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Democratic challenger Steve Wilkins is calling on Republican Congresswoman Renee Ellmers to debate -- but so far she is refusing.
Wilkins said that Ellmers, who represents the 2nd District, has turned down an offer to debate on WTVD in Raleigh. “Voters deserve some answers from Rep. Ellmers about her record,” Wilkins said. “Debates should be a basic part of the electoral process.''
Stalled in Congress is a complex piece of legislation often called by the simple, somewhat-misleading name the "Farm Bill," which in fact deals with food stamps, crop insurance, conservation, commodity programs and an array of other topics.
Among the Democratic candidates seizing the moment is Steve Wilkins, running for U.S. House from North Carolina's 2nd District, which runs through Raleigh and stretches around the Triangle.
The seat is currently occupied by Rep. Renee Ellmers, a Republican who narrowly won in 2010 and is seeking re-election.
Wilkins said on Twitter that Ellmers "let GOP leadership pressure her out of acting to pass" the bill. He expanded on the comment in an interview and pointed to the withdrawal of her support for a procedure that may have allowed a House vote. Ellmers insists that's not the case.
Raleigh businessman Bob Luddy will chair North Carolina Catholics for Romney, the campaign has announced. Luddy, a businessman and civic leader, has founded several private schools including St. Thomas More Academy in Raleigh.
“Religious freedom is a principle this great country was founded on and it is at the heart and soul of America,” Luddy said in a statement. “I am confident Governor Romney will fully protect our traditional and natural right of religious liberty.”
The honorary state chairs are Congress members Renee Ellmers, Virginia Foxx and Patrick McHenry. Other members of the Catholics leadership team include House Speaker Thom Tillis, state Sen. Kathy Harrington, Rep. Ric Killian, and Rep. Pat McElraft.
Former presidential candidate Tim Pawlenty will speak to the NC delegation breakfast Thursday morning.
It's likely to be a two-fer for Pawlenty, a former Minnesota governor. The Minnesota delegation is staying in the same St. Pete hotel as the N.C. delegation.
Pawlenty got a lot of mentions as a possible vice presidential candidate and could end up in the Cabinet if Romney is elected.
Also scheduled to speak are Matt Romney, one of Mitt Romney's sons, House Speaker Thom Tillis and three members of Congress: Renee Ellmers, Tom Price, and Aaron Schock.
With North Carolina a battleground state, the Tar Heel delegation has received a lot of attention this week with New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio and former presidential candidate Herman Cain all speaking at delegation breakfasts.
The campaign of Democrat Steve Wilkins is distributing a poll that it commissioned that suggest that Republican Rep. Renee Ellmers is largely undefined in her district and is therefore vulnerable to a challenge.
The survey of voters in the 2nd congressional district show that 29 percent have a favorable impression of Ellmers, a freshman, 24 percent have an unfavorable impression, and 46 percent are neutral or don't know her. The survey was conducted for the Wilkins campaign by Public Policy Polling, a Democratic leaning firm based in Raleigh.
The poll also found that her job performance rating is 29 percent approval, 26 percent disapproval, with only 32 percent saying they would vote to re-elect her.
The presidential campaign focused on women in North Carolina on Tuesday, with the two sides arguing that their candidate was best suited to help women.
Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, a Republican from Washington state, said two of three new businesses were started by women and that GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney best understood how to get the economy back on track.
“We have had the longest of high unemployment since the Great Depression,” Rodgers said at a news confernce with Rep. Renee Ellmers of Dunn. “Fifty percent of our college graduates are either unemployed or underemployed.''
Carrie Peele, founder of blue Diamond Limousine said the rising gas prices under the Obama administration was “killing our industry.”
Outside the news conference at GOP headquarters, about 10 picketers marched holding signs and chanted slogans saying that Democrats stand for women's equality.
Later, Rodgers attended a fund raiser for Ellmers at Seaboard 18 restaurant.
Before the Republican event, the Democrats held a dueling news conference at The Cupcake Shoppe, in which they criticized Republican efforts to block legislation that would help women such as the Paycheck Fairness Act.
“Not one Republican U.S. Senator voted for it,'' said state Treasurer Janet Cowell. “It is important that all women, all North Carolinians have the same opportunities to be financially stable, support their families and plan for a secure future.''
C.J. Scarlet, CEO of Roving Coach International of Clayton, said Romney failed to support the paycheck act that would have helped women.
But Rodgers, when asked about it later, said the bill would have mainly helped trial lawyers. She said she favored income equality for women, but that the paycheckbill was not the right approach.
Republican Rep. Renee Ellmers is the only candidate in the 2nd district that is raising any significant money in this election cycle.
Ellmers, a freshman from Dunn, has raised $607,105, spent $522,097 and has $316,826 cash on hand hand as of March 31, according to her report to the Federal Election Commission.
Among her Republican challengers, Sonya Page Holmes has raised $2,125, Clement Munno has raised $12,974, and Richard Speer had not raised any money.
None of her Democratic challengers: James Bibbs, Toni Morris, Stephen Wilkins had raised any money, nor had Libertarian candidate Brian Irving.
U.S. Rep. Renee Ellmers of Dunn will be going up town this month, holding a “Cigar and Whiskey Tasting” fund raiser in downtown Washington.
That's according to the Sunshine State News, which reported the event because Rep. Sandy Adams of Florida is listed as a special guest for the event. The fund raiser is slated for April 24th with a suggested donation of $500 to $2,000.
Well, maybe one of the five challengers seeking Republican 2nd District Rep. Renee Ellmers' seat will grow in stature before the race is over. But at this point the race is Ellmers, the freshmen from Dunn, and five no-names.
Ellmers has three Republican challengers, Sonya Holmes of Broadway, Clement Munno of Aberdeen, and Richard Speer of Fayetteville.
She also has two Democratic challengers for the 2nd district House seat, Toni Morris of Fayetteville and Steve Wilkins of Southern Pines.
Republican U.S. Rep. Renee Ellmers has filed for re-election to her second congressional district, promising to fight the policies of Democratic President Barack Obama.
“We've impacted the conversation in Washington, but there is more that needs to done,” Ellmers said in a statement. “We have to continue the fight to repeal and replace Obamacare, cut burdensome regulations, stop runaway spending, and get Americans back to work.”
She seeking re-election to a second term to new more Republican-leaning district that no longer includes Democratic neighborhoods of Southeast Raleigh but includes new areas of Randolph and Moore Counties as well as parts of Cary.
So far she has attracted no Democratic opponent, although two Republican primary challengers have filed, Sonya Holmes of Broadway and Clement Munno of Aberdeen. She reported having $328,116 cash on hand at the end of the year.
