NC-02: Jim Duncan steals the show at district’s GOP convention

Posted on by

Over 200 Republican leaders in North Carolina’s Second Congressional District gathered in Sanford today for their party’s district convention.  As expected,  there were candidates for the 2016 election cycle pressing the flesh and pitching for support. jd

All three announced candidates for the 2016 GOP primary for US House — Frank Roche, Jim Duncan, and incumbent Renee Ellmers — were present and accounted for. (So — by the way — were a number of my moles.) 

One mole — a longtime activist in the district — offered up this account:

“Ellmers rolled in with her husband and a staffer.  She plopped down in the back of the room and stayed about 20 minutes.  After she spoke, she tried to high-tail it out the door.  She left the staffer to videotape the rest of the proceedings.  This is HER district.  HER people. We don’t see much of her, and when we do, she gives us twenty minutes.”re

My source said Ellmers received polite applause when she was introduced. But, things got interesting when she finished speaking and tried to leave. Another source recounted the event:

”Some guy stopped her to talk in the doorway on her way out.  While they were talking, a roar goes up in the crowd.  It’s Jim Duncan getting announced and taking the podium. People were standing and cheering.  I saw an amazing amount of enthusiasm for Mr. Duncan from the Harnett County delegation, which is Renee’s home team.

Duncan delivered a great speech.  He was preaching it.  He definitely brought his A-game. And Renee had to listen to it from the back of thefr room.

Frank Roche got up to speak too, and he got politely received. But anyone who sat in this room had to come away with the impression that Jim Duncan has this group won over.”