Walter Dalton

Submitted by ryanteaguebeckwith on August 6, 2007 - 11:20am.
Tags:

Office District Status
Lieutenant Governor Statewide Incumbent
Party In Office Since Term Ends
Democrat 2008 2012
Level of Government  
Council of State  
Date of Birth Birthplace Now Lives In
May 21, 1949 Rutherford County, NC Rutherfordton, NC

Synopsis

Walter Dalton was elected North Carolina's lieutenant governor in 2008. A general practice attorney, he was first elected to the state Senate in 1996, representing the 46th District. In office, he was a co-chairman of the education and the appropriations committees. He worked on the Learn and Earn Program, which helps high school graduates get an associate's degree. He also pushed for a bill to require minors to get parental permission to go on social networking sites like MySpace. He defeated three other candidates in the Democratic primary and defeated former state Sen. Robert Pittenger in the 2008 election.

Trivia

His father, Charles, also served in the state Senate. 

Endorsements

Biography

Marital Status
Married
Spouse
Lucille Hodge Dalton
Children
Elizabeth and Brian

Walter Dalton, a Democrat, is the lieutenant governor. 

Early Life and Education

Walter Harvey Dalton was born May 21, 1949, in Rutherford County.

He graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill with a bachelor of science in business administration in 1971.

He then earned a law degree from UNC in 1975.

Professional Career

Dalton is a partner in the Dalton and Miller law firm. He works as a general practice attorney.

Political Career 

Dalton was elected to the state Senate in 1996, representing the 46th District.

In office, he was a co-chairman of the education and the appropriations committees.

He worked on the Learn and Earn Program, which helps high school graduates get an associate's degree.

He also pushed for a bill to require minors to get parental permission to go on social networking sites like MySpace.

In 2008, he was ranked the sixth most effective state senator by the N.C. Center for Public Policy Research. He has been in the top 10 in each biannual survey since 2001. 

Lt. Governor '08 

Dalton defeated Canton Mayor Pat Smathers, former legal aide to the governor Hampton Dellinger and Winston-Salem City Councilman Dan Besse in the Democratic primary, winning by 46 percent of the vote.

He was endorsed in the primary by the Simkins PAC, former U.S. Rep. Eva Clayton, former state Auditor Ralph Campbell, the entire state Senate Black Caucus and the National Rifle Association.

Late in the primary, Dalton began running a television ad that repeated his name. 

In the general election, former Republican state Sen. Robert Pittenger attacked Dalton over what Pittenger called pork spending in the state budget. 

Dalton countered with an ad telling voters that Pittenger was wealthy and therefore out of touch. A version of the ad that aired outside the Charlotte market also noted that Pittenger was from Charlotte.

After the election, Dalton said he had no hard feelngs and looked forward to working with Republicans. 

Research and reporting by Ryan Teague Beckwith and Ben Niolet.

Occupation

Attorney
Dalton and Miller





Community Involvement:
Not specified.

Contact Info

Email: walterd@ncleg.net

N.C. Senate
300 N. Salisbury St., Room 523, Raleigh, N.C. 27603-5925
919-715-3038		 Dalton campaign
P.O. Box 1696, Raleigh, N.C. 27602
919-829-2160

Education

bachelor of science
UNC-Chapel Hill
Graduated: 1971		 juris doctorate
UNC-Chapel Hill
Graduated: 1975

Military

Not specified.

Links

http://ncleg.net/gascripts/members/viewMember.pl?sChamber=Senate&nUserID=30

http://ncleg.net/gascripts/members/reports/introducedBills.pl?nUserID=30&Chamber...
http://www.walterdalton.org/





N&O Profile: http://www.newsobserver.com/politics/story/1020532.html
http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?si=200627&c=4...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_H._Dalton






You must be logged in to post a comment on this blog. If you already have an N&O online user account, click here to log in. Otherwise, click here to register (it's free!).