lt. governor

Silver lining, silver lining . . . . gotta be here somewhere.... oh, here it is. Lost race for Statewide office while running a campaign built on candor, integrity, effort and grassroots support. Left the field of battle with head high, despite mud and underhanded tactics. Will be back - long after they are gone.

There we go. That will do nicely.

For part of 2006, all of 2007 and early 2008 my daily blogging life revolved around getting John Edwards elected President. During that time I did what I could to make it happen, not nearly as much as volunteers like NCDem Amy and Tom P. and not a drop in the bucket compared to the paid staff - Tracy Russo, Aaron Myers and the rest of the crew I got to know while volunteering at the office. When Senator Edwards dropped out of the race it felt like a kick in the groin. It was unexpected, it was painful. To me, John Edwards was really going to be the person that changed the system. I believe in him like people believed in JFK and RFK and as I told my wife "you only get one of these races every lifetime" and for me it wasn't or isn't about Obama it was about John Edwards.
But, he's out. So, after fluttering around for awhile I discovered the second-best candidate running in North Carolina, Dan Besse. Then, finally, I started blogging about the Neal/Hagan race. But, the thrill is gone. I'm all burnt out of candidate fights. I'm burnt out on fighting over he said/she said. I'm going back to issue blogging. At least, for now. So, this is it. This is my final blog on candidates.

Hampton Dellinger has come out with a new ad, which once again showcases the stark difference between the old school politics of Raleigh and Hampton's bright, optimistic outlook.

Check it out, here:

23, 17, 9, 5

Those are the numbers in the newest (only) public poll released on the Lt. Governor's race. The big number, though is 46 - that's the number of undecided voters in that race. The MoE is 5.

Walter Dalton has the backing of the entire Democratic State Senate, 53 Sheriffs, and all the money industry can throw at him. He's been on the air for months with the same ad repeating his name over and over and claiming to have saved the world from destruction and done everything but deliver babies, and he can't get over 23.

A progressive is going to win this election, and it's going to be Hampton Dellinger.

The Charlotte Observer announced its recommendations for the Lieutenant Governor nominations. It followed a clear pattern - remarking on the complete lack of qualifications on the Republican side of the ledger, but noting that any of the four Democrats would be a fine choice.

But of the four, the Observer, North Carolina's largest daily newspaper, recommended Hampton Dellinger as the best Democratic nominee, and may well have given Hampton a new nickname: the aggressive progressive.

Just received this email from the Besse campaign, it seems that "one of North Carolina's leading African-American owned and published newspapers, has just endorsed Dan Besse for Lieutenant Governor!" That would be The Chronicle. Their endorsement:

"The crowded Democratic field for Lieutenant Governor doesn't have a shortage of qualified candidates either, but our choice is clear. Dan Besse has been a community-minded, dedicated member of the Winston-Salem City Council for more than six years and will bring those same qualities and more to the office of lieutenant governor.
Too many of those seeking elected office today, do so for personal glory and their own egos. Besse is what an elected official should be. Helping to make his city and state and the people who reside in them better are Besse's only motivations. In the race for lieutenant governor, Besse doesn't have the most campaign money or name recognition, but he has the most heart and the most zeal to work hard for the residents of North Carolina."

I lost a friend last night. The mental health system - not in NC, but in Oregon - let her down, and she jumped. Literally. Her spouse had to identify her after they pulled her out of the Willamette River.

Join Hampton Dellinger, Candidate for Lt. Governor, at 7 P.M. on Sunday, April 20 for a live-blog. If you can't be here on Sunday evening, please leave your questions for Hamp here, so he has a chance to answer them.

See you Sunday!

Full disclosure: I am a volunteer with Hampton Dellinger’s campaign. More than that, I am a progressive Democrat who was born and raised in North Carolina and who has never been more excited about the future of the Democratic Party in our state. That’s because of what Hampton has done in the last few months and what he can do in the years to come. With early voting starting today, I wanted to set out why I think it is so important that Hampton becomes the next Lt. Governor of North Carolina.

Today I, and I am sure many of you, received an email from Senator Walter Dalton, touting his support among "prominent African American leaders from all across the state." Dalton received the endorsement of the George C. Simkins Committee PAC in Greensboro and the members of the Senate Black Caucus. I congratulate Senator Dalton on this accomplishment. Any baseball player will tell you, however, that going 1 for 6 will lose you your spot in the Show.

With years of effort and dedication to not only the pretty talk, but the actual hard facts and effort of working for equality of opportunity and racial progress, Hampton Dellinger put himself in a position to receive 5 of the 6 major endorsements from African American political organizations across the state. More on why these endorsements of these two candidates are indicative of their leadership below the fold.