Posted on 08/03/2003 6:26:31 PM PDT by jern
Vinroot campaign gets off to a sluggish start Fund raising lags, but poll looks promising MARK JOHNSON Raleigh Bureau
RALEIGH - Former Charlotte Mayor Richard Vinroot heads into his third campaign for governor with at least a couple of advantages over his competitors for the Republican nomination, but a lot less money.
Vinroot raised $16,300 during the first six months of the year and had $24,000 on hand, the least amount of money among the four Republican candidates whose campaign finance reports were filed last week.
N.C. Senate Republican leader Patrick Ballantine of Wilmington raised more than 30 times that amount, $519,000, and still had $505,000 on hand at the end of June, making him the top Republican fund-raiser.
"It doesn't worry me," Vinroot said. "I'm satisfied we'll do what we need to do before the primary."
He said he dispatched a fund-raising letter since the reporting deadline and now has about $40,000 cash on hand.
Davie County Commissioner Dan Barrett had $92,000 on hand, while George Little, a Southern Pines insurance executive, had $78,000.
Figures for Timothy Cook, a Browns Summit textile chemist, were not available. Former state GOP chairman Bill Cobey joined the race in July and did not file a report.
Vinroot not only trails the other Republicans, but also trails his own campaign at the same point prior to the 2000 election. By June 30, 1999, he had raised $309,000, still had $52,000 on hand, had opened a headquarters and had hired a staff of four or five.
This time, he is still looking for office space and hired his first employee Tuesday. Vinroot, who lost in the primary to Robin Hayes in 1996 and in the general election to Easley in 2000, said he has the assets of a familiar name and favorable ratings among voters.
"I start with a number of advantages," he said. "We've done some polling, and I feel very good about where I am."
John McLaughlin, Vinroot's pollster, surveyed 600 likely voters in mid-July and found 38 percent had a favorable opinion of Vinroot, 29 percent unfavorable and 33 percent had no opinion.
Among Republicans, he had a 66 percent favorable rating, 7 percent unfavorable and 27 percent with no opinion.
The poll was taken before Cobey quit his post to join the race for governor.
Ballantine undoubtedly will have to spend considerable money to elevate voters' familiarity with him, but he has quickly amassed a half-million dollars in his first statewide race.
"The fund-raising efforts so far show that people are excited about our campaign," Ballantine said. "I hear it all over the state. Former Vinroot supporters are looking for a fresh alternative ... Our party needs a winner."
On the Democratic side, Gov. Mike Easley also has a smaller campaign treasury than when he was preparing for the 2000 race. He had $1 million at the end of June, but had $1.8 million at the same point four years ago.
One difference, though, is that Easley remains unopposed for the Democratic nomination this year and is aiming toward the general election, compared with his 2000 primary face-off with then-Lt. Gov. Dennis Wicker.
"He was in a full-fledged primary battle (then)," said Mac McCorkle, an Easley campaign adviser. "So the dates are not comparable because the game day is different."
Easley also will have more time to raise money this fall now that the General Assembly has adjourned, he said.
"He hasn't focused," McCorkle said.
"With the legislature and the budget going on, (campaign strategists) set the goal at a million because they knew he'd be doing other things."
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Agreed, the party will support whomever after the primary.
However, the core party members (or should I say the good-ole boy network?) will support Bill Cobey, in the primary, the same way they supported Elizabeth Dole: not officially, but in spirit, with money from individuals, key players on his campaign, fundraiser "tips" and special privileges.
No, regardless of his positions, I do not support Mr. Vinroot, because he has proven to all that he can not win.
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