Posted on 10/17/2005 9:53:58 AM PDT by TaxRelief
But Myrick can't win.
I don't care who gets the nomination as long as the person is a conservative. A real conservative can win in NC. Myrick just has too much baggage - it will come out when she throws her name in the ring.
Smith is actually the best bet but he has his problems as well. His greatest strength is that he is extremely well known in eastern NC and he could (and should) win the Triad in a general election.
I'm not saying he is the ideal candidate - just the best one right now.
Several come to mind.
Her age, 64. How ungallent of me.
She has health issues -- a history of breast cancer, and back problems.
She has a connection with creepy Amway.
She made a horrible prior run at U.S. Senate nomination; routed by that master campaigner, Lauch Faircloth. Enough said.
Her husband is a liability, but I won't comment further on that.
She's a Yankee, born in northern Ohio, near Toledo.
She is not a powerful speaker; a rather grating voice.
The big one: she would be running from Charlotte. The last Charlotte resident to win statewide office was Cameron Morrison, elected Governor in the 1920s, and he was relatively new to Charlotte, having been a Richmond County native. The NC political cemetery is full of Charlotteans who took stabs at Gov or Senate races: Ed O'Herron, Eddie Knox, Harvey Gantt (twice), Bill Belk, Erskine Bowles (twice), Sue herself in her Senate run, and more.
"VERY true! I know this is difficult for people outside of NC to understand but this state is run by 'Rats. It is truly incredible."
Not really. The pattern goes back to early colonial days, with the dominance of the eastern planters. Other than the typical Democrat voting blocs that are taken for granted (after all, where else will they go?), the seat of power for Democrats is still in the east.
Ever wonder why there are such beautiful, multi-lane highways to nowhere in the eastern part of the state, while the burgeoning Piedmont struggles with inadequate funding for highway infrastructure? Ever wonder why Easley can chopper off to his beach house on the state's tab with impugnity?
Look to history. IMHO, quite a few Republicans are also thoroughly underestimating the power of a populist appeal to job loss in traditional industries. Maybe somebody should go ask Jesse about that one. It's more than "just a job," low paying though it may well be. Their friends are/were there, it's part of their lives. Ripping it out from under them with a breezy "oh, go get some training at the community college" really doesn't go over well. It comes off rather like some self-appointed lord of the realm dictating the terms of indenture. It really does. And, that reverberates historically, too.
These are people who voted predominately for Reagan and Bush, their predilection for Democrats at the state level notwithstanding.
Ok, now that the problems are out there I'll be really politally incorrect:
Too old, unhealthy, terrible business connections/dealings, husband problems, from Charlotte (HUGE political liability!), and just not a good politician/campaigner.
Remember, I refrained from pointing this out until southernnorthcarolina came forward and did it for me. Thanks S.NC!!
True regarding Gov. Martin. But in today's political climate people equate Mecklenburg County with Charlotte and Bank of America.
Plus I don't think the Dems will run someone like Rufus Edmiston ever again!! We could NEVER get that lucky again!!!!
We lived near Charlotte for several years back when Sue Myrick was up and coming; and she consistently under-whelmed me on a number of issues. I really don't think she could possibly be elected Governor in NC; especially with some of the populous embarassed and feeling burned by the Breck Girl...
Ah yes, The Breck Girl.
Faircloth ran a terrible camaign for Senate against Little Johnny Boy. That's ok, we realized our mistake and corrected it in November of '04. We're just sorry that we subjected the rest of the country to that lazy, egotistical lawyer for 6 years and a Presidential run.
I wasn't down here then, but I've heard that since then she's got her mind Right in her new life as a Congresscritter. I've been very happy with her in the four years I've been down here, as she is my rep. She's only pissed me off ~~twice, which leaves her at 98 out of 100, which is still A+.
Ironically Vinroot coulda/woulda/shoulda broken the streak if he weren't a moron.
"Personal items - I won't give specifics."
See previous posts as to why she will not win.
Politically, she will lose BECAUSE she is the former mayor of Charlotte. Charlotte does not play well politically in this state.
If anything, it demonstrates her resolve, and the strength of her character, which would bolster any gubernatorial run.
Add to that her record as a staunch, unwavering conservative, who's adhered to spirit of the Republican Revolution, even as so many of her colleagues have compromised their principles in return for preserving their personal fiefdoms within Congress.
If she is a loser, then she'll be in good company, considering the lackluster record of recent GOP gubernatorial nominees.
I certainly don't see how she could be worse than candidates of whom I-and ninety percent of the rest of the conservative Republican community in this country-have never heard, and who don't have the record of accomplishment that Congressman Myrick has established over the course of the past decade.
I can't remember the last time I saw Republican opposition to the Rats on the ballot for the legislature. Republicans need to run somebody for them to get votes.
There are a LOT of problems with the state GOP. '06 could be worse than usual - if that's possible.
I wanted Walter Jones Jr to run before he went nuts.
I'll have to wait and meet Cain and Smith before I opine further on them. Remember how I told you "Danger, Will Robinson!" after I met Ballantine? I sure as heck got that one right.
Again, her biggest political liability is Charlotte itself. Politically speaking, no one in Charlotte cares about the rest of the state and no one in the rest of the state cares about Charlotte.
You will see how big a political noose Charlotte truly is if she wins the nomination.
Yes, Pat was, and is, a moderate. He ran through the middle in the primary as Vinroot and Cobey beat the crap out of each other.
It is hard to win a general election when you only get ~25% support from your own party in the primary.
However, if Rudolph Giuliani decided reverse course, and suddenly announce his candidacy for the United States Senate, we would have no choice but to rally around him, regardless of the risk.
When there is no better alternative, you have to go with the best option out there.
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