Note: Due to a brutal travel schedule over the next few weeks - I’ll be back in a couple of days for the Friday Five.
I’m backing Bob Orr for Governor. Yes, the same one I was critical of early last year for his stand on TIF (here and here)
Basically, it got spun by Coy and the gang as opposition to the NCRC TIF and I helped with the spin by getting spun up myself. Instead of getting tangled by trying to get unspun, I’ll make it simple: he’s not opposed to every last TIF project on the planet - he was opposed to people not getting the right to vote on TIF projects. As a matter of fact, he came to the defense of Raleigh TIF project a few months ago.
Here’s how I came around to backing Bob Orr.
In December, I was prepared to back one of Justice Orr’s rivals for the GOP nomination; but after my candidate spoke at the GOP Christmas Party and I watched the crowd’s reaction - I was solidly undecided. It was at that point that the next speaker was a Bob Orr volunteer who was there to speak for him named Wendi. Wendi obviously wasn’t a politico. She was in front of a group of hard-core GOP activists who’d paid $50 a head to be there and lead her pitch for Justice Orr by telling everyone that she was exasperated with the Republican Party. But, after meeting Justice Orr at some sort of lawyers seminar, she was convinced she’d had to work to help the guy become Governor. Admittedly, something about the earnestness of her showing up in Graham/McCrory Country to stump for her candidate and my being jarred into the Undecided bin with half of the NC GOP that had me swinging by her table to sign up for more info.
It wasn’t until after Paxton was born that I up and made the decision to back Justice Orr. At this stage in my life, I really don’t know how much longer I can stay as politically active as I’ve been - but, I feel that it’s important to back a candidate that really ought to win.
I could give you the stock reasons for backing Justice Orr: he’s the only one of the GOP candidates to win a statewide race (4, actually), he won the endorsement of Former Governor Jim Martin (three times, if you count the two times Martin appointed him to the Court of Appeals), and he’s the most experienced and the smartest of all 6 people running for the state’s highest office.
But those aren’t my reasons. Here are my reasons:
Justice Orr has a blog where it’s obvious he’s principled, hard-working, and willing to lead the kind of campaign it’s going to take for a Republican to win the Governor’s office in November.
He was the only GOP gubernatorial candidate that showed up at the NAACP candidate forum last month
He met with some younger, apolitical friends of mine and I watched them put “get registered to vote” on their to-do list when they got done talking to Justice Orr.
I don’t expect a single person that reads my blog to support Justice Orr just because I do. I would encourage you to poke around his website. Also, regardless of how you’re thinking of voting in May, you should meet Justice Orr before then - and that’s why I’ll be posting when he’ll be coming to Cabarrus County.
Justice Orr is the real deal. We’d all be better off with him in Raleigh.
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10 responses so far ↓
1 Aaron // Feb 6, 2008 at 9:52 am
Why not Graham?
2 Justin Thibault // Feb 6, 2008 at 11:13 am
Aaron - There are three candidates for Governor in 2008 who’ve won a statewide race - Graham’s name isn’t among them.
The GOP has had a hard time producing a candidate who can win the Governor’s election. Going with an unproven choice isn’t wise. The extent of Graham’s statewide experience is buying commercials for a petition drive to Raleigh to make gas cheaper right after Katrina. This is entirely different than winning 4 elections that are normally dominated by Democrats in a job (Court of Appeals Judge and Supreme Court Judge) where one is forced to decide and explain - in detail - how one deals with important issues and comes to less-than-popular conclusions.
Bottom line: While I wouldn’t have much of a problem voting for Graham in November - I don’t think he can make the case as large as a number of voters as Orr could.
3 Aaron // Feb 6, 2008 at 5:45 pm
Hey, another Aaron.
I feel your pain brother. Always having your name misspelled and being mistaken for a womern…
4 Steve Smith // Feb 6, 2008 at 7:23 pm
Justin
Why not McCrory???
Aaron:
Two Aaron’s. How will we tell ya’ll apart here in the “Cheap Seats”
5 MarkMartin // Feb 6, 2008 at 7:34 pm
I saw Fred Smith’s bus in Concord. They looked lost. People had to jump out of the bus and help the driver try to turn the thing into a small parking area off of 29 (across from Northeast Medical). By the way, I am not voting for Smith. I still have not made a decision.
6 Steve Smith // Feb 6, 2008 at 7:38 pm
Justin
I have never met Justice Orr but I have met Mayor McCrory and like you said about Orr, McCrory is honest and hard working. And if we are to produce a GOP Governor, that person will have to appeal to both sides of the isle like Jim Martin and Jim Holeshouser did when they were elected. I feel that McCrory can do this as he has for the past seven years, played well with others (Democrats) in Charlotte. I look forward to meeting Justice Orr. Please keep us posted when he comes to Cabarrus County.
Aaron and Aaron:
Two Aaron’s here in the Cheap Seats. To what do we owe this pleasure and how will we tell ya’ll apart….
7 Simply Me // Feb 6, 2008 at 9:54 pm
I can see McCrory’s appeal for some. He’s done some good things for Charlotte. However, I don’t think he’s the best choice for governor. He’s effective with sound bites, but, we need someone with depth who can get things done in Raleigh. I haven’t seen much success on McCrory’s part in working with the folks in Raleigh. That doesn’t mean, especially given his Homeland Security experience, that I would mind voting for him into the House of Rep. someday . . . just not for Governor. I think Justin is right; Orr is the clear choice. His detailed plans are leaps and bounds ahead of the other candidates on both sides for transportation and education.
8 Justin Thibault // Feb 7, 2008 at 8:48 am
To Distinguish the Two Aarons: Hover over their name. On the original Aaron’s - you’ll see his site (www.braincelldestroyer.com) over it.
9 Justin Thibault // Feb 7, 2008 at 9:02 am
Steve - Like Graham, I wouldn’t have a problem support McCrory in the General Election and, like Graham, I don’t think he can make the case to voters as well as Orr could in November.
The GOP has the odds stacked against them for the Governor’s office and we have a choice between a veteran of 4 statewide races and three rookies. Maybe a rookie can win; but the odds are in the favor of the veteran - and given the work we’ll have to do in the 8th district to keep from being represented by a Pelosi surrogate: I ain’t in much of a gambling mood with the Governor’s office.
10 Cabarrus Cheap Seats // Mar 28, 2008 at 3:03 am
Friday Five: Bob Orr - By The Numbers…
Recently, I announced that I was endorsing Bob Orr for North Carolina Governor. I’ve also spoken at events in Cabarrus and Davidson Counties on behalf of the campaign. In that post, I discussed briefly why I decided to choose him ov…