Recapping the Preferences for the Lt. Governor's Race

Awhile back, I asked the question "WHOM do you support for Lt. Governor, and why?". As I thought, the answers were split between those who hadn't thought that much about it and those who already had a dog in the race. In the interest of continuing my education on this race, I thought I would recap why people are supporting the various candidates. The who's and why's after the break.

First things first, the only person supporting Dalton is The Moderate, whom I respect from discussion long ago at MyDD, but who seems on his own here in supporting Dalton. Sorry, Charlie : )

Now, this time I am going to do the names in reverse-alphabetical order, just to show no bias. Here are the candidates and the Who's and Why's.

Pat Smathers

Blue South

...an indication of what I think is that I started writing a response and its up to about 500 words.

I will just say that I support Pat Smathers because of him, his family, his message, his record and his ideas. I like Dan Besse, and I hope he ends up getting a bigger voice at some point in this state.

Drama Queen
Pat Smathers and Dan Besse are progressive enough for me. And Pat has amazing ideas. Go see him if you get the chance. He'll convince you. He's definitely someone we need to be utilizing at the state level. And he and his family are the real deal. He's not going to scare any good ole boys but he's nothing like them, either.

Besse is great, too, but a harder sell to swing voters.

Sam Spencer
We need advocates for smaller towns and communities that get ignored in the legislative process. We need people who understand local government. We need people who want to be Lt. Gov., not AG or Governor. We need a leader who will do something productive with the office. We need balance with the Governor. We need a progressive. We need someone with a record; real, elected leadership experience or progressive credentials. Smathers and Besse are the only candidates in this race I could vote for.

Leslie H
Smathers, no doubt. Love his stated philosophy of bringing ideas for fixes, tweaks and improvements up from the people who know their local communities best.

The actions and inactions of local governments, (commissioners, boards and councils), affects HOW we all live our daily lives in very real pragmatic ways. It affects everything -- where things are built, how they're built, where kids go to school and who teaches them when they get there, how we get to work and what sort of jobs are available, where our water comes from and how much impact our sewer systems have on the environment, how much we pay the tax man and what we and others in our communities get in return for our investments.

I'd love to have someone in Raleigh who has lived that reality and feels it in his soul.

lcloud
I've met Besse, Dalton, Dellinger, and Smathers. The only two I am supporting are Besse and Smathers, and I really don't know how I will vote yet.

Hamp Dellinger

BlueRidge
...Hampton is the kind of candidate for forward-looking voters who truly believe that in North Carolina we can always do better. He brings a fresh perspective amplified by his broad professional experience. He is already working to create a better North Carolina. Hampton has been an active voice on education, the environment, and improving the welfare of seniors.

I had been impressed with Hampton’s ability to connect with young voters, and he has really built a reputation for valuing the input of college Democrats and young professionals. (I'm a graduate student myself.) But at the campaign event, I realized that it’s not just young people that he has that kind of relationship with. His supporters looked like North Carolina. There were young people and seniors, women and men, rural and urban community leaders from around the state, and people of diverse ethnicities. And they aren’t just on the sidelines – Hampton has created a grassroots campaign that engages the broad cross-section of North Carolinians.

DrFrankLives
..The LG is now essentially the minister without portfolio of the Council of State. The job is essentially what you make of it, and I can think of no person with recent governmental experience that provides the combination of intellect, political talent, creativity, character and plain old hard work that Hampton does.
...
Hampton is a true progressive. He was brought up that way by parents who have always served the people of NC and the United States, and he continues to carry on that proud tradition himself. You will not need to worry about where Hampton stands. He stands firmly behind what will better the lives of every day North Carolinians. I believe that he understands the proper role of government and how it can be a force for progress in society.

He's also young. That is important. As a Democrat in his mid to late 30s, I'm frankly tired of the old boys network. It's time to begin to infuse the leadership of our party with new blood. Hampton Dellinger has worked at the Governor's elbow during the worst days of the fiscal crisis in 2001-2002. He knows the inner workings of government as well as people with 20 years on him. But he would be a fresh and exciting new face for the Democratic Party to show the world.

UNCW2000
...This person has built strong relationships accross the state while advising the Governor, and has worked with decision-makers of all groups ...and somehow can convince all parties to take the progressive step forward.

I am supporting Hampton Dellinger.

TrueMeckDem
I have met Hampton several times and had a chance to sit down with him and discuss his vision for our state. He is the real deal and I plan on voting for him.

He is strong on the environment and his ideas for what he wants to get done in the next four years are exciting. Check out his web page, it is a good one.

go-blue-dem
Dellinger's the one
I've known Hampton for years and strongly encourage anyone who doesn't already know him to look at his website and meet him in person. Hampton's a reliable progressive who can win the primary and win the general. He's done things like stand up to Blue Cross when it wanted to convert without setting up a charitable foundation -- that's doing the right thing, not taking the easy way out. Hampton would be a real champion for good, effective, responsible, responsive government. He's shown this by challenging state agencies when they've been slow to act on environmental issues or have wasted taxpayer money. The LG spot is where you want an energetic champion for effective government and progressive ideas...and someone who can play a real leadership role for Dems in NC into the future. Out of the Dems in the race, Dellinger's the one.

Fredly
Dellinger
I've met him and spoken to him. He seems really bright and tuned into activist concerns. He's also personable and energetic. His positions are progressive, he's experienced, and I got a really good vibe when I met him. He's genuine.

Betsy Muse
So far for me it's between Dellinger and Besse
They are the two I've met.....which means I haven't looked into it too much. I don't feel a sense of urgency to decide here because I feel all of them are qualified....

isabelabadone
Hampton Dellinger
There is no question in my mind that he is the best candidate, for a number of reasons many of which have been stated above.

Dan Besse

Bullydoc
...Advocate. Mediator. 25 years of solid service in the cause of clean air and water, women's and children's health and legal parity for the underprivileged. Simply the most informed candidate in the race on progressive issues and posessor of the mightiest skill set for achieving those goals through level-headed, hard-bore, solid and respectful reasoning and compromise. One of the smartest public servants the state has produced in a generation, Dan Besse may be the sort of thoughtful man who usually thinks better about entering the melee of politics but just can't see a better way to effect change...

captsfufp
...I think Councilman Besse is a true progressive voice for North Carolina.

Now, I'm probably more of a "conservative" Democrat than most people on here, but what impresses me about Dan is that he is able to talk progressively in a "pragmatic" sense. He's not just full of pie-in-the-sky ideas and cliches, but can really work to get things accomplished. I don't like going into "us" vs. "them" mentality, but I think it is fair to say that he is an outsider who would shake things up in Raleigh and in the state. He's traveled across the state and understands the issues of all of us.

He reminds me a little of Robert Kennedy by his early legal work with lower income individuals in the eastern part of the state. And he continues to be a leader in Winston-Salem on issues of the environment, city planning, and how we should treat all of our citizens. He's also very accessible, and I would think (hope!) that, unlike many politicians, he won't forget the people he represents after he is elected.

Sam Spencer
We need advocates for smaller towns and communities that get ignored in the legislative process. We need people who understand local government. We need people who want to be Lt. Gov., not AG or Governor. We need a leader who will do something productive with the office. We need balance with the Governor. We need a progressive. We need someone with a record; real, elected leadership experience or progressive credentials. Smathers and Besse are the only candidates in this race I could vote for.

Betsy Muse
So far for me it's between Dellinger and Besse
They are the two I've met.....which means I haven't looked into it too much. I don't feel a sense of urgency to decide here because I feel all of them are qualified....

crowbar317
I find myself firmly in the Besse camp.

lcloud
I've met Besse, Dalton, Dellinger, and Smathers. The only two I am supporting are Besse and Smathers, and I really don't know how I will vote yet.

Blue South

...an indication of what I think is that I started writing a response and its up to about 500 words.

I will just say that I support Pat Smathers because of him, his family, his message, his record and his ideas. I like Dan Besse, and I hope he ends up getting a bigger voice at some point in this state.

Drama Queen
Pat Smathers and Dan Besse are progressive enough for me. And Pat has amazing ideas. Go see him if you get the chance. He'll convince you. He's definitely someone we need to be utilizing at the state level. And he and his family are the real deal. He's not going to scare any good ole boys but he's nothing like them, either.

Besse is great, too, but a harder sell to swing voters.

In looking at the "endorsements" I can say that Dellinger had the least qualified endorsements, that is people who supported him were set in their support. Conversely, it seems like that with Besse and Smathers, the support is softer. They are in the running, but only a few people have locked-in to one of those two as their final choice.

At this point, I find myself straddling this divide a bit. Dalton is out of course, Dellinger is still in, and I'm finding myself now thinking mostly about Smathers as the "other" choice. No disrespect to candidate Besse, who has certainly earned my respect, but not my vote. Over the next month I plan on reading all I can about this race and making an informed choice, which I will share with y'all when I do. Until then, those who support Besse and Dalton, fire away!