General: The filing period has begun and the candidates can be viewed here (PDF or Excel).
Questionnaires: Here's an idea, and it actually gets at the heart of what this thread is supposed to be about - vetting the candidates. How about we put our heads together and come up with a list of questions for me to send to all of the congressional candidates? Start throwing suggestions my way...
US House Dist. 2, 7 & 8: The Cumberland County GOP held straw polls for the three congressional districts that run through the county. The winners were Renee Ellmers in the 2nd district, Will Breazeale in the 3rd district and Lou Huddleston in the 7th district. Sarah Palin won the straw poll for the 2012 presidential nominee. (Post 68)
US House Dist. 4: It looks like the primary has become a real race now that 2008 candidate BJ Lawson is in. (Post 65)
Lawson is a Paulite libertarian while Frank Roche is a traditional conservative. Roche and Lawson appeared together on WPTF with Bill LuMaye (listen here and here).
Americans for Prosperity praised Roche for signing their pledge against the carbon tax, some sort of which Lawson apparently thinks is a good idea.
US House Dist. 7: Breazeale touts some more endorsements, including former Vice Chairman of the John Locke Foundation, Chad Adams.
US House Dist. 8: Tim D'Annunzio... let's just say he isn't quite ready for prime time. Don't be surprised if he shows up here and starts flaming us. (Posts 66 and 67)
US House Dist. 11: Six candidates have filled out questionnaires issued by the AshevilleTeaPAC. The PAC will host a debate on March 5th, and then issue an endorsement.
Considering that most, if not all, of the Paulite-dominated Asheville Tea Party (and much of the Buncombe GOP) is involved in Dan Eichenbaum's campaign, it isn't hard to guess who they'll end up endorsing. But the questionnaires are nonetheless informative, especially the one from Hendersonville mayor Greg Newman, who couldn't even bother to actually answer the questions and instead pasted what was written on his website...
State Senate & House: A slew of Republican challengers have announced for competitive districts in the northeast in the past week.
State Senate Dist. 1: Head toad Marc Basnight is being challenged by long-time Beaufort county commissioner Hood Richardson. (Post 69)
State House Dist. 1: In what is apparently his first challenge since he won the seat in 1994, Democrat Bill Owens will face John Woodard of Elizabeth City. (Post 70)
State House Dist. 2: Chowan County GOP chairman and locally-syndicated columnist Bob Steinburg is challenging Democrat Tim Spear. (Post 72)
State House Dist. 25: This Nash County seat was only just lost to Dem Randy Stewart in 2008. Jeff Collins of Rocky Mount will make the challenge. (Post 71)
NC *Ping*
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