A Conflict for Elaine Marshall?

Is there an inherent conflict in Secretary of State Elaine Marshall regulating lobbyists while running ads about “taking on” lobbyists?   And is it proper for Marshall to ask lobbyists she regulates to contribute to her campaign?   I’ve talked to several lobbyists who are outraged by what they see as a conflict, but are…

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Another Odd Bit of Political Logic

With a new budget looming the Governor is once again off in hot pursuit of billions from the Obama Administration and, since the President’s a fan of Charter Schools, North Carolina’s Charter School parents saw their opportunity and took it.   They went to a recent State Education Board Meeting and suggested to Chairman Bill…

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Rusty Money

Tom Fetzer is so outraged about Rusty Carter’s illegal campaign contributions he called another press conference.   Governor Perdue and Senator Basnight are so embarrassed they think it should be a felony.   Soon Joe Lieberman probably will try to take away the citizenship of anyone who does such a heinous thing.   Now, I…

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Marshall or Cunningham?

The Democratic heavyweights in Washington who anointed Cal Cunningham – after dithering for months with Bob Etheridge – are probably sweating today. Elaine Marshall, the candidate they didn’t want to run against Richard Burr, may end up being the candidate they get.   Public Policy Polling shows her with a 28-21 lead, but it’s still…

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Independent Minds

Here are the numbers that should scare North Carolina Democrats: 1.4 million and 47-18.   The 1.4 million is the number of voters registered unaffiliated. That’s nearly a fourth of the state’s 6.1 million registered votes.   And 47-18 is how much those independent voters favor Republicans over Democrats in legislative races this year, according…

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Pachyderms and Feuds

The other day there was a minor eruption in the press when a group of Republicans got mad at former Republican Co-Speaker of the House Richard Morgan for criticizing Governor Perdue and Cabinet Secretary Lanier Cansler for passing out no bid contracts. Now if that seems unusual it took the Governor (who laughed and told…

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Landing in an Odd Place

There’s a political war going on in the Republican Primary for State House down in Jacksonville. Martin Aragona, a former County Commissioner, is running as is Phil Shepard who, it turns out, is supported by the local leaders of the Perdue-Easley political machine (including a former Easley Highway Commissioner). At their first debate Aragona asked…

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One Week to Go

The money-starved Democratic U.S. Senate primary limps to a finish next Tuesday – with a runoff possible and Richard Burr sitting on $5 million for the fall.   Elaine Marshall’s campaign promises a healthy TV buy this week. They hope it will check Cal Cunningham’s comparative blitz of ads.   Her campaign even talks hopefully…

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