Upcoming primaries
North Carolina's primary elections are coming up on May 6th. Even if the final presidential nominee has been determined by that time, and i suspect it will, there are some important races on the ballot on both the Democratic and Republican side. The Governor and Lt. Governor races are both being hotly contested, and Democrats will be choosing a Senator to run against Liddy Dole, whose seat some strategists view as vulnerable.
Closer to home, though, the primary takes on even more significance.
Why is that, you ask?
Because in Durham County, the winners of the Democratic party primary election for County Commissioner and District Attorney will end up running unopposed for their seats in November.
That's right.
Not a single Republican has filed to be on the ballot in either of those races. Now, given the animus within certain segments of the community towards the DA's office, and especially towards some of the declared candidates, how is it that Republicans are willing to let Democrats choose the next Durham County DA? I ask this seriously. And yes, i know that independents are able to pick which party's primary they want to participate in.
But, Republicans have a serious race going on at the top of the ticket for Governor. Will Republican leaning independents forgo participating in that primary in order to vote for Durham DA? I really don't think so. Which makes it less fathomable to me that Republicans couldn't come up with a candidate.
And don't forget, North Carolina has a sore loser law. If a candidate is defeated in a party primary, they are not eligible to run for that office in the general election.
You can download an Excel file of all declared candidates that will be on the ballot in Durham County here. Barring a write-in campaign in November, one of the four candidates for DA, and five of the ten candidates for County Commissioner, will be elected in May. I have a hunch that your vote will count, if you choose to use it.
Closer to home, though, the primary takes on even more significance.
Why is that, you ask?
Because in Durham County, the winners of the Democratic party primary election for County Commissioner and District Attorney will end up running unopposed for their seats in November.
That's right.
Not a single Republican has filed to be on the ballot in either of those races. Now, given the animus within certain segments of the community towards the DA's office, and especially towards some of the declared candidates, how is it that Republicans are willing to let Democrats choose the next Durham County DA? I ask this seriously. And yes, i know that independents are able to pick which party's primary they want to participate in.
But, Republicans have a serious race going on at the top of the ticket for Governor. Will Republican leaning independents forgo participating in that primary in order to vote for Durham DA? I really don't think so. Which makes it less fathomable to me that Republicans couldn't come up with a candidate.
And don't forget, North Carolina has a sore loser law. If a candidate is defeated in a party primary, they are not eligible to run for that office in the general election.
You can download an Excel file of all declared candidates that will be on the ballot in Durham County here. Barring a write-in campaign in November, one of the four candidates for DA, and five of the ten candidates for County Commissioner, will be elected in May. I have a hunch that your vote will count, if you choose to use it.
Labels: 2008 elections
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6 Comments:
Barry: "Will Republican leaning independents forgo participating in that primary in order to vote for Durham DA?"
That's me to a T. There's no way I'm missing out on Durham primaries that will decide the office just to vote in the GOP gubernatorial primary.
By
Anonymous, at 5:13 PM
I heard 50 people showed up at the recent Durham County GOP convention.
Kinda funny they can't marshal up a candidate to run against "evil" Dems...not that I'm that crazy about the current field.
Anyone care to enlighten me--in a positive sense?Who's worth voting for DA?
Because I'm underwhelmed by the choices.
By
Tony, at 10:50 PM
Though criminal law isn't my area, I've heard good things about Mitchell Garrell from other attorneys who do practice in that field.
By
Unknown, at 12:13 PM
JJ- good for you. I think whoever ends up winning the DA election is going to need to be able to claim a broad base of support.
My gut feeling is that the people who are making a career out of Nifong crushing (and by extension Tracey Cline bashing as well) are much happier having someone they can slam in that office, rather than someone they helped elect. I can't think of any other reason why no one is seeking a Republican nomination for that office.
You know that the turnout in November is going to be huge. Any decent candidate would almost have to be considered competitive, without even knowing who the Democrats are going to choose. To allow the decision to be made by a handful of people tells me that folks are more satisfied with being able to bitch at the status quo than to actually make any changes.
Not that there's anything wrong with that.
By
Barry, at 1:05 PM
Do only republicans care about the integrity of the DA office?
You seem to assume that all the Nifong bashing is coming from republicans. I am an independent and I do not care much for him or anyone in his office that did not have the integrity to speak up. I guess it is hard when you live in a community that people actual condone this kind of behavior as long as if it is white males.
Is only DA's that try to railroad minorities worthy of scorn?
By
TrinityRez, at 1:46 PM
So is it like 1980 was for Democrats?
Is "conservatism" dead? Didn't some political group in Durham drop the word "conservative" from their name?
Didn't a woman in Chapel Hill become incensed because I characterized her letters to the Herald-Sun as "conservative"?
I think Barry has a point. The immature posturing by Republicans in this town (and their kin, the Durham bashers who love LAX), is happier slagging whichever Dem becomes the DA, because they can't offer an alternative.
What a bunch of cry babies.
By
Tony, at 10:11 PM
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