McCrory and Spaulding get endorsements for Governor
Published February 29, 2016
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Ken Spaulding[/caption]
Editorial by Winston-Salem Journal, February 28, 2016.
Our governor should lead in economic development and, in general, standing up for us all. The governor should be our best defender, advancing our interests, both here, in the rest of the country and in the global economy.
In GOP primary for the seat, the incumbent, Pat McCrory, is the most qualified among two limited opponents. In the Democratic primary, we like Ken Spaulding, a Durham lawyer and former state legislator with a long record of effectively fighting for what’s best for all North Carolinians.
McCrory, the former Charlotte mayor whom we endorsed in this spot four years ago, has disappointed us by not standing up harder for public education against his fellow Republicans who rule the state legislature, in ill-considered appointments (including the former leader of the Department of Health and Human Services), and in lapses in transparency. But he has helped in gains in the state’s economic comeback and stood up for historic-preservation tax credits and our state’s landmark compensation for victims of North Carolina’s forced sterilization program.
McCrory is better than his opponents. Former state House Rep. Robert Brawley of Mooresville, with no significant accomplishments in the legislature, offers little. Charles Kenneth Moss of Randleman, a former member of the Randolph County Soil and Water Conservation board, offers even less in terms of experience.
In the Democratic primary, Attorney General Roy Cooper and Ken Spaulding are vying for the nomination to run for governor. Cooper, the favorite of his party, has done a decent job in his post, is a generally good administrator and knows well the state’s other top executives. But we contend that Spaulding, albeit the clear underdog in this fight, is the most qualified. He would bring a fresh and determined approach to the job.
A graduate of Howard University and the University of North Carolina School of Law, Spaulding’s early internships include one with the state attorney general’s office. He effectively served in the state House of Representatives in the early 1980s. There, he was chairman of the Black Caucus. He pushed literacy efforts across the state and legislation that stood up for rape victims. In the years since, he has stood up for Durham police officers on pay issues, served on the state Board of Transportation and worked hard for economic development.
His legal background would serve him well in tackling the complex legal issues that daily face our state, especially in bettering our criminal justice system. Spaulding is a passionate advocate who is clearly committed to helping all North Carolinians and advancing our state’s interests on the national and international stage.
Libertarian Lon Cecil of High Point will join the winners of these March primaries on the ballot for the governor’s race in the November election.
The Journal editorial board endorses Pat McCrory in the GOP primary for governor and Ken Spaulding in the Democratic primary for governor.
