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Friday Wrap-up
posted at 2007-03-23 23:33 | Last modified 2007-11-14 10:38
Hat # 4
Johnston County Republican State Sen. Fred Smith has declared his candidacy for the 2008 gubernatorial race. He joins two other Republicans - former state Supreme Court justice Bob Orr and Salisbury lawyer and gas tax activist Bill Graham - and one Libertarian, Duke Politicial Science chair Mike Munger.
Smith made his announcement on the steps of the old Methodist orphanage (a beautiful property now known as Borden House) on Fletcher Park in Raleigh. No, he wasn't an orphan, but his parents worked there, so his family lived there when he was a child.
Aside from that bit of human interest, the rest of the speech was largely boilerplate conservatism - less taxes, less government, more law and order, more support for small business. The most interesting part may have been Smith's odd and frequent use of the royal "we" - as in, "We are a businessman." The whole speech was a little G.W.
The small but enthusiastic crowd in attendance didn't react much to the royal "we" or to all the boilerplate stuff. But two issues brought them all to life - illegal immigration and same-sex marriage. Those were the two applause points during the speech, and the supporters I talked with afterward say Smith's stances against both are his main draw.
Speaking of gubernatorial campaigns - the Dem's all-but-declared frontrunner Lt Gov Bev Perdue has a busy day Monday. At 10:30am, Perdue speaks at the opening of the High Point Furniture Mart. Then at noon, she's onstage in the Triad, talking about kids' health insurance.
More OLF news
Both sides got a boost this week. At a meeting last night in New Bern, the Navy heard from some folks who support a Washington County site for the OLF. The N&O's Jerry Allegood has more. Then today, Governor Mike Easley sent out a warning, bylined by the state's top two health officials, about the potential environmental and human health hazards posed by the Navy's preferred bird poison, Avitrol. The Navy's community hearings continue next week.
What, no chief?Speaker Joe Hackney has released his permanent staff roster for the session. What's new?
- Former Black advisor Mike Wilkins and Hackney advisor Laura deVivo will be dual "senior policy advisors."
- Hackney's Exec. Asst. Emily Reynolds Freeman will share her workload with former Black exec. asst. Meredith Swindell.
- Former Black staffers Allen Rogers, Zadia Smith, and Lesley Cates will stay on in their respective positions.
- Thomas Doyle will join the office as assistant for special projects.
- Former Black analyst Angie Whitener is leaving March 30th.
What's missing? A General Counsel and a Chief of Staff. Hackney spokesman Bill Holmes says they're working on the former, but not the latter. You can see the official release here.
Comments? Drop me a line.
