Dority will debate Butterfield 'anytime, anywhere' (Dem drops out of WTVD debate)

The Daily Advance ^ | October 14, 2004 | Bob Montgomery

[Jomini]

Republican Greg Dority said Wednesday he will take on G.K. Butterfield "anytime, anywhere" if the Democratic congressman will agree to debate him before the Nov. 2 General Election.

Dority, who is seeking to unseat Butterfield in the state's First U.S. House District, said he's open to a debate, but that Butterfield thus far has declined his requests for one. Butterfield's reasons for not debating have either been that Congress was in session, or that he and Dority couldn't agree on a debate format, Dority said.

"It is my position he is ducking me because he is not qualified to debate me," Dority said Wednesday night, shortly after a campaign stop and talk at Captain Bob's Restaurant in Hertford. "He's scared to face me and explain his vote against traditional marriage."

Dority's position on the Marriage Protection Act, which recognizes marriage only between a man and woman, was one of several stances he outlined to about 20 GOP party loyalists and voters who attended Dority's campaign stop in Hertford.

A self-described conservative and Bush supporter from Washington, N.C., Dority faces Butterfield, a Wilson Democrat, on Nov. 2 for the 1st District congressional term that begins in January.

Dority ran for Congress two years ago and lost to Democrat Frank Ballance, who approximately five months ago resigned from Congress for health reasons, and amid reports of his being the target of a federal and state probe.

In July, he defeated Republican Jerry Williford of Oxford for the right to face Butterfield on Nov. 2. After Ballance resigned, a special election was held, and Butterfield beat Dority and is finishing Ballance's term through Jan. 2.

Dority said Butterfield voted in July against the Federal Marriage Act. Dority said he would have voted for it because it would supercede state rights to sanctify same-sex marriage.

"I know eastern North Carolina and here we support traditional marriage," Dority said. "If you're in favor of homosexual marriage, then vote for my opponent, because he is the champion of homosexual marriage."

Noting there's only 20 days until the election, Dority's talk included a somber prediction that Islamic extremists would probably launch a major terrorist attack before the election.

"I don't want to sound like an alarmist, but I want to make it clear. They will kill us or we will kill them," he said. "I support President Bush 100 percent in this war on terror."

Before he put his imaginary crystal ball into his pocket, Dority made another prediction. Gas prices will top $2 a gallon by Thanksgiving and heating oil prices will go through the roof this winter.

"I want to know what my opponent is going to do," he said. "If this is going to happen, what are we doing about it now?"

On jobs, Dority said he favors using tax credits to encourage job growth. He said Democrats favor using grants as stimuli, and that because there is a federal deficit, spending must be cut — "even if it means a little less pork coming down to the district."

Dority said he pushed for the 10-year tobacco buyout, which was linked to a corporate tax cut. He favors attaching the buyout as another way to help stimulate job growth.

"This is not a give-away, but a 21st century funding strategy," he said.

In the 1st District, Democrats outnumber Republicans by a wide margin, but in Perquimans County, where Captain Bob's is located, Dority lost by only 61 votes to Ballance in 2002, said Irvin Bibb, county GOP leader.

Dority said he expects to do well because it is a presidential election year, and Bush is garnering a lot of support across the board. A strong voter turnout, as he expects, will result in a strong showing for him against Butterfield, he said.

"We are at a watershed in history," he said. "You can tell here on Highway 17 that things are changing."

[Jomini]

WTVD (Channel 11 Durham) reporting late today that Butterfield has dropped out of the scheduled debate next week with Dority. While Butterfield still enjoys an eight point lead in the polls this probably has more to do with Richard Burr's surge than Dority's very aggressive debating style.

Richard Burr on fire now in eastern North Carolina and will make a swing through the east Saturday in Rocky Mount, Wilson, Goldsboro and Kinston. This is a must see appearance for all conservatives as it is rumored Senator Helms may make part of the trip.

Dority a lucky man to be catching the coattails of both Bush and Burr while running against an opponent that openly supports gay marriage.

J