Posted on 11/14/2004 7:23:26 PM PST by Prospero
Phil Berger (R-Eden) was unanimously elected as Senate Minority Leader, the job held by Jim Forrester (R-Gaston) since Patrick Ballantine resigned last April.
“I’m excited about this opportunity,” Berger said. “My colleagues have expressed confidence in my ability to articulate our conservative message and to provide new focus to our efforts in the General Assembly.”
Democrats hold a 29-21 lead in the state Senate after picking up a net gain of two seats on Election Day, despite Senate Republicans winning more than half the statewide vote.
“We understand we’re in the minority, Berger said. “The Governor and legislative Democrats could adopt rules and decide which bills will be heard without listening to our concerns, but I trust that won’t happen. To the extent they advance legislation in 2005 consistent with their conservative campaign rhetoric, I believe we can work together to lower taxes, control the growth of government and protect traditional marriage.
(Excerpt) Read more at dynamicvirtualinteriors.com ...
Huge turnaround, a real effort to end Democrat control of the state Senate held since 1868!
Choosing Berger means the R's in the state Senate may finally be getting serious.
I don't recognize these names, not being in NC. Why is Berger so excellent for this post?
Dear God, when I saw the title, I thought this was referring to Sandy Berger and practically blew the ice cream I was eating out my nose.
Qwinn
ping
anybody know anything about this guy?
Have you ever heard of Hugh Webster?
Ask ol' Hugh Webster who he wanted to be his new Senate Leader, today.
Bet he voted for Phil.
Basnight will lose some sleep.
Berger ? How'd he get all his documents out of his pants in time for the election ?
Oh right different Berger, nevermind.........
http://www.hughwebster.net/danvilleregister_bee_20010902.htm
No, I had never heard of him, but quickly found this article. If he is really being targeted for elimination by the Dems then he must be something! I am glad he endorsed Phil then!
If Berger's good by Huge Webster, He's good by me!
This article on Hugh Webster's website was written in 2001. Has that re-districing taken place yet?
Or, as Ashley Stephenson says, the lead plaintiff in the Stephenson I and II redistricitng victories, "Hugh damn right!"
Yeah, Hugh needs to update that website. He's finally become an Email monster, but a few years ago I chided him for never checking his Email. To which he responded, "I'll have you know I check my Email regularly... every Christmas."
The latest maps were passed in late Nov. 2003, and the Majority ran the clock out on judicial review.
But there are significant flaws with the present maps too. They still do not strictly follow the Supreme Court's decision and there are some other problems. There is also still enough wiggle room for the Majority to gerrymander just enough to allow them to keep a majority of seats in the House and Senate even though a majority of voters cast votes statewide for Repubicans in the legislature in the past three elections.
I'm a newbie, relative to NC political scene. From what I've read in this thread, this is... SUPERB news!
If only the NC House could get its act together by ousting Richard Morgan as GOP Minority Leader. Morgan is the reason why the NC GOP is the minority party. He helped draw the RAT friendly lines for the General Assembly.
I read up on Berger after seeing this article and I agree, it is!
You are exactly right, Kuksool. The GOP won the majority of the votes cast in both NC House and NC Senate races (again!), but, thanks to the Democrat/Morgan gerrymander, the Dems got most of the seates (again!).
See http://www.mooregop.org/#redistricting
and http://www.mooregop.org/artpope_11-10-04.html
-Dave
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