U.S. Rep. Patrick McHenry has raised $340,000 for his re-election campaign, including $200,000 from Political Action Committees and $140,000 from individuals, according to his latest report. His largest contributions come from Robert Gallagher of Charlotte, chairman of Goodwill Publishing Co. and George Johnson, CEO of Extended Stay America hotels, each of whom gave $2,400.
Iredell County Commissioner Scott Keadle has loaned himself $250,000 to challenge McHenry in a Republican primary. McHenry supporters have recruited a slate for the local elections in Catawba County GOP primary prompting a split in the party.
I’M THROUGH: N.C. Rep.Ray Warren has told local officials that we will not seek re-election in 2010. The lone Democrat in the region, Warren represents Hickory and Alexander County and was supported by the House leadership under Speaker Joe Hackney. Local leaders sense this will be a major loss for the area.
Rep. Warren was the target of Conover Rep. Mark Hilton who supports Mark Hollo of Taylorsville, a close GOP associate who formerly held the seat. Hilton reportedly galvanized fundamentalists in Alexander County when Warren refused to oppose the so-called school bullying bill with its language that would protect children from being tormented for race, religion, sex or sexual orientation. Homophobic church leaders from Alexander County were vocal in their anger toward Warren, charging he was encouraging homosexuality in schools. Hollo and Hilton maintain close relations with this group.
Warren was the only Catawba County legislator to carry water for a local bill that enables the Hickory Metro Convention Center to add parking through bonds paid by a penny from the hotel occupancy tax in Hickory and Conover. Sen. David Hoyle of Gaston sponsored the bill in the Senate which was opposed by Catawba County Sen. Austin Allran.
Warren’s departure does not bode well for the region during redistricting in 2011.
CONOVER’S VISION: Conover City Manager Donald Duncan Jr. and Dan St. Louis, manager of the new Manufacturing Solutions Center at CVCC, traveled to Raleigh this week to meet with Dempsey Benton, head of Gov. Perdue’s office for Economic Recovery. The objective was to determine what federal economic recovery funds might be made available to help finance a new business innovation and development center sponsored by the City of Conover. The Management Solutions Center could a component, occupying 20,000 square feet in the facilities purchased from Broyhill Furniture.
The concept would include using the Management Solutions Center to support entrepreneurs and other manufacturing companies interesting in locating in Catawba County. The property also is adjacent to the new train station that will serve the region if rail service between Asheville and Salisbury is restored. Hickory sold its historic station and would not be a stop for trains. It sits vacant and awaits renovations for a new restaurant.
St. Louis and Duncan also met with N.C. Department of Commerce staff persons who are working with the state’s manufacturing companies, dealing with problems and issues.
They were accompanied by Paul Fogleman, a Hickory-based lobbyist.
