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Free pass for GOP state House member with DWI
Submitted by usernamehere on Mon, 01/05/2009 - 7:24pm
From my humble perch, it distresses me that the NC House Democratic caucus missed a great opportunity in 2008 when they did not field a candidate against Representative Phillip Frye in House District 84 (in the mountains).
Rep. Frye was charged with DWI in Dec 2007.
See: http://projects.newsobserver.com/under_the_dome/frye_charged_with_dwi
He filed for reelection anyway in early 2008, but no one filed against him.
I realize that this generally GOP mountain district is not in the top tier on the Dem+ list. However, Judge Doug McCullough was tossed from the NC Court of Appeals handily by Cheri Beasley after his encounter with drunk driving.
Also, the defeat of US Rep. William Jefferson (D) in Louisiana by an Asian-American Republican in an overwhelmingly African-American district, speaks to the electorate's mood this cycle.
I'm willing to bet a candidate can be recruited to challenge Rep. Frye in 2010.
Potential and current party leaders that read this blog, take a look at someone who should be in your sights.
http://www.ncleg.net/gascripts/members/viewMember.pl?sChamber=House&nUse...
Effective candidate recruitment begins early.
Grassroots Need
Candidate recruitment is not going to happen at the state wide level. We need to take this into our hands. Thanks for bringing it here.
"Keep the Faith"
We need to challenge every seat
You never know when something will happen after the filing deadline and you find yourself smacking your forehead wondering why you don't have a candidate in that district.
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Currently lacking a witty signature.
WCDP CEC Meeting
Quorum Needed !!!!!
Wake County Executive Committee Meeting
Thursday, January 8th 2009
Time: 6PM (Program starts at 6:30 PM)
Where:Wake County Commons Building
4011 Carya Drive
Raleigh, NC 27610
Purpose: Elect a new Secretary to replace Anna Worley who won District Court Judge race.
Meet candidates for NCDP 2009-2011 Leadership
We will be serving pizza and drinks in appreciation of the hard work and dedication shown by our precinct officers.
Another target district
House District 74 in Forsyth County, currently represented by Dale Folwell
http://www.ncleg.net/gascripts/members/viewMember.pl?sChamber=House&nUse...
A last minute candidate with literally no money kept Rep Folwell under 60% in this Winston-Salem area district.
If an openly gay candidate with no campaign warchest (Wade Boyles) could haul in 40% of the vote, why was this district having trouble finding a candidate?
I bring this up because local party chairs, and state party chairs, need to be recruiting candidates now, so those candidates can begin moving around the districts and getting their name out.
While I agree that we should contest all districts because lighting could always strike, what are some other districts out there that have a case to be made for attention. Let's lend a hand to whoever the incoming chair and party leadership will be.
Target them all
I have always felt it was important to run someone in every district. And it is the job of chairs and all party activists to recruit - hard - for candidates to run. Politics in tough districts (and tough states like NC) is often a war of attrition.
I also want to point out that 2010 is the last election with the current district plans for Congress, House, and Senate. 2011 the NC General Assembly redraws the maps and 2012 elections will be with all new districts. This makes the 2010 elections critical for holding (and hopefully expanding) our gains.
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Ed Ridpath
www.EdRidpath.com