Eddie Knox

Did Dem split help Holshouser, Martin?

ryanteaguebeckwith — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 11:38:52 -0500

Did Republicans Jim Holshouser and Jim Martin become governor because of Democratic infighting?

That's the argument made by D.G. Martin in a column in the Chatham Journal Weekly. He says that splits between Democrats in the 1972 and 1984 primaries led to acrimony in the general elections, allowing the Republican candidates to win.

In '72, the split was between Lt. Gov. Pat Taylor and Skipper Bowles. Though Bowles won, Taylor backers were disinclined to vote for him, Martin argues.

In '84, former Charlotte Mayor Eddie Knox bitterly fought Attorney General Rufus Edmisten. Though Edmisten won, Knox and some of his supporters did not back the winner, Martin says.

Martin makes the case that the same could happen because of the fierce battle between Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue and state Treasurer Richard Moore for the Democratic nomination.

A couple quibbles: 1) The analysis is a bit blue-centric. Democrats lost, but Republicans also won. 2) In both cases, Martin's own history suggests the key test was after the primary, when Bowles failed to reach out and Knox refused to endorse. 3) With four candidates, the GOP may also split.

Hat Tip: Tom Jensen

What is the Queen City Curse?

ryanteaguebeckwith — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 23:42:50 -0500

Answer:

A long-running losing streak for Charlotte mayors who seek statewide office.

Every person who's held the office since 1979 has lost a state campaign for governor or U.S. Senate in either the primary or general election.

The first was Eddie Knox, who lost to Rufus Edmisten in the Democratic gubernatorial primary in 1984. In 1990 and 1996, Harvey Gantt lost to U.S. Sen. Jesse Helms in the general election.

In 1992, Sue Myrick lost to Lauch Faircloth in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate.

In 1996, Richard Vinroot lost to Robin Hayes in the Republican gubernatorial primary. He won the nomination in 2000, but then lost to Gov. Mike Easley. In 2004, he again lost the gubernatorial primary.

In fact, the last candidate from Charlotte to win a statewide election for either senator or governor was Gov. Cameron Morrison in 1920. Some also point to Gov. Jim Martin, a former head of the Mecklenburg County commissioners who listed his address as Lake Norman in Iredell County.

The phrase "Queen City curse" has been in use since at least the mid-1990s.

In 2008, the curse was mentioned when longtime mayor Pat McCrory kicked off a bid for the Republican gubernatorial primary.

The Charlotte Mayors' Curse

ryanteaguebeckwith — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 08:13:04 -0500

In advance of Pat McCrory's announcement today, the Charlotte Observer has a nice recap of the supposed curse of Charlotte mayors who ran for higher office:

Eddie Knox
* 1984: Loses to Rufus Edmisten in the Democratic primary for governor

Harvey Gantt
* 1990: Loses to Jesse Helms in the general election for U.S. Senate
* 1996: Loses to Helms again in the general election for U.S. Senate

Richard Vinroot
* 1996: Loses to Robin Hayes in the Republican primary for governor
* 2000: Loses to Mike Easley in the general election for governor
* 2004: Loses to Patrick Ballantine in the Republican primary for governor

Sue Myrick
* 1992: Loses to Lauch Faircloth in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate

McCrory's pros and cons

ryanteaguebeckwith — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 10:01:31 -0500

The Hendersonville Times-News breaks down the pros and cons of Pat McCrory's potential gubernatorial bid.

In an unsigned editorial, the newspaper writes that McCroy has "built-in advantages" including seven terms as mayor of Charlotte that other Republican candidates lack.

More pointedly, he lacks the liabilities that will burden a partisan like Sen. Smith. Just as McCain, Obama and Clinton have cast caucus votes they won't be able to live down, Smith in a general election would have partisan votes on his record that will be easy to caricature as out of the mainstream.

On the other hand, the paper notes that North Carolinians have only elected a Charlotte candidate once: Republican Gov. Jim Martin, while Queen City mayors Eddie Knox, Sue Myrick, Richard Vinroot and Harvey Gantt have all been defeated in statewide elections.

A primary concern for Democrats?

ryanteaguebeckwith — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 09:00:00 -0400

Will Democratic in-fighting hand the Governor's Mansion to the GOP?

Some Democrats are concerned about the precedent set by the only two Republican governors elected in the 20th century in North Carolina: Jim Holshouser and Jim Martin.

Both won elections after brutal Democratic primaries. (Holshouser in 1972 over Skipper Bowles, who fought Pat Taylor in a tough primary; Martin in 1984 over Rufus Edmisten, who fought Eddie Knox in a crowded Democratic primary.)

With Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue and state Treasurer Richard Moore already getting down and dirty, some Democrats fear and some Republicans hope that history will repeat itself.

Not so fast, says Ferrell Guillory, a former political reporter who now heads the program on public life at UNC-Chapel Hill.

More after the jump.