The BlueNC primary?

ryanteaguebeckwith — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 10:39:20 -0400

Is there a BlueNC primary?

The progressive group blog has become a major stopping point for Democratic candidates in North Carolina's primary this year.

So far, Senate candidate Jim Neal; lieutenant governor candidates Pat Smathers and Dan Besse; Congressional candidates Larry Kissell, Marshall Adame, Jay Ovittore, Roy Carter, John Autry; and state House candidate Ed Ridpath, along with Elizabeth Edwards have live-blogged on the site.

State auditor candidate Beth Wood, labor commissioner Robin Anderson and Congressional candidate Ross Overby are also slated, while gubernatorial candidates Richard Moore and Beverly Perdue have scheduled an online debate on the site.

Even Senate candidate Kay Hagan, who has taken some abuse on the site, has said she will live-blog.

"I think it's absolutely as important to engage as many voters as you can," said Hagan spokeswoman Colleen Flanagan. "Certainly there's a lot of voters who read that blog."

The live-blogs are a new, and much looser format for candidates. Anonymous users can post questions, but the candidates are also free to ignore them. They can answer as much or as little as they want, ask staff or Google for help and link to outside sources.

Bush critic challenging Myrick

bkrueger — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 12:05:14 -0500

Harry Taylor, Charlotte businessman who publicly scolded President Bush last year, today kicked off a campaign for Congress in North Carolina's 9th District.

Taylor, a Democrat, is the second Democrat to announce a challenge to Republican U.S. Rep. Sue Myrick, a former Charlotte mayor elected to Congress in 1994, reports The Charlotte Observer's Jim Morrill. Charlotte businessman Ross Overby also is running.

Taylor, 63, made international headlines last year when Bush took questions after a speech at Central Piedmont Community College. From a balcony, Taylor raised his hand and Bush called on him.

"I have never felt more ashamed of, nor more frightened, by my leadership in Washington, including the presidency," Taylor told the president. "And I would hope from time to time that you have the humility and the grace to be ashamed of yourself."