North Carolina – Democrats
Tom Bradshaw
He was a Raleigh boy who helped build today’s Raleigh. Tom Bradshaw, who died Tuesday at age 87, was the 33-year-old “Boy Mayor,” serving one term from 1971-1973. He was the Secretary of Transportation who got I-40 built from Raleigh to Wilmington. He was the real estate developer and consummate salesman who developed North Ridge…
Read MoreWe, Not Me
Rachel Hunt’s moving tribute at her father’s funeral Friday reflected a key to how he led so successfully. The Lieutenant Governor began by talking directly to – and about – the audience: “You are the people who helped make North Carolina the great place it is today.” That’s something Governor Jim Hunt routinely did in…
Read MoreRemembering Jim Hunt
Along with the tributes from elected officials past and present, I’ve been moved by the reactions to Governor Jim Hunt’s death from educators, journalists and political adversaries. N.C. State University Chancellor Kevin Howell saluted him as “a proud NC State alumnus and one of the greatest ambassadors for education in our state’s history.” Howell added,…
Read MoreThe Lives He Touched
Everybody, it seems, has a Jim Hunt story. “I remember when he called me about …” “I’ll never forget the note he wrote saying …” “He and Carolyn drove seven hours round-trip when I …” “He filled up his plate, walked to my table and asked if he could join me. He sat down and…
Read MoreJim Hunt
He’d call you first thing in the morning or last thing at night. Or he’d grab you by the elbow, or sit you down knee to knee and nose to nose, and fix you with that steely stare. “Now, looka here,” he’d say, “this is what we need to do.” And you’d walk through a…
Read MoreDG
I first heard of DG Martin in 1984, when Governor Jim Hunt was running against Jesse Helms for Senate and DG was an underdog Democrat running for Congress in the traditionally Republican district around Charlotte. With his million-megawatt smile and prematurely white hair, DG looked like the twin brother of comedian Steve Martin, who was…
Read MoreWrong Wray
Former state Rep. Michael Wray has an odd way of running in a Democratic primary. He posted on Facebook, “Are you a Republican that (sic) wants to vote for Michael Wray?” Here’s how, he said: “You can temporarily change your party affiliation to UNAFFILIATED, but you must do so BEFORE FEBRUARY 6TH. If you make…
Read MoreRoadkill?
I didn’t know what to tell this prospective candidate. They (I use “they” to protect the innocent) want to run as Unaffiliated in a heavily gerrymandered Republican district. And they wanted my advice. Why run Unaffiliated? “Because a Democrat doesn’t stand a chance, and voters deserve a choice.” Much as I admire that, I wasn’t…
Read MorePodcasting Jim Hunt
Jim Hunt finished his fourth term as Governor 25 years ago this coming January, and many North Carolinians today don’t know the enormous impact he had on our state. Colin Campbell at WUNC Radio – seeking “to better understand what he accomplished and what lessons his political career offers for today’s landscape in state politics”…
Read MoreScumbags
Reagan ran against Ford, then ran against Jimmy Carter, Jesse Helms ran against Jim Hunt: Those were tough hard-fought battles where each side hammered the other but, tough as they were, back in those days no one called his opponent a ‘scumbag.’ Because, if he did, shaking their heads people would vote against him for…
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