#NC-02: Tata testing waters against Ellmers?
We understand — thanks to very good sources in the Raleigh area — that feelers are being put out by political pros to test former NCDOT secretary (and Army general) Tony Tata as a potential GOP primary candidate against congresswoman Renee Ellmers. Said one source:
”They’re testing him against Ellmers and against Jim Duncan. They want to get a really good feel about how he’d match up against either of those, or both of them.”
My sources tell me this effort is being driven, at least in part, from Washington.
The run against Ellmers would make a lot more sense than the previously reported run against Walter Jones. Tata actually lives in Ellmers’s district – or pretty doggone close to it. His home is not even close to Jones’s district.
Tata would be a good fit in the Second. He’s a known quantity in the northern part of the district closer to Raleigh. As an Army veteran, he’d appeal to a lot of folks in the southern part of the district (Hoke, Moore, Cumberland, and Harnett counties).
If he makes the jump, Tata would make the upcoming GOP primary for this congressional seat a foursome. Frank Roche, Ellmers, and Jim Duncan have already made their intentions known about running.
That would make it look like the DC establishment considers Ellmers to be damaged goods and going to lose, so they are looking for a replacement.
After Tata royally bungled the Voter ID situation at DOT, no self respecting party activist would touch him with a ten foot poll. He also screwed up the highway funding for the rural counties that make up most of that district. Tata is also vulnerable on illegal immigration, since he stupidly ordered DOT to give NC drivers licenses to ”Dreamer” illegal aliens.
Any current pollling would reflect name recognition more than anthing. If a three way (and I discount Roche whether he is on the ballot or not), once the issues are out, Tata splits the Obama Republican vote with Ellmers, and that give Jim Duncan a clear path to victory. In a two way, with Ellmers retiring, Tata is almost as damaged goods as Ellmers.
Tata is a Boehner flunky wherever he runs, and needs to be defeated.
I agree 100% except that I think this is a ploy to try to DILUTE the conservative votes for Jim Duncan in order to get Ellmers re-elected.
She is a reliable rubber stamp on every globalist/Obama-RINO bill.
Tata is a disaster. Everything he’s touched in NC has turned to you know what.
Tata should stick with writing books. We need a candidate who really cares about the people from District 2. Jim Duncan is that person, and Tata is not.
Maybe, just maybe he would split the RINO vote and all conservatives would support Duncan and we could squeak by. Maybe….
I smell a RINO plot to keep Big Government Barbie in DC
Oh please, Tata cost NC a strong voter ID law, stick to writing books.
Go Jim Duncan
Check out the N&O “time line” of Tata’s career:
http://www.newsobserver.com/news/politics-government/state-politics/article29241136.html
See the big hole between Harvard in 2000 and publishing his first novel in 2008? They apparently decided the fact that he was second-in-command of US forces in Afghanistan wasn’t a significant part of his bio.
I hear TT’s been “testing the waters,” but not with Ellmers.
I think General Tata will come out on top in the primary. Duncan may be second, and Renee will be last. General Tata has written more books than Renee has ever read!
Looks like the GOPe rumor mill is on over time. Tata is damaged goods thanks to his bungled handling of the voter ID issue. We won’t forget that. Jim Duncan is the clear winner in NC2. He’s clearly pro-life unlike the Abortion loving Big Government Barbie we have in Ellmers.
Tony Tata helped push through the toll scheme on the citizens of the Lake Norman area. He is NOT a good candidate for anything.
And, that’s the end of that tune:
Tony Tata’s Army career included phony court order, at least 2 affairs
N&O
Inspector general: Tata’s actions ‘reflected poor judgment and a pattern of misconduct’
Tata wasn’t punished for adultery and received glowing review after announcing retirement
Phony court document entered in child support dispute. Who created it?