campaign 2024: Tire-kickers and test-drivers galore
It’s that time of the year everyone dreaming of seeing their name on a ballot – or actually getting elected to something — lives for.
it’s time to get your name out there for the 2024 primaries for state offices. Four — possibly FIVE — of the most senior nine offices will not have an incumbent on the primary ballot. Lots of names are already floating around.
Governor. The only Democrat name, of course, is incumbent attorney general Josh Stein. On the Republican side, we have lieutenant governor Mark Robinson and — possibly — state treasurer Dale Folwell. The specter of Thom Tillis is still floating around out there for this one.
Lieutenant Governor. State senator Rachel Hunt – daughter of former governor Jim – is out there as a Democrat candidate. So is former Spring Lake mayor Chris Rey. On the GOP side, we have political consultant Hal Weatherman and Randolph County pastor Allen Mashburn. Brian Echevarria, a GOP nominee for a Cabarrus County NC House seat in 2022, is also being mentioned in circles across the state.
Attorney General. We’re not seeing or hearing any Democrat names for this race just yet. On the GOP side, we have former legislator, state courts official, and current prosecutor Tom Murry; state senator Danny Earl Britt; and former Tillis aide and current NC Chamber counsel Ray Starling.
Labor Commissioner. On the GOP side, we’re hearing a lot about two legislators and one private citizen. State Reps. Ben Moss and Jon Hardister are both making the rounds, as is Union County activist Travis Wilson.
Secretary of State. Political consultant Darren Eustance is the only name we’re seeing on the GOP side. Democrat incumbent Elaine Marshall, as far as we know, is running again.
Auditor. Incumbent Beth Wood looks ripe for the picking in November. But so far, there is only Anthony Street – the 2020 GOP nominee – out there looking to challenge her.
Treasurer. Right now, this seat is incumbent Dale Folwell’s for as long as he wants it. No Democrat names have emerged for this race. There is a possibility that Folwell may jump into the fray for governor. If he does, the treasurer seat will come open. Perhaps there are GOP possibilities waiting to see what Folwell will do.
Insurance. This looks to be incumbent Mike Causey‘s (R) for as long as he wants it. So far, no Democrat names have emerged.
Agriculture. This former chairman of ‘Farmers for John Edwards’ has this seat locked up for as long as he wants it.
If they are in the legislature and voted Democrat for either the Green New Deal or Obamacare Medicaid expansion or both, they are a non-starter, not only for the primary but also for the general election. When they vote for major Democrat policy, they are not a good Republican. It is great that we have a third choice for Labor Commissioner, because the two legislators are unacceptable. I guess Moss and Hardister still have a chance to make things right by voting against Obamacare Medicaid expansion on the final vote, but I doubt they will vote Republican on that.
If they won’t vote with the Republican base on major policy, why in the world should we even think about voting for them? There is an old saying “Fool me once, shame on you, Fool me twice, shame on me.”
To my knowledge, Chad Brown is running for Secretary of State again.
This Tom Starling has two very serious disqualifications for Attorney General or for that matter any GOP nomination. First, he has served on the staff of progressive “Republican” Thom Tillis, which should be a kiss of death even by itself. No one connected to Traitor Tillis will ever get my vote, primary OR general election. Second, he is employed by the mother of all special interest groups, the NC Chamber of Commerce. These crony capitalists who push special favors and liberal policies are downright evil, and I would also never vote for a Chamber “Republican” in either a primary or a general election. Heck, even the Republican Congressional caucus in DC has now put a heck of a lot of daylight between themselves and the crony capitalists of the US Chamber of Commerce. We already have way too many weanies in our party who prostitute themselves to the special interests and we certainly do NOT need another one. This guy is a non-starter.
How absolutely worthless the NC Chamber of Commerce is as an organization is shown by the 16 issues they used for their legislative rating last year. Most of them were niche issues off in the weeds. Two of them were positive ratings for voting to confirm some of Roy Cooper’s liberal appointees. The only major ideological issue they covered was the Green New Deal, and they took the far left position on that, evening bragging about having a role in creating it.
Any involvement with the NC Chamber of Corrupt Crony Capitalism is, as far as I am concerned, the kiss of death for a candidate, primary or general election. Their national counterpart, the US Chamber of Commerce has had most of its small business former members flee due to their lurch leftward, and it would not surprise me if the NC Chamber faces the same situation. Their pushing the Green New Deal, for example, is loved by one of their big members, woke ESG-chasing utility monopoly Duke Energy, but it screws their small business and medium sized manufacturing business members to the wall with much higher utility costs.
There are two other Republican Candidates for LT GOV:
Peter Boykin, political activist from Alamance County
and
Jim Kee, former City Councilman of Greensboro.