Kissell Committed to Sound Energy Policy, Creation of Green-Collar Jobs

The League of Conservation Voters, which works to turn environmental values into public policy, announced the endorsement of Larry Kissell for election to North Carolina's 8th District seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.

The following was written by Leslie Hubbard of Clayton, NC.

In NC we're a little spoiled. We have Democratic Party leadership that truly respects and appreciates the little guys.

Last year was the first Sanford-Hunt Dinner, a low-dollar fund raiser (30/plate) that honors two outstanding former NC Governors, Terry Sanford and Jim Hunt. According to Jerry Meek, this low-dollar event is now the most profitable fund raiser of the year for the Party. Those who Host and Sponsor and "beFriend" this event -- the big guys -- have their priorities in order. Kudos and Thank you to them all.

But that's not really what I wanted to tell you about.

By Marie Horrigan, CQ Weekly

National Democratic strategists earned plaudits for their 2006 gains, but there were flubs. Will earlier party support put their defeated challenger to GOP Rep. Robin Hayes over the top?

Voters in the mostly working-class precincts of south-central North Carolina that connect Charlotte and Fayetteville were faced with a study in opposites in their candidates for Congress last year. The Democratic challenger was Larry Kissell, a social-studies teacher who also spent 27 years in midlevel jobs in a hosiery mill. The Republican incumbent was Robin Hayes, a millionaire hosiery mill owner and descendent of one of the region's founding families. Despite being outspent 3-to-1 and being cut off from support from party headquarters in Washington, Kissell managed to come within 329 votes of one of the year's biggest upsets — and created the second-closest House race in the country.

A shrewd campaigner, Kissell leveraged a significant amount of free publicity through events such as his summertime gasoline sale, in which he offered to make up the difference between the pump price in North Carolina in August 2006 ($2.89 a gallon) and the price when Hayes took office in 1999 ($1.22). The event drew some 500 motorists to Benjy Dunn's Filling Station in Biscoe and won Kissell media coverage that his underfunded campaign could not yet purchase.

Hayes, meanwhile, was weakened by his pro-war sentiments — and by some politically risky votes he took out of loyalty to the Republican Party. Hayes was a deciding vote for the Central American Free Trade Agreement in 2005 despite having earlier declared himself "flat-out, completely, horizontally opposed" to it, a treacherous vote given the major textile interests in the district.

Attend a canvass in your area!

On Saturday, April 28, we're hitting the streets again to talk with our neighbors about the difference Democrats are making in North Carolina with our 100-County Canvass.

Local party leaders are planning events in Anson, New Hanover, Wayne, and Wake Counties. To sign up for our April 28 canvass events, click here.

from Blue NC:

"...My company had its Christmas party in Raleigh, so I decided to go over early and drop in to the holiday festivities at the North Carolina Democratic Party headquarters.

The event was a fine affair by any standard. Everyone was upbeat and enthusiastic, and Jerry Meek received plenty of applause, both for the quality and brevity of his comments.

In the closest undecided Congressional race in the nation, Larry Kissell gained votes in the county canvasses today and less than one-half of one percent separates the two candidates. Mecklenburg County results are pending, but Kissell carried the county by a 2:1 margin. The difference is much smaller than the one percent required for a recount.

"If you want change, vote for Mr. Kissell. We think the House, with its
scandals, fiscal irresponsibility and willingness to serve as a rubber
stamp for the president, is a disaster. Larry Kissell would better
represent the district."