Ross has paid her dues and the entrance fee
Published March 7, 2016
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by Thomas Mills, Politics NC, March 4, 2016.
When running for US Senate in a swing state the size of North Carolina, especially against an incumbent, there’s an entrance fee. It may not be fair and it may signal problems with the current political system, but it’s a reality. The only candidate who paid it is Deborah Ross.
Ross raised almost $600,000 in the fourth quarter of last year. In Washington world, that’s just enough to prove viability. Campaigns that cost north of $25 million are national affairs. There’s not enough money in North Carolina to fund those races. The only way donors in California, Boston, New York, Chicago, etc. are going to take a candidate from North Carolina seriously is if they see big money in the bank. In fundraising, money begets money.
Ross also has the most experience of any of the other candidates. She served in the state House for years and became one of former House Speaker Joe Hackney’s chief lieutenants. She served as executive director of the ACLU, giving a her a close look at the ideological fights and courtroom battles over first amendment rights. That translates into understanding a lot of similar battles brewing today. Finally, as General Counsel for GoTriangle, she learned the intricacies of transportation issues facing the state and nation as well as understanding how local and regional partnerships work. There’s little doubt that she would be a competent US Senator.
Her chief opponents are Spring Lake Mayor Chris Rey and businessman Kevin Griffin. Both men are smart and capable communicators. However, both need more experience and neither has built the infrastructure necessary to take on Richard Burr. They should stay involved and look for opportunities to serve because North Carolina needs thoughtful people like them in the process. They would benefit from broader networks and a better understanding of the political process.
Ernest Reeves is also running for the nomination. However, I don’t know anything about him.
I’m voting for Deborah Ross. She’s the best chance we have for beating Richard Burr.
http://www.politicsnc.com/ross-has-paid-her-dues-and-the-entrance-fee/
March 7, 2016 at 7:11 pm
Norm Kelly says:
Deborah may be the best chance for beating Richard Burr. But the better candidate is Richard Burr.
Besides being a good progressive, what does Deborah bring to the table?
Deborah's ads say she will fight for pay equity. Which means what, exactly? Will Deborah force businesses to pay women the same as men, regardless of any other information? What else will be taken into account, besides pay & sex?
What other progressive idea does Deborah stand for? Will Deborah expand Obamacancer to create a 'single payer' utopia? Will Deborah expand which companies are taxed on GROSS income, instead of net income? You know, like Obamacancer taxed medical device manufacturers on GROSS income. The first and (so far) only business group to be taxed so.
What other progressive ideas will Deborah support? Really doesn't matter which socialist ideas Deborah supports. So long as it's called a 'socialist' scheme, it must be defeated. Nothing socialist is worth supporting or implementing.
The best candidate for the citizens of North Carolina remains Richard Burr. The citizens of our great state can NOT afford to allow Deborah to become our senator. In more than just dollars, but that is an extremely important aspect of the goal to defeat Deborah.
