-Work Week in Greensboro. The city announced that refueling stations, where cyclists can stop for free coffee, juice and other refreshments, will be set up at various locations during the morning commute. On Thursday, refueling stations will be active at the UNCG traffic circle near Elliott University Center and REI at the Shops at Friendly Center from 7 to 9 a.m. On Friday, refueling stations will operate at Governmental Plaza and Spring Garden Bakery from 7 to 9 a.m. On Wednesday at 6 p.m., cyclists will gather at the Wrangler Building in downtown for a Ride of Silence “to honor bicyclists who’ve been killed or injured while cycling on public streets during the past year.” On Friday, Piedmont Authority for Regional Transportation will allow anyone who rides their bicycle to a PART station to ride the bus for free. PART buses have a rack that will hold two bicycles. The week culminates with a “Bike Home from Work Celebration” at Old Town Draught House on Spring Garden St. on Friday, from 5 to 9 p.m. No confirmation on complimentary drinks as a reward for showing up on two wheels. — Jordan Green

Marshall sounds economic populist notes in Democratic primary

Elaine Marshall (center) appeared at the Guilford County Democratic Party Convention today. (photo by Quentin L. Richardson)

I showed up late for the Guilford County Democratic Party Convention at the Presbyterian Church of the Covenant in Greensboro today, due to a prior commitment to work on a voter education project with my friend, Sharon Hightower.

The interest among Guilford County Democrats this spring is, naturally, on which of the three frontrunners in the party primary for US Senate – Cal Cunningham, or Ken Lewis or Elaine Marshall – should get the nomination. When I arrived, Lewis’ wife Holly had just addressed the group on her husband’s behalf.

An enthusiastic Lewis volunteer from Durham was on the stoop in front of the fellowship hall talking up her candidate. DJ Hardy, a candidate last year for Greensboro City Council last year, was circulating in the assembly wearing a Lewis badge. Those details color my impression that Lewis enjoys a lot of support among Guilford County Democrats.

I missed Cunningham, who spoke around 10:30 a.m. Cunningham, who lives in Lexington and practices law in Winston-Salem, appears to be the favored candidate of President Obama and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. He has also lined up support from Triad Democrats such as NC Rep. Pricey Harrison, Winston-Salem City Councilman Dan Besse and Wayne Abraham, Democratic chair for North Carolina’s 6th Congressional District.

First impression of Elaine Marshall: more energetic, friendly and confident in person than I had gathered from her web presence, photographs and a North Carolina Public Radio profile.

Marshall is the NC secretary of state. She talks about defying the odds by getting elected to state senate from a rural community and disproving predictions that she couldn’t beat Republican Richard Petty “in NASCAR country.”

In her seven-minute speech, Marshall framed the 2008 election of Barack Obama as an uncompleted revolution, and put forward a populist counterweight to the grassroots fervor of Republican calls to repeal healthcare reform.

We voted for change in 2008, and until very recently we haven’t seen much movement in that direction. I got into this race based on where we are as a group of people right now. We’re in the midst of the worst recession any of us have ever experienced. And in the last 30 years the gap between the rich and the poor has grown ever larger and the resolve to do anything about it has grown ever smaller, I’m sorry to say. Today, more than ever, we need people who can be part of the solution, not part of the problem. Today, we need leadership. When people look at Washington, they see one side saying no, the other side just running scared. That’s not leadership. They see votes being taken based on the next election rather than the long-range future of this country. And that’s not leadership. And they have seen special interests write bills behind closed doors that enhance corporate bottom lines at the expense of you and me. And that’s not leadership. When Americans look at Washington they see politicians and corporate interests standing in the way. Whose voice has been left out during all of the discussions the last year to year and a half? It’s been the voice of the ordinary people. Franklin Roosevelt talked about the "forgotten man." Today, we would talk about the voice of the forgotten man and woman – the people who make this country strong, the people who get up every day, go to work, work hard and want America to work for them. They have no stronger desire than to live a good life, educate their children, turn over a world that’s a little bit better than what they had, and to not have to worry about their shrinking dollars, their cost of healthcare, their ability to get healthcare….

Marshall garnered her one major applause line in the middle of her speech with a dig at the Republican incumbent, Richard Burr.

“Senator Burr has said his main campaign theme is going to be to repeal the healthcare bill,” she said. “That’s why we have set up a website called ‘Repeal Richard Burr.’”