Hunt backs Hagan

Submitted by ryanteaguebeckwith on October 30, 2007 - 5:42pm.
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Kay HaganFormer Gov. Jim Hunt is backing state Sen. Kay Hagan.

As Mark Binker notes on his Capitol Beat blog, the endorsement of the popular four-term governor makes her the establishment favorite.

"Kay Hagan is one of the strongest and most effective leaders in North Carolina," Hunt is quoted saying in a press release from Hagan's campaign.

Hagan announced earlier today that she would seek the Democratic nomination to face U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole.

She faces Chapel Hill investment banker Jim Neal in the primary.

"This pretty much tags Hagan as the party establishment candidate, and puts Jim Neal in a difficult spot right from the get-go," Binker writes.

Update: Gov. Mike Easley likes Hagan too.

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Re: Hunt backs Hagan

Submitted by WhalerCane on October 31, 2007 - 8:45am.

You know, it could be about that Mr. Neal has no experience, and is a financial advisor from Chapel Hill as oppossed to his being gay that some might support Sen. Hagan. Mr. Neal said he wasn't running to be the gay candidate. Why are you making him one?

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Re: Hunt backs Hagan

Submitted by Prospero on October 30, 2007 - 4:17pm.

In a move quite obviously to placate North Carolina's and the National Democrat potentates - who talk the talk but know they can't walk the walk -when it comes to joining the Press in praising Jim Neal of Chapel Hill for his obvious competence, but fear backlash against this self-identified gay man, the man who suddenly emerged as the candidate to beat if you want the Democratic nomination to face Elizabeth Dole in 2008, N.C. Senator Kay Hagan has, facinatingly, suddenly had her mind changed.

As problematic as the already boiling over war in the Democratic Party between the "pragmatic" Old New Left and the Angry Soros Left, with the latter preceiving itself in a fierce battle for survival against those "hateful Right Wing Republicans," (and the swing key to Democrat victory in close elections) this is news not likely to go over well at all with another large and far more sophisticated group of Democrats who "will not be ignored."

And that well-organized and powerful, and far more sophisticated, rightfully confident and successful group, composed of people just like like Jim Neal, will not like being butted aside by the Party to whom they have worked closely.

These same quietly, condident folks, who paid a large part in bringing Wilmington representation in the state Senate in proud lesbian Julia Boseman, are not going to receive this news well.

NOTE: That group has more influence over their diverse, well-healed money sources, in places like Hollywood for example, than Hillary Clinton.

They won't take abandonment with good humor.

In whatever offer the leaders of the Democratic Party placed before powerful committee chairman Senator Kay Hagan (D-Guilford), which she apparently couldn't refuse, but they showed that they clearly believe themselves ready to match Mrs. Dole's steadily growing warchest and even her positive overwhelming name ID, and aleinating an organized national movement of composed of people who are already your neighbors.

It's a mighty big gamble they and Mrs. Hagan may soon regret.

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