Uncommon Sense - July 23, 2008 Sanford Hearld

Local GOP moving up

The Lee County Republican Party faces the fall election with unprecedented opportunity. Voters think things are moving in the wrong direction, and oddly enough, at the state and local level, it may well benefit Republican candidates.

National polls show 75% believe this nation is headed in the wrong direction. Traditionally that is bad news for John McCain and his party down the ticket. There are signs, however, that this poll statistic is good news for the Lee County's GOP. Witness Lee County voters kicking out board of commissioners chair Bob Brown due to lack of leadership under Robert Reives’ influence.

Voters have grown tired of the commissioners and feel that the commissioners do not listen and do whatever suits them with few limits. For example, there is recent evidence that three county commissioners, Robert Reives, Jerry Lemmond, and Jamie Kelly used official county letterhead in an attempt to collectively influence the Board of Trustees of Central Carolina Community College's selection of its new president. In a statement full of multiple implications, one local leader said it was like your banker telling you who to hire. This Reives-style intimidation, this time caught in print, is why, no doubt, the county finance committees are not recorded for public viewing.

Nothing seems to motivate Republican enthusiasm more than the opportunity to elect a governor and the chances this year look good. The McCrory campaign is in uncharted but pleasant waters. Since the advent of polling, no Republican running for an open gubernatorial seat has ever enjoyed such a favorable position in the polls in July. Recent surveys by the conservative Civitas Institute, Democratic firm Public Policy Polling, and Survey USA show the race a virtual dead heat. Usually it is at least early October before such favorable numbers appear. After eight years of Governor Easley's reckless spending on government programs, recent disclosure of his tax payer-paid high spending life style, and his wife's $80,000 raise, no wonder voters are ready for a change in Raleigh.

McCrory has already shown unprecedented attention to Lee County. In less than three weeks, he has been to two events, a free pancake supper and upscale fund raiser. Combined with Jay Calendine's successful and growing effort to involve Republicans under 40 through the Young Republicans, there are going to be more motivated volunteers and party workers at an earlier stage in the campaign than ever before.

Making Lee County's position even more unique is an odd twist on the Presidential race. Traditionally Republicans have done well when the national ticket sweeps the state, but this is not a traditional year.

This year Lee County Republicans might be running in a state that is “in play.” Ever since last month when polls like Rasmussen put the McCain (45%)-Obama (43%) contest within the ±4% margin of error in North Carolina, a state that has consistently voted Republican since 1980, political commentators and the blogasphere have buzzed with the prospect of Obama “putting the state in play.”

“In play” may mean thousands of Obama volunteers and millions in the advertising money Obama now has to spend, having broken his promise to adhere to public spending limitations, coming to our state. A real battle for our state's electoral votes could turn out to be a positive for local Republicans. While Obama beat Hillary Clinton in the North Carolina primary by a double-digit margin, he got only 42% of the votes in Lee County. This was Hillary Country.

While the black vote is not negligible in Lee County, the county lacks a large student population and the kind of young professionals that have been attracted to Obama in more urban areas. Instead, whatever additional black voters Obama brings out may be swamped by normally apathetic white voters enthusiastic about voting for a war hero like McCain.

Odds are that you won't see local Democrats like Jerry Lemmond driving around with Obama stickers plastered on their cars. Meanwhile, the Republicans will be delighted if Obama is flooding the airwaves with his liberal message that fires up new voters for their local candidates.

Although Lee Republicans are still at a significant registration disadvantage, Lee County has filled a county wide office with a Sheriff who has become far more popular than his original narrow margin. So-called “non-partisan” elections are staying that way to the dismay of many. Lora Wright assured me she would defeat Mike Stone in the non-partisan city elections because “This is Sanford and I am the Democrat.” Stone went on to garner 60% of the vote. Dr. Lynn Smith, a registered Republican, led the school board field in that “non-partisan race.”

Lee County voters might sweep in a Republican slate looking for a change in leadership that will at least get our county moving in the right direction.