Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Wheeler ousted from [Charlotte] City Council: Staunch arena support hurt GOP incumbent
The Charlotte Observer ^ | Wed, Sep. 24, 2003 | RICHARD RUBIN

Posted on 09/24/2003 4:44:04 AM PDT by JohnnyZ

Republican primary voters ousted Charlotte City Council member Lynn Wheeler Tuesday night in a surprising upset that put one of the city's most popular and experienced politicians on the sidelines for the first time since 1989.

Some voters -- and Wheeler herself -- attributed her loss to her support for the uptown arena, especially after voters rejected a 2001 package of sports and cultural projects that included the arena.

"I think the conservative Republicans came out to vote and they didn't vote for me, because I led the charge for the arena," Wheeler said Tuesday night. "And so I took the hit because of it."

Wheeler finished fifth in a five-person race for four seats, a stunning low point for the seven-term incumbent, who was the leading at-large vote-getter in the last two general elections.

She finished more than 600 votes behind the fourth-place candidate, Paul Eich. She fared badly across the city, from Cotswold to Coulwood to Huntingtowne Farms, and even in areas where voters supported her in the past.

Jeff Doscher, 37, had voted for Wheeler in other elections. But not Tuesday. He voted against Wheeler and incumbent Mayor Pat McCrory because of their support for an arena, despite the public vote in 2001.

" `No' means `No' on the arena," said Doscher, who voted at WTVI on Commonwealth Avenue.

The Republican at-large slate for November's election will consist of Eich, John Lassiter, Pat Mumford and Fran Perez. They will face Libertarian Christopher Cole and Democrats Susan Burgess, Patrick Cannon and J. Parks Helms (not the well-known county commissioner).

Only 8 percent of the city's voters turned out for the primary, leaving the decision in the hands of party stalwarts.

The anti-arena vote did not hurt McCrory, also a strong supporter of the arena deal approved by the city council in 2002, which differed significantly from the one voters rejected.

McCrory beat Mike Castano and Edward Mulheren to cruise into November's general election, where he will face Democrat Craig Madans and Libertarian Carlton Harvey.

"I'm very, very proud that we ran a positive campaign, talked about the issues and our plan for the future," said McCrory, a four-term incumbent. "Overall, this is a sign that people like the way we're being led and they're looking for solutions and they're looking for leadership."

Wheeler, 57, was one of the council's highest-profile members.

A former planning commissioner, she played an active role in major zoning decisions, including SouthPark mall's expansion and the creation of new shopping centers in the northeast. She led the council's economic development efforts and became a favorite of uptown business interests. She also fostered development on the west side and was one of few Republicans to win the endorsement of the Black Political Caucus.

Aside from McCrory, no one was more identified with the push for a new arena.

Wheeler helped lead the city's efforts to negotiate a new arena deal with the Charlotte Hornets and was a staunch supporter of the failed 2001 referendum. Then she led the push to build an arena anyway and has since been one of its most ardent advocates.

Wheeler enjoys being a public figure. She sought out the media, even a radio sports talk show, and loved pulling the levers of power. "I had to whip Ray Wooldridge into shape," she once told a reporter in recounting her dealings with the former Charlotte Hornets co-owner.

Wheeler did not hide her ambition. She made no bones of her desire to be mayor, sometimes chafing at the lack of opportunity.

"She was a focal point for moving things through the council," said Stan Campbell, a friend and former council member. "She's certainly been one of the major leaders. Sometimes, after 14 years, you do end up making decisions that cause you trouble in low-turnout elections."

Wheeler raised more than $100,000 for her campaign, but spent hardly any before the primary, even as her competitors put up yard signs and sent mailings to voters.

"My committee recommended strongly that I save the money I have and use it for the general election rather than focus on the primary," she said. "I did not agree with that strategy, but I was outvoted, so obviously hindsight is 20-20. Perhaps a mailing would have helped the outcome, but I'm not sure that it would. I think that the arena is so wrapped around me that the other good issues that I have championed that have made an incredible difference in this city were overlooked."

Republican council member John Tabor said he was stunned by Wheeler's loss.

"The only explanation I can come up with is the efforts against McCrory and Wheeler," he said, referring to a push by conservatives to link the two with the arena and demean them. "And they apparently hooked into Wheeler more than McCrory."

Republican voter Deedee Kennelly said she saw no reason to vote against the mayor.

"He's been the mayor ever since we moved to Charlotte," said Kennelly, who has lived here for seven years. "I always say, `Don't fix what isn't broken.' "

Madans is confident that he can overcome McCrory's experience, political savvy and financial advantage.

"This was the race we were looking for," he said Tuesday night. "This is what we wanted. This is what we expected. This will make victory in November even sweeter."

In the at-large race, Wheeler's departure shakes up the conventional wisdom, likely making it easier for Democrats to hang onto their veto-proof majority.

Assuming the districts retain their 5-2 pro-Democratic split, Republicans would need to sweep the at-large seats to gain a majority. To uphold the vetoes of a Republican mayor, they would have to win three of the four at-large spots.

That could be harder with just two well-known names -- Mumford and Lassiter -- on the four-person ticket.

Wheeler said Tuesday night that she was feeling wistful -- and that she still would have favored the arena, even if she knew it would cost her the election.

"I have nothing but wonderful, fond memories and I love this city of Charlotte with my whole heart," she said. "And it is obvious that the Republicans who came out to vote today didn't want to see me on the council any more. And I have to accept that and move on to climb another mountain."


TOPICS: Extended News; Politics/Elections; US: North Carolina
KEYWORDS: northcarolina; oldnorthstate; rino; wow
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-25 next last
Wow, this is awesome! Lynn Wheeler is a Grade A Number 1 Big Time Across-the-Board Liberal; good riddance to bad rubbish. The arena was just the tip of the iceberg.

She lost out to Fran Perez, a Young Republican and conservative. It will be tough to get more than two at-large seats on the council, with Susan Burgess and Pat Cannon running for the Ds, but it would have been tough with or without Wheeler. Now at least we'll have two, maybe three, possibly four real Republicans elected in November.

1 posted on 09/24/2003 4:44:04 AM PDT by JohnnyZ
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: cphine; Huber; TaxRelief; mykdsmom; Constitution Day
ping request - one less RINO in Charlotte!
2 posted on 09/24/2003 4:45:00 AM PDT by JohnnyZ (Robot robot robot)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

12278 - John Lassiter - longtime school board member
11743 - Pat Mumford - incumbent
9390 - Fran Perez
8430 - Paul Eich - finished 5th in 2001 council race
7785 - Lynn Wheeler - so sorry!
3 posted on 09/24/2003 4:49:59 AM PDT by JohnnyZ (Robot robot robot)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: JohnnyZ
Pyrrhic victory.
4 posted on 09/24/2003 4:50:16 AM PDT by Chancellor Palpatine (All eyes were on Ford Prefect. Some of them were on stalks.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: JohnnyZ
Even when voters say "NO" to building playpens for billionaires with Taxpayer money, the politicians STILL try to force it on the voters.

Good riddance to this hag.
5 posted on 09/24/2003 5:02:17 AM PDT by Guillermo ( Proud Infidel)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Chancellor Palpatine
Pyrrhic victory.

Of course YOU would leap to the defense of a liberal, but FYI we will at least two seats of four with/without Lynn in the general election; this way we are assured of not electing a liberal Republican in one of those two.

Solid victory for conservatism in Charlotte.

And what's more, everyone I voted for won! :)

6 posted on 09/24/2003 5:03:59 AM PDT by JohnnyZ (Robot robot robot)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: JohnnyZ
I just happened on this thread. We used to live in Charlotte, but I don't keep up with the news there.

What kind of arena were they trying to build??? An arena for the Hornets, or were they considering another stadium for the Panthers? Just wondering.

7 posted on 09/24/2003 5:15:35 AM PDT by dawn53
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: JohnnyZ
"`No' means `No' on the arena,"

Get it NOW, Wheeler? Still a supporter of the arena even after the voters spoke loudly on the issue. Such arrogance shows a distinct disdain for the tax PAYERS by the tax SPENDERS.

Good for the voters!

8 posted on 09/24/2003 5:17:24 AM PDT by Adder
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: JohnnyZ
I wish that the people in the Houston area had the good sense to vote out all of those who foisted the various arenas on the taxpayers.
9 posted on 09/24/2003 5:20:26 AM PDT by FreePaul
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: dawn53
The Hornets are gone. This is an arena for the Bobcats. Lousy name. There was so much controversy over building an arena for the Hornets that the City Council decided to have a referndum on the issue. They bundled every conceivable capital expenditure in with the Arena question ... improvements to libraries, new libraries, expansion of the museum and who knows what else.

The vote was an overwhelming HE** NO. So the Council, led by Lynn Wheeler decided they would do it anyway. True, it was a non-binding referendum. But why ask our opinion if you could care less what the people want?

So Lynn is out.
10 posted on 09/24/2003 5:26:05 AM PDT by gitmo (Zero Tolerance = Intolerance)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: gitmo
Thanks for the info.
11 posted on 09/24/2003 5:46:24 AM PDT by dawn53
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: gitmo
I live in Charlotte and NYC. Good riddance.
12 posted on 09/24/2003 6:31:24 AM PDT by fooman (Get real with Kim Jung Mentally Ill about proliferation)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: fooman
I heard her say on the radio she didn't spend any money on the campaign. However, she is supposed to have raised $100K for it. Doesn't add up.

Pat McCrory also led the charge for the arena, but he came out favourably. Of course, in Charlotte it doesn't really matter who the mayor is. It isn't really an administration position.
13 posted on 09/24/2003 6:52:26 AM PDT by gitmo (Zero Tolerance = Intolerance)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: gitmo
I heard the same thing on 1110am. This station is more liberal than 770 WABC and Chuck Rhodes and Stacy sims are obnoxious. No traffic chopper, just noise.
14 posted on 09/24/2003 7:03:28 AM PDT by fooman (Get real with Kim Jung Mentally Ill about proliferation)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: fooman
Isn't Stacy Sims the cohostess with Al Gardner in the mornings? I have no problem with her. Usually female cohosts on talk radio are airheads. She seems to have a lot of insight into things and is knowledgeable about most issues.
15 posted on 09/24/2003 7:09:38 AM PDT by gitmo (Zero Tolerance = Intolerance)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: gitmo
True, she is not an airhead, but that is a low bar. Btw I work in the Nations bank plaza. Lunch?
16 posted on 09/24/2003 7:11:01 AM PDT by fooman (Get real with Kim Jung Mentally Ill about proliferation)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: gitmo
She is wayyyyy too liberal for Charlotte and there is wayyy to much Bush bashing and Al bashing.

17 posted on 09/24/2003 7:12:05 AM PDT by fooman (Get real with Kim Jung Mentally Ill about proliferation)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: JohnnyZ
ALL RIGHT CHARLOTTE!!!!

Now if we here in Raleigh can only get rid of our council members and the (D) mayor that is foisting the Billion Dollar Boondoogle of the STUPID light rail system on the city of Raleigh I'll be happy.

Our vote is coming up on Oct 7th.

MKM

18 posted on 09/24/2003 7:13:42 AM PDT by mykdsmom (We often give our enemies the means of our own destruction - Aesop)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: fooman
We'll have to do that some day. I work in South Park. This week I'm out watching a boy who's recovering from some surgery.
19 posted on 09/24/2003 7:13:51 AM PDT by gitmo (Zero Tolerance = Intolerance)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: *Old_North_State; **North_Carolina; Constitution Day; 100%FEDUP; 2ndMostConservativeBrdMember; ...
NC Ping!!
20 posted on 09/24/2003 7:14:32 AM PDT by mykdsmom (We often give our enemies the means of our own destruction - Aesop)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-25 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson