Presidential campaign casts shadow over state, local races

Editorial by Burlington Times-News, March 15, 2016.

North Carolina voters go to the polls today with a chance to perhaps play a role in determining the presidential nominees of both major parties.

Or maybe not.

In all, five states cast ballots in presidential primaries for another so-called Super Tuesday, and the Tar Heel state isn’t one of the two big prizes. Those would be Ohio and Florida, key delegate-rich, winner-take-all battlegrounds for Republican and Democratic candidates. North Carolina, with 72 GOP delegates and 121 Democratic delegates, ain’t chopped liver, but changing the primary date to March from the more traditional date in May hasn’t translated into the nonstop campaigning and spending many had hoped would follow.

What has happened instead is that many state and local races have been pushed to the background in the frenetic energy and nonstop commentary about the insurgent campaigns of Republican frontrunner Donald Trump and Democrat Bernie Sanders. Both visited the state Monday, as did Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton.

While the media follow the national candidates and the hoopla and protests surrounding them, nearly two-dozen candidates are toiling in the shadows for key Council of State races in North Carolina. Four Democrats, for example, are running for lieutenant governor for the right to face incumbent Dan Forest in the fall. Two Democrats and two Republicans are running for the right to face each other in November to claim the powerful job of N.C. Attorney General. The job is being vacated by Roy Cooper, who is running against incumbent Pat McCrory for governor.

And did anyone recall that three Republican candidates are seeking the nomination to run in the fall for state Superintendent of Public Instruction, including Dr. Rosemary Stein, a pediatrician from Alamance County? Incumbent Democrat June Atkinson has a primary opponent, too.

Several local offices are either short of candidates or nonpartisan. The nonpartisan race for Alamance-Burlington Board of Education, for example, will be held in November. The candidates for state Senate have zero primary opposition. The Republican incumbents for state House have no competition at all. Races for Congress are in litigation with the voting date apparently set for June.

There is one local race of major significance: the Republican primary for Alamance County Board of Commissioners. Seven candidates are running highly visible and sometimes contentious campaigns. Three former commissioners are on the ballot and one current one. Education funding and a tax increase last year are the issues driving that race.

One issue of statewide interest is the $2 billion Connect NC bond referendum, which would provide funding for the UNC system, community colleges, the National Guard and other areas. If it’s approved, Alamance Community College would stand to gain $6.1 million. No tax increase would be needed to pay for the bonds.

So beyond the overhyped bids for presidential nominations, there are several important elections today in races that aren’t garnering much attention from the public. Even those tired of hearing and seeing Trump, Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, John Kasich, Sanders and Clinton should make their choices in other equally worthy campaigns. Remember that even unaffiliated voters can take part in a primary election in North Carolina by choosing a party at the polling place. Don’t forget to bring an ID. They’re checking those this year, as U.S. Sen. Richard Burr learned last week during early voting when he had no ID and had to cast a provisional ballot.

By the way, polls open at 6:30 this morning and close at 7:30 tonight. That should be plenty of time for anyone who really wants to vote.

http://www.thetimesnews.com/opinion/20160314/editorial-presidential-campaigns-cast-shadow-over-state-local-primary-races