Neal reaches out during N.C. precinct meetings
Submitted by matthillnc on Mon, 03/10/2008 - 4:45pm
CHAPEL HILL, N.C./InterstateQ.com -- On Tuesday, March 11, tens of thousands of North Carolinians will head to their local precinct meetings to elect delegates to county conventions. The meetings are the beginning of the long trek to the state convention, the national convention and for choosing delegates to represent Democrats at both.
For Senate candidate Jim Neal, the meetings also represent a chance to reach out to more than 20,000 highly involved and attuned Democratic Party activists and likely primary voters. He has sent campaign materials for every meeting - bumper stickers and buttons - to distribute to local activists, along with a letter thanking attendees for their civic involvement.Neal’s campaign has also called and talked personally with 1,200 precinct chairs across the state.
“This campaign is about involving the people of North Carolina in our government,” Neal said. “Democracy doesn’t begin and end on Election Day. Every day we’re reaching out to people across the state and listening to their concerns and their ideas. And we will continue to do that when I am Senator.”
“For years, we’ve had a Senator that’s shortchanged her constituents. We will change that this November and take our government back so it works for everyone,” Neal said.
Neal will be attending precinct meetings in person this Tuesday in Davidson and Huntersville in Mecklenburg County. He faces state Sen. Kay Hagan of Guilford County in North Carolina's May 6 primary. As reported by Q-Notes on March 8, Hagan and Neal are running neck-and-neck in polls. Hagan, who is purported to be the party establishment favorite, has refused to speak openly and plainly on LGBT issues.
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Who's that guy with Neal?
I want him to run for office!
-- ge
Besta é tu se você não viver nesse mundo
http://george.entenman.name
Joseph Costa
Stalwart Democrat, Teen Dems Adviser for the Durham County Democratic party, and the guy who called EVERY SINGLE PERSON--let me say that again--EVERY SINGLE PERSON--on the 700-strong list of Dems this very proud county chair sent along as a means of contacting people for the precinct meeting.
If every Democrat were like Joe Costa, we'd never lose an election.
Ever.
Gee...I'd settle for one per county
At least that would be a start. Send along our thanks to Joe for setting such an awesome example.
Robin Hayes lied. Nobody died, but thousands of folks lost their jobs.
I took that picture!
Let me add that Joe is a Deputy with the Durham County Sheriff's Department and his assignment is as a school resource officer in a local high school. He's also a member of the NCDP State Executive Committee. And most importantly... he's a very active participant in Traction!
Durham dems should definitely be talking with Joe about running for something!
President of the Joe Costa Fan Club here
Joe is amazing. I clearly remember Joe and Tamala showing up to a DFA meetup back in Feb 2005. He learned there about a precinct-organizing workshop hosted by the county party, went to it, and got elected secretary of his precinct.
Most people would have stopped there. Not Joe. He organized a X-Box tournament for the kids in his apartment complex, with the goal of talking to their parents about voting. He also happened to be the first captain of Traction's dodgeball team (dodgeLEFT)!
I'm Joe's biggest fan. But wait, this is about Jim Neal -- I'm Jim's biggest fan too! Go Jim!
Feel like you're spinning your wheels?
Get some Traction... turning energy into progressive movement
Hagan's record speaks for itself
Hagan has consistently sided with equality in her public service (cosponsorshp of good legislation, not cosponsorsing marriage amendments, etc.).
I can understand attacking Hagan on other issues, but I do not understand these kinds of criticisms of Hagan. She is a friend of equal rights and has acted as such in the public arena.
It's actually Neal who has no record to run on in any area, but especially this one - just a bunch of promises and assumptions based on his declared orientation.
If I'm a straight politician wondering if I should support LGBT equality, I would look a this race and wonder, why bother? Hagan's record is a good as almost any at the state legislative level, yet she is castigated because an LGBTer parachutes into NC two years ago and decides to jump into a US Senate race.
Neal needs to publicize more of his long-term service to the LGBT community rather than take such votes for granted.
Good points
My understanding of Kay's record is that it's pretty solid in lots of areas. I don't know for certain where she stands on specific LGBT issues, but I assume she has a progressive bent.
I think the major points of difference are in another area: corporatism vs. populism. Based on her FISA comments and votes in the Senate, I find Kay leads too far in the direction of business and/or wealthy interests. That's true of much of the Democratic Party in North Carolina, but it's especially true of the Senate, where she has been a leaders. Jim is clearly the populist - meaning he tilts in favor of people instead of businesses in this race.
I know businesses help people - no question about that. It's a matter of degree. If +10 is helping people and -10 is helping business, Jim is a +7 and Kay is a -4.
I think that is mostly what this primary is about.
Usernamehere, I'm fully
Usernamehere, I'm fully aware of Hagan's record in the Senate but her willingness to ignore the LGBT community and side-step discussion of us in the U.S. Senate race is VERY important. If Hagan wishes to represent all North Carolinians, she needs to be willing to openly discuss the issues that affect all North Carolinians, including the gay ones. She hasn't done that.
Q-Notes, the Carolinas' LGBT newspaper (full disclosure: I am editor of Q-Notes), asked Hagan for comment on numerous, specific LGBT issues. Hagan, unfortunately, chose to ignore those questions.
Neal, however, has shown his face at gay events, has openly discussed LGBT issues even when it will probably hurt him. Even if Neal weren't gay, his willingness to speak openly about LGBT North Carolinians would speak for itself.
Matt Comer
www.InterstateQ.com
Honestly
I would have supported Neal anyway, but I really feel like Hagan was foisted into the race as "somebody who can beat the gay guy," and that just fires me up.
No, I do not feel like Hagan feels that way herself, and I don't think the party feels that way (at least I hope not), but I think it did play into the equation.
Just my opinion.
I agree with your second paragraph, but I believe
Hagan was foisted into the race because Grier Martin didn't run, not because of any grand anti-Neal conspiracy by the party.
It was always an anti-Dole conspiracy by the party - as it should be.
As is typical in races of this magnitude (US Senate), I believe Hagan and Martin were vetted long ago before Neal ever popped up.
While I do believe some in the party may be afraid of a openly gay man on the statewide ticket, I really don't think this was ever in the equation for this race (see also Arrowood in Court of Appeals race).
Martin and Hagan were the two top candidates that would enter this race. One backed out after the deck was cleared, so the party went back for the other one.
In my opinion, they chose the right one this year. Hagan against Dole in 2008. Martin against Burr in 2010.
I believe gender and geography were more of a factor before orientation ever got in the door.