Superintendent '08

The down-ballot dropoff

ryanteaguebeckwith — Wed, 07 May 2008 10:35:24 -0400

The Democratic presidential primary was the hot ticket last night.

The heated and historic race between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama drew many voters to the polls who typically don't cast ballots in the primary and inspired some first-time voters.

But how many of them stuck around to vote in the other races?

Taking the presidential race as the high-water mark, we see that roughly 1.6 million people voted in the Democratic primary.

Nearly all of those stuck around for the governor's race. In the primary between Richard Moore and Beverly Perdue, 1.5 million voted, or 95 percent of the presidential voters.

After that, it gets interesting.

Nearly the same number of voters stuck around for the U.S. Senate race (85 percent) and the lieutenant governor's race (84 percent), or roughly 1.3 million votes.

The races for state treasurer (80 percent), state auditor (79 percent) and schools superintendent (79 percent) races, also did well, with roughly 1.3 million votes.

The numbers dropped off after that in the races for insurance commissioner (76 percent) and labor commissioner (76 percent), or roughly 1.2 million.

And the winners are...

ryanteaguebeckwith — Wed, 07 May 2008 09:57:58 -0400

A record number of voters cast ballots Tuesday.

With 2,069,701 ballots cast — or 36 percent turnout — North Carolina beat the 1988 record of 953,759 or 31 percent turnout in a presidential primary. (N&O)

Turnout was driven by intense interest in the Democratic presidential primary, in which Barack Obama beat Hillary Clinton, 56 to 42 percent. Obama gave a victory speech at Reynolds Coliseum, referencing a recent remark by Clinton on the campaign trail.

"They've been saying that North Carolina would be a game-changing state in this election," Obama said. "But what North Carolina decided is that the only game that needs changing is the one in Washington, D.C." (N&O)

Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue and Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory will face off in the governor's race. (N&O) State Sen. Kay Hagan will face U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole. (N&O) State Sen. Walter Dalton will face state Sen. Robert Pittenger for lieutenant governor.

Beth Wood will face her former boss, state Auditor Les Merritt. Schools supperintendent June Atkinson will face former state Rep. Richard Morgan. And state Sen. Janet Cowell will face state Rep. Bill Daughtridge for treasurer.

There will be a runoff between Democratic labor commissioner candidates Mary Fant Donnan and John Brooks.

Joe Johnson's celebration

ryanteaguebeckwith — Tue, 06 May 2008 16:55:42 -0400

Joe Johnson will celebrate all over Raleigh.

The Republican candidate for superintendent of public instruction will watch election returns with his campaign staff while out at dinner and at his campaign headquarters. Johnson also is planning on stopping by Fred Smith's party later this evening.

After that, he'll "see what else the evening holds."

Where the down-balloters will celebrate

ryanteaguebeckwith — Tue, 06 May 2008 16:18:48 -0400

David Young will celebrate in Asheville.

The Democratic candidate for state treasurer will watch election night returns with family and friends at his house.

Beth Wood will celebrate at her parents' farm.

The Democratic candidate for state auditor will watch election returns with her family in Cove City.

June Atkinson will celebrate at the North Raleigh Hilton.

The Democratic candidate for superintendent of public instruction will watch election returns in suite 543 with family and supporters.

Eddie Davis will celebrate at his home.

The Democratic candidate for superintendent of public instruction will watch election returns with his family in Durham.

Eric H. Smith will celebrate in Reidsville.

The Republican candidate for superintendent of public instruction will watch election returns at his home with family and friends.

GOP also undecided on Council races

bkrueger — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 13:52:05 -0400

Republicans don't have as many Council of State primaries as Democrats, but they also remain undecided on who to vote for as Election Day approaches.

The latest survey from Public Policy Polling found that 69 percent of those surveyed don't know who they will vote for in the Republican primary for state superintendent of public instruction, and 59 percent don't know who they will vote for in the GOP primary for lieutenant governor.

Undecided leads Council races

bkrueger — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 19:21:30 -0400

Election Day is in two weeks, and most voters don't have a clue who they like in most of the statewide contests.

According to a recent survey of 962 likely Democratic primary voters, the majority have not decided who to vote for in a handful of Council of State races.

The tally:

State Treasurer - 63 percent undecided.

State Auditor - 58 percent undecided.

Superintendent of Public Instruction - 52 percent undecided.

Insurance Commissioner - 66 percent undecided.

Labor Commissioner - 60 percent undecided.

Eric Smith's week in the Coast Guard

ryanteaguebeckwith — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 15:42:02 -0400

Eric H. Smith could have been a member of the U.S. Coast Guard right now instead of a Republican candidate for state Superintendent for Public Instruction.

Smith said he tried to fulfill one of of his lifelong goals by signing up fhe Coast Guard after he graduated from high school, Keung Hui reports.

But a week into his service, he said he was discharged because a detailed medical exam uncovered a shoulder injury he had suffered when he was hit by a car in high school.

Smith said he had been so heartbroken about not being allowed to stay that he had lobbied people, including U.S. Sen. Jesse Helms, for help. If he had gotten back in, he said he would have made it his career.

Smith's tenure in the Coast Guard is so short that he doesn't list it on his biography on his campaign Web site.

Equality NC announces endorsements

estephenson — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 09:43:42 -0400

Equality NC PAC announced its endorsements in several statewide primaries.

The political arm of North Carolina's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender advocacy group was one of two PACs to announce support for state Treasurer Richard Moore for governor.

The group cited as evidence of his support for equal rights Moore's decision as treasurer to adopt a non-discrimination policy that includes sexual orientation.

"Treasurer Moore has demonstrated leadership in standing up for fairness in state government and is committed to fighting discrimination as governor," Ian Palmquist, the group's executive director, wrote in a press release.

The group also endorsed Wayne Goodwin for insurance commissioner, state Sen. Janet Cowell for treasurer and incumbent June Atkinson for superintendent of public instruction.

Johnson's online degree

ryanteaguebeckwith — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 09:00:00 -0400

It's not hard figuring out where Joe Johnson went to high school.

The campaign web site for the Republican candidate for state schools superintendent points out that he graduated from East Henderson High School, Keung Hui reports.

But when it comes to his higher education credentials, it only says he got a bachelor's degree in business administration.

When asked, Johnson said he got his degree from California Coast University which happens to be an online school.

As for his GOP opponents, Eric H. Smith briefly attended Forsyth Technical Community College before going to two different flight schools to get his pilot's license, while Richard Morgan graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill.

Smith and the 'Potsmokers Club'

estephenson — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 13:17:10 -0400

Eric Smith was a member of his high school's "Potsmokers Club."

Smith, who is now a Republican candidate for superintendent of public instruction, listed the club as one of his activities on his MySpace profile.

Smith promoted his campaign on the profile, but he recently changed its privacy settings to allow it to be viewed only by his friends. (An archived version is below.)

"There was a group of us that rode skateboards, and that's what we called ourselves," Smith said.

Asked if the group actually smoked marijuana, Smith said he doesn't think that is relevant to his campaign for the state's top school officer.

He added that he thinks several other former group members also list the club on their MySpace pages, though he acknowledged that none of them are candidates for public office.

Document(s):
Smith-MySpace.pdf