Tag search result

A private investigator hired by the N.C. Democratic Party told the State Board of Elections that he believes three Republican candidates for governor took campaign flights that do not appear in their campaign finance reports.

Anthony Asbridge, a retired IRS investigator and a forensic accountant said he reviewed campaign finance reports and news accounts concerning Patrick Ballantine, Fred Smith and Bill Graham.

News reports mentioned flights related to their campaigns, but campaign finance reports for the candidates show no entries related to paying for them.

Board members had few questions for Asbridge who was apparently brought to testify that Republicans, like former Gov. Mike Easley, took unreported campaign flights. 

Tom Fetzer has racked up the endorsements.

The former Raleigh mayor has steadily unrolled a series of endorsements from conservative politicians and groups in his campaign for chairman of the N.C. Republican Party.

Always known as a solid campaigner, he's also dribbled them out in e-mails to supporters and on his Web site, a strategy to boost their visibility.

Here's a running list of his endorsements:

* Fred Smith, 2008 gubernatorial candidate and former state senator.

* Patrick Ballantine, 2004 gubernatorial nominee and former Republican Senate leader.

* Richard Vinroot, 2000 gubernatorial nominee and former Charlotte mayor.

* The state chapter of the Eagle Forum, a conservative activist group founded by Phyllis Schlafly.

Former Lee County Commissioner Chad Adams, Guilford County business owner Marcus Kindley and retired Navy veteran Bill Randle are also running.

Brian Nick, who was chief of staff to former U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole, will open the Washington office for Hollywood-based Republican political consultant Fred Davis.

Davis was the media consultant for both Dole, a Republican, and GOP presidential candidate John McCain last year. He has a reputation for non-traditional television ads. Nick will be opening a new office for his firm, Strategic Perception, in the nation's capital.

"Fred is the most creative mind in the business," Nick said, acknowledging that Republicans likely face another difficult election year in 2010. "He offers the kind of out-of-the-box approach that's needed in this kind of environment."

Nick, an Indiana native, came to North Carolina in 2001 to gear up Dole's successful Senate run, leading a team of young aides who quickly gained a reputation for their uniform navy blazers. He served as Dole's communications director in both her Senate office and, in 2005 and 2006, when she was chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, which coordinates Senate campaigns across the country. He was her chief of staff until her defeat in last year's election.

Davis has collected a healthy list of successful candidates, but he may be best known in North Carolina for a puzzling ad for Patrick Ballantine, the 2004 Republican candidate for governor, that resembled a scene from the movie "Firestarter."

Former state Sen. Woody White of Wilmington over the weekend announced his candidacy for the state GOP chairmanship.

White, 39, is a lawyer and former law partner of Patrick Ballantine, the GOP nominee for governor in 2004, Rob Christensen reports.

He has been weighing a bid for several weeks, but announced his candidacy in a letter sent to members of the state GOP Executive Committee.

State Chair Linda Daves has said she will not seek another term at the state Republican convention in June.

Also running is David Robinson, chairman of the Wake County Republican Party, and Guilford county stockbroker Marcus Kindley.

Previously: White considering a run

Former state Sen. Woody White is considering running for state GOP chairman.

The Wilmington resident said he has been talking to people around the state about a possible bid, but has not yet made up his mind, Rob Christensen reports.

If should become chairman, White said he would work to expand the party.

"We have got to do a better job of reaching out and expanding our base," White said. "If you don't alter the way you deliver your message we run the risk of becoming an anachronism."

White, 39, is an attorney and former law partner of Patrick Ballantine, the GOP nominee for governor in 2004. White was appointed to Ballantine's seat, but lost in the General Election to Democrat Julia Boseman.

He served in 2004 as a member of the national party platform committee, is a former legal counsel to the state GOP, and is a former New Hanover County Republican chairman.

Guilford County stockbroker Marcus Kindley is already running for the post, while state Sen. Fred Smith is considering a run. Current chair Linda Daves said she will not seek re-election.

Beverly Perdue is going after Pat McCrory's turf.

On Wednesday, the Democratic gubernatorial candidate opened a campaign headquarters in Charlotte, and she pledged to open an office there if elected.  She is stressing her local ties.

"It's like coming home," she said. "It's not coming here for a political visit."

Supporters say she might want to come more often. Polls show she is not doing well against McCrory among Democrats in Mecklenburg County.

The greater Charlotte area accounts for more than one in five North Carolina votes. Despite a strong Democratic base, Charlotte voters have re-elected the Republican mayor by as much as 78 percent of the vote — and never lower than 56 percent. 

Polling suggests McCrory is doing better than Patrick Ballantine, who lost badly in 2004. (Char-O)

Pat McCrory says he raised more than $1 million in the second quarter.

In a press release, the Republican gubernatorial nominee reported having over $700,000 in cash on hand after the fundraising. 

"When you consider the amount of money Pat has been able to raise in such a short time, it is easy to understand that he has momentum on his side," said campaign manager Richard Hudson in a statement.

The campaign also noted that the second quarter total was $600,000 more than Republican nominee Patrick Ballantine raised in his 2004 bid and nearly $190,000 more than Republican Richard Vinroot raised in his 2000 campaign.

Still, McCrory lags behind Democratic rival Beverly Perdue.

She said yesterday that she raised $2.3 million in the second quarter, leaving her with $1.4 million in cash on hand or twice McCrory's cash. 

Teachers have done better than state workers under Gov. Mike Easley.

Fayetteville Observer blogger Greg Phillips did the research and found that Easley has consistently included higher raises for teachers than state employees in his proposed budgets over the past eight years.

"Certainly Easley has shown more love for teachers than for the 'others,'" he writes. "So has the legislature, although it has usually found a little more for state employees than Easley did."

This year, Easley set a new benchmark, proposing a seven percent raise for teachers and only a 1.5 percent raise for state workers.

Previously, the biggest gaps were in 2006, when Easley proposed an eight percent raise for teachers, and only four percent for state employees, and 2007, when he proposed a five percent raise for teachers and a 2.5 percent raise for state workers.

In both cases, the legislature ended up passing higher raises for state workers.

The State Employees Association of North Carolina, which represents state workers, endorsed Easley in 2000, but backed his Republican opponent, Patrick Ballantine, in 2004. 

With John McCain the likely Republican presidential nominee, it's time for some sloganeering.

In 2004, the North Carolina GOP did well with oval bumper stickers that simply said "BBB" — for President George W. Bush, U.S. Sen. Richard Burr and gubernatorial nominee Patrick Ballantine.

(Unfortunately for the last of those, the election ended up BBE.)

It was a catchy slogan that easily tied the national and state races together in a way that would be beneficial to Republican candidates down the ballot.

With his Irish surname, Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory would be the easiest to tie together: McMc, McNC or Mc'08 come to mind. (U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole's campaign complicates things: McDoMc?)

Even better: Mc-Squared!

As for McCrory's Republican rivals, Bob Orr, Fred Smith and Bill Graham, Dome has no suggestions. Readers?

Update: A reader points out that Dole could be easily added to the slogan: E+Mc(2).

The State Employees Association of North Carolina does not usually endorse in statewide primaries.

The group has only made three endorsements in statewide races in its history: Mike Easley for governor in 2000, Richard Moore for state treasurer that same year and Patrick Ballantine for governor in 2004. But those were all in the general election.

Endorsements are made by a 20-member EMPAC committee that includes 15 district representatives, two at-large members from Wake County, the state chair, the immediate past chair and the treasurer.

Under its old rules, the association would not have been able to make primary endorsements in statewide races because they had to be ratified at the fall convention. In November, it changed the rules so that the Board of Governors can ratify them at any time.

Before any endorsements could be made, the committee would interview the candidates. So far, no interviews have been scheduled, but SEANC's political head said that there is still time before the May 6 primary.

"It's wide open right now," said Kevin LeCount, director of member action.

Previously: SEANC targest Moore in ad.

Correction: In previous elections, the EMPAC board made endorsements without ratification. In 2005, the rules were changed to require ratification by the convention, and in 2007, they were changed again to require ratification by the Board of Governors.