Et tu, Paul?
Is stalwart conservative judge April Wood being stabbed in the back by “ally” Chief Justice Paul Newby? That’s what we’re hearing from inside the beltline.
Wood, who currently serves on the state Court of Appeals, had planned to seek a state Supreme Court seat in 2020. Sources tell me she was talked out of the run by Newby, who reportedly explained that the powers-that-be wanted former senator Tamara Barringer on the GOP ticket. Newby reportedly encouraged Wood to wait for 2022.
Like a good soldier, Wood has waited until 2022. Now, Newby is telling her to once again NOT RUN. The Raleigh crowd has picked someone named Trey Allen to run in what would have been her spot on the ticket. I am told Newby and sources close to Newby have initiated a negative whispering campaign to damage Wood if she doesn’t take the hint and get out of the 2022 race.
I know from experience that Paul Newby does not personally know a lot about politics or campaigning. He is counseled on those matters by one Paul Shumaker, the guru to Thom Tilli$ and the late Richard Morgan. (Shumaker once organized and ran a PAC on behalf of Morgan to rid the state House of Republicans who opposed Morgan and Jim Black’s power-sharing deal.)
Trey Allen is a wild card. April Wood is a proven conservative who has been elected and can do so again.
I’m sure not surprised by this at all. He put Ned Mangum as head Judge in Wake. That guy cut a deal with the Dems to run unopposed last time. . I ask these questions of any Wake Republican judges who run unopposed.
That Newby has had dealings with Shumaker is news to me, and it’s a total deal breaker. I was going to support Allen but now, I’m behind Wood all the way.
NOW we know. GREAT exposure to this fraud. Let’s get the ball rolling for WOOD. NC GOP can’t help themselves. Would rather lose than be CONSERVATIVE. Unsure what group, but the negative McCrory ad I saw last night was scathing….blistering……
Talk up, spread the word and get the grassroots WOOD support going.
April Wood will win the primary handily. Conservatives are tired of Raleigh insiders sticking them with liberal Republican candidates.
If she wins Supreme Court , guess who appoints her replacement on Court of Appeals ? …. Roy Cooper. That will mean another Dem on Appeals Court. Another Darren Jackson. She can stay on Appeals for a few years , hold that seat Republican and run against a Dem on Supreme in a few years. I don’t know who made who promises , but if we keep the Appeals Court solid R and get Supreme back with R majority that’s an ideal situation. But I suspect it will get mucked up somehow.
The same happened with Berger’s seat and will happen with Deitz. Whoever is appointed has to run for election in 2024 no matter what. Why are you only bringing this up with Judge Wood? Maybe Judge Deitz should wait instead. He has less judicial experience, and Judge Wood’s opponent has no judicial experience.
I hear Reprep’s argument, but I don’t think the comparison with Justice Berger is equivalent. He could have understandably expected a Gov. Dan Forest would be the one to appoint his replacement, especially when filing began..
Actually, losing the House on Blount might also explain why Justice Newby would greenlight Judge Wood running in 2022, only to then ask her to wait until 2024…
I have met Trey Allen and talked to him. He seems to be a good conservative. He also seems to have a personal connection with Paul Newby that goes back a long way, which probably has more to do with Newby supporting him than any Shumaker dealings. I have also talked to April Wood and she also seems to be conservative. I don’t think conservatives lose with either one on the Supreme Court bench.
I do share the concern about giving Cooper a Court of Appeals appointment.
I have never understood why virtually all the GOP Court nominees use Shumaker. Shumaker is not a good consultant and his bad advice on keeping a Supreme Court race non-partisan a few years ago is what handed the Democrats the court majority in the first place. After that fiasco, one would think Republicans on the appellate courts would run, not walk, away from Shumaker.
Agreed why give Cooper another appointment
He talks a good conservatives game, but with zero judicial record… to risky. He should be running for appeals court. Wood is a proven commodity.
This connection was made known to me some while ago and I was under the impression it was common knowledge…
Trey is a nice guy with zero bench experience.
I am more interested in conservative principles than “bench experience” and from the contact I have had with both of them, both have those conservative principles. That out of the way, the next question is, which one stands the better chance of beating the Democrat? If one has Shumaker as a consultant, then the other is probably the better candidate. Shumaker is a huge negative. And, of course, not giving Cooper a Court of Appeals appointment becomes a major factor if both are relatively even on prospects of winning the Supreme Court seat.
It is telling that not a single member of Woods’ local Davidson delegation (all very conservative) has endorsed her or openly supported her at local GOP events. Those are the folks that know her best.
She has immense local support. Probably explains why she’s been elected so many times. However, GOP executive committee members cannot endorse in a primary. It’s against the rules. Judge Wood is openly supported by the Sheriff, judges, commissioners, state representative, and Clerk of Court. They are all very strong Conservatives. It is very telling that she has so much support.
Absolute lies… show me one single endorsement she has from these Davidson County elected officials. A picture beside someone isn’t an endorsement.
she has not won repeatedly?
Hmmm
how is that possible if the local clique is disinterested?