Can't they keep this jackass locked up somewhere? If anyone should be barred from running for gov, Vinroot is it. Ditto
He is the reason that I scaled-back my volunteerism for the NCGOP.
Posted on 05/29/2003 5:10:48 AM PDT by gonewt
It's 3rd time for former Charlotte mayor
Staff Writer
|
|
Former Republican gubernatorial nominee Richard Vinroot made it official Wednesday. He's running again.
His announcement came the same day Raleigh attorney Jim Cain took himself out of consideration for the GOP race.
Vinroot, a former Charlotte mayor, is his party's fourth gubernatorial candidate. Davie County commissioner Dan Barrett and Southern Pines businessman George Little already have announced. State Senate Minority Leader Patrick Ballantine, who holds a fund-raiser tonight at Myers Park Country Club, plans to announce his candidacy in Charlotte Saturday at the state Republican convention.
Vinroot starts the race with considerable name recognition. An Elon University poll last month showed him recognized by 60 percent of North Carolinians. Ballantine was next with 26 percent recognition.
"I really think I start with a huge advantage," Vinroot said.
In 2000 Vinroot won the nomination but lost the general election to Democrat Mike Easley, who is expected to run for a second term. Vinroot lost the 1996 nomination to Robin Hayes, who went on to lose to Democratic incumbent Jim Hunt.
This time Vinroot says he's optimistic.
"George Bush is going to do very well (in North Carolina)," he said. "And I think that bodes well for the Republican nominee."
Cain, former president of the NHL's Carolina Hurricanes, had been considering the race. But Wednesday, in a letter to state party chairman Bill Cobey, he took himself out of contention.
"It has become clear to me that, as a father who has been away from home a great deal over the last decade ... an eighteen month statewide political campaign would not, at this time, be the right step for our family," he wrote. "I look forward to the occasion in a few years ... when the time will be right."
North Carolina is in bad shape. Our state income tax tops 8%, and the Democrats have a stranglehold on virtually every element of state government.
And the best we can come up with is Richard Vinroot, a loser with a capital "L."
This ought to lead to Ballantine getting a tremendous ovation at the convention this week.
We are sick of Vinroot.
He might as well GIVE the Excecutive Mansion to Ea$ley.
Vinroot has as much chance of winning the Gov. as Dole did the presidency. We need a young guy. (hmmm) Maybe I will throw my name in. I just dont have millions and am a computer nerd programmer, not a lawyer.
Can't they keep this jackass locked up somewhere? If anyone should be barred from running for gov, Vinroot is it. Ditto
He is the reason that I scaled-back my volunteerism for the NCGOP.
|
Senator Patrick J. Ballantine (Rep)
Republican Leader
2003-2004 Session
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
Davie County commissioner Dan Barrett is running, attacking Easley for taking money away from towns & counties to pay for state spending. Barrett is 42.
Patrick Ballantine has held the Republicans in the NC Senate together against tax increases. He's been a strong conservative legislative leader. Ballantine is 38.
That's pretty good for new blood.
Ideally I would have liked to see US Rep. Walter Jones Jr. run for governor, and supposedly he looked at running but hasn't indicated any interest.
He is also a social conservative. Pro-life with exceptions for life, rape, and incest. Pro death penalty.
I believe he toes the conservative line. I assume he's pro-gun, pro liberty (recently he opposed red light & speed tickets given by camera; he suggested mailing a warning rather than assessing a fine).
I don't know much about Barrett, but Davie County is pretty conservative and I'd think he's a social & fiscal conservative.
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.
