At the risk of boring other readers, let me talk about Union County, of which you are, I believe, a native, and which has been my home for five years (I'm a native of Charlotte, practically next door). Obviously, economic, social, and political change have been profound in Union County over the past decade or two. Who would have thought, even a few years ago, that our county would be represented by two Republican Members of Congress, a Republican State Senator, two Republican State Representatives, and have a 5-0 GOP County Commission and a Republican Sheriff?
Union County has nominally become a single-party county. And yet, there is a scism -- a big one, in fact, between pro- and anti-economic development interests. Frankly, Fern, the only thing that bothers me about your candidacy is the fact that many of the anti-development activists have backed you in the past. I refuse to play the guilt by association game, but some of these folks are "way out there" in terms of their opposition to economic growth of any kind, be it retail, manufacturing, or even water and sewer line extensions. I realize this has relatively little to do with statewide issues, but I, for one, would feel a lot better about your candidacy if you could somehow distance yourselves from those who want to see Union County become strictly a bedroom community for Charlotte, with all job growth and new shopping opportunities on the other side of the county line.
I've made no decision yet on the Gubernatorial primary. I like what I hear from you so far, but I can say the same for at least two other candidates. I'll keep my ears, and my mind, open. Again, thanks so much for dropping by.