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(Parks) Helms says he won't seek mayor's (Charlotte) job
Charlotte Observer ^ | 6/6/03 | Howie Paul Hartnett

Posted on 06/08/2003 11:20:15 PM PDT by LdSentinal

It would have been an interesting race, but Democrat Parks Helms just isn't healthy enough to challenge Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory for his job.

After months of speculation, the Mecklenburg County commissioner announced Thursday he will not seek the mayor's office this fall.

"I would have enjoyed it," Helms said Thursday night. "I told Pat we'll have a great time."

McCrory has not made his re-election bid official, but he said Thursday night he is "taking all the steps necessary" to run for an unprecedented fifth two-year term.

"I never make my official announcement until filing in July," McCrory said. "It's a difficult decision to run. I respect anyone who goes through that process."

Helms' decision was made more difficult by a recent illness stemming from arthroscopic knee surgery. Shortly after the procedure, the knee became infected.

Helms, 67, spent nearly three weeks in hospitals.

"This is the first time that I have felt like going out," he said Thursday night. "I know now that I don't have the physical energy (to campaign)."

Doctors expect Helms to make a full recovery, but it may take months. "I think it's fair for me to step aside and not stand in the way if those who might be considering" running for mayor, he said. "I'm not going to run. And if I change my mind, I'll just say I changed my mind."

No one has yet sought Helms' support, though he hopes someone from the next generation of community leaders steps forward.

"There are some whose names I could call, but I don't want to call any names," he said. "They know who they are."

With Helms out, the only other Democrat who has said he might run for mayor is Craig Madans, who challenged Sue Myrick in a raucous 1989 mayoral race.

Madans has strong support within the party, Mecklenburg County Democratic Party Chairman Michael D. Evans said.

"He would be a very good candidate," Evans said. "(City council members) Malcolm Graham and Patrick Cannon both would be viable mayoral candidates, but my sense is they are looking at that down the road."

Besides McCrory, Republican Mike Castano plans to run. Castano is a former Charlotte City Council member.

For now, Helms says he wants to just finish out his term and spend more time with his family. But his mayoral aspirations might not be over. If the county and city consolidate as he expects, Helms might consider a run.

Either way, Helms promised this isn't his last political hurrah.

"I'm not through yet," he said.


TOPICS: North Carolina; Campaign News; Issues; Parties; State and Local
KEYWORDS: 2003; charlotte; mayor; northcarolina; parkshelms; patmccrory
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1 posted on 06/08/2003 11:20:16 PM PDT by LdSentinal
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To: JohnnyZ
Ping
2 posted on 06/08/2003 11:20:41 PM PDT by LdSentinal
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To: Pubbie; Theodore R.; Nathaniel Fischer; AuH2ORepublican; Kuksool; Coop; William Creel; ...
Charlotte, NC Mayoral race *ping*
3 posted on 06/09/2003 3:10:07 AM PDT by fieldmarshaldj (~Remember, it's not sporting to fire at RINO until charging~)
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To: LdSentinal
What kind of name is Parks?
4 posted on 06/09/2003 3:25:46 AM PDT by Impy (Sharpton/Byrd 2004!! The Slave/Massa Ticket!!)
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To: Impy
"What kind of name is Parks?"

Chinese ?

5 posted on 06/09/2003 4:04:17 AM PDT by fieldmarshaldj (~Remember, it's not sporting to fire at RINO until charging~)
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To: fieldmarshaldj
"What kind of name is Parks?"

Chinese ?

LOL. SOUTHERN. It's right up there with Lauch, Saxby, Zell, Strom, Crit, Beverly, Cass, Fountain, Haley . . .

With Helms out, the only other Democrat who has said he might run for mayor is Craig Madans, who challenged Sue Myrick in a raucous 1989 mayoral race.

Madans has strong support within the party, Mecklenburg County Democratic Party Chairman Michael D. Evans said.

This is the only serious guy I've heard about being interested. Apparently Parks bugged out because his poll number didn't match up so good compared to McCrory. There are a couple other folks: a Larouche Democrat, some other whackjob . . . nobody wants to go down against Pat.

Which leaves Pat to run for reelection and keep the option open of running for Governor.

6 posted on 06/09/2003 2:57:26 PM PDT by JohnnyZ (I barbeque with Sweet Baby Ray's)
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To: JohnnyZ
Ha. I'd love to know the etymology of Zell and Saxby.
7 posted on 06/09/2003 8:19:41 PM PDT by Impy (Sharpton/Byrd 2004!! The Slave/Massa Ticket!!)
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To: JohnnyZ
Actually, I blew the joke. Quite a number of Koreans have the name "Park", usually as a last name. Parks is probably a distant cousin of Jesse (yet another popular Southern first name, used for both sexes, albeit sometimes an "i" is in there between the last "s" and "e"). :-)

As for Pat McCrory, if he runs, it's going to be another Charlotte Mayor fiasco. When was the last time a Charlotte Mayor ever won the NC Senate seat or Governorship ? Vinroot blew it, Gantt blew it, and Myrick, too. Ain't Pat nothin' but a shorter, prettier version of Vinroot ?
8 posted on 06/09/2003 9:05:23 PM PDT by fieldmarshaldj (~Remember, it's not sporting to fire at RINO until charging~)
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To: fieldmarshaldj
When was the last time a Charlotte Mayor ever won the NC Senate seat or Governorship ? Vinroot blew it, Gantt blew it, and Myrick, too. Ain't Pat nothin' but a shorter, prettier version of Vinroot ?

I'd estimate that a Pub (heck, maybe a Rat too) loses 3 pts just from being from Charlotte. I think Myrick could have won a general election since she'd play well in the Triad/Triangle/Tripod 'burbs (the woman thing and all that) to make up for lost support in the east and west.

That's a pretty good description of Pat Mc. I'm looking forward to Myrick's retirement so I can see McCrory & Co. duke it out in my back yard for the nomination.

Still, I'm not too thrilled about our chances at the governorship. I think Ballantine has a lot to overcome, being both a lawyer and a politician and clearly enjoying both.

9 posted on 06/10/2003 6:15:49 AM PDT by JohnnyZ (I barbeque with Sweet Baby Ray's)
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To: JohnnyZ
"I'd estimate that a Pub (heck, maybe a Rat too) loses 3 pts just from being from Charlotte. I think Myrick could have won a general election since she'd play well in the Triad/Triangle/Tripod 'burbs (the woman thing and all that) to make up for lost support in the east and west."

Probably right about Myrick, she would've been a stronger candidate to have held the Senate seat (first against Terry Sanford and then Pretty-Boy Edwards) and broken the jinx.

"That's a pretty good description of Pat Mc. I'm looking forward to Myrick's retirement so I can see McCrory & Co. duke it out in my back yard for the nomination."

Think she's going to retire anytime soon ?

"Still, I'm not too thrilled about our chances at the governorship. I think Ballantine has a lot to overcome, being both a lawyer and a politician and clearly enjoying both."

If only we could use the Meg Scott Phipps scandal to paint the whole administration with... NC is way too overrepresented at the statewide level with 'Rats.

10 posted on 06/10/2003 6:34:04 AM PDT by fieldmarshaldj (~Remember, it's not sporting to fire at RINO until charging~)
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To: fieldmarshaldj
Think she's going to retire anytime soon ?

Not this term or next, I wouldn't think. She's a big woman on the Hill these days, chairing the Republican Study Committee. She'd make a decent Speaker, or majority leader, or something, though I don't think DeLay's leaving THAT role any time soon.

Of course, I don't have any inside knowledge. I've met her chief of staff, "Hal"; he told me a funny story about old people dying. Ha ha! (seriesly)

McCrory would almost surely run (unless he could wrangle a Cabinet post somehow), which would make some other folks step back and consider their options a bit. Cty commish Bill James, a religious conservative, has some chronic health problems but would likely run; he's pretty high-profile on the Right, and one of the few outsiders in government. Probably another couple mayors and the usual collection of state reps and you've got yourself one hell of a primary.

11 posted on 06/10/2003 6:51:55 AM PDT by JohnnyZ (I barbeque with Sweet Baby Ray's)
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To: fieldmarshaldj
Actually, I blew the joke. Quite a number of Koreans have the name "Park", usually as a last name.

And remind me never to ask you about outreach to the Asian communities. Sheesh! ;)

-Zhan Jihao

12 posted on 06/10/2003 6:57:15 AM PDT by JohnnyZ (I barbeque with Sweet Baby Ray's)
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To: JohnnyZ
"Not this term or next, I wouldn't think. She's a big woman on the Hill these days, chairing the Republican Study Committee. She'd make a decent Speaker, or majority leader, or something, though I don't think DeLay's leaving THAT role any time soon."

I couldn't recall if she had term-limited herself to 6 or 12 years (which would've been or will be 2001 or 2007, respectively). I love "The Hammer", but I wish he'd be more a "behind the scenes" guy. Being the Majority Leader, he's now a bigger target. If he gets the Speakership, the 'Rats will end up getting an even bigger wedgie (i.e. "Newt, Part Deux) over it. Oh, well... I'd be mighty surprised to see Myrick end up as Speaker.

"Of course, I don't have any inside knowledge. I've met her chief of staff, "Hal"; he told me a funny story about old people dying. Ha ha! (seriesly)"

Oh, brother...

"McCrory would almost surely run (unless he could wrangle a Cabinet post somehow), which would make some other folks step back and consider their options a bit. Cty commish Bill James, a religious conservative, has some chronic health problems but would likely run; he's pretty high-profile on the Right, and one of the few outsiders in government. Probably another couple mayors and the usual collection of state reps and you've got yourself one hell of a primary."

At least the nice thing about Charlotte-Mecklenburg County is that (not counting that Mel "Low" Watt and the "whack" 12th) it has had 50 straight years of GOP Congressional representation. Hopefully that record will remain intact in the years to come as we've kept it for TN's 1st and 2nd over the Smokies. :-)

13 posted on 06/10/2003 8:09:37 AM PDT by fieldmarshaldj (~Remember, it's not sporting to fire at RINO until charging~)
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To: JohnnyZ
"And remind me never to ask you about outreach to the Asian communities. Sheesh! ;) -Zhan Jihao"

D'Oh ! Hey, my Asian-mix girlfriend (who's now on my FR homepage) says my "outreach" is just fine. :-) =rimshot=

14 posted on 06/10/2003 8:11:07 AM PDT by fieldmarshaldj (~Remember, it's not sporting to fire at RINO until charging~)
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To: fieldmarshaldj
At least the nice thing about Charlotte / Mecklenburg County is that (not counting that Mel "Low" Watt and the "whack" 12th) it has had 50 straight years of GOP Congressional representation. Hopefully that record will remain intact in the years to come

Mel keeps everybody else's seats safe. Robin Hayes' district has some Charlotte precincts, but we should be able to hold it even when he leaves. Myrick's is Safe.

No comment about the gf . . . you know, of course, she's not really Asian ;)

Speaking of Charlotte & Filipinos, I ran into a Filipino couple visiting Charlotte for the weekend, and the 3 of us ran into non other but Pat Mc in the elevator at the convention hotel. I introduced them, of course. Pat was all, "can't I get a moment to myself?" but put on a good face.

15 posted on 06/10/2003 8:32:50 AM PDT by JohnnyZ (I barbeque with Sweet Baby Ray's)
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To: JohnnyZ
"Mel keeps everybody else's seats safe. Robin Hayes' district has some Charlotte precincts, but we should be able to hold it even when he leaves. Myrick's is Safe."

I realize before the creation of the 12th the Myrick seat was marginal after the '70s and there were a few close shaves for her predecessor.

"No comment about the gf . . . you know, of course, she's not really Asian ;)"

Hey ! What do you mean 'not really' ? She'd be mighty pissed to hear that. :-P

"Speaking of Charlotte & Filipinos, I ran into a Filipino couple visiting Charlotte for the weekend, and the 3 of us ran into non other but Pat Mc in the elevator at the convention hotel. I introduced them, of course. Pat was all, "can't I get a moment to myself?" but put on a good face."

Jeez, Pat, you're supposed to be hospitable to the visitors. No one put a gun to your head to run for Mayor ! :-P

16 posted on 06/10/2003 8:49:52 AM PDT by fieldmarshaldj (~Remember, it's not sporting to fire at RINO until charging~)
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To: fieldmarshaldj
Jeez, Pat, you're supposed to be hospitable to the visitors.

Oh, he didn't show it, of course, the smile flew right onto his face and he made "welcoming comments", but when we got off the elevator (& I was falling out laughing on the inside) he was all "I'm 'bout Republicaned out this weekend".

Perhaps I shouldn't have replied "you shouldn't say that, people already have their doubts about you".

I'm sure Megan is as Asian as Miguel is Hispanic. Lisa Bonet?

17 posted on 06/10/2003 9:04:46 AM PDT by JohnnyZ (I barbeque with Sweet Baby Ray's)
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To: JohnnyZ
"Oh, he didn't show it, of course, the smile flew right onto his face and he made "welcoming comments", but when we got off the elevator (& I was falling out laughing on the inside) he was all "I'm 'bout Republicaned out this weekend"."

For some reason, that reminds me of a film seminar I was at a number of years ago with Academy Award-winning Director Robert Wise ('The Sound of Music', 'West Side Story'). They did the brief intro and then began to turn down the lights to do a retrospective of his work (starting with the obligatory "money shot" of Julie Andrews spinning on the German mountain (those scenes filmed there, not in Austria, where they filmed the Salzburg scenes) in the opening scene to TSOM), just then, and almost no one but the emcee of sorts and myself noticed, Wise took one look at the screen with a look of horror on his face and drowned out with Julie belting out "The hills are alive..." and said tersely, "I've already SEEN that !" and never have you seen an 80-year old man run faster out of a screening room. I had to bite my lower lip to keep from unleashing gales of laughter, all the other seminar-goers not being treated to that sight. I had a bit of fun with him later on after he mentioned some godforsaken town in the Colorado mountains where he had bad luck filming some '40s western (that Spencer Tracy got fed up with and stormed off the set, never to return). This little hamlet was also a bit of bad luck for me, since I happened to be passing by there a year earlier and my camera broke and I had to buy a rather expensive replacement (and it turned out the old camera merely needed a battery !). I held up the camera to Mr. Wise and told him, "You ain't gonna believe where this camera came from..."

"Perhaps I shouldn't have replied "you shouldn't say that, people already have their doubts about you"."

D'Oh !

"I'm sure Megan is as Asian as Miguel is Hispanic."

Her name is Scottish, which she is fractionally. Her father came from abject poverty in the Philippines (being Chinese-Filipino and fathered by one of those servicemen after WW2 who knocked up a local (several times, in fact) and then split for home). There's even more to that story with his ancestors on the Chinese side, who were anything but peasants. Real nice. :-|

"Lisa Bonet?"

Hey, I had a crush on her when she was on 'Cosby' (what teen or pre-teen boy then didn't ? If you ever watched the show, you'll note he never allowed his kids to date those of other races. You'd better believe Lisa would've had a bevy of White boys hanging outside her brownstone if Cos had lifted that restriction !

I don't think I'm going to be able to get all my fave girls on that page crammed in with everything else (and I'm going in alphabetical order, mind you), and for someone with a slow dial-up, that page is a recipe for disaster. :-P

18 posted on 06/10/2003 10:49:30 AM PDT by fieldmarshaldj (~Remember, it's not sporting to fire at RINO until charging~)
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To: fieldmarshaldj
Nice page you got there. I can't imagine how long it would take me to make something like that. :o
19 posted on 06/10/2003 4:04:46 PM PDT by Impy (Sharpton/Byrd 2004!! The Slave/Massa Ticket!!)
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To: Impy
Heh, thank you. I've been working on it in dribs and drabs. I just added the girls yesterday. I hope you don't have one of those slow connections or you'll probably hate my guts ! :-P
20 posted on 06/11/2003 12:36:39 AM PDT by fieldmarshaldj (~Remember, it's not sporting to fire at RINO until charging~)
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