Rep. Ballance withdraws candidacy for N.C. district [1st]

The Durham Herald-Sun [Durham, N.C.] ^ | May 7, 2004 | The Associated Press

[Constitution Day]

Rep. Ballance withdraws candidacy for N.C. district

The Associated Press
May 7, 2004   9:08 am

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Rep. Frank Ballance Jr., D-N.C., withdrew his candidacy for re-election Friday to the First District congressional seat he has held for one term, citing health concerns.

Ballance had filed for re-election Tuesday.

He said in a statement that he had been diagnosed with myasthenia gravis, a neuromuscular disease and his treatment wasn't progressing as he had hoped.

Ballance's statement said he suffered a setback on Wednesday and had treatment at Bethesda Navy Medical Center, which caused him to reconsider his decision to seek re-election.

"Considering the number of candidates in the primary and those expressing intent to file, I do not believe that the current state of my health will allow me to mount the vigorous campaign necessary to win," Ballance said.

"I am deeply saddened that I am disappointing so many of my friends and supporters who have urged me to seek re-election. I care very deeply for the people of the First Congressional District."

Ballance also has been at the center of a controversy over a foundation he started in 1985. He said in December he intended to seek re-election despite investigations into the organization.

A federal grand jury has been examining the John A. Hyman Foundation, which was the subject of a stinging state audit in October. The FBI also has been looking into the foundation, state officials have said.

The audit determined the foundation, which ran a drug and alcohol counseling program in northeastern North Carolina, was riddled with conflicts of interest and made $325,000 in questionable payments.

The foundation has received $2.1 million in state money since 1994, thanks in part to Ballance, a longtime state legislator and foundation board chairman.

Ballance was elected to Congress in 2002.

[Constitution Day]

Good riddance!

[Constitution Day]

NC *Ping*

Please FRmail me, mykdsmom or TaxRelief if you want to be added to or removed from this North Carolina ping list.

[TheBigB]

Is there a strong Republican running? Can we win this district?

[southernnorthcarolina]

Sadly, the district is not winnable; it was one of two CDs in NC drawn specifically to elect a black Democrat, under a rather twisted interpretation of the Voter Rights Act. The good news is that the highly creative map drawing created a Republican district next door -- the 3rd, represented by Walter Jones, Jr.

But the 1st? No hope. The total population in the district is 51% black and 45% black; the count among registered voters is almost an even black/white split. Registration is 72% Dem, 17% Republican, 11% unaffiliated. Erskine Bowles carried the district over Elizabeth Dole in 2000 by a 61-38 margin, and that was the best GOP performance on the ballot.

Had Ballance stayed on the ballot, his obvious corruption would have held his margin down, and maybe depressed the turnout there to the benefit of the GOP Senate and Gubernatorial candidates. With Ballance gone, the GOP's chances went from microscopic to zero.

As to Ballance's health problems:

[Constitution Day]

Thanks guys. My DSL line is acting up. AGAIN.

[TheBigB]

The total population in the district is 51% black and 45% black

You're right, that's a majority minority district if I've ever seen one.

[Constitution Day]

I live in this district, BTW.

[southernnorthcarolina]

SNC:"The total population in the district is 51% black and 45% black."

TBB: "You're right, that's a majority minority district if I've ever seen one."

Free Republic's spell-check works pretty well. I await development of stoopid-check. Of course, I meant 51% black and 45% white.

[TheBigB]

I await development of stoopid-check.

I oppose this, as it would prevent me from posting at all.

[Windom Earle]

This is great news and a tremendous victory. The Dems will have to look far and wide to find someone worse...although I don't put it past them.

[Constitution Day]

I'm very excited, even though he is claiming sickness. Whatever it takes to get him out is fine with me.

Any ideas on who the Dems may trot out now?

[Windom Earle]

Justice Butterfield wants it. His politics will still be liberal, but I never thought he was the slime that Ballance is. I could be wrong about that.

[Constitution Day]

Now I remember reading an article recently about Butterfield.
I found it here: Butterfield won't challenge Ballance

I suppose that's changed now.
Who is the 'Jerry Williford' mentioned as another GOP candidate?

[southernnorthcarolina]

Butterfield filed today. I think today was the last day, both for withdrawals and filings.

The political reality of the situation is that we'll have Congressman Butterfield by January, and as long as his corruption isn't too outrageous, he'll have the seat for as long as he wishes.

Something's wrong here. And not just because I dislike Butterfield's politics (I do); I don't think Sue Myrick, a conservative Republican, should the 9th District locked up into perpetuity, either.

And at that, the situation in North Carolina isn't as bad as it is in other states; we actually have several potentially competitive districts -- more than much larger states such as Pennsylvania and California.

[TaxRelief]

Perhaps it's time for a Black Republican to run in NC01?