Our Informer

Sen. Austin Allran does not like competition. Nor does his close friend and fellow legislator, Rep. Mark Hilton of the St. Stephens-Conover area. Together they are piling on Allran’s primary opponent, Kitty Barnes. With the help of Hickory Record reporter Andrew Mackie, they took their complaint to the public. In so doing, they revealed why they are so ineffective in the General Assembly.

Allran-Hilton acknowledged signing a “no new tax” pledge. If local communities want to vote on a sales tax, the answer is no. If Davie County wants to increase the hotel tax which requires legislative approval, the answer is no. No. No. No. No new taxes to upgrade education or meet growing enrollment. No additional revenue for Medicaid patients in nursing homes.

Kitty Barnes has her work cut out. It is not just the evangelical fundamentalists under the spell of Allran-Hilton. Drive around Northwest Hickory where Allran signs are prolific. As the Informer has observed, we will know on May 7 where the heart and soul of the region’s Republican Party lies. The Democratic Party should be ready to market its open-door outreach.

OBAMA-CLINTON: If the voting pattern in the U.S. Democratic presidential primary holds true, Catawba and surrounding counties should be fertile ground for Sen. Clinton. The Hickory Metro is identified as blue-collar, lower educated, mostly white voters, exactly the profile of the Ohio and Pennsylvania majorities that supported her. The workers and volunteers for Sen. Obama hope to make inroads in western North Carolina, but it is like pushing water uphill. His membership in the United Church of Christ, prominent in this region, is not registering with local churchgoers. It was not happenchance that former President Bill Clinton visited Hickory and Statesville.

OBAMA IN HICKORY: Tickets are being issued only to the person asking for one at the Obama headquarters in Hickory in preparation for the visit Tuesday. No tickets are given for friends or spouses–they have to be present. Look for a large following of national media who will be looking for Obama’s renewal of the fire in his belly.

SHE’LL BE A FINNNNEEE GOVERNOR: Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue had a good week. She picked up key endorsements, including “Sheriff” Andy Griffin who has cut a TV spot for her. Another Mayberry Miracle on the way? Also former Charlotte mayor and senatorial candidate Harvey Gantt endorsed Perdue as did the National Rifle Association.

POLITICS AND GENERATION X: Attracting younger people to political functions in the Hickory Metro has been a challenge to both parties. But using high school and college “interns” four years ago was a successful strategy for Rep. Patrick McHenry. Now Democrat Daniel Johnson, who wants McHenry’s job, is working the under-45 crowd and many of them were at a $50 a head fundraiser Saturday night at the home of Margaret and Gene Glaze in Hickory. Almost 100 people enjoyed barbecue and conversations and comments from Johnson. Some are Republicans or Unaffiliated.

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Catawba County voters are shaping up to be a test over whether negative political ads work. The GOP primary race for the state senate has Kitty Barnes hitting hard at incumbent Austin Allran’s lack of effectiveness. Her TV ad says Allran is duplicitous: campaigning on no new taxes while voting over 40 times for tax increases while in the State Senate during his 24 years. (Barnes is including Allran’s “yes” votes for bills that required funds to implement, while voting against the state budget). Yet, a poll by the Hickory Daily Record this week indicates that 70 per cent of their readers think Allran is effective. Surveys of other legislators, lobbyists, and journalists constantly rank Allran near the bottom of 50 senators in effectiveness.

In the meantime, Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue has announced her intentions to abandon negative advertising in her quest for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination. She was the winner in the recent 10th Democratic Congressional District straw poll by 53-47 per cent over her opponent Richard Moore. Moore is continuing his attack ads against Perdue.

10TH DISTRICT RALLY: State candidates for office or their key representatives were present for the 10th District rally and straw poll last Saturday in Newton. Hundreds of energized Democrats listed to speeches and met candidates, including State Sen. Kay Hagan and investment banker Jim Neal who are vying for the chance to oppose U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole. While popular in North Carolina, Dole is considered one of the least effective GOP members of the U.S. Senate. State candidates for Commissioner of Labor, Insurance Commissioner, Agriculture Secretary, and Superintendent of Education, were in attendance. Also present was Hickory native Dan Besse who is running for lieutenant governor. His Democratic opponents were represented by surrogates.

Supporters for Daniel Johnson, candidate for the 10th District Congressional seat, were vocal, and some people were commenting on the aggressive campaign being waged by his competitor, Steve Ivester. His eye-catching signs are up throughout the district. Ivester also was seen at the Western Piedmont Symphony concert Saturday evening.

CHANGES CANDIDATES: A well-known Democrat who was supporting Richard Moore in the governor’s race is now telling friends he will vote for Beverly Perdue. He is quoted as saying he is disappointed in the structure and tone of the Moore campaign.

McHENRY’S MACACA MOMENT?: Paul O’Connor, editorial columnist for the Winston-Salem Journal, has described Patrick McHenry’s reference to a security guard in Iraq as “two-bit” as his “macaca moment.” The incumbent congressman made the comment at a Lincoln County GOP dinner. He was captured on video which was posted on YouTube and over 18,000 people have checked out his remarks. Lance Sigmon, his GOP opponent, has attacked McHenry for lack of respect for an American doing his duty in Iraq. Both Democratic candidates have joined in the criticism.

FOOD FOR ARTS: The Durham County Board of Commissioners have developed an agenda for their legislators. A three-cents tax on restaurant meals is included which will raise about $1.5 million annually for arts organizations. The commissioners also want authority to raise the school minimum dropout age from 16 to 18.

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The much anticipated visit of Barack Obama to Catawba County isn’t going to happen. No one is sure why. But insiders report that the announced April 26 fund-raiser at the home of Bob and Rae McKinnon in Newton will not take place. One explanation is a mix-up with the Obama campaign headquarters.

PERDUE IN HICKORY: Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue was in Hickory Wednesday to meet with financial supporters. Some 35 people who raised almost $20,000 gathered at Market On Main in downtown Hickory to hear the latest from Perdue who is in a hot and bitter battle for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination. She referred to the attack ads but never mentioned her opponent, State Treasurer Richard Moore, by name. New polls show that Moore and Perdue are almost dead even in voter preference. Earlier Perdue attended a funds-raising event in Morganton sponsored by Mike Fulenweider. Perdue was introduced in Hickory by attorney Lyndon Helton who is spearheading her Catawba County campaign.

DALTON NEXT: N.C. Sen. Walter Dalton will be in Hickory this Sunday at a reception sponsored by former judge Forrest Ferrell. The event will be from 2 until 4 p.m. at the Holiday Inn Select. Dalton is one of four Democratic candidates for Lieutenant Governor in the May 6 primary. He is from Rutherford County and has served as a co-chair of Appropriations in the state senate. Also in the race is Hickory native Dan Besse, a Winston-Salem city councilman.

Dalton is considered the front-runner in the race with a long list of endorsements from leaders across North Carolina.

PRICE AND ROI: When it comes to getting a return on investment, the voters of North Carolina’s 4th Congressional District lead the state. Rep. David Price ranks 18th in the House with federal funds brought to the district–$91.4 million. Price’s district includes the Research Triangle and most of Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill. This is one of the fastest growing areas in the U.S., with Price among its effective leaders.

Price holds a seat on the powerful Appropriations Committee and ranks in ROI just ahead of Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Two-term Rep. Brad Miller of Raleigh, whose district stretches over to Greensboro funneled $47 million in federal funds to his district. Rep. Patrick McHenry of the 10th District was not ranked.

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