Democratic challenger Roy Carter in North Carolina's 5th district got some great news this morning when the largest paper in the district, the Winston-Salem Journal (circulation 82,000) ran an article that highlighted the race in the fifth district. The ad, which detailed the tense nature of the race, made mention of Roy Carter's terrific Gold Star Mom ad, diaried here. It also mentioned Carter's pledge not to take PAC money and speculations that the district is in play. This kind of press is a fantastic sign for a cash-strapped campaign desperate to get its message out.
Folks, this couldn't be bigger news. That's the biggest paper in the biggest city in the district, and it is a perfect opportunity for the cash strapped Carter campaign to get their message out, for free, to a lot of voters.
While The Journal mentions accusations by both parties, those levied at Foxx are much more damning. I encourage you to read the whole thing if you can, because the tone is clearly positive on the whole towards carter. The most damning accusation involves the story of a woman who charged that Foxx ignored the death of her son in Iraq.
From the article:
The Cook Political Report, a nonpartisan newsletter, sees the Lipford ad -- plus the potential for heightened turnout among Democrats -- as signs that the district could be in play.
The newsletter said that the ad "is the kind of attack that can create buzz and strengthen an existing undercurrent of displeasure with Foxx." Cook has changed its rating of the 5th District race from "solid Republican" to "likely Republican."
and
Carter has been criticizing Foxx for taking money from political-action committees representing the oil, banking and insurance industries, and has vowed that he would not do so.
These are the kinds of things that don't go over very well in the rural areas of the distict where democrats have historically struggled. This, combined with recent press on Foxx's "anti-america" comments (see here) and Carter's name recognition in those very rural areas mean that this is a race where you can really make a difference, but not for long. DONATE to Roy Carter before friday and help strike a devastating blow to conservatism (Foxx was one of the American Conservative Union's "best and brightest".)
Lets have a look at Roy Carter's economic talking points for the district.
Call for reform of NAFTA and support increased wages to end the ramped outsourcing of American jobs;
Work closely with local officials to secure federal funding for necessary infrastructure and transportation projects;
Hold a regional economic development summit with leaders from Winston-Salem, Forsyth County, and all 12 counties in the 5th District;
Support funding for alternative energy R&D at local universities and the Piedmont Triad Research Park to promote "green" jobs;
Support funding for P.A.R.T. to help rural workers commute to jobs throughout the district;
Offer new incentives for small business development and aid for small businesses that are trying to provide healthcare for their employees;
Fight to cap interest rates on emergency loans so that working class families aren’t thrown into an endless cycle of debt when an emergency occurs
Support sustainable development by partnering with the Appalachian Regional Commission and calling for more local farmer and trade markets.
These are the sorts of plans that will go over very well with a lot of voters in the fifth. Plus, a lot of people in North Carolina are skeptical of Foxx, whose love for Bush is well-known in the area. (and photographed.) She certainly hasn't helped herself recently, callously declaring on the floor of the House this summer that "this is not a failed economy". Now, flailing, her campain characterizes donations from Carter's son as "a contribution from the sex industry."
Please, if you can, if you can at all, give to Roy Carter now so he can run the campaign he needs to in the last few days of this tight race. Don't let Carter be the Kissell of 2008, and kick a seriously crazy woman out of office at the same time. It's a win win situation.