Posted on 11/01/2002 9:27:51 AM PST by Jomini
The 1st Congressional District is a comfortable one for Democrats.
Since U.S. Rep. Eva Clayton became the first black woman elected to Congress from North Carolina, no Republican has come close to mounting a successful campaign.
Now, Clayton is retiring, and her longtime campaign manager and family friend, Democratic state Sen. Frank Ballance, is seeking her place in Congress.
He is being challenged by Republican Greg Dority, a Washington, N.C., man who works in the security field.
The conventional wisdom among both political parties' state leaders is that Ballance will win Tuesday's election. However, a growing number of local Republicans say Dority will make a stronger showing than originally expected. There are even some who say he may win.
Dority said he has no doubts about his victory.
"I've always felt in my heart we could win, but in the last three or four months, I've realized in my head that we could win," Dority said.
Dority said his biggest advantage comes from the district itself, which is different from the one represented by Clayton.
The district is less dominated by minorities, Dority said. New counties have been added to the district, like Chowan, Pasquotank and Perquimans, which were once in U.S. Rep. Walter B. Jones Jr.'s 3rd Congressional District.
"It's true the district is 50.7 percent African-American in population, and we run about 3 percent behind in voter registration, which means there are more registered white voters," Ballance, an attorney from Warrenton, said. "But it doesn't play into Greg Dority's hand because it is still overwhelmingly Democratic, and he doesn't have a plan people are interested in."
Ballance said voters want a candidate who will protect Social Security, lower prescription drug costs, bring jobs into the region and bring additional education money to the state.
"He wants to support a war for 350 jobs," Ballance said.
Dority devotes a portion of his campaign events to supporting President George Bush's proposed action against Iraq. He says that action, plus America's overall defense buildup since the Sept. 11 terrorists attacks, could bring defense manufacturers into eastern North Carolina.
Dority said eastern North Carolinians support the president's efforts and want a representative who is behind the president.
When Dority started his campaign, he defined his goals as job creation through defense manufacturing, improving infrastructure systems like highways and high-speed Internet service and ending federal control of education.
Those goals haven't changed, he said. But after speaking with voters, he realizes Social Security and prescription drug costs are their major concerns. Dority said drug costs can be lowered through tort reform, which should lessen malpractice insurance costs for doctors and pharmacists.
There are other obstacles Dority must overcome to win the district.
Ballance has raised more than $602,000 in this campaign, spending nearly $548,000 on campaign staff, television advertisements and campaign events around the district.
Dority has raised $13,600, spending $7,305.
While the state Republican Party supports Dority in spirit, it has offered nothing financially.
"It is a majority-minority district and purposefully drawn to the advantage of a minority candidate," state Republican Party Chairman Bill Cobey said.
The party has to prioritize its efforts, focusing on maintaining the congressional seats it controls and winning seats that are considered toss-ups.
While Dority does not have the party's financial support, leaders are impressed with the energy and commitment he has shown, Cobey said.
"The perception is (that) he is doing better than expected," Cobey said. "In events I've attended, it is my impression that he is energetic, and he has received formable support from party leaders in the region."
Dot Williford, a Williamston resident and immediate past chairwoman of the Republican Party's 1st Congressional District executive committee, is one of those supporters.
"You've got to have fire in your belly, or it's a waste of time," she said. "He's really been out there hustling."
Dority said he will appeal to the region's conservative Democratic voters, many of whom voted for Ballance's rival, Pitt County Commissioner Sam Davis III, in the Democratic primary. Dority even courted Davis' endorsement.
Davis agrees his support base was conservative Democrats but has endorsed Ballance.
"(Dority) seems to be a very nice gentleman and very sincere in his vision of politics in Washington, D.C., and eastern North Carolina," Davis said. "But his message is not exactly the same as mine, even though we are both conservative." Which is why Davis ultimately chose Ballance.
Even if Dority loses Tuesday, his run will be a win for Republicans, said Ed Wharton, the new chairman of the 1st Congressional District Republican executive committee.
Times have changed since Republicans Ted Tyler and Duane Kratzer Jr. ran against Clayton, he said. Voters in the region are more accepting of Republicans. Now that a Republican has actively sought the seat, voters may consider the GOP a viable contender in future elections, Wharton said.
Candidate Dority down four points and closing. Early weather forecast for Tuesday: Possible heavy rain behind the front...
J
Frank
You spent half a million dollars against this white boy and are only 50/50 to win. Everybody on both sides of the aisle is laughing themselves silly Frank.
Somehow if you do manage to win you will come up here and be the biggest joke in DC. Even back at Central you always had to play the fool.
Eva
CD
Please FRmail me if you want to be added to or removed from this North Carolina ping list.
Fusion goes to Washingon
Forces of freedom on the move, Capitol trembles
I guess I am saying that it was not very well covered outside of the intended audiences, or else my wife saw the story in the paper and got rid of it before I could see it(she is one of the 'rats). I am glad to hear that my vote for congress-critter may not be a total waste for a change.
Dry is good. Wind is better.
Best of luck to Mr. D today.
Please be sure to ping me with the finals of the election.
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