Posted on 08/10/2002 7:28:45 PM PDT by Jomini
Republican says GTP has failed
Greg Dority's big-kid baseball dreams were came true Friday night on the way to fulfilling another dream: becoming a member of the U.S. House.
The 43-year-old Washington Republican is running for the first district Congressional seat being vacated by a retiring Eva Clayton. He threw out the first pitch at the Kinston Indians' game Friday night, and hoped to pitch his ideas to local voters.
"We have a real chance with the district being redrawn smaller and there being no incumbent," he said.
Although Dority is relieved the Sept. 10 state primary finally was scheduled, the extra time did give him more opportunity to make his way around the district. The candidate says he's taken time to study the entire area, including Kinston.
"The focus of my campaign is jobs, jobs, jobs," he said. "We don't have any. We lost a lot because of NAFTA and we've got to find more. What I've learned about Kinston is they're getting hurt with the job losses. NAFTA and free trade are great concepts, but not when you penalize the workers."
Dority does not believe the Global TransPark is the answer to the area's job crisis.
"The GTP has been an apparent failure so far," he said. "What if we had taken the one or two million dollars we've given the TransPark and given it instead to the Lenoir County Economic Development Commission? The money can be spent more efficiently locally."
Dority said he's the right candidate at the right time because he has a good understanding of national security and world affairs. He is an overseas security consultant.
"I had been thinking about running for the past year, but as soon as Sept. 11 happened I knew I'd be running," he said. "I've seen our new enemy up close."
In a poll of 650 likely voters in the Congressional race conducted the first week of August, Dority trails likely Dem nominee Frank Ballance 53-43. He trails second tier Dem candidate Janice Cole 52-45, and in a surprising twist runs in a virtual dead heat with white Dem candidate Sam Davis trailing only 42-40.
Like the knuckleball he threw out at Grainger Stadium Friday night, Candidate Dority floating right past the big bats of the Democrats. As long as his unconventional pitches continue to find the strike zone it is his race to win or lose.
J
Gotta get some skills, skills, skills down there Jomini. Manufacturing lost to Mexico isn't coming back.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.