Posted on 07/10/2006 8:20:24 PM PDT by LdSentinal
DURHAM, N.C. -- A lawyer and county commissioner earned the official right Monday to challenge Durham County District Attorney Mike Nifong in the November election after officials certified he had collected enough signatures to qualify for the ballot. Lewis Cheek began collecting signatures from registered voters after Nifong won the Democratic primary in May. With no Republican in the race, Cheek said voters deserved a choice in the November election, though he has yet to commit to a full campaign.
Nifong has stirred emotions in the community for his handling of rape allegations against three members of the Duke University men's lacrosse team.
Durham County elections director Mike Ashe said Monday that his office checked 6,866 signatures collected by Cheek's supporters and validated 6,529, well over the 6,303 minimum needed to win a ballot spot.
He said the campaign collected another 3,000 or so signatures that the elections office didn't bother to validate because the threshold had been reached.
Cheek has yet to commit to actually running for office, and has said the number of signatures collected would factor into his decision. He did not return a call for comment Monday, but scheduled a news conference for Tuesday afternoon.
Regardless of what he decides, Cheek will be listed as an unaffiliated candidate in November, Ashe said.
"He is on the ballot. He can't change that. No one can," Ashe said.
A second person who was trying to mount a late challenge to Nifong, Durham County Republican Party Chair Steve Monks, fell short of getting on the ballot with about 5,000 signatures.
Cheek, a Democrat, served two terms on the Durham City Council, one as mayor pro tem. He has a private law practice and was elected to the county commission in 2004.
Nifong, a veteran prosecutor who has served as district attorney for a little over a year, won the Democratic primary in May over two challengers. Nobody ran in the Republican primary.
Nifong's office declined to comment Monday on Cheek's challenge.
I almost think this deserves to be in "breaking News" - at least Good News !!!
Ping
It's tough rooting for a Democrat, but I'll swallow my pride on this one.
It's tough rooting for a Democrat, but I'll swallow my pride on this one.
Me too, but I will hope that this other guy makes it.
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