THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, November 4, 1994 TAG: 9411040719
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY MASON PETERS, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: ELIZABETH CITY LENGTH: Medium: 79 lines
Democratic candidates were in hog heaven at a local livestock arena Thursday night when Gov. James B. Hunt Jr., piled high his political blessings five days before a worrisome off-year election.
Most of the northeastern Democratic office-seekers need all the help they can get this year, and they whooped and hollered with gratitude for the endorsements from Hunt, a still-popular party leader.
After flying in from Raleigh with a planeload of Democrats, North Carolina's governor put on a livestock arena show that was loud enough to stop a stampede.
The microphone was set to rock concert levels. But for 200 pumped up Democrats who paid 10 bucks a head, any temporary hearing loss was a small price.
Retiring state Rep. Vernon G. James, D-Pasquotank, thundered out an introduction of N.C. Agriculture Commissioner Jim Graham, a sometime farmer who, without a microphone, can call hogs in the next county. Graham roared out kind words for all Democrats, living and dead, and then state Sen. Marc Basnight, D-Dare, made comments that might have been heard across Albemarle Sound.
But it was the governor himself who made the rafters ring, after he was driven by car to the arena, a much ballyhooed but controversial buggy ride the victim of political infighting.
One after another Hunt picked out deserving candidates and then handed out what may be historically the highest decibel level of encouragement in political annals.
For U.S. 3rd District Rep. H. Martin Lancaster, D-Goldsboro, Hunt said: ``We must elect my friend Martin Lancaster. . . . He's one of the finest congressmen we've ever had. He'll fight for northeastern North Carolina, and he's in line for chairman of the House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee, the same job that the REAL Walter Jones had.''
The Democrats cheered and applauded the governor's shot at Lancaster's opponent in the 3rd District race.
Lancaster is in a tough run against Republican Walter B. Jones Jr., son of the late U.S. Rep. Walter B. Jones Sr., a Democrat who represented the old 1st Congressional District for 26 years. The younger Jones switched to the GOP last year to run against Lancaster.
For Congresswoman Eva Clayton, seeking re-election in the 1st District, Hunt had this to say: ``Eva, you don't need as much help as Martin, but I want all these folks to know that you were outstanding when you were in state government in Raleigh and you're outstanding now in Washington.''
The redistricting remapped the 1st Congressional District to achieve better minority representation, and in 1992 Clayton became the first black and the first woman to be elected to Congress from North Carolina. She is expected to win easily next week against Republican Ted Tyler of Rich Square.
For William C. ``Bill'' Owens, a Pasquotank County commissioner who is in a contested race for James' old 1st N.C. House seat, the governor's endorsement was fulsome: ``Billy Owens is one of the best investments you could ever make. He will be invaluable in Raleigh. You've got to elect Bill Owens.''It remained for state Sen. Basnight, the powerful leader of the N.C. Senate, to produce the strongest criticism of Lancaster's opponent in the 3rd District race.
``I knew young Walter for four years in the legislature,'' Basnight bellowed over the amplifying system, ``He didn't belong in our General Assembly and he assuredly doesn't belong in Congress.''
More praise came for other Democrats facing opposition next week, including District Court Judge James Carlton Cole, of Perquimans County; Pasquotank County Commissioners Patsy McGee and Jimmy Dixon; Randy Cartwright, Democratic nominee for sheriff of Pasquotank County.
Finally, the sound died down as the governor departed with Lancaster and other heavyweights for another Democratic rally in Kinston.
Outside the arena local Republicans set up a funeral-style tent that contained the effigy of a Democratic donkey laid to rest in a mock coffin surrounded by fake tombstones. Kentwood Turner, a leading local Republican, led a group of GOP ``mourners.'' MEMO: Staff writer Perry Parks contributed to this report.
KEYWORDS: ELECTION NORTH CAROLINA ENDORSEMENTS by CNB